TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION I,. 797 



having repeatedly failed to perform an experiment, thought he ought to roceive 

 marks for ' knowing how to do it.' 



Assuming, then, that the inspector should possess successful teaching experi- 

 ence, he cannot be appointed at so early an age as hitherto. He should have 

 experience of both primary and secondary schools, and should, if possible, have 

 gained that wider outlook on school work and organisation wbich comes only with 

 the responsibilities of headraastership. He must realise that education is an 

 experimental science, and that scientific method underlies the whole art of 

 teaching. lie should be an enthusiastic student of educational progress in other 

 countries than his own, and be possessed of the personal qualities of tact, sympathy, 

 and firmness. 



Influence of the Inspector. — Under the existing system in England the 

 infiuence of the inspector of the local authority is probably greater than that of 

 the Government inspector. In Ireland, the Government iaspector combines both 

 functions, and so absolute is his influence that the efficiency of schools is almost a 

 measure of the eftlciency of inspection. Expressed generally, what the inspector 

 requires will be done, but what he does not ask for will not be attempted. 



In the primary school it is often desirable to have every subject dealt with by 

 the same inspector ; he must, therefore, have a thorough acquaintance with the 

 matter of and method of teaching all the principal subjects of the curriculum. If he 

 is only slightly acquainted with some branch, he is almost certain to ignore it, and 

 by so doing will in a very short time destroy any effective teaching of that branch. 

 It is not to be expected that teachers will put themselves to considerable trouble 

 in preparing and teaching a subject if the results of their work are neither asked 

 for nor commented upon. 



This does not mean that the inspector should be a ' Jack of all trades and 

 master of none,' but he should at least be thoroughly familiar with the aims and 

 methods underlying the teaching of all subjects. It is very desirable that he shall 

 have reached a high academic standard in one or more branches. In the secondary 

 school, it is not reasonable to expect one man to inspect constructively the teaching 

 of all subjects ; at least two types are necessary : a literary man with a knowledge 

 of classics, English, and foreign languages, and a scientific and practically trained 

 man, with a knowledge of mathematics, science, manual instruction, drawing, 

 geography, and, if necessary, domestic science and drawing. 



The time seems to have arrived when the term inspector may be usefully 

 abolished. Teachers need more than inspection, criticism, and censure ; they need 

 suggestion, help, and encouragement as well. The ' inspector ' would spend his 

 day watching the teachers at work (under highly artificial conditions), would say 

 little or nothing, go home, and write his report, giving praise or censure as the case 

 may be ; he would probably only have seen specimens of work in less than half the 

 subjects of the school programme, and the lessons he listened to had probably 

 been given to the same pupils before, and were, therefore, Avorthless as specimens 

 of teaching. If we cannot change the title, let us think of inspectors as school 

 advisers, who are slow to censure unless suggestions have been ignored and 

 regulations infringed. 



In nine cases out of ten a lesson given before the inspector is of no value as a 

 test of teaching ability ; neither teacher nor pupils are in a normal condition. The 

 inspector can learn far more if he asks the teacher to question a class on a recent 

 lesson, or, still better, if he questions the class himself; if he knows his business he 

 will soon discover the manner in which the subject was presented. 



At the same time, in his desire to remain on friendly terms with the teacher, 

 the inspector must not pass by unnoticed matters of organisation and method that 

 need reform. Some of the American schools, especially in the smaller cities, are 

 good examples of what a complete absence of inspection or external criticism may 

 lead to ; with an environment of progress the schools are stagnant. 



it is sometimes said to be undignified for an inspector to teach ; the reply is 

 that a good inspector cannot help teaching — it is his only method of getting into 

 intellectual touch with a class. The inspector is, after all, the educational doctor 

 of the school. lie calls in a specialist when the case is outside his own experience ; 



