TEACHER TRAINING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21911, 21 September 1934, Page 13

TEACHER TRAINING

NO CHANGE IN CONTROL UNIVERSITY PLAN REJECTED MINISTER STATES REASONS EFFICIENCY AND FINANCE [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday The proposal to transfer the training of teachers from, education boards to university colleges has been rejected by the Hon. R. Masters,. Minister of Education.

The Minister said a scheme had been put forward by representatives of the four university colleges that teacher training should be undertaken in conjunction with the work of the university colleges. "I have given the scheme very careful consideration," said the Minister, "and am of the opinion that it does not make as satisfactory a provision for the teaching of all subjects as does the present system. "There is now in the training colleges a carefully-selected expert for each subject. Degree students already attend university colleges for lectures in university subjects. I cannot see, therefore, that if the training of teachers were placed under the control of the unirtfrsity colleges, the efficiency of the teaching staff would be any greater than it is under the present conditions. The Financial Aspect "The scheme is somewhat indefinite in its financial aspect,- and even when , the most favourable interpretation is placed on the proposals submitted by the professors, it seems certain that the cost of their scheme would be greater than the cost of the two trailing colleges under the control of the education boards. As time went on, it would probably be found that the cost would increase rather ihan decrease.

"The professors recognised that for some technical and practical work, for example, art, nature study and science, additional accommodation would be required. They agreed that art, needlework and handicraft work could not be carried out in an ordinary lecture room and that special suitable accommodation would have to be provided for physical education.

' The proposal that two-year students should be required to pursue during their first year a course of study in four B.A. subjects is a weakness in the scheme. Only exceptionally robust and able students are capable of taking four subjects in a year. University Work Not Essential

"Further, a!i students do not wish to take university work, and I do not think they should be compelled to do so. As the main object of a training college is to train teachers to teach, it is desirable that as much as possible of the two years should be spent with this end very definitely in view. "A point that apparently had not previously been considered by the prolessors was the fact that the university year opens in March and ends about the middle of October, whereas the training college year begins early in February and ends' in December. I anticipate that difficulties would arise in using the periods available in February and at the end of the year to the best advantage for the training of students.

"The proposals submitted would require four staffs to do the work that can be done very efficiently by the ttvo staffs that have already been built up in Auckland and Christchurch. Even if at the commencement of the scheme the staffs were not as complete as those already in Auckland and Christchurch, there would be a tendency to increase them, especially if the department urged the necessity for more instruction in this or that subject. No Particular Isolation

"It was urged by the professors that student teachers should not be trained apart from the rest of the professional community I would point out, however, that - under the conditions existing at present, student teachers are by no means segregated in their training. They have "spent three, four or five years in secondary departments with pupils who will enter other professions, and when they enter a training college, more than half of them attend university colleges for tbeir degree studies, and may, and often do, become members of various university societies. This is a very different state of affairs from that existing a generation ago. "After a very full and careful consideration, I anx unable to agree to the proposal to transfer the training of teachers from education boards to university colleges."