THE MONTESSORI SYSTEM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 23 July 1913, Page 3

THE MONTESSORI SYSTEM.

MR RRAIK'S INQUIRIES. SOME INTERESTING POINTS. Mr G. D. Braik, Chief Inspector for the Wanganui Education Board, who has just returned from an extoned visit to Australia, mad© some investigations into the modern educational methods there. He found that'the Montessori system was more highly developed in the Grey Friars' training school in Sydney than in any of the others. The principal YMisß Simpson) is at present in Rome, where the Hon. James Allen met her, making further studies in the system and her deputy, Miss Layfish, a woman of extraordinary capacity for infant teaching, is in charge. The official attitude towards the system, Mr Braik found, was that it should be proceeded with very cautiously, rather in the way of adaptation that in its adoption as a whole. The material for the introduction, of the system was obtained from America at a cost oj £l3 10s. Mr Braik was greatly impressed with the influence of the teaching o» the pupils, in the direction of enabling the children to thoroughly enjoy the work of mastering the exercises. The system works towards the development of the senses,. leading up to the more formal studies* of the primary school. The secret lies in taking full advantage of the primal sense of touch. The infant learns to form the letters and words through that sense. Letters are cut out of sandpaper, and these the children handle when blindfolded, and make into words under the guidance of the teacher. They thus learn reading and writing at the same time, and do away with "pothooks and hangers." The visitor was very much struck with the sympathy and absolute trust which existed between the teacher and the children, which wag simply beautiful. Mr Braik was quite sure the service could be adopted here with very great advantage and he proposed to recommend the Board to steps to have it introduced in its infant schools as far as possible. He intended to get the infant teachers together at Wanganui and speak to them about the system. The New South Wales Education Department had promised to forward him a copy of Miss Simpson's report on her return from Rome. In the kindergarten schools generally, Mr Braik noticed that the conversational powers of the pupils were marvellously developed, and the sympathy between teacher and pupils was remarkable.