OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13890, 16 October 1918, Page 3

OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —As a teacher by profession, I have read with a good deal of interest and appreciation the articles on Education by my friend Lieut. De la Mare, and I should like to offer some criticisms on his articles, not adverse on the whole, but rather amplifying some of his statements. In regard to nursery schools—"Kindergartens" before the war—l think that certain points have not been emphasised enough. No matter how good the nursery school may be, it cannot take the place of the natural nursery school, whose head is the mother and whose environment is the home. From a psychological point of view the child from three to five (or even later) is adjusting itself to its surroundings. It is wholly guided by its senses. It is seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling ami feeling everything. It is, as it were, laying the foundation of its higher psycholgifcil functions. During this time its imagination runs riot, and it dwells in Fairyland. During this process it should lie without restraint. It flits from one thing to another, apparently without reason, but underlying this apparent want of system is Mother I Nature, who is guiding the little one's footsteps in the right direction, and Nature never errs. And Nature has provided the real teacher in the person of its mother, and her maternal love ("the most sacred and wonderful power in the world) will guide its stops aright. Therefore, from a theoretical standpoint the home i". the real and best school for the little one, provided it is (if the right kind. Unfortunately, in these days of unnatural conditions, many homes are not what they should lie, and hence arises the necessity for nursery schools; but I would warn parents that, provided a child has natural surroundings and that the mother has a reasonable time to oversee her little one. the child should not lip sent to school too soon. The great fundamental truth that we are slowlv beginning to realise is that Nature is the unerring guide in Education. How. ever, as Mr De In Mare points out, that in sloei nreas nnrserv sell cols are necessary if we are to give <jur children a ftiir chance in life; but. after .-ill, these schools are only a. substitute for the more natural method mentioned I pho"o, hut nevertheless much valuable work ran be done, li'it to mv mind we do not ixo far enough. The nnrserv t '"hoo! should not be ,■> school 'n the ordinary mean inof the term, but a children's garden, in which M ,n "e are manv odd corners in whiHi fairies and "nomes and eil the weird and pleasant !>• o!ile of childhood can dwell. There should he no restraint <>f anv kind, and more especially should there be no attempt to teach actual se|iolpG*io things such as the alphabet. The c'uM should lead the teacher, who ■ heuld be as vohtrusive as Possible, but nlwsivs ready t-> answe" the ene-pr o"er.f iens ei' the children. The fai""'!? intcf «>'•; »iet.!vd "rent "truth tb'it the ' hil<l should fol--1"W it« own (flirt is Nature's"* inclirn. t'ons in all it dees, hut T think the Mo"fe-.m(>r- meth.yl jq n fa : ''ire. 'r) 0 «- nmch as its activities are directed to-

wards superficial things placed within four walls. It may seem wonderful that a little tot can* find out by itself that a square has four equal sides, hut outside the sun is shining and the winds are blowing. I>et us extend this system to the outside world—to the wonderful world of flowery and hirdß and insects, and I am certain we should be on the right track and our dear little ones would grow up to rueet the hard realities of life with clearer niinds, purer hearts and a higher courage.—l am, etc., SPENCELEY WALKER, B.A. Onehunga School.