EDUCATION AIMS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 743, 16 February 1910, Page 4

EDUCATION AIMS.

CONFERENCE OF INSPECTORS. ; . TEACHERS'.'. CERTIFICATES. ■'; ) PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND SCHOLAR. SHIPS. . !The. final of the scries of conferences on education aims, inaugurated by the .General Education Conference,.which 6at •during, the;.latter, part of .last.'wcek, and was followed.' by. the Training ' College Conference; on'-Monday, was commenced in the Legislative Council Chambers, Parliament Buildings,' yesterday morning, when the triennial', conference of school inspectors, principals'of training-colleges, and inspectors.of.the Education Department/was/ formally:opene'd- : ,by Mr. 6. Hogben, -Inspector-General. of; Schools,' who presided. .:'• ' l \ . E Mr.'tiogben and the Syllabus. -.-■ :;-.[n the 'courso.of ; his\opening remarks, the, chairman,said, that one of the. most, effective, instruments in the...furtherance in New!. Zealand' - was'; the- triennial conference" of inspectors.; - There..was' on this occasion, a number/of. important matters to be, discussed. The school .syllabus; with' questions'as to' its. rapdificaHbn.'.'n'ecessary? from .time to time to. suit the .ever-changing, conditions' ofctheir/ lifeCand- environnionti was :ono; ~lt ..was. gratifying,, to find that in the mam ■ the:,-criticismV which : had' been: directed against, tho syllabus'were, concerned: merely with' .matters;;:'of -detail/ Ihere appeared to be an opinion iii soino quarters... that .the; syllabus lliad; swung 'too. 'far m& certhih"lhreeti6n," the "inference ; being •from some 'of the thirigs : that had «e«n that , '-it--ougbttb-swing ! ''back again. : He himself did not consider the syllabus, to be, entirely'perfect. 'I Q certain respects'it was. largely'of a tentative character, elastic,: and .capable of being construed-to suit the-special '.- civouin: stances -of -particular localities. -If.-'as had been'/suggosted, the' scope of instruct tioir were .more: strictly - ./'confined; - -' tho hands of the stronger and more highly, qualified-would bo tied; for'• the.sake of the .weaker teacher, that, the'latter'might be guide/d..;.'lt .would bo n hiistakb to. confine -the: good teacher to a rigid limit, and,' keeping, .that -in .view,' it might; be possible ,to. make such modifications as • would,:perhaps,/assist-the weaker teacher' and yet free'the hands of tho good.teacher.-' He concluded by expressing'a hope,that the:: conference ;■:would be successful.' He : 6bmpliiueiitcd':tlib'/iiispect'6rs:''6f' tho Dominion an. the - harmony/ and .good feeling whch'>pr'eva'iletl i aulon'g;them.,-As to what had been said on the subject of. a central-' lsedliiipcctoratcriio'Avas/no'tlprbpared ■ to givei ; auy. opinion.//'- ..- .■: / ..;-. .:',■'•''•'..'; '-./ Messrs. :T; H. Gill, and J. S.'Tennant 1 were .appointed to ; act /as- secretaries, of tlio: conference.'": '';.:.•/,'/,:'.: Y ; >//-/ -'Various, sub-committees were appointed to' deal with- special references on -such subjects as "Training,"... '"Regulations," •and so.on. .-•■;'- : . ~./■:■' .'..:."•;. ■;-, ;■'. \- Teachers' Certificates./' ''• I -vj'/' : " ! --Mr.. ;F, >H. Bakewell . (Wellington)/ moved:— ;' : : : ■ ■ '.:..- :.■;;.• ]■■'.- .'.'/;:,-'-. v;.-:, '■ . "That/the,, present, five classes of teachers" certificates :bo reduced." / '/;Speakiug. to tho; motion,' 'Mr./-Bakowoli said-.'.thatji.the..-bbjb'ct. of/his proposal was :fo:vbrm'g\'the.' classification ' of more into lino with.-tho changed,'require--ments'pftprim'ary education.' ' 'L'ho , present system '.of-ielassific'ation'/'w'as only to''-bo ; identiDed-avitlLi. the .-"bookish" -school of teaching—a' thing of the past. This apto/.thjal.tcachers" ■■-■'-'A "■-■'■■■and■•::■ "B ".- certificates.':,. These fAferei gl'Silted/i'oriOtlle basis .-of; (university degT.e_esj',;an v .)Uog.icivl i .basis,,as.i Wa s: shown, from the fact/ tlftit- it was' possible • to' obtain a .degree, when the. candidate's'knowledge /of.'.' English, 'for/ example, / : went. 'no. -(urthe'rV'thau'/'.'tnat,: 1 /.required ' for':' the .'matriculation.",-'. •It/'iva.s.'the'' same,'with science'. ./Shortly;- Mr.-/ Bakowell-. said:.that ■tho-chief-aid-'nnd./hihu/of/ca'ndidntes'foi-.fhe .teaching .profession. should'be,' not /to ? seek",''tli'e ; highest'''academic-'distinctions —though hei'did'not deprecate, academic "o-istinc'Kon—but:' /to ■. specialise in thoso' ~ 'uhiyersify.V.snbjeats.; ,. -w*hich:jinbst.'.closely :tou.<-hedi.upon''lii'} l Av.Qvk as'.a teacher..The' ;\fm/tiatÜba'.'.higher 'professional: certificates did' nbt'-'represent higher professional qualifications;' merely /that'" a-'higber/[degree';' of academic,' dis-, .tinbtibn—which '...Via'Sjj'no, criterion of .teaching .'ability—liad been''obtained.- ,; Mr. - /Morton,: OYestland) . -seconded . the motipn^./i; : -/ '/' !/V/:-■/.''•' :'/'>'; '.■'■'".'.■ '.. / )'■,"] ;.,Mr'.;-.GQyen,(Qtag'o)' supported /the, general principle of -the. motion-. /The. main thing'■;■ to. be" -looked'-' f 0r,., and; obtained;. ivas ~ efficient training;' of the; teachers.. Thb^/English^e'qu^red'for. Matriculation' was- utterly''•inadequate, for .the require; .ment.s;ef Reaching, 'They ..ought to/insist,. ■n'pt'/bhly.'//';upon'. I ;.;.' , a'- L '-yery: much knowledge' 'of English'" than'-'was'-''appar-ently possessed by teachers generally; at the:, present /time,; but. also upon.- more proficiency-iiri ■/ .' the.. art..-. of ;-_r£ad{ilg,;. "Mr. Gray: '(Wellington),', suggested,.'.one trained..:.teachers";V cer-tificater-a. general .special. certificates /forspecial qualificatibhs. Mr./ Bakewell; had, placed his .finger .upon a/.very'.iraportaht : point::/ He/moved .that the; motion ': bo referred to tho'"Training-Committee", of, the-conference.-:■/ .';/,. ','■',-.':' "•'.' '■'.' -.; ;;: : ■'" i: '„. Teachers'. Scholarships'^.: ■' ,: ' ' ' Mr. / -Mulgan','•'(Canterbury): • moyed: "That for each of the.four training col-' leges two annual extension' scholarships be established, :'open ,to all students -at the' end of their second/year of- training; and/tenable for one year at some]uhiverslty, college or. its equivalent l to be ap T ' proved.by :.the. Minister for /Education, and that'-holders of scholarships; bo requiixd■:td;;6pc^ialj.se>/in/;sonie subject, in ivhicii- theyrhav.eis|ipwn special' aptitude,tK/.'scbplaTsliips'./'tb'.; bo. awarded, partly on;', tber/result- of .''an . examination. > and partly.;.' Pn:-.-the; '/.re/commendation: of.,' the principal,vof : ;the /training, college."- ":. :;,:Mr. 4'ctrib; (Auckland) . seconded- the motion;'-'/'/', ; : : '-,.,'./ :// '/-.,' 'Mr.- r Gray- (Wellington) suggested that the,' subject boj-rcferred to' the"Training Committee; ■ tor j further , inquiry and report;/'- -'//■'■: ; ■'." '-• ■ ■■••"'•'■■■■•-.■; : -' ■ -''(. • The motion -was referred to the Training ' Committee. '. ', ,: : -?■•,.'■;■■ Text Books., ' ; :-. : .T-^.--': / Mr. Mulgan then-.moved: "That in view of:the many excellent books' and' 7 "class books now being brought out by leading publishing, firms, the Department's 'List of Class Books for Public, .Sohools' be extended,,,-and--:that., a. choice/ of books wider,'• than" no\r'obtains 'be-'allowed to teachers -in -making selections,--in-.'-terms of the Department's memorandum dealing with;,thp,/grant .for .free school-books." The -motion 'was seconded' by-MrfPetrie and carried. • : "„'.-";• . : -...: :•■■'-.« ':'.',£', f';-/;''":/;':, , :Mr.^yllie.,-;(Southland)-, moved with referbnee-to. thbjssue by the Departmont of maps "of the Dominion 'and bf: education districts: for school .nse;-.nhd, : (2); the establishment, of an official monthly "Teachers'—Journals;-. ..-:•_,;/..',:/ ■'■: Mr.-Petrie: (Auckland) wouldprefer relief maps.';.--','.'• ', .: :- ,„ . . ;' ' ",./•, Mr. Gpyen! (Otago) thought/ that tho'y certainly, ought to ' havo a good relief of : New Zealand; they might also have district maps, the.,reliefs.of: which could be supplied, by tho teachers.

/■Mr.,Hill (Hawke's Bay)'thought that the survey-maps -'of the Lands Department might;; with profit," be obtained.."' ... lho. chairmin: Question of cost.'■■'.■■'• Mr. Hill :■ The Lands Department would SU IW. them at nominal cost. / , v ■' -.'. A" 0 chairman: Yes—we know -the cost. " Mi. Bakewisll■ (Wellington) - condemned the bperes".map of. the. world, which disclosed two/ "New ' Zealaiids'i'-fliie in the east and one in tho'wcst.'.'.lt Vivas' .confusing tothe.childreu./../ '■"■«■'•• > '■■■ •ti,«V\ P ? trie ;m ,?™ (l - » s M ..amendment,' e U . , surfac<! . rell »f ; maps should' be-Jpro' |. "i'liis was seconded, and: carried. : ;':.,. —• ,A Teachers' Journal, '■:■ ■»'. .V----'Jj°&*, discussion 'centred'-, about Mr.'WylJie s suggestion', on the'-'subject of an : official monthly .journal -for. teachers. The teeliur expressed 'was in', favour of; the ■ establishment-:of a- teachers' periodical, pt. an_ oftcial; and professional' character,' and .the. .conference : resolved '-accordingly. ; :' .' Ihe motion was carried. '■■ '~.-'..-:,•"■!,. -.-.->" '■ Referredito-Sub-Cdnimittees;:-: ;^j : .Mr.:,Bakewelifthen l orderto-facilitMe.ithe; , -the Department '.establish a uniform sys-" - tern of grading,-to be .applied .to all' prim-'-nry teachei-s-.m'ihe'Dominion.'.'-Eeferr'ea, ™ the, sub-committee- on "Training." "'■"'•"' . Mr.-Bakewcll's'next motion :-"That all' certificates of-.proficiency be granted on : results : of;.the '.;I)epaTtriierit's'' junior national and-)unior/ free-place exariiin'atioris,. was .referred;. to the, Scholarships' Committee of the /conference.'- ■■>■ v. "■• ■■'