372 SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.—L. 
secondary schools but also for ‘ central’ schools, and generally for schools in which 
children over the age of 11 are being taught, especially if, as is very possible, a policy 
of transference of children at the age of 11 from the ‘junior’ elementary school to 
some place of ‘ post-primary ’ instruction should be adopted. 
3. Further, the university should enter into close relations with training colleges 
in which intending teachers are prepared for certification by a two years’ course. The 
university might accordingly develop one-year courses (leading to a Diploma) in 
subjects such as English, History, Geography or Biology, which might be taken by 
students from training colleges, who would attend for a third year. It might also, through 
its professor of Education, act as a nucleus or centre for all training of teachers within 
its area; and in this connexion it might aid in the examination of students in training 
colleges, developing a form of examination (which the Board of Education, under 
suitable conditions, might recognise as exempting from its Certificate Examination), 
in which university teachers and teachers in training colleges might be jointly 
associated. 
Mr. F. B. Maio. 
Few headmasters of public schools make it a condition in appointing a man to 
their staff that he should have undergone professional training. The most cogent 
reason—the personality of the teacher is more valuable than his scholarship, his 
method, or his equipment. 
Studying methods of education while reading for ‘ finals’ at the University is not 
compatible with success in either. Post-graduate training is a disadvantage in the 
market since some schools would always take the untrained man if he possesses high 
academic honours; the extra year and cost in competition with the offer of openings 
in business with the prospect of much larger financial rewards would accentuate the 
present tendency for the ablest men to seek administrative or commercial posts. 
Training sometimes induces too much teaching. The solid work of learning must 
be done by the pupil himself. Boys must be accustomed to feed themselves, en- 
couraged to rely upon themselves, to think for themselves, to work for themselves. 
It is doubtful whether training under present conditions helps towards this goal. 
There is an element of soundness in the ‘ heuristic ’ method—boys should be thinking 
and seeking for themselves, not simply absorbing what is told them by authority. 
Actual training in method should be the business of the school, but teachers should 
know something of the history of educational practice, educational theory, and the 
elements of psychology. If an examination on the last two subjects at the end of 
the second year of actual teaching experience and the successful candidate thereby — 
qualifies for registration by the Teachers’ Registration Council, he would approach — 
the theories of writers on education with greater appreciation and in a more critical 
spirit. Several active-minded young men reading seriously for such an examination, ~ 
and employing the results of their reading in criticising the curriculum and aims of ~ 
the school in which they are serving, might provide a very bracing atmosphere for 
their senior colleagues and for their headmaster. 
Miss F. HawtTReEY. 
There are two types of teachers to be considered : those who are primarily interested 
in their subject and those who are primarily interested in children. The best prepara- 
tion for the former is probably a three years’ degree course followed by a year’s 
vocational education. For the latter, an alternative course might be planned on the 
following lines :— 
1. A general Secondary School education up to 18. Entrance to College by an 
examination of matriculation standard. 
2. A two years’ course of vocational education which should include : 
(a) the study of those subjects which constitute the essential elements of a 
child’s education ; ’ 
(b) the study of hygiene, psychology and social history (showing the connection 
between the school and other agencies for child welfare) ; 
(c) some practical teaching under supervision. This course should be recog- 
nised as of matriculation standard, and those completing this stage shoulc 
be allowed to teach on the same basis as the present Trained Certificatec 
Teachers. 
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