NEW SYLLABUS

Southland Times, Issue 20497, 28 May 1928, Page 9

NEW SYLLABUS

DISCUSSED BY TEACHERS. VAGUENESS CRITICISED. DIRECTOR’S ADDRESS READ. On Saturday morning the new primary school syllabus was discussed by *a large and representative gathering of members of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute. While teachers in the main seemed deeply sympathetic to ancl appreciative of the principles underlying the new syllabus, a certain amount of criticism was levelled at it on the ground that it was too indefinite regarding certain subjects, with the result that teachers, particularly young teachers, would experience dificulty in knowing what was expected of them. It was anticipated that the various sections in the syllabus would be covered during the morning discussion, but so much time was spent in dealing with the subjects arithmetic and English that the discussion on the remaining sections was deferred until next Saturday’s meeting. The president, Mr. A. C. Rowe, in introducing the discussion said that at the conference he attended during the holidays the Director had stated that any recommendations branches of the N.Z.E.I. made would be taken notice of at the meeting in Wellington on June 18 when the executive of the N.Z.E.I. together with twelve teachers from the rest of New Zealand would discuss the syllabus from the point of view of all the branches of the institute. The conference would last for three days and at the end of that time the executive with the twelve teachers would go in a body to the Minister when the recommendations would again be discussed. Thus teachers would have one of the last says in the syllabus. Mr. Strong, however, had made it clear that he would have the final say in it, and after hearing him speak teachers were quite prepared to leave finality to him. One point the Director had made clear was that he strongly favoured smaller classes. The syllabus, as all teachers were aware, was no use unless smaller classes were made. That was the first step and any money available would be used if possible to re-model the schools so that smaller classes could be made possible. The syllabus was then discussed in sections by various teachers who had prepared reports. ARITHMETIC. Mr. G. Griffiths dealt with arithmetic. Before going into the technical aspect of the syllabus he stated that the syllabus was really in keeping with that passed at the N.Z.E.I. annual meeting two years ago. It certainly simplified teaching and gave teachers more liberty in their work. An important aspect of the syllabus was the way arithmetic was cut down through the omission of unnecessary work. Junior pupils learnt their arithmetic through play. A teacher could carry out the syllabus practically up to the third standard without written work. The syllabus was based on the every day needs of people, and pupils were not burdened with the absurd drill work of the past. He did not think any teacher should cavil at the syllabus as far as arithmetic was concerned, nor did he think that three hours a week would have to be exceeded in any class in the teaching of arithmetic. Mr. Lawless was not so enthusiastic over this section of the syllabus. He considered that much more than three hours would have to be devoted to arithmetic each week. Though in the junior classes much had been cut out, beyond standard three the syllabus seemed to him identical with the old one. He did not have much fault to find with the rest of the syllabus, but he thought that arithmetic was not cut down enough. Miss Wright said that speaking for the infant department not enough was cut out. Miss Baird suggested that all instruction in the preparatory division should be concrete. Memorization of tables should not commence till Standard I. Mr. Griffiths said that it was obvious that many teachers considered that they were bound hand and foot by the syllabus. They were permitted a fairly free interpretation of the syllabus. However, a committee in Auckland was to discuss defining the syllabus within reasonable limits. Mr. Nelson said that it was not the syllabus so much as its interpretation that they were concerned with. At the request of the chairman he read a summary of the Director’s address to teachers. DIRECTOR’S ADDRESS. The extracts he read were as follows: “The Department was still open to receive constructive criticism of the syllabus, which has not yet become law. The committee had endeavoured through the whole syllabus to make recommendations that would enable teachers more fully to stimulate in the pupils desirable emotional attitudes, both of an appreciative and active kind, and had aimed in general to develop a curriculum and a system which, up to the age of 14, would offer to all the same educational opportunities. The development of character in its broadest and highest sense was aimed at. The matter was entirely in the hands of the teacher, who would be allowed to develop according to his own ideas and according to the way life ought to be developed in the pupils under his charge. “This freedom, I hope,” said Mr. Strong, “will be wisely exercised by teachers, who will be given the greatest latitude, subject, of course, to the approval of the inspector. After all, it is the duty of an inspector to see that the pupils are given, a fair deal, and that they receive the best education the country can give them. We must guard against the progress of the pupils being hindered by diversity in the

curriculum. Too often instruction in the past has been bookish in character and divorced from the real interest of the child and life of the community. The aim of the new syllabus is to use the material with which the child is familiar, and, with that object in view, certain studies have been introduced earlier than previously. The syllabus is practical in respect to arithmetic in that it emphasises not so much the importance of teaching business arithmetic but the importance of making the instruction as real as possible. In the case of science, for example, not only shall the material in the school be made 'use of, but also the industries outside.” On the cultured side, continued the Director-General, the syllabus was richer in content than any of its predecessors. English would be studied more broadly and with greater freedom than ever previously. He hoped the time of lavish teaching of grammar had gone for ever. The study of English literature would be emphasized as it. had been in modern text-books for a number of years past. On the physical side the syllabus aimed at the all-round development of the child. “More and more,” he said, “are we tending towards specialization in education. It is a matter for the primary school as well.” With regard to the junior high school movement as it had been popularly called, there was no opposition in the minds of the Department or of the Government. He believed that there was a good deal to be said for an extended post primary course of education. There was a good deal in the assertion of the minority report that already a very large proportion of the pupils was receiving that benefit. Notwithstanding that fact, they would like all to have the benefit of a secondary education. He would like parents to be encouraged to keep their children in a poet primary school as long as possible. Although it was recommended that the primary course of instruction had to be completed between the ages of 11 and 12, that was, at the completion of Standard IV., there would be no forced sending of pupils at a certain age. He realised that it was not desirable that pupils should be retarded in a class which was not suitable to the state of development that they had reached. Mr. Strong said he hoped that a very substantial improvement would be possible this year in remodelling old-fashioned schools and in reducing the size of classes. .He did not think the Department was ex-

travagant in introducing secondary subjects at an earlier stage than at present, and in suggesting to teachers that the introduction might be made into primary schools as they existed at present, he believed the existing staffs were quite capable of doing all that was required of them by the syllabus. There was no desire that the syllabus should be overloaded until the new primary schools had been established. The desire was to accelerate the progress of pupils through the classes so that they would leave school earlier than at present. It was recommended that as pupils reached the age of twelve they should transfer automatically to the secondary school, where a new environment and a wider scope would give them an opportunity to develop their gifts. The establishment of Standard VII. was provided in order that pupils who had passed Standard VI. might be encouraged to continue their education while waiting for employment. It was hoped that by that means there would not be a break in a pupil’s school career. The abolition of the proficiency certificates and the substitution for them of primary school certificates awarded on the crediting system, put added responsibilities upon teachers, but he had every confidence in them. FURTHER DISCUSSION. Mr. Griffiths said that the Director had also made it clear that if the teachers did not exercise their accrediting privileges those privileges would be taken from them.

Mr. Lawless said that he thought something more concrete was necessary in the arithmetic syllabus. Teachers wanted to know definitely what they were expected to do.Several others expressed disapproval at the vagueness of the arithmetical section of 1 the syllabus. Teachers would not know whether they were on the right lines until the inspectors came round. Miss Baird said that the section regard- i ing arithmetic was the only one the infant mistresses were not satisfied with. At the chairman’s suggestion Miss Baird agreed to bring forward a recommendation to the meeting next Saturday. ENGLISH. Referring to the English section of the syllabus the chairman said that grammar had been cut down to a minimum and the teacher was free to carry on much more valuable work. Speaking was being given a place in the curriculum. When a pupil left the fourth standard he should need no ; more instruction in writing. Care would have to be taken in the lower standards to ensure that his writing was satisfactory. Regarding spelling Mr. Griffiths said that teachers would regret that no list was included in the syllabus. He did not advocate an absurdly difficult list, but there should be a list of words which pupils of a certain standard should know. Such a list could be compiled scientifically. A list for each individua’ child was not good.

The chairman said that a list would hinge on the word-building in the syllabus. It was mentioned in the ensuing discussion that the appendix would help teachers in defining the work. Mr. Brown said that it would be an excellent opportunity for the institute to help teachers in interpreting the syllabus. Mr. Griffiths in reply said that it had already been decided by the institute that supplements to “National Education” would be issued with this object. Mr. Lawless said that he wondered why the Department made it necessary for the institute to help teachers in this respect. Surely the Department could lay down a definite syllabus for arithmetic and English at least. At this stage the discussion was adjourned till the following Saturday, when in addition to going through the syllabus, teachers will be addressed by the Senior Inspector, Mr. J. Robertson. Miss Baird and Messrs D. Brown, A. C. Rowe, J. S. Nelson and J. Miller were nominated as representatives of teachers to join the executive of the N.Z.E.I. in discussing the syllabus.