ABILITY OF TEACHERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21548, 20 July 1933, Page 13

ABILITY OF TEACHERS

THE GRADING SYSTEM INCONSISTENCY SUGGESTED EDUCATION BOARD'S ACTION. The opinion that a number of schoolteachers were not doing efficient work, such as should reasonably bo expected of teachers with their relatively high grading, was expressed at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday by Mr. E. 0. Purdio. Upon his motion the board passed a resolution that the attention of the Education Department should be drawn to the fact that, in the cases of certain teachers, inconsistencies occurred between the reports of inspectors as forwarded to the board and the grading of tlio teachers as indicated by the official grading list. Mr. Purdio raised the matter after the board-in-committee had discussed appointments of teachers and reports made by inspectors. Ho said he thought the board was bound to appoint to positions teachers highest on the grading list, unless the senior inspector and tho board agreed that somo other candidate was suitable. Nevertheless, there was a case of one teacher who, it was manifest from tho inspector's confidential report, was unfit for a certain "position, yet on tho public grading list was certified as capable of carrying out the duties to bo performed. According to tho reports the board had received that morning, half a dozen teachers were manifestly unfit for the positions held. " Many Teachers Wrongly Graded " "I say that the grade of a teacher should be strictly in accord with the work of the teacher," said Mr. Purclie. "Tho grading list is a list which tho board cannot safely follow. I say with regret that there aro many cases of teachers on the grading list who aro entirely wrongly graded, and I think the attention of the department should be drawn to the inconsistencies between the grading of teachers and the reports of the inspectors. I consider it of the highest importance that tho grading figures appended to each teacher should bo an indication of what the teacher can do."

Mr. Purdie then moved the motion, which was seconded by Mr. R. Hoe, who said the board was bound to accept the highest-graded teacher applying for an appointment. "Mr. S. B. Sims said to a certain extent tho board had the remedy in its own hands. Surely, if the board was aware that a certain teacher was not qualified for advancement it had a right not to make an appointment. Ho thought there was no reason why the board should not have an opinion—ho did not like to use the term "black list"—whether or not a teacher should bo advanced. System a " Childish " One Mr. A. Burns said ho thought the motion was far too sweeping, but he was assured by Mr. Purdie that it was understood it referred only to certain cases which they were all dissatisfied with. The board then went into committee while a statement on tho position was made by the senior inspector, Mr. W. G. Blackie. Upon resumption in open meeting Mr. G. Brownlee said the system under which teachers were given grading marks was wrong. Teachers should be placed in grades, so that if a teacher were suitable for promotion to a certain grade he could bo put into that grade. The system of giving marks seemed a childish system and he could never understand it. Under his proposal, if a man wero not suitable for a certain grade, he could be put into a lower grade. Mr. Purdie said the last speaker's suggestion would introduce a system ho did not want to see. It involved many difficulties. He would like to press his motion. Mr. W. J. Campbell said he did not think the matter was a serious one. He suggested it should be, held over for a time. The motion was carried, Mr. Sims, dissenting.

QUEST FOR CERTIFICATES FEW CANDIDATES THIS YEAR The great reduction in tho number of candidates for school teachers' 0 certificates was commented Upon at a meeting of tho Auckland Education Board yesterday. Advice was received from the Education Department that the examination for class C certificates would be held from Augr.it 22 to 29, and the board was asked to co-operato in regard to supervision and tho provision of buildings for tho examination. Tho secretary, Mr. D. W. Dunlop, said that in tho board's district this year thero were only 56 candidates, of whom eight sought to qualify in- handcrafts. In stating that the co-operation of tho board would bo given, 'tho chairman, .Mr. T. U. Wells, said tho f)6 candidates this year compared with 300 or more in past years.