TARANAKI'S UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 286, 30 May 1912, Page 6

TARANAKI'S UNCERTIFICATED TEACHERS.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTION WANTED. IMPORTANT REOOIIMENDATIO:\S ' ADOPTED. •In accordance with the resolution passed by the Taranaki Education Board at its last meeting, the Board's inspectors (Messrs W, A. Ballantyne and R. G. Whetter) reported, on Tuesday night, on a scheme for the practical training of uncertificated! teachers (of whom there are 40) at 'present in the service of the Board. 'The inspectors' report was as follows:—"We recommend that the Education Department foe approached with a view to converting three of the schools in this district into special schools for the practical training of inexperienced teachers who would be required to attend for a few weeks at a time for the purpose of gaining an insight into the working of an efficiently conducted school and acquiring experience in up-to-date method* of teaching. Here they would see 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 pupils at work and have an opportunity of observing the best methods of organisation and the means by which the high standard of results were obtained. We are of opinion that the schools set apart for the purpose should be of grades 11, HI. and IV. respectively, as it is in these grades of schools that the major'':y of our inexperienced teachers w ultimately be placed either as assistants or head' teachers. These schools should be so situated that they are in a neighborhood where accommodation may be easily obtained by the trainees.

THE SUGGESTED SPECIAL SCHOOLS! In our district these conditions would be best met by establishing special schools at Norfolk, Waiongona and Lower Mangorei. We think that all the needs of this district would be met by sending one trainee to each of these schools per month. By this arrangement we would in the course of a year be able to give increased experience in the practice of teaching to at least thirty teachers. 'So as to retain in these schools the services of the very best teachers available, the Department should be asked to recognise these schools as special schools and grant a salary commensurate with the importance of the school and the responsibility placed on the shoulders of the teachers. We would suggest that the salary of each of the head teachers of the schools "be increased by £SO, and that of the assistants in grade IV. by £3O. It might also be arranged that a pori tion of the grant now given by the DeI partment for the instruction of uncertificated teachers should be paid to the head teachers of these schools should they be willing to instruct and direct the trainees in their literary studies for the teachers' certificates. If this system were adopted it would be a benefit not only to inexperienced teachers but 1 to other teachers who, on the recomj mendation of the inspector, would be | granted a few days' leave of absence to ; visit the special schools. As the experience gained in visiting the model ' schools would form part of the training of inexperienced teachers no salary or , allowance would be paid during the I period of their visit. The vacancy caused J by the withdrawal of a teacher from a i school would necessarily have to be filled |by a relieving teacher. It will be evi- | dent that the extra cost to the Department if this system were introduced j throughout the Dominion would be little [ compared with the advantages derived from it.

The chief inspector added that the scheme would' cost less and be more effective than the practice prevalent in Auckland of instructing the teachers by means of special travelling instructors. THE 'SCHEME APPROVED. In moving that the 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.

I Mr, Masters congratulated the inspectors on their excellent report, and approved ol it in every particular excepting (that clause which stipulated that teachers should not he paid for the period » during which they received instruction at these special schools. This, he I thought, would l he inflicting a hardship. ! He moved that the clause he struck out. In reply, the chief inspector (Mr. Ballantyne) said that the teachers in question were receiving much higher salaries than pupil teachers who had a better education. Those uncertificated 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 be forwarded to the Minister for Education, with a request that he would give the recommendations contained therein his favorable consideration.