The Waikato Times, THAMES VALEY GAIETTE, AND KAWHIA ADVOCATE. Established Thirty-Four Years. THE OLDEST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN THE WAIKATO. THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY DAILY PAPER SOUTH OF AUCKLAND. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1906. THE TEACHERS AND THE SYLLABUS.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8013, 19 September 1906, Page 2

The Waikato Times, THAMES VALEY GAIETTE, AND KAWHIA ADVOCATE. Established Thirty-Four Years. THE OLDEST DAILY NEWSPAPER IN THE WAIKATO. THE LARGEST CIRCULATION OF ANY DAILY PAPER SOUTH OF AUCKLAND. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1906. THE TEACHERS AND THE SYLLABUS.

Thkkk is a widespread opinion among those who take an intelligent interest in our public schools that the new syllabus prescribes too much work and overburdens the teachers aud scholars. Inspector Hill, of Hawke's Bay, one of our best authorities on education, told his Board at its last meeting that duriug the whole course of his experience he had never known so many lady teachers to break down absolutely iu a similar period as during the last twelve months. This he attributed to the over-exacting demands of the syllabus. It was probably this utterance that caused Mr James Allen, in the House of Representatives to ask the Minister for Education to inquire into a charge that " the new syllabus is responsible for the breakdowu of female teachers." Commenting ou this complaint, the Hawke's Bay Herald declares that "many teachers, not only iu this district, but elsewhere have brokeu down, and these breakdowns have been more frequent during the past year or two than ever before." The Wellington Post sent a reporter to interview headmasters on this subject. One of these submitted that in his experience the new programme, instead of increasing the breakdowns, decreased them. A good deal depended on the spirit iu which the syllabus was accepted. Generally speaking, his teachers had found the new regime a great relief. " We have more freedom now," remarked another schoolmaster. " We are allowed to pick and choose more. There is not so much driving up of dunces." He contended that if there was any pressure in country schools, it should not be as great as it was under the old system, because the teachers had more latitude in grouping their pupils. For teachers who knew their business the new syllabus was easier,but it was very difficult for those who were not properly trained. &o important is this question that it is more than worth while to discover what our Inspectors of Schoo'b have to say about it. Their annual reports are just to hand from the Government Printer, and most of them have something to say about the effects of the new syllabus. Mr Petrie, of Auckland, says the syllabus is still overloaded, and he regards a certain falliog-oft in arithmetic as a direct consequence of its requirements. Mr Crowe remarks that the syllabus " would be noue the worse if it di-1 le<s in the way of prescribing the methods which teachers aje expected to üb'\ " Tie Wanganui Inspectors write; " Troubled and almost bi;flled as many have been with the new demands of a very full and very suggestive syllabus, dismayed by their own deficiencies in the face of the new methods suggested, it would be out of place fsr us to say anything that might discourage. The work many have so strenuously dune this year will make next year's task less heavy, and the careful preparation made with many misgivings will pave the way for more confident future effort.' The Hawke's Biy Inspector, Mr Hill, whose verbal statement was quoted above, reports. "The subjects of in. struction are undoubtedly too many, but I am inclined to think that teachers mistake the intention of the regulations. No doubt the syllabus in subjects like geography, history, and nature study presents a formidable amouut of work to be prepared, but the work to be done covers a term of years, and teachers may select a ■» uselves, so long as it is 'ius, The discra-

lionary pi>»ver ilia' const i;utes the real streng'h uf the regulations appears to frighten most, of the teachers who have been so long spoon-fed, and told what to do and what to leave undone, that their own individuality has almost been lost hv la■ jk of use." Mr D. A. Strachan, the Marlborough Inspector, is an enthusiastic exponent of the new syllabus. "We are passing slowly out perceptibly along the new line**," he writes, and like some of his confreres, he indicates that the teachers' dilliculties will be lessened when text books adapted to the new syllabus, especially in geography, are available. The Nelson report states : " i'he schools have now had a full year's working under the new syllat)us,Rnd though misconceptions still exist in regard to the requirements, as well as concerning the very nature of ihe work itself, we are well satisfied with the conduct of the great majority of our schools throughout the year, teachers having as a rule more than held their own, improvement being general." The North Canterbury Inspectors write severely : " There were regrettable instance-* i. which teachers had not made themselves familiar with matters of very ordinary detail in the routine of their newer duties. Excuses for such omissions may be accepted once, huts it is not expected that they can again piss current." In South Canterbury, the schools as a whole barely maintained their position, though the teachers worked harder than ever in their first attempt to grapple with the new syllabus. " The experience of the past year," the Inspectors think, " should lighten the burden and make for improvement and progress." The Otago Inspoctors praise the efforts of the teachers to comply with new and exacting demands. Finally, the Southland Inspectorial report credits the teachers with responding willingly and effectively to the claims of the newer subjects and the newer methods. On the whole then, the observations of the Inspectors do not bear out, as regards the colony generally, the severe indictment which has occasioned this gleaning of their views. The revolution in our school methods seems to be proceeding as smoothly and with as few regrettable accompaniments as could well be expected. The overworking of some of the teachers as a consequence of the new syllabus, deplorable as it is, is probably, at the worst, a temporary phase. In many cases the burdens of young teachers could be lightened by the Inspectors, as in NelsoD, giving them more definite guidance than the syllabus actually prescribes. As to the alleged want of thoroughness as a consequence of an overcrowded curriculum, it is too early yet for a final judgmeut, but this is undoubtedly a great danger of the present methods and should be carefully guarded agaiuat.