TRAINING TEACHERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 570, 24 January 1929, Page 16

TRAINING TEACHERS

WORK OF THE COLLEGE YEAR CHANGES IN ORGANISATION The provision of courses leading to specialisation in infant teaching and in secondary school teaching has been a notable change in the organisation of the Auckland Training College, according to the report of the principal, Mr H. G. Cousins. As no warning was given of the change, it was not possible to provide for all students who wished to take the latter course or to arrange adequate courses for those for whom some provision could be made. In the main the general course had to be folTbwed by all in the hope that in the second year of training, 1929, adequate emphasis could be given to the differentiation necessary to comply with the regulations. The new plan of grouping students had been a matter of great interest to the staff, who had been keenly observant of the characteristics of the different groups. The roll number has been considerably less than in previous years, being SSI at the end of 1925. as compared with 422 at the end of 1927. With three students specialising in music for tlieir third year in college, a feature had been made of their practical work in teaching school classes, with the most gratifying result. Similarly in drawing and other art work specialist teaching had tended to raise the standard of the students’ work when teaching in schools. A new syllabus in English was leading to a fine appreciation of literature on the part of students. The principal stated he considered the time opportune for the organisation of regular s-hort refresher courses for exstudents who had served five years after completing their course at college. The following terms for 1929 a.t the Training College have been authorised by the board:—First term, February 18 to May 11; second term, June 3 to August 10; third term, September 2 to December 6.