N.Z.E.L

Southland Times, Issue 18842, 7 June 1920, Page 6

N.Z.E.L

grading of teachers. PROTESTS FROM AUCKLAND. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 5. The Auckland branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute to-day received the report of its delegates to the recent conference in Wellington of inspectors and teachers. The meeting passed a unanimous resolution in condemnation of the reduction in marks of the Auckland teachers and also in the latest grading regulations, stating that these latter were inequitable and discredited by a resolution passed by the Wellington conference. The meeting further recommended that the managing committee should communicate with the Minister and also later form a deputation in support of the protest. The opinion was further expressed that the present Assistant-Director of Education, who has been concerned in the unfortunate friction between the department and the Auckland teachers should not be a member of the Auckland Teacher.-’ Appeal Board for 13: '), particularly as it was understood that he was not a member of the Board cf Teachers Court of Appeal in other districts. It was also decided to ask the Auckland Education Board to support a resolution, which was passed, to the effect that no decrease in salaries should be made in consequence of the recent reduction in grading of Auckland teachers. Finally it was onauimou-iy resolved that it be requested that no alteration in educational legislation or regulation be made unless the proposed idteration be first submitted to the New Zealand Educational Institute for consideration.

INVERCARGILL BRANCH. QUARTERLY MEETING. The quarterly meeting of the Southland branch, held on Saturday, in the Technical College, was largely attended. The vice-prg.-idcnt, Mr R. N. Wilson, occupied the • hair. liryector Inglis gave an address of a technical character on “Sonic critical stages in file teeclrng of the school subjects,” those dealt with being reading, writing, drawing and arithmetic. Many difficult points in (he handling of these in the class-room were dealt with and suggestions made for their rolucion. The speaker gave it as his opinion that if these difficulties were attacked at certain specified periods the later teaching would be much more effective, thus avoiding a certain wastage of teaching effort for which in his opinion the present generally accepted procedure is largely responsible. A vote of thanks was accorded Mr Inglis. Discussion of the points raised was deferred until the next meeting. Miss McLeod and Mr D. McNeil, delegates from the local branch, presented their reports of the combined conference of inspec tors and teachers i ecently held in Wellington on the remodelling of the grading scheme. One of the main features of the revised scheme is that quota marks in their present objectionable form are eliminated and in their place are substituted different maxima for the various groups. The conference also passed a resolution recommending that soldier teachers be credited for superannuation and grading purposes with double time for their period of absence at the front. A committee of three teachers and three inspectors was retained to act with the Assistant-Director to put the scheme into its final form.

Both delegates emphasised the fact that through lack of time, many important aspects of the scheme had not been fully discussed. Even the final opportunity for discussion was spoilt by the introduction by the Minister of Education of his plan for remodelling the primary system of the Dominion.