TRAINING TEACHERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 28, 30 May 1912, Page 8

TRAINING TEACHERS.

t MI’ORTAXT lIECOM' 'II XJ)ATJ()XS ADOPTED. SPECIAL IXSTR UCTI OX WAX TEI).

In accordance with the resolution passed I>y the Taranaki Education Hoard at its last meeting, the Hoard's inspectors (Messrs W. A. Hallantyne and R. G. Whetter) reported, on Tuesday night, on a scheme for the practical training of unoertifieaied teachers (of whom there are 46) at present in the service of the Hoard. The inspectors’ report was as follows: —“We recommend that the Education Department ho approached with a view to converting three of the, schools in this district into special schools for the practical training o'.

inexperienced teachers who would he required to attend for a few week; at a time for the purpose of gaining nn insight into the working of an efficiently conducted school and acquiring experiences in up-to-date method; •f teaching. Hero they would sm the best work of the pupils and thus have set before them an ideal or standard to be aimed at. They would also at the same time see the pupil: at work and have an opportunity of observing the host methods of organ i aation and the means by which the high standard of results were obtain ed. We are of opinion that tin schools sot apart for the purpose should be of grades 11., 111. and IV.. respectively, as it is in these grades o' schools that the majority of onr inexperienced teachers will ultimately hi placed either as assistants or headteachers. These schools should h< so situated that they are in a neigh bourhood where accommodation m.rbe easily obtained by the trainees. SUGGESTED SPECIAL SCHOOLS.

In our district these condition! would be best met by establishing special schools at Norfolk, Waiongon: and Lower Mangorci. We think that all the needs of this district woidc bo met by sending one trainee tr each of these schools per month. H; this arrangement we would in tn< course of a year he able to give increased experience in the practice o< teaching to at least thirty teachers So as to retain in these schools the services of the very host teacher; available, tho Department should be asked to recognise these schools a; special schools and grant a salaiy commensurate with the importance o' the school and tho responsibility pieced on the shoulders of the teachers. We would suggest that the salary ol each of tho head teachers of th< schools ho increased by £SO, and thai of tho assistants in grade IV, in £99.

It might also ho arranged that a portion of tho grant now given by the Department for the instruction oi unoertificated teachers should he paid to the head teachers of those school: should they be willing to instruct and direct tho trainees in their ]Reran studies for the teachers’ certificates. If this system were adopted it would bo a benefit not only to inexperienced teachers but to other teachers who. on the recommendation of the in sp a - tor, would be granted a few days’ leave of absence to visit the special schools. As tho experience gained in visiting the model schools would form part of the training of inexperienced teachers no salary or allow after would be paid during the period of their visit. The vacancy caused by tho withdrawal of a teacher from a school would necessarily have to be filled by a . relieving teacher. It will be evident that the extra cost to the Department if this system were introduced throughout the Dominion would be little compared with the advantages derived from it. The chief inspector added that tin scheme would cost less and be more effective than the practice prcvalenl in Auckland of instructing the teacher® by means of special travelling instructors.

THE SCHEME APPROVED. In moving that tho suggested scheme be forwarded on to the Minister for Education, Mr Morton said it was going to cost the Board practically nothing, the whole of the expense being borne by the Department. Mr Masters congratulated the inspectors on their excellent report, and approved of it in every particular excepting that clause which stipulated that teachers should not be paid for the period during which they received instruction at those special schools. This, he thought, would he inflicting a hardship. He moved that the clause he struck out. In reply, the chief inspector (Mr Hallantyne) said that the teachers in question were receiving much higher salaries than pupil teachers who had a, better education. Those unccrtifioated teachers who had been in the Board’s service for several years would not have to come under the scheme. Mr Masters’ amendment lapsed for want of a seconder, and the recommendations as a whole were ordered to he forwarded to the Minister for Education, with a request that he would give the recommendations contained therein his favourable consideration.—“ News.” rix