TRAINING TEACHERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 665, 17 May 1929, Page 11

TRAINING TEACHERS

SYSTEM NEEDS REVISION AN INVESTIGATION Press Association WELLINGTON, Today. The establishment of a separate training college for secondary or technical school teachers is not to be thought of at the present time, said the Director of Education, Mr. T. B. Strong, at the conference of the Secondary Schools’ Association. “I may remind you,” he added, “that with 7,000 teachers we have four training colleges. New South Wales, with 9,000 teachers, manages quite well with only one.” “This year secondary school inspectors will visit the training colleges to ascertain what provision is made at present for students desiring to specialise in secondary class teaching. They will also confer with the Professors of Education, and I have no doubt an improvement will be effected in the present system. “There can, I think, be little doubt as to the importance of having trained teachers in the secondary school service. Our goal is in sight. It is time the same aim was realised in secondary schools.” To be a teacher more is needed than proficiency in sport and knowledge of the subject of instruction. There is something in the science and art of teaching that cannot be acquired Intuitively. It is much too uncertain a thing for schools to depend on securing what is called the “horn teacher.”