EMPIRE TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7978, 8 December 1911, Page 8

EMPIRE TEACHERS’ CONFERENCE

prom our special correspondent

LONDON, October T,

Next year the League of the Empire will hold in London the first conference of the representatives of the teachers’ associations in all parts of the Empire. This project, which has been under consideration for some time, has met with encouraging support both at Home and overseas.

Tho date fixed for tho conference is Friday, the 12th, to Tuesday, July 16th, 1912. The agenda drawn up by tho committee includes a great variety of subjects such as the / training of teachers (professional and university); the mutual recognition throughout the Empire of teachers’ certificates ;, the migration of teachers for purposes of study generally and for temporary interchange of appointments; and the working of the scholarship system in different parts of the Empire. Besides these and other general subjects will be discussed:—Technical education-in its relation to local industries as well as in its larger aspect as a preparation for general scientific and trade research ; the place of history and geography in education; the English language and literature, physical education; the organisation of rural schools, and the teaching of local industry and nature study. Suggestions- are constantly being received by the committee from overseas teachers - ' associations, and so varied are the subjects on which discussion is asked that it is quite evident that tho conference proper will be the centre of a month at least ot educational intercourse. It has already been proposed to illustrate the agenda with observation work, and illustrated lectures on various subjects will bo introduced both before and after the conference. A short travel-study in England is also being arranged. ) Tho papers prepared will be taken as road, and the whole time of the meeting will be given to discussion in which precedence is to be given to the overseas visitors.