TEACHING METHODS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24633, 14 June 1941, Page 10

TEACHING METHODS

OLD AND NEW SYSTEMS NEED FOR BLENDING r~ OTAGO INSPECTORS’ REPORT An answer to the charge that school children of to-day are not given an opportunity to develop a sufficient sense of responsibility towards their tasks is given by the inspectors in their annual report to the Otago Education Board. Advantages of the modern system of teaching are outlined and The need is shown for blending older methods harmoniously with the new. “It is frequently stated that children nowadays are not given opportunity to develop a sufficient sense of responsibility towards their tasks,” the report states. “Sometimes it appears that they are over-taught, inasmuch as the teacher anticipates and explains problems that should be faced by the child himself. Charges of soft pedagogy are made. It must, however,, be remembered that, in these days, a child lives a very| full life compared with that of the ptlpil of former times; School itself includes subjects and activities untouched a few years ago. Extra-school engagements and conveyance problems make almost impossible the retention of pupils in the classroom beyond the specified time of dismissal. No brief is held for ‘keeping in,’ a practice which on various 'strong grounds stands condemned. A Two-fold Difficulty “It would appear, however, that the time is ripe for the making of timetable provision for satisfactory completion of tasks undertaken during the day. The teacher of to-day has really a twofold difficulty—in the first place, there are so many subjects to cover each day that all too little time is available for the review or consolidation of work on which the pupils’ efforts have already been expended with only partial success, and, secondly, the demand made by external activities already mentioned is so precise and insistent. “In contrast to the trend towards a lack of ability to round off tasks or to overcome obstacles are the many activities provided nowadays for originality, self-reliance, and general ability to act without teacher guidance. In this sphere our schools are better places than our fathers knew.' Use of reference books, handling of craft material, designing of art work, leading groups of fellow scholars, are a few of the ways in which school children under the current system learn to act responsibly and with due consideration for the interests of others. Oi*al expression in the form of ‘ morning talks ’ or of informative lecturettes given by pupils is now an integral part of the dailv work of almost every school, and much useful training is being given in this way. The children speak with a confidence Unknown a decade ago. The Old and the New “It is riot contended, however, that a perfect technique has, as yet, been worked out for the most educatively sound direction of this freer pupil activity. It is really a matter of blendir% the older methods harmoniously with the new. There is much in traditional teaching that is bad, but there is also a great deal that has stood the test of time. The teacher who can discard wisely, but who with progressive outlook can base his procedure on principles inherently sound in any age, and at the same time modify his methods in keeping with the needs of a changing world, will come successfully through ap admittedly experimental and trying period in educational evolution.”