SOUTHLAND SCHOOLS

Southland Times, Issue 19481, 3 April 1922, Page 7

SOUTHLAND SCHOOLS

INSPECTORS’ ANNUAL REPORT. At a special meeting of the Southland Education Board on Thursday the annual report and the Inspectors’ Annual report were approved for submission to the Minister of Education and the Director of Education. The annual report published on Friday and the Inspectors’ report is given below. Before the meeting concluded the secretary to the Board (Mr F. G. Stevenson) and the affice staff were thanked for the work they had performed in connection with the annual report. The Inspectors’ report states that a number of schools of Grade IV and upwards in the district being very limited, promotion to headmasterships of these grades was slow, consequently, these positions were filled by teachers of good intellectual ability and high professional worth. In the case of Grade 111 schools (a fairly large class) the supply of thoroughly qualified head teachers was not yet quite sufficient, though it was more adequate than formerly. They could regard with equanimity the appointment of newly fleged trainees to positions of such comparatively importance, yet force of circumstances occasionally left them option in the matter. In the lowest grades they still had too large a proportion uf uncertificated teachers, toiling painfully upward to certificated status. Those of their number who were placed under the guidance of the organising teachers, Messrs Gray and Menzies, were exceedingly fortunate in the opportunities afforded them of acquiring approved methods of instruction and obtaining a thorough insight into the efficient management of small schools. "While it is yet debatable whether the probationary period for young teachers should come before or after their college course,” the report goes on “the pre-pro-bationary arrangement has one decided advantage, it permits young persons who have been proved to be unsuitable for the teaching profession to seek, while still young, other vocations for which they are better adapted. To enable us to come to a proper decision in this matter, we confer with the young people themselves and their headmasters, enquire into their punctuality, regularity, conduct, and diligence both at school and at training classes; examine all records of their work and note their attitude towards their life work, their general demeanour, their power of control, and their progress in teaching. We are thus enabled with some confidence to eliminate the misfits and at the same time to encourage the promising candidates to progress in the profession they have chosen. Various subjects of instruction are commented on by the inspectors as follows: Speech Training:—We find that though the commendable attention given to purity of speech which we commented upon last year is being maintained, yet, in the playground and outside the school, there is evidence of slovenly speech among our children. In our discussions with teachers we often find the blame being placed on a poor home The only remedy seems to be to make the instruction more inspirational in character so that the present children may, as future parents, tend to preserve in after life the models which have been given them in the school. The true test, of any teaching is the effect it leaves upon the child after he leaves the school. It has been said that one of the bars to social solidarity and unity is the divergence of speech- that is found among the various classes of a community. If this view is correct, it behoves every teacher not only to give systematic instruction in the oral use of the mother tongue but also to create such an attitude on the part of the pupils that the results of such instruction will be permanent. We are of the opinion that the amount of oral work could be increased as, for example, by more imitative work with nursery rhymes for infant clauses, and an extended use of oral composition from the F. classes upwards. Whether or not th# . instruction is inspirational in character will depend, on its sympathetic treatment by teachers, and on their own personal influence. Reading:—We are glad to be able to report an increasing interest in the use of school libraries. Teachers are more and more realising that one of the main aims of reading is to foster a love of reading for its own sake. A reading community tends to become a thinking community, and a thinking community is more likely to adopt sane views concerning social problems than one which has less power to grasp intelligently written and spoken language. It is pleasing to record that the shelves are not now wholly filled with story-books; niches have been found for books on natural science, biography, history, etc. Recitation—The standard of oral recitation is generally improving though seme teachers are still unfortunate in their choice of pieces, some of these, e.g., Gray’s Elegy”, being beyond the capabilities of r most primary school children. More attention should be paid to the setting of the pieces, and, in accordance with the principle that, expression properly follows impression, more care might be taken that content is duly appreciated before memorising begins. We are glad to notice an increasing number of schools in whiph recitation is well taught-.

Singing:—We regret that this subject does not in some schools receive the attention it deserves. A very important aspect of school work is education for leisure and, consequently, no suitable opportunity should be lost of developing the aesthetic side of the child’s nature, so that, in his mature years, he may use his leisure time with proper enjoyment to himself and to the community of which he happens to be a member. The undoubted physical benefit, too, arising from proper singing exercises is great than is commonly realised. Writing:—The quality of the writing of our schools is, as regards form, being fully maintained. There might, however, be more systematic training for speed than is usually given. As regards posture and the care of the eyes, there is still much room for improvement —a fact, which a number clearly recognise. In connection with the teaching of writing, we are glad to note that many of our infant room mistresses are giving the child preliminary instruction in form and control separately. Composition:—Written composition continues to receive systematic treatment, and we notice an improvement in the work of the middle division concerning which we made comment last year. We also find a generally increasing use and appreciation of the value of the paragraph. With oral composition we are less satisfied and think there is room, from the infant classes upward, for much fuller treatment in this division of the subject. This more extensive treatment would naturally lead to an economy of time in that results in written composition would be easier of attainment, than at present. The effect upon speech also would be invaluable. Drawing:—ln some of our schools, this subject is treated on sound lines. The teachers are fully alive to the fact that drawing is intended to give opportunity for the expression of ideas by the child, not to give him practice in copying the expression of the idea by others. We should like to see more of our schools laying stress on original experssion. A fuller correlation than exists at present with those subjects that lend themselves to graphic expression might be attempted. Handwork: —In this subject, as in drawing, some of our teachers fully realise that the proper method of approach to bra n development is through muscular expression. In many schools excellent work, e.g. in cardboard modelling is done, the children being allowed to stake models under the teachers’ direction. Ifce constructive as against the imitative idea is gradually being introduced, the newer aim being for the child to solve his problem for himself. As in drawing, we should like to see a fuller correlation with other s/jjects. Needlework. —We find that our girls are keenly interested in this subject. Their work and application in the majority of cases deserves the highest praise. In the Junior Division we sometimes find the finer

muscles being too early brought into play. In the Upper Divisions the girls should have practice in cutting out patterns and making garments from start to finish. We are in entire agreement with the opinion of the lady supervisor, Miss Perrin, that doll-dress-ing by infants is desirable. Arithmetic:—This is a subject that, from year to year, gives us considerable concern. We find that, in some of our best schools, teachers are, in the senior classes unable to reach the required standard without an undue expenditure of time, and especially in the cases of girls, an undue tax on their energies. We do not think that faulty teaching can be advanced as the main contributing cause as, while recognising that teaching methods can always be improved, we feel that, in the case of our best teachers, the methods used are reasonably sound. We again venture the opinion, which we voiced last year, that the requirements are still, in some respects, too high, which tends to operate adversely against the aim of the Syllabus to provide an all round and complete development for the child. At the same time, we find that the difficulty many children find in interpreting the language of arithmetical problems might be lessened by a more intensive treatment of English, particularly “comprehension,” throughout the child’s school career. In the case of large classes, we find that our most successful teachers of arithmetic are those who can best solve the all important problem of giving the necessary individual instruction —a difficulty 4 th at is always met with when children are taught in large groups. Physical Instruction:—We notice a very general improvement in this subject which is under the direction of the Department’s physical Instructor, Mr N. C. Heid. We are glad to note that many of our teachers have expressed themselves as firmly convinced that _the introduction of the present system of physical training has more than justified itself in the improved physique of primaiy school children during the last few years. Teachers find also that the best mental equipment is valueless without corresponding physical fitness. We regret that in a few of our schools this point has apparently been missed. As regards detailed treatment, we are of the opinion that from the educational point of view and particularly as regards discipline and community life, a more valuable use could be made of school games. Other Subjects:—As regards geography, we regret that teachers do not yet make sufficient use of the study of outdoor phenomena. We had occasion to draw attention to this point last year. Geography deals essentially with man in relation to his physical environment and unless that environment is studied, the treatment of geography must be at fault. The teaching of history has slightly improved-. Our best teachers of the subject realise that the giving of knowledge Is not of very much value unless there is also the creation of a thirst for more. In some cases health lessons appear to be lacking in ‘point of contact.’ Their treatment should be more practical and more related to the real life of the child than it is at present.

Infant Classes-:—We are indebted to Miss M. C. Perrin, 8.A., for much valuable assistance in connection with our infant departments during the year. We are glad to be able to report that Miss Perrin’s work is being taken up with considerable enthusiasm. As a result we have already noticed evidences of a pleasing change in infant room procedure. Community Interest:—Community of interest is fostered to a considerable extent in most of our schools, without, we are inclined to think, any conscious aim expressly directed towards it in the majority of cases by teachers. The athletic clubs in connection with our schools play a considerable part in this connection, though there is this drawback to their operations—all share in the common glory, few in the labour and self-sacrifice. Organised games in some schools play even a more important part in the development of the idea, since for the common end, the winning of the game, strenuous exertion on the part of each individual is required. In the care of the school grounds, in attaining and maintaining a certain standard of beauty, the idea is pursued in a still nobler form, in a limited number of schools. Our better class infant rooms, too, are so managed that community of interest is fostered very considerably in collective lessons. It will be our privilege in the coming year to advise teachers as to ways and means of applying the principle of community of interest in other directions. Methods of self-government:—We are glad to note that, both as regards the government of the school and the child’s own government of himself, there is an increasing provision of opportunities for the judicious expression of the natural tendencies of the child. Incentives to effort will always remain necessary in order to secure right effort and attention to duty. We have no sympathy with those who' are unable to distinguish between freedom and licence; but we note with satisfaction that there are evidences of a gradual, but not the less sure, change from the traditional imitative, ma-chine-like discipline to an organisation that is designed, in conjunction with creative discipline, to transform the child’s “self-regarding sentiment” to a true sense of duty involving recognition of one’s obligations to others. Development of Methods of Auto-Educa-tion :—We are glad to note an increasing recognition and application of the principle of self-activity. While we still find, prevalent in some quarters the old idea that the starting point of education is a passive reception of sensations, we have, on the other hand, some schools where there is proper opportunity for the infant child to develop his individuality. One or two schools, e.g. are well equipped with Montessori apparatus with its consequent education of the senses, according to the Montessori plan. We are watching the experiment with considerable interest. Some enthusiastic teachers feel somewhat discouraged in that they are unable to obtain Montessori material, but it is quite practicable apart from the ‘didactic apparatus’ for them to devise methods that will encourage initiative. In connection with the more ideational teaching of the upper school, we think that the principle of self activity could, with advantage, be more widely extended.