PRIMARY SCHOOLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9623, 31 March 1917, Page 9

PRIMARY SCHOOLS

SYLLABUS SIMPLIFIED ALTERATIONS DESIGNED TO OVERCOME DEFECTS. The Minister for Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan) has for some time past desired to simplify the primary schools syllabus and to amend both it and the system of school inspection in certain directions in order to moel some defects which have recently been noted. As the work of the schools for this year is already under way, it was not thought advisable to recast entirely the syllabus and system of inspection. but the “Gazette” issued this week embodies a number of amendments whose operation will not interfere with the progress of the work’d' the schools.

These amendments provide, inter alia, for a greater amount of attention being paid to accuracy of speecu, intelligent reading, accuracy in arithmetic, and a sound knowledge of history, Nature study, and geography. Provision js made for more dehnite teaching of grammar so far as it is required to secure correct speech and writing. Special emphasis is laid on the close relationship of the teaching of history and civics, to the development of character, the fostering of the spirit of service, and the encouragement of the growth of all those virtues which make for good citizen ship. The amended syllabus also provides for placing the teaching of spelling on a more rational basis, so that the words may bo graded in difficulty, and may he more closely in relation to those which children need to use in writing. The amendments further provide for some concession to girls in order to enable them to devote more time to needlework impress upon the teachers the necesand domestic science. The regulations sTly for taking an active part in the physical training and , the medical inspection of school children.

CLOSER CO-ORDINATION NEEDED In order to secure closer co-ordina-tion between the inspectors and' the teachers, arrangements have been made to place inspectors as far as possible m charge of a definite group of schools. This plan has already been put into operation in the Auckland and the Wellington districts, and it will be extended as opportunity permits. The amended regulations provide that inspectors shall devote more time to the Smaller schools and to the less experienced' teachers, and that the mspec- ' tor’s first visit in the year shall be regarded as the more important one, the object being that the inspectors may assist teachers to build up the work of tho year during its early stages rather than devote the greater portion of the time to inspection and examination at the end of the year. Under the new system of placing inspectors in charge of definite districts, the inspectors will ,bo able not only to indicate defects, but to take an active and continuous part in remedying the detects noted.-

The special attention of head teachers >s drawn to the necessity for givfng adequate care to the studies of pupil-teachers and probationers, since recent indications have shown that in some cases this important matter has not received the attention it deserves. WHOLE SYLLABUS TO BE RE- , CAST. In addition to the amended regulations just issued, it is intended to recast the whole of the syllabus and rearrange it with the special object of helping the less experienced teachers. This 1 work will take a considerable time, but it is hoped that the work will be finished by October next, so that teachers and inspectors and others concerned may be able to get a complete grasp of the new syllabus in good time' for laying put their work for 1918. It is understood that the present amended regulations will bo embodied in tho full scheme to bo issued in Octo-’ her.