CLASSIFYING PUPILS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20601, 27 June 1930, Page 14

CLASSIFYING PUPILS.

TESTS FOR TEACHERS' USE. NEW INSTRUCTION METHODS. [BY TELEGHAI>H.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Thursday. Referring to tho matter of efficiency in schools, in a statement upon tho conference of inspectors and departmental heads, tho director of Education, Mr. T. B. Strong, said to-day that the position of the schools in relation to the teaching of spelling, writing and individual reading, was discussed and an examination made of the results of certain tests prepared by the department in regard to those subjects. For some time the department had been preparing standardised tests in order that the promotion of pupils from class to class should be made on a uniform basis throughout Now Zealand. Tho tests would presently be issued and thoy would servo as a guide to teachers in their classification of pupils. " Tho conference agreed that every encouragement should bo given to teachers to depart from traditional mothods of teaching and traditional schemes of organisation," said Mr. Strong. "It was considered, ho'wever, that any new schemes should be carefully examined and their adoption not approved unless it .was certain that they would not be deloterious to the progress of the pupils." ■" Mr. Strong expressed disappointment at so little progress having been made in the introduction of new methods and said ho desired tho inspectors to givo teachers all the freedom that the new syllabus, held out to them. He emphasised the danger of assessing the efficiency of a school or of an individual teacher by measurable results. It was, ho considered, quite possible for tho inspectors to form a reliable judgment as to tho teacher's capacity in developing tho character of pupils. Character training was tho principal function of the teacher. He felt sure that with success in character training would come also proficiency in tho ordinary subjects pf instruction.