NEW SCHOOL SYLLABUS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5272, 9 May 1928, Page 3

NEW SCHOOL SYLLABUS.

TEACHERS MAY USE DISCBETION. BRIGHT PUPILS TO ADVANCE. Notable features of the new prim-; ary school syllabus issued hy the Minister of Education a.re the discretion allowed to teachers to vary the i.nr to some extent, and the freedom allowed in the ad-i of pupil* who find learnNHveasy. The syllabus is the outcome of the efforts of the Syllabus Revision Comr mittee, and of a conference of all the inspectors. The courses outlined are . not finally fixed, and it is announced that the department will welcome constructive suggestions from the •’branches of the Educational institute and from individual teachers. WHAT TEACHERS MAY DO. In the introduction to the syllabus we read: — “The department particularly desired that the present’syllabus Shall be regarded both by inspectors and teachers as mainly suggestive. Teachers are to consider themselves free to make ;any alteration, or; rearrangement of work they think desirable, and the inspectors will approve any reasonable scheme that appears to meet the needs of children'of a particular type or of a particular locality. As a matter of fact, the topics set down under each subject have not been arranged according to any hard-and-fast rule; and part of the duty of

the teacher will be to select and rearrange the material in accordance J with his own ideas regarding the development of the subject. He is also at liberty to transfer parts of a subs ject from one class to another, always provided that the requirements for the proficiency certificate are complied with.” It regard to the.se proficiency certificates, tlie Director of Education intimates that the method of awarding them will have to be revised, if. indeed, the certificates are retained at all. A pronouncement on this matter is to be issued shortly. SYLLABUS ENRICHED. In some subjects, especially arithmetic, the course has beep simplified. To quote further from the dtepart- ! ment’s announcement: — "The syllabus has been ‘enriched’ by the introduction at an earlier stage of study of examples of good litera-. ture, and aha by the earlier commencement off. subjects that were heretofore considered as bes’onging to the secondary school course. The prescriptions in music and drawing have also been written with the same purpose in view. The making of a truly cultural course depends, however, more on the te.acher’s concept t’on of the way the various subjects should be treated than- on any prescription that could be devised. The prescription can at best, be onjly suggestive of the richer and more fully cultural type of education it is hoped will become more and more prominent in all schools.” 2L' , rapid PROMOTIQN. I W. is . intended that the teacher should provide for the rapid promotion of. children of quick and bright intelligence, so that these, may reach the secondary schools at an earlier age than, at present. The plan of providing an extended course of study for the brighter pupils has been indicated in the syllabus in. arithmetic and elementary mathematics, and this plan might be followed in other subjects. A more modest scheme of work might be provided for the pupil, of moderate ability, and promotion should not be denied a pupil on. the ground, that he has, not mastered every detail of. the class prescription. Rather should his promotion depend f upon his ability to cope - with and *■, benefit from the studies set down for the next higher clas*. A certain amount of repet'tton in the prescriptions for the various classes permits action, to be taken on these lines without prejudice to the pupil.” ■LESS GRAMMAR. Following the excellent course of recent years, the framer* of the syllabus indicate that in the teaching of English the aim is to be “facility and accuracy of expression” rather than the “ memorising of grammatical rales.” For writing it is recommended that • print-script shall, be taught in the primers., and the cursive style jn the standards. PRACTICAL ARITHMETIC. The' value of the practical method of learning arithmetaic—that is, by I the hafid-ling of actual objects—is emt phasised. Many of our teachers already employ this plan with excellent results. The instructions state: “Practical work should form an essential part of the teaching, and should include the handling of coins and the use of familiar measuring apparatus—e.g., the foot rule, the kitchen balance, the pint or quart mea-stn-esr—and the teacher should devise problems arising out of practical experience. . . . The child' must be led to feel that arithmetic is a real filing-—that it belongs to everyday life” Algebra, geometry, and book-keep-ing are made optional subjects in the higher mathematical classes. HISTORY. In- this course there are no notable innovations except that “Ne.w Zea*and history and stories, connected with the life of the Maoris have been introducedl into the syllabus for the first • time,. Every New Zealand child should know something of the history of 'his: own tow-iH district, and province, thus enriching his store of stirring detail and adding reality to the study of history.” GEOGRAPHY. In geography it is proposed that much outdoor work should be done to broaden the child’s knowledge of the forces of nature that determine man’s ■industries-- and racial characterist'es. NATURE STUDY’. “Nothing should be regarded as Na-ture-study in which the child is not observing or investigating Nature at first thand,” the syUabus states. “The work will be done mainly outside the classroom, and.' it will be necessary in all cases for teachers to have a full knowledge of the possibilities of the district.”