News For Women IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28265, 1 May 1957, Page 2

News For Women IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS

Kindergartens were educational institutions in the fullest sense of the word, said the viceprincipal of the Christchurch Teachers’ College (Mr B. K. Dawber) speaking on the importance of teacher training for kindergartens at the annual meeting of the Christchurch Free Kindergarten Association last evening. The kindergarten was a place where young children took part in happy, lively activities with other children. The child’s development reached a stage where a certain independence was shown but also where he learned how to get along with others. The child’s natural growth and development continued to be a matter for close co-operation between the parents and the teachers. Kindergarten teacher training took the fostering of parent co-operation as one of its aims, said Mr Dawber.

A teacher was a person who guided through active manipulation the conditions under which a child grew and developed, Mr Dawber said. The mother was the first person concerned with the child’s training and later the father. There were four important years of teaching before the child entered kindergarten. Childhood was the period when physical and mental growth was most marked and that was when the parents and teachers had the most influence, he said. All situations in which a child was placed had an influence on its development. It was the total environment that guided and directed the way in which a child developed. Total Development Teachers and parents always had to consider the total development of the child and not lust one particular stage. The saying that “we develop the whole child,” although becoming trite, was nevertheless true. “This concept of wholeness is becoming increasingly important in all concepts of education. The parents’ influence is still required after the child goes to kindergarten. The all-round development of the child can only be obtained by the parents working in co-opera-tion with the teachers at kindergarten, primary and post-primary schools. The parents must always be in the picture as the child spends more time at home than he does at school.” Speaking of the' selection of teachers, Mr Dawber said that the interview was a most important function. The committee endeavoured to find out something of the applicants’ attitude towards life and children and

what appealed to them about the teaching profession. The committee looked for warmth and colour in the applicants’ personality and if they had emotional sensitiveness they had some idea of what a child was thinking or feeling. They looked for emotional balance and poise, as a teacher had to remain calm under what could be very trying circumstances. Good manners were also important as the teacher by her example would pass these on to the children. Good speech and good health were also important. The teacher also had to fiave intelligence and scholastic ability.

“There is a misconception held by some that a kindergarten teacher need not be intelligent. Nothing is further from the truth. They need good intelligence to sum up and understand the child’s difficulties,” said Mr Dawber. The teachers underwent a twoyear course and, as well as attending lectures, they did practical work in the kindergartens. The main aims of a kindergarten teachers’ college could be grouped into two sections. The first section was to provide a period for the student teacher to reach greater physical, mental, and emotional maturity. The college life provided opportunities for active participation in group activities. Leadership, the team spirit, the understanding of people and all the experience of “give and take” so necessary in the art of living were found in a good teachers’ college, said Mr Dawber. Planned Studies The second section was to provide a planned and detailed study of how to teach; that was to provide adequate professional training, Mr Dawber said. This involved a continuation of the students’ own learning. Subjects of special importance to the kindergarten teacher were learning to speak and read well, the design and construction of apparatus for use with children, child psychology. techniques of organisation and administration of kindergartens, music, art and crafts. With a background of suitable training, the young teacher continued to improve her understanding of education and her techniques of teaching as she gained experience in the kindergartens. Mr Dawber said that modern studies in the fields of psychology and education had made people aware of the tremendous importance of the first few years in the life of a child. Good teachifig by parents and kindergarten teachers did much to lay a sound foundation for a healthy, happy and useful life.