LESSONS AT HOME.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1925, Page 1

LESSONS AT HOME.

XKWSHAI ’K It I XSTIt I tTI OX CO HUSKS. CHHISTCIIHHCII, .March (i. Xcwspapers are the medium through which the Kdncatiou Hoard intends to bring knowledge to the doors of the young folk attending the Canterbury schools, so long as the schools remain closed. If the school committee like to take the matter into their own hands they are quite at liberty to do so, hut the scheme that, has the ollieial approval el the Canterbury education Hoard is one whereby the assignment of the work for the children is to he published from week to week in the newspapers. The matter was discussed by the hoard at its last meeting, and since then the advisability of pursuing the course* proposed has been considered by the teachers who attended the recent refresher course at the Normal I raining College. It was decided that in the larger centres, such as Christchurch itself, the hoard’s scheme was the better one.

QUHSTIOXS DRAWN HR. A committee of head masters has been at work drawing np suitable questions to put to the pupils ami the first set will he published in the. Christchurch newspapers to-morrow. The children, it is intended, will do the work under the supervision of their parents during the week following the puliention of the quest ions. Having completed the work, the pupils will post the results to their respective schools, where it will he marked by the teachers. Only in those eases where there is very evident misunderstanding of vital rules will replies he forwarded to the children. AA here the work is satisfactory it will l.e kept until the schools re-open, and further instruction can be given at that time. In those cases where children are attending schools whose committees desire to take the responsibility of a correspondence course, the pupils will have the option of either falling in with the general scheme or adopting that of their own particular school. “T think that those parents who are at all interested in the welfare of their youngsters will ho only too pleased to see that they do the work, if it is only to keep them quiet of an evening.’’ Air Kirk, secretary to the Canterbury Education Board, said yesterday: ‘‘The work will not he strenuous, and it is the lcoard’s intention that it should keep the pupils engaged for no more than a couple of hours each day.” AfAY BE 81-AVEEKKY.

Afr Kirk explained that the questions would continue to he sot each week, unless it were found that the lessons were done ‘quicker than was anticipated. Then possibly a bi-weekly course would l>e adopted, although the hoard would not care to go to the extra expense, unless the results were going to warrant it. , The scheme will apply to standards from one to six. thus embracing Ml the children with the exception of the infant classes. The course will cover English, geography, arithmetic and drawing, these being considered the more important subjects on the school curriculum. DTSTHIBETTOX OF JOLRXALb. It is intended that the pupils shall spend a short time each day reading, which comes within the subject of English. The ‘School Journals, have not"" vet been delivered to the youngsters. but they will he distributed by the teachers ns soon as they can got into touch with their pupils. “I have had several applications from teachers for some assistance m the matter of expense m connection with the correspondence courses, but that embodied really more than the board has given me authority to do. and I could not sanction it. said Air Kirk. “The Department, too. declined to allow the postage to be franked.