E.—lb

14

ship results will show the creditable position occupied by candidates from this district Of the 149 schoolsexamined we have classified 108 as satisfactory to good, 28 as fair, and 13 an erior Change! have been effected in the management of eight of the thirteen schools classified as inferior but as the majority o these schools are in grades 0, 1, and 2, with small salaries, and situatedo the most part in isolated localities, they offer small inducements to the teaching profession, and year by vearTncreaTed difficulty is experienced m finding competent teachers for them In some instLces applications for teTchT WhLtXs slat oft f h° r °° £" "*"•* ----without response from ceSated this class. ngS IMtS We are not h °P eful of im the efficiency of schools in Syllabus —A " circular note " dealing with the syllabus and more especially with matters con nected with schoo method will shortly be issued to all head teachers. As P a copy SbHaibS the Board we shall here confine ourselves to a few general remarks on these topics We have recorded in previous reports our opinion that the tests in Standard V. and Standard VI? arithmetic are in many cases too exacting We are firmly convinced that the exacting of too high a standard is an obstede tYe child d iffi r nt ° f anth r et , iC ; The *»* fMH in the P aBt has 'the harrying on of the child to difficult processes and examples before true principles have been grasped In all bfoks on™: bother 11 T T** ° f T' easy, and'abo've all relnabl concrete examples, but the teacher is not encouraged to work on these lines, if his results in say interest or profit and loss, are tested by examples consisting of cumbersome amount* in pounds hilhngs pence and fractions of a penny-amounts which are certainly not to be met with in ordinary busEs trans' actions In testing any subject due regard should be paid to the amount of time avaikblforTeaching that subject, and in view of the requirements of the rest of the syllabus, the time allotted for arithmetic should not exceed four and a-half or five hours a week, in which time the subject could receive fulStte from the point of view both of its commercial function and of its efficiency as an instrumentfor raintg and strengthening the mind. But in order to make this time suffice, the examination requirements should correspond We do not wish to undervalue the capabilities of the children of average E* but we recognise the fact that in every class there is a considerable percentage of children below £ attemptmg to get factitious — from thL ** " We propose in the circular note to make strong representations to teachers with regard to reading We regret to notice m many schools the prevalence of defects and errors in the pronunciation of some of the commonest words m the language. The evil is a serious one and we have impressed on teachSs he necessity of making strenuous efforts to correct it. The remedies (not the least of which is exampk are very obvious, and we do not expect in the future to have to lay special stress on this matter For ™«£Tfl, e ?T rag ri m ° re th ° ro T ll and intelligent instruction in comprehension of subjects Tec a attltiT n tT °! J™" *l ° f th<3 n6W re g» la ti°- recommends teachers to pay special attention to the lessons for recitation, and to certain chapters selected from the reading-book We have strongly recommended teachers to take advantage of this provision. True comprehension of the written thought is the first essential of reading, but there is a tendency to substitute mere ora" expression for comprehension. In previous reports we have mentioned causes which we consider mainly responsible for this. The time has come for a change in the reading-books in use in the district aTd we tew h / adVlS6d . the B ° ar i d t0 that J efi6Ct - Cons i d »ation of the matter has been deferred for the present, but we hope to see a change made by the end of the year. It would be premature at this stage to express decided opinions on the working of the new syllabus especially as all schools examined prior to the winter holidays were examined under the old Ctem but we have noticed that gratifying results have been obtained by those teachers who have entered X: X ?» neW In those schools in which an intelligent scheme of nature-study has been adopted, there was a marked improvement composition, both oral and thWwe C \ object-lessons," more especially those of the junior classes, were superior to any rt LI „f 7if y ul een ;^ lth legard *,° we meet with some disinclination to depart from oh™ inn / t noT m * h ? recommendations of the syllabus in the matter of the actual observation of physical phenomena and the giving of lessons outside the schoolroom adopted as readily o? metSl 'f J* Sald ? ° Ur kSt rep ° rt ' the Cnan « eS in the s y Jlabus are more the direction We shalll Wnr! rff' an ?Ji lS m geogra tha * the § reatest chan g es in method have been made. We shall m future look for a little more alacrity on the part of some of our teachers in adapting themselves to the new requirements m this subject. A great change has taken place in the views ofEducationists with regard to the teaching of science in elementary schools. Scientific method and the cultivaand °ne,e7 P P rn r °/ ° bser T atlon an * «eto teke the place of the old system of elaborate syllabuses and mere demonstration lessons. We notice that m the " English Code for 1904 " the course of instruction in what was formerly scheduled as " elementary science " is given as : " Knowledge of the common phenomena of the external world with special reference to the formation of a habit of intelligent and accurate observation and to the application of that habit-in conjunction with simple forms of experi-ment-in the daily life and surroundings of the scholars." Some schools are following the excellent example of Mauncevile West with regard to " agricultural knowledge " combined with cottage-garden-lag. Satisfactory work is also being done in physiology, physics, and domestic economy. Two schools which are earning the chemistry grant under the regulations of the Manual and Technical Instruction Act, are doing practical laboratory-work. In others the instruction in chemistry consists mainly of demonstration lessons Botany is practically confined to a few schools. Country schools should adopt such a syllabus as is laid down m clause 56 of the new regulations. Up till 1902 the Board annually set aside a fund tor the purpose of supplying schools with apparatus and material necessary for elementaryscience teaching. We hope to see this fund re-established. An excellent suggestion made at a meeting ot the Board, that up to a certain limit a pound-for-poundjmbsidy should be granted for the purpose would it carried out, be a great encouragement to schools in which nature-study or elementary science