SCHOOL WORK

Evening Star, Issue 21751, 20 June 1934, Page 12

SCHOOL WORK

COMMENTS BY INSPECTORS RESULTS RFOM NEW SYSTEMS Interesting comments of many phases of school worlq are made by the inspectors in their annual report to the,. Otago Education Board. _ In speech training and oral express sion - formal exercises are given with pleasing regularity. We think that the formal work would be more effective if it were approached through conversations arising from circumstances in the actual life of the child. We have endeavoured to get such approach, and the results so far are quite commendable. . . Written composition receives thoughtful care in almost every school. Wo sometimes find a tendency towards wordiness and an unnecessary agglomeration of epithets. ■ This, however,, reflects a pleasing intensity in the teaching of the subject. We are suggesting a more indirect approach through relation to other subjects. Difficulty is still found in teaching formal language for use rather than for examination purposes. • We think that knowledge of common grammatical terms ’ would be more easily grasped if the teaching were done on the reference principle rather than by formality of treatment. We hope to _ba able to show the working of this important principle of reference. Reading mechanics is well taught.. We notice a tendency towards the teaching of word recognition as ah end in itself rather than as a means to an end. This leads to word reading and word poetry rather than to a true reflection of the thought. The primary characteristic of all reading, silent op oral, is atmosphere or feeling tone. This leads to correct mental or oral modulation and phrasing, and should be taught from jthe very _ first. We are glad that, in the initial stages of mechanics, teachers are abandoning synthetic methods in favour of those or analysis.

Since the .abandonment of the alphabetic system of teaching reading, spelling has been a difficulty, and teachers are endeavouring to adjust their methods accordingly. , Results are not yet always commensurate with the work that is given to the subject, but we think that spelling as a whole has improved. >

' Steady progress is being made as regards fluency in writing, but results are not so satisfactory in connection ' with form. Imitation of a standard model is advised, with close attention to such main characteristics as word length and word distance. Where modern furniture has been installed, the assumption of correct posture is possible, and, where floors have been' levelled,, fuller advantage can be taken of lighting facilities. Teachers as a whole recognise the importance of a sound training in number. Results are good, but we should like to see more attention given to teaching method. In not h few cases teachers allow the subject of arithmetic to encroach upon others, and thereby disturb tho necessary balance of school activities. During" the coming year w© intend to .deal with method in the hope that arithmetic may have only its right- • ful place as a subject of the curriculum* The teaching of history still varies considerably, according as to whether or not the teachers have given the subject worthy consideration. We still find those who rely solely on the pupils’* text-book as the source of material for their lessons. At its best the text-book can only supplement the teacher’s oral exposition, and should never supplant it. We are pleased to find, ap ever-in-creasing number of teachers resorting to the use of the time, chart and date line as a tangible means of developing the pupils’ time sense, but here again it must be remembered that thc_ chief value of the time chart lies in its actual making, and to he truly effective a fresh chart should he made each year. The regional study of geography has been pursued intelligently, and the best teachers have succeeded admirably in creating a real living interest in the subject. In some scjiools map .reading, so necessary in these days, might well ' receive more attention. Some teachers have expressed a desire to Have the latest statistics regarding New, Zealand imports and exports in a cheaper form than the New Zealand Year Bobki Hi© weather records • supplied : im : the ‘ Gazettes ’ have been .very interesting,and the assistance given by V the department has been, duly appreciated Teachers rightly continue tp; niake full use of tht excellent pictorial illustrations now procurable. We still are of the opinion that our senior, pupils have a rather hazy visual image of the world generally, and should be pleased to see the map of the world more freely used in oral discussions. Outdoor geography, could receive more attention. ;

Nature study and elementary science continue to receive careful attention.We should like to find general science linked more closely with the life. of the pupil, and more could be done in the way of outdoor Nature study. The agricultural side is well; treated,, Drawing is not a strong subject. The progress school children do not make in drawing, as compared with what they do make in such subjects as reading and arithmetic, must give one pause and leads to no conclusion other, than that drawing does not get its due.: We hope to see a marked uplift in this subject, and would stress the point that illustrative work is the correct start* ing point for formal practice. An object r is worth drawing only in so far as it hears relation to a setting. We should like children to have’much more opportunity of using drawing as a language. No matter how crude an effort may be, it is, from the point of view of art, worth something if it has motive and expresses thought and feeling. Finish develops if teachers just keep ahead of the child. We should like to find drawing, books used more freely for visual aids in connection with other subjects.

In a few instances excellent work ha* been done in handwork through the use of waste' and scrap materials. The reason for handwork being prescribed as a subject of the curriculum' needs no mention here. There is naturally in this district * fair proportion of- those who are fully conversant with the new system of physical instruction, for which a number of young teachers are excellently, qualified. Drill itself is generally good. It is suggested _ that pupils generady be. given more insight into the why, and wherefore ” of what they are asked ..to do. Keen interest is taken by most teachers in the sporting activities of the children.