WORK AND SCHEME BOOKS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 September 1924, Page 2

WORK AND SCHEME BOOKS

THEIR USE TO TEACHERS. LECTURE BY MR. J. A. VALIXTIN'E. “Work and Scheme Booke,” formed the subject of a very interesting lecture given by Mt. J. A. Valintine, senior inspector of schools for the TaranaKi Education Board, io a large gathering of teachers at the Technical College on Saturday. the lecture was given under the auspices of the Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, the president. Mr. D. P. Evans, occupying the chair. Scheme books were the pattern of the teachers’ work, and the ultimate result depended upon the correctness of the pattern, said Mr. Valintine. If scheme books were fully and properly made, the preparation of work books would be reduced to a minimum. Careful • attention to the preparation of schemes amply repaid, the teacher for the time and concentration, and it was by his schemes that the good teacher was known. .

Dealing with reading, Mr. Valintine slrowed how the lesson should be divided up and how it should be treated, stressing the importance of encouraging children to pick out new words and lar regard to the interpretation of prothe use of the dictionary, with particununciation symbols and the selection of choice expressions. In the criticism of reading Mr. Valintine said that criticism did not mean that only the weak points should be found. The good, as well as the bad si ould be pointed out He also stressed the imj)ortance of questioning for revi--ion purposes, as a good questioner meant a good teacher. In discussing the subject of drawing the speaker said there was a need for more geometrical drawing, and in future inspectors would be asking for more, said Air. Valintine, There was also too little freehand drawing done in some schools.

'Spelling was another subject which was thoroughly discussed by Mr. Valintine. Words should be taught in groups and in families, and the scheme book should indicate that. Composition was also regarded as a difficult subject, and it was rarely that a good scheme for composition was found. There was too much formal essay writing and' too little real practice. A scheme of lessons should be prepaired for earh term and adhered to.

At the conclusion of his address, Mr. Valintine was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks.