Teaching World Citizens

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31111, 14 July 1966, Page 2

Teaching World Citizens

American education now has a much broader concept, aiming to produce not just first class specialists, but “world citizens.”

Fitting young people to work and live anywhere in the world—beyond the boundaries of their local community—was an ideal on which three American teachers visiting Christchurch agreed wholeheartedly in an interview yesterday. Dr. A. Eileen Cozart is coordinator of guidance services for Belmont, Harrison, and Jefferson County Schools in Ohio: Mrs I. C. Jeffery runs a private nursery schoolkindergarten in Austin, Texas; and Mrs Janet Pettit was formerly admissions counsellor for Western College for Women, Michigan. They are travelling with a party of 87 on a round-the-world trip studying education. All are members of the American Comparative Society of Education.

The picture shows Mrs Jeffery, Mrs Pettit, and Dr. Cozart looking at their schedule for today’s activities. Play-centre Work

Play-centre work in New Zealand, has greatly impressed Mrs Jeffery, who is keen to introduce parent participation in her programme. Sixty children aged from two to six years attend her school. Their activities are by no means limited to playing, for they are taught the rhythm of a second language —Spanish.

“We are almost on the Mexican border so it’s a language they hear often. We are in the seventh year of this course and now have nine and 10-year-olds returning to afternoon classes to learn the mechanics of the language. This, we find, comes to them easily and naturally,” she said. Learning begins at three years, before the children can

read. All teaching is oral, classes are short at first, and a tape recorder is used. “Over here you have been dealing with very young children for over 20 years, so I’m taking back all the information I can get,” Mrs Jeffery said. Guidance Work A woman who occupies a unique position in Ohio education and who guides many men in their work. Dr. Cozart finds her job broadening and creative. Her post was created when State legislature made guidance services compulsory in Ohio state schools, and she is well qualified for the position. With advanced university study in educational and administrative guidance, she combines social work and undergraduate studies in art and biology. “One interesting thing

about this work is that few women enter the field. It does require an M.A. but now more women are becoming qualified and interested,” she said. Over-all problems of education from pre-school to high school leaving age are Dr. Cozart's main concerns. Personal, individual problems of students are dealt with by school counsellors whom she supervises. “How can I study effectively” is a question constantly put to counsellors even by the brighter students. Competition to enter colleges puts pressure on the student to achieve the best possible grades. “We tell them if you stick to the study, question, survey, recite, and read practice, you cannot go wrong, but this is a very personal problem,” Dr. Cozart said. On the somewhat controver-

sial subject of testing. Dr. Cozart agrees with many educationalists that this can be “overdone.” She explained that in Ohio tests were given only with a purpose and specific need in mind. With an individual or group problem, results of a test could often prove a beginning—not necessarily a basis —for a solution. Changing Work When Mrs Pettit returns to the United States she will begin graduate work at Michigan State University where her husband, who is also travelling in the party, is associate professor of natural science. In the more informal atmosphere of her physical education classes Mrs Pettit came to know her pupils well and this interest led her to the position of admissions counsellor for a small, private university. “I travelled a great deal, visited high schools whose pupils had applied to enter Western,” she said. “Western is a small liberal arts university with emphasis on internationalism. A large percentage of the students are foreign and high scholastic grades and an interest in international relationships in prospective students are the ideal qualifications.” Cost of tuition was hightwo to three thousand dollars a year—and rising. Many students were interested in scholarships and there was also a trend towards shorter periods of study at junior colleges. A striking contrast between New Zealand and the United States vocational guidance situation was noted by Mrs Pettit. “At home we have a shortage of jobs, here you have a shortage of people. Our great concern is to find a job for a young person, while yours is to find the person for the job. “One thing we have all found,” Dr. Cozart said, “is that everywhere the same problems are met, and I will go back to my job feeling a whole lot more secure."