ABSORPTION OF TEACHERS

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1934, Page 4

ABSORPTION OF TEACHERS

PLAN PROVES SATISFACTORY “BEST UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES.” ALL BEING FITTED IN VERY WELL. EXPERIENCE AT NEW PLYMOUTH. Unqualified approval of the Education Department’s scheme for providing work for rationed teachers was expressed by the headmasters of the two largest primary schools at New Plymouth yesterday. “The position at Fitzroy is vastly better than it was last year,” said the head teacher (Mr. G. A. Lyall) to a News reporter. “I certainly think it is the best move the department could have made under the circumstances.” Great satisfaction with the scheme as a means of meeting the conditions of unemployment that were ruling among the teachers of New Zealand last year was also expressed by Mr. D. P. Evans, head teacher at the Central school. “Though like all head teachers I would prefer a staff of experienced teachers in a school,” he said, “I am very satisfied with things as they are. One must accord praise to the department and the Taranaki Education Board for straightening things out as they have done.”

Little difficulty was being experienced in fitting in the six rationed teachers appointed to the school, Mr. Evans continued. Though the school opened only last Monday the arrangements were practically complete. One teacher would take an infant class, two would fill the positions occupied by rationed teachers last year and two would divide between them a class of 56 that would otherwise have had to be taken by one teacher. The sixth was what was known as a relieving teacher and had already been sent to a position at a country school. ADVANTAGES CLAIMED. Several advantages were found in the scheme by Mr. Evans. For instance, he said, marking was a big ordeal for a teacher who was handling a class of any size, and here the additional teachers could give valuable assistance. “The Education Board has given definite suggestions to head teachers concerning the use of additional assistants, and if these are complied with I see little difficulty in full advantage being taken of the scheme,” Mr. Evans added. The main difficulty, Mr. Evans thought, would be with additional assistants who were appointed as relieving teachers. They were rather more experienced and would be required to go to any school at which relief was wanted. For that reason they could not be put permanently in charge of a class as the others were. Asked whether the extra teachers had enabled any reduction to be made in the size of classes, Mr. Evans said little trouble had been experienced at the school with over-large classes. The position would be eased a little, for of the two largest classes at the school, one of which had 56 pupils and the other 54, the larger would be divided betwen two teachers. MANY USED BOOKS RECEIVED. Gratification was expressed by the head teacher at the response made by parents to the appeal for school books which were no longer wanted. Several pounds worth had been given by parents who had no more younger children likely to require them and even some who had but who realised the urgent plight of the children of some unemployed. The books would be distributed to the pupils immediately. ■ “We are fitting the extra teachers into place all right,” said Mr. Lyall. “Two will take whole classes themselves and three will take sections of classes. They will be given definite work to do and will have a definite responsibility.” Where the work in a class was divided between the' extra teachers each would take certain subjects and have the same work and the same time-table each day, Mr. Lyall explained. Pupils under different teachers would not be taken for oral work at the same time in the same room. The difficulty of arranging the work would not be as great as was at first thought. The scheme would prove beneficial in that the size of two unwieldy classes would be reduced. Where there would have been two almost unworkable classes there would now be three, 20 pupils being taken from one class and 11 from another. The total of 31 pupils would provide a definite job for one of the extra teachers.