SCHOOL HOMEWORK.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19010, 29 July 1933, Page 6

SCHOOL HOMEWORK.

POSITION AT HIGH SCHOOL INSPECTORS' RECOMMENDATION. REPpRT OF PRINCIPAL. The sohool inspectors, after examining the pupils of the Hamilton High School, recommended that the pupils be given four subjects each night, to study instead of five, and also that extra work should not be given during the week end. The Board of Governors asked the Principal, Mr Eben Wilson, to draw up a report on homework and at the monthly meeting of the Board yesterday, when Mr G. L. Mac Diarmid presided the following report was tabled by the Principal : ® Evening lessons are set according to a carefully planned and approved timetable. The exercises are for the most part set, not for the purpose of covering new ground, but to fix definitely in the mind work already taken In the classroom. The time expected to be given to each subject Is indicated- on the timetable which is posted in the classroom and carefully explained to the pupils. I have made it clear to all pupils of the school, and my staff assures me it has reiterated my request, that I do not wish the times indicated to be exceeded; that pupils who wish to exceed these times are, however, at liberty to do so if their parents approve, but that extra time so worked is entirely' the responsibility of pupils and their parents. Work Not Excessive. I have during the past fortnight had personal - interviews regarding their evening preparation with six girls from each form on the girls’ side —the two girls at the head of the form, the two in the middle and the two at the bottom of the class. All girls assured me they were not finding the work excessive and that when they exceeded the times indicated, the work was being done on their own Initiative, no compulsion -being exercised to make them exceed the speoifled times. I found no case of worrying over work, of headaohes or of. any apparent strain.

In general it Is true to say that the brighter pupils finish to time, whilst, the, slower but exceptionally conscientious pupils who do not wish to. fall behind and who are determined to succeed, are Inclined to exceed the times indicated. It is impossible for any teacher to set work that all will complete in the same time. The amount set must be determined by the teacher’s estimate of' the average capacity of the olass.

It is to be borne In mind in considering this question of homework that most parents wish their children to work. Some parents find it difficult to give their children the full four years expected for the matriculation course and are anxious that they should cover the four year course in, three years. There is only one way in which this can he done, namely, by doing extra- evening work. We do not ask for this additional work, hut at the same time' we place no restrictions in the way of any pupils who wish to push quickly ahead.

Health of the Pupils.

I also wish to say that pupils suffering from any disability may be excused in whole or in part from evening work of any kipd should parent or guardian ask for this to be done. We have several pupils in the schooi who are excused all evening work. From time to time I have requests from parents asking me to see that their children are given more work to do in the evenings. We do our best in such cases to prod the lazy ones along. Early this year one girl was removed to another school because I was unwilling to force her along at a pace I considered beyond her strength. I regard the health of our pupils as of supreme importance. So far as it is ’possible in dealing with big numbers every care is taken to guard against over-work or strain and by ■means of regular physical exercises and out of door games to maintain a good standard of health. On the ■whole our pupils are vigorous and healthy. - With regard to the Inspectors comments concerning evening work. It is quite true that in some forms preparation is set in five subjects per night—in, English, French and Latin and Mathematics and Science or History—from 15 to 20 minutes to each subject in first year forms and from 20 to 25 minutes in the sixth forms. Girls average three written preparations, boys four per night. Satisfactory progress depends on constantly keeping in touch with subjects studied and the short revision periods give clarity and certainty to the subject taken in class during the day. So long as there is no strain and the time allotted is not exceeded, I can see no purpose served by reducing our subjects from 5 to 4 as suggested and by spending the same time on the four subjects as on the five. There , Is relaxation, not additional strain in change from one subject to another. Nor can I see any good reason why our young people should not be asked to do a little additional work on Saturdays, such as reading the term novel, completing an essay not finished in school or in spending half an hour writing up in neat form rough notes taken in science or geography. I may say that I am glad to consider any suggestions making for greater efficiency and that if convinced of their value and practibility will readily adopt them. Subject to instructions from my Board I am responsible for the conduct of the school and it is my duty to determine whether any particular suggestion made is one which I should or should not acceDt. I am not disposed to adopt courses of action opposed to my judgment or to alter with every change in the inspectorate methods I have found from long experience to be sound and effective. Purposes of Homework. Home exercises serve two good purposes:— (1) They make for rapid progress, giving, the scholar maximum benefit from school life which is for the most part of short duration. (2) They encourage the establishment of good habits—in particular, habits of application and industry the formation of which is one of the chief ends of education. In our school days of JKi years ago we were perhaps driven too hard. (Gontinued in next column.)

Since then the pendulum has swung far the other way. The danger today is that through over-anxiety we make life too easy. Hard, and accurate work must ever remain the . very essence of school training. It is only from hours well filled and strenuous effort that our young people can hope to achieve anything in life or become useful members of the stale. The school hoy of to-day is no more afraid of work than was his father before him. Let it not fall to us to tell him to go slow, to take tilings easy, so enervating will and character, rendering him unfit for the battle of life and incapable of dlscharging those personal and civio \ responsibilities which will be his in the years ahead. Several members expressed themselves as satisfied with the headmaster's report and no action was taken,