EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1930, Page 7

EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND

r VIEWS OF MU M. MeLKOD

The subject of education in New Zealand was touched on by Mr M. McLeod who has recently resigned irom the position of Inspector of Sobols), while addressing a gathering or teachers in Waimate the other day. ‘‘New Zealand has seen a great deal of progress in education. There are <omo things in which we are behind other countries,” said Mr McLeod, ‘hut 1 am sure in other things we are quoad, We are behind in music, urnwing, and Handwork, and for that reason at Itecliers’ refresher courses we are giving more attention to these. A great deal of time is wasted by people in going out, when they could be quite happy at home, having accomplishment in music, drawing, or handwork.

Mr McLeod referred to the break between secondary and primary education at present. This was not proper, as there was no real difference between primary and secondary education. It was all one continuous development. Jt was ridiculous to think primary school teachers who had passed Class C and T) were not able to teach algebra, geometery, etc. The reason why more did not start from Standard 5 and do just as much as in the High Schools was because the teachers had not been accustomed to it. He had seen better work done in any amount of ambitious private secondary schools in the first year, particularly in French. Air McLeod strongly advised those teachers present to keep abreast of the times, to keep up to date, with modern methods. They neded to know what was being done in oilier countries. There was a. better spirit towards the inspectorate to-day, continued Mr McLeod. Teachers and inspectors now were very much more friendly than used to he the case in the older times. The old idea of an inspector was that of a man who came round to keep them up to the mark. The modern idea was that the inspector came to stimulate people, not only to stimulate*; the teachers, hut also the pupils. There was still a hit of the old idea, however, in mothers especially, and they put it into tlie children. In another troneraLten this would he lost though. Children now were less willing to stay away from school which had been made so pleasant.