REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3175, 28 August 1917, Page 6

REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION

nmviiuiiui' *" ■""""•">"■ Sir—ln fairness to the Women Teachers' Association, the article in yesterday's issuo of Tun Dominion under the above title needs answering. The article criticises a meeting of the association, and I as chairwoman of the meeting have been deputed to reply. - . Your correspondent admits that it is difficult to criticise a lecture from a very much condensed report. In this case the newspaper report Las evidently led hua In the first plnco the. findings of somo of our most experienced infant teachers.did not appear in print, r.nd, secondly, the speeches that were reported have conveyed the wrong impression. For instance, under (he heading of "Apparatus," the infant mistress of one of our largest schools mentioned the drawbacks connected with largo classes of 70 or SO packed into "criminal galleries" or into long benches, which were in voguo fifty years ago. Most of the .-peakers in dealing with apparatus made these- their chief poiute. Other speakers mentioned that the in-clur-ion of fairy tales, music, etc., would greatly add to the value of this system, and when one knows how fairy tales and rhythm appeal to children Hiis is certainly a point to consider. As a matter of fact, all spenkcre <idmitt«l that tho principles underlying the. method were full of wi?;lom in tho ease of yon.nß children. But surely no scheme .devised by tile, human mind should be considered to bo past the. stago of criticism, discussion, or improvement: for this way, and this way only, progress lice. After admitting its wisdom in the enso Oi yoiiiiK children, surely it is not "laughable" for a body of teachers to discus' how far the scheme should be applied and whether it prepares iho way for habits of concent™-ntm and voluntary attention in later life? Surely it is not "laughable" for teachers to discuss whether llontcssori had in mind theso

ultimate ends of education when she d* tised it sthenic which calls into play spontaneous attention only? Aβ tat> csseneo oi bur method is to jjive a choice* of occupations, ;i!l of which are ijihereiit--ly interesting io the chilli, sureh such. , points should be raised in any intelligent discussion? It i.-i true Hie newspaper report might not have conveyed the right impression, but before criticising the> meeting all these facts neei! consideration. "We Wellington teachers heartily congratulate Wanganui on their splendid: infant schools and the splendid icsnlta which sli". Pirani claims are obtained by a wise application of this method. At the same time there are a few goedf tilings in 'Wellington, too, and when w«> have tho "good apparatus" -In the way of schools that aro to bo found in Wangs, nui, Wellington teachers, no doubt, too;, will be, able to produce fhe infant phenomenon who is a "good writer, splendid in composition, sound in arithmetic,, accurate in spelling, wonderful in freehand drawing, quiet, gentle, helpful, and. considerate for others.'"—l i'jn, etc., W. K. COAD, President Wom»n Teachers' Assn(Wellington Branch). 30 Nairn Street, Wellington.