EDUCATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 188, 12 August 1941, Page 7

EDUCATION

Sir.—l am, as a mother and an exteacher, much interested in the debate in the House about recent matriculation results. I, as well as innumerable other teachers, deplore this “new freedom,” or “new licence” as it might better be termed, and the abolition of the proficiency examination will enevitably lead to a still lower standard, especially in those more definite and important subjects such as English and arithmetic, which can be measured. Teachers are also greatly handicapped nowadais in keeping order, and believe me, it is no easy job to teach decent behaviour to Ihe quite considerable number of children who rule the roost at home. No wonder the result is an increase in juvenile crime. A teacher friend of mine who teaches Form 2. was informed only the other day by one of H.M’s. inspectors not to bother about formal English, Well. I ask you, what preparation is that for clear thinking or for future learning of foreign languages. I I thank God every day that I am ' capable of teaching my own children i and believe me, my standard is con-1 siderably higher than that demanded | by those foolish teachers who are infected by the false doctrine that a child should not be trained, but allowed to follow every impulse whether good or bad. By the way, I think I had better ' add that I am not 92 in the shade, ( but 32 years of age and so not hopelessly out of date in teaching experience. I am. etc., “AN ANXIOUS MOTHER.” ‘