CHILDREN'S HOME LESSONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22268, 22 May 1934, Page 12

CHILDREN'S HOME LESSONS

TO THE EDITOB. Sib,—On reading a splendid address by Mr W. A. Service, senior inspector, in your issue of the 19th inst, at the annual meeting at the Otago branch of the Education Institute, it struck me that it would be a good thing if some of the teachers were to peruse it well, and carry out a few of the ideas expressed in ; it. No one would be against children from the Third Standard up having a certain amount of home work to do, to be worked out by themselves. But when it comes to the infant classes it is ridiculous. A child in the infant class after being in

school all day. ;lias, I think, had all that is good for him. He is sent home, however, with ahoot five or six lines marked in his book,,together with a small column of spellings, <md after tea out comes the book, and one of the parents is asked_to put him through his home lessons, lhe parent thus (frops into the poatwjrf sole teacher. Before or . after breakfast the same thing toccure to refresh, the child« memory. Do you not'think, Sir, that these tiny .tots have had quite enough of it during y school hours, and that they should be allowed a little relaxation when away front their lessons? As Mr Service says in Ms address, I should say that the learning/of spelling at night is wrong. After a/1, the school is the place where the cbilti should be directly taught.—l am, etc., D. L. Henley,' May 21.