GRADING OF TEACHERS
SYSTEM STRONGLY ATTACKED.
FUNCTION OF INSPECTORS.
"Many educationists rail against the competitive spirit in the classroom and in sport, yet the grading list is the worst competitive systeni that anyone could imagine,’’ said Mr. P. M. Jackson in his presidential address to the conference of the New Zealand Public Schools’ Assistant Masters’ Association at Wellington, i “It is often said,’.’ continued Mr. Jackson, "that the inspector is now only a grading officer, one who is responsible for the psychological depression among teachers in the month of April, when the grading list comes out. A teacher cannot do his best work under such discouragement. Some are elated. Yes, some human beings are pleased with trifles, however small. A teacher is told to encourage children to be positive rather than negative, to praise them for good work well and faithfully done,' The inspector should act toward the teacher in the same way. “On examination day t|ie inspector spends his time 'finding the medium of this and that, and then telling the teacher his arithmetic is good or bad, his spelling weak or strong, as if the teacher, who is with his pupils five hours a day, or perhaps seven, for five days a week, does not know that better than the inspector.
“The inspectors are very careful what they say to a teacher, especially if there is anything good to say, because the teacher may refer to it when appealing against his grading. Thus the grading system and inspection act and react on each other. The teacher has the opportunity of speaking to the inspector about his school work on the average about ten minutes a year, but he gets a report from the inspector's office on his work and, no matter how full of mistakes it may be, the teacher has no opportunity of offering an explanation which, in many cases, would satisfactorily explain matters. “A teacher’s grading is based on six things. One among them is personality. Imagine an inspector grading the personalities of teachers as a grader would grade butter. Opinions differ about personalities that are well known; how much more so about personalities that are not well known. Yet some inspectors are so sure about some teachers' work that they even cause their inadequate salaries to be lowered by £2O, notwithstanding the fact that they had seriously to prove their efficiency to earn it.
“After gradually climbing up the grading list until they reach the age of three score years, their salaries are lowered because they have not the youthful vigour of their prime. So their last five years in the education service are spent in discouragement and dejection.”
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Southland Times, Issue 21097, 31 May 1930, Page 4
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444GRADING OF TEACHERS Southland Times, Issue 21097, 31 May 1930, Page 4
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