Arxu. 5. ‘I954

—?

Widening Educational Horizons

'rna GUARDIAN. CHARLOTTETOWN

associations do not wish to see the professional prutige of teach- ers lowered by watering down ad- mission. irilmins. and certification

some weeks ago this column published a review of Dr. Neatby'a book. “So Little for the Mind," by Brsmwell Chandler, M.A., of the Carnegie Libraries, ChEl'lol,tgtown_

In order to Hive the different views of opposing philosophies of oducstioin. we now offer to our reoding public the script of acne talk by Miller M.acLu.re. M.A,_ Ph.D.

Dr. MacLure was born at Forest Hill. Prince Edward Island and is a, graduate of Prince of Wales Col. lege, Chulottetown, in which in. stltutlnn he later taught for two years. After receiving his B.A. de. gree from Acadia. he spent a year at John Hopkins University. His M.A. he obtained from Queens and his PhD. from Toronto.

!or four years, Dr. Macmn-e wu head of the English Depart-’ merit st Winnipeg United College. Before obtaining his present pom. tion as Blxlish teacher at Victoria College. Toronto. Dr. MacLure wok postgraduate studies at Har- vard University and did several months of research in England.

(The views presented in this trticle. by permission of the CBC,

' do not necessarily represent those

"articles in popular

.. ‘camel, , cl crime was no . ii

of the Teachers‘ Federation» 0 0 0 "50 LITTLE FOR THE MIND"

By HILDA NEATBY RWi"'€d by Miller Macclure The Great Debate on Canadian

education has entered a. new phase. It has been a squabble, now

it's an argument. For some tum; now. a spirited controversy on education has l)('i'il carried on in the columns of llcwsplipers, in

_ _ magazines, in " U510“ Rfoups, in talks on the CBC. The taxpayers. who foot, she bill for the immense investment in buildings and equipment required for mass education. have shown signs or worry. some business executives have asserted that high school graduate-k seeking Cinploy. merit are weak ill the three R's. University Dmlessors complain bit- terly of the illiteracy of freshmen To these and other critics the pro femiorlal educators reply sooth- ingly that everything is just nne, and 1 lot better than it used to be.

And now Dr. Hilda Neatby. pro- femor of h tory at t-he University at Ba.-ikatch wan, better known to

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most Canadians as a msmbu of the Massey Commission. has writ- ten I book with the bitter and chniiensimz title. "so Little an The Mind".

It is a brilliant attack on the

_‘f’h°1° ‘@190?! and practice of Pi'0zl'I!a1ve" education in the iiinziiaimtmkins sdlools of this

wuntry. and it's going to be . tough one for the educational ex. Peru to answer. 0 O o Di“ Nfliby demonstrates how the Canadian educational systems have come under the control of administrators, inspectors, and teacher-training experts who are imbued with the educational ideas of the American philosophe . John Dewey. She examines their thoor- les oi "soclsllaed learning" through "co-operative activities." and - how these theories are applied in the normal schools and in the class- rooms of the elementary and sec- ondary schools of nine provinces. Her conclusion is that this ap- Droaoh to education promotes ll- literacy. boredom. normal slack- nus and immaturity in the child- ren exposed to it. that it is even actively anti-intellectual. Worst of all, while it pretends to be "edu- cation for democracy". it is really a. process of conditioning which may rightly be called totalitarian- ism.

Her method is slmple—and dead- ly. Having collected the programs of study from the provinces. and examined the professional journals and public utterances of the dep- uty ministers, curriculum experts, educational psychologists. etc, she quotes from these documents. with appropriate comments, letting her opponents convict themselves out of their own mouths. She has smitten the experts with their own jaw-bones. and the bodies are scat- tered all around. Let me quote you one or two choice bits. and ask you to bear in mind that the authors of these statements are in charge of the education of your children.

0 O 0 First, on reading, about which graduates of Teachei-‘s College

Columbia have written reams of gobbledegco‘. Here is a sample:

"Because reading may be influ- enced by so many diverse factors. an analysis of any person's fail- ure lo read must necessarily take into consideration the history of the individual, his age, intellig- ence. physical condition (particu- lariy with respect to sensory and motor devlatlonai. emotional drives nnd interest. language abilities and a specific analysis of any weakness in the reading skills."

As Miss Neatby' observes. Oh for the good old days when you could read or you couldn't.

Then. on the distrust oi subject- mattcr. the deep-seated fears of facts which these experts display:

“The Aim oi the school is not so much to teach the pupils all the fact: they have not yet mas- tered as to hasten into action all the desirable behaviour they have not yet attained."

or this one: '

"The chief aim of the school is moral character. snd....mutery of subject matter is of secondary importance."

Parents and clergy. relax! The church will do your work for you. The high school graduate may not know much. but he will be chock- iull of desirable moral attitudes. In other words, he'll be condition- ed! It. will take twelve years and cost an awful lot of money. but he'll be a whirl with plasticirie and to I really advanced composite school. he'll be able to use the telephone and the typewriter and even drive the family on.

Finally, on the question of standards and aims. these two re-

mu-ks: “We have no objection to lstondnrdl. so ions as they are not . .-

And this: “It seems unnecessary to call attention to the obvious

‘» truth that too great emphasis upon

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the mastery of ksiowledgea and skills defeats the purposes of edu. cation." ,

But I shouldn't be wasting my time on this stuff. There is agi-eat deal more to Dr. Neatby's book i-hm sniping at these sitting du&s. For one thing, she has col. looted in her seventh chapter a series oi cogent criticisms of pro- Erelsivc education, not only from Canada. but from Britain and from the United States where re. sponslble opinion scans to have turned against Deweyism. In this way she incidentally shows how our cultural dependence upon the United States may be turned to good account. and not confined to the importation oi the second- rate.

Furthermore, she makes an elo. quent plea for the restoration of scholarship to education. After all. the basic requirements oi oi teach- er are that he should know his Bliblect and he possessed oi a pas- sion to impart that knowledge. But our educators are not inter- ested in the primary disciplines of the liberal arts; their subject is Educfliion. and education is not really a subject at all. but some kind of an activity defined in the terms of a second-rate psychology. Dr. Ncatby has had the courage and candour to state, and state often, that the real fault of the run oi professional educators is that they do not kilow very much They live in a closed. carefully guarded circle oi "professional" qualifications. The normal schools are not exactly ivory towers; they are certainly towers of brass “The stars of the educational fir- mament today." says Dr. coldly, “are too often bright young nlen oi neat appearance, pleasant personality, and mediocre intellig- eilcc."

From her analysis as experts on corridor widths, classroom lighting. saildpile pro- jects. interest-rousmg gadgets, pa- per towels. hot lunches. something called "guidance". and another sinister thing called "evaiuation“ They are ilot interested in educa- tion as an intellectual enterprise Tiiey keep telling us that educa- tion is concerned with “the whole child". that in contrast to the bad old days, they think of the

they emerge

child as a human being. They really do nothing of the kind. They consider the child as a

measurable unit in a process of conditioning. which works through “levels" to it packaged product of social engineering.

This is a harsh indictment. and it is easy to predict the objection that will be raised. Unfair. un- fair, will be the cry. Unfair to whom? Not to the teacher. for Dr. Neatby pays the proper trib- ute to the teacher. that overwork- ed. underpaid, misdirected heroine oi the whole system. Unfair to Dewey? How can you be fair to a man who never made himself clear? Others will observe that the attsck is upon the jargon of the specialists. that it is an at- tack upon words mainly. Well. since the professional newspeak is a. reflection oi but thinking, or no thinking at all. why not show its absurdity? Still others will say that this is a return to the past. that the traditlonalists want to set the clock bad: to dull book-iea.rn- lng. autocratic discipline. and out- door toileta The balance and good sense oi this book is the best an- swer to that. But one might add that. whatever the faults of t.he traditional school. at least every- body know what went on in it. school was school. Now there is I

u; certain mystery about the actual

. Even Dr. Neatby. who has inquired diligently. seems some- times balfled by what. lies behind aims, activities. interests. drives. and evaluations. What did Johnny learn today? who will tau us? At least one smart child, quoted in nu; book, saw through the farce or "cooperative activity '. "Co- operation", said this splendid in- (wt, "cooperation means you '°‘ul" I O I

'I‘hlsisnotjustobookforodu- cstoi-s. it is A book for us 111.136- cause. as Dr. Nestby points out at the end, we are all responsible. What is wrong with our schools is wrong with our culture gexierelly. -11-“. lg the way she puts it: We are now in a position where we can find anything, but we have forgotten what we were looking for; we can do anything. but We cannot remember what we wanted to do." In this situation. we try to train moolslists to and out for us; we let mechaniun take the o of what Min Neatby call! "me vmon of greatness". We live in a. state oi chronic fool. and uni willing to let a set oi tech- nmmg protect. our children from fear and insecurity by ld'JllItln( mun to mediocrity. by W9-Wm‘ men: in moral cellophane. by maxing them professional adoles-

ts. 0"; ,.p..¢._ then, that everybody. Dorontl. "educator? D01- 1“, t. pie w 0 en- mc ' muwent fun- I suggest

dovoti I . lnsI.. giirnins Whi°h 5°1°°"°‘ 9”’ from "So Little For The would be read. 1 think that ‘Wm do a great deal oi l00d« . . . [scents from an address on ICATIONAL ITANDAID or 1 cnrrnoanon IN GANADA

by Dr. A.L. lloooetu. D|P0c|0|' 0' An Branch

013010’! Uflviilf of Alberto.‘

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of lfll, emits the oommmili 33¢ Iflll of "equal educational opportunity for all Canadian youth"

General secretaries of teachers‘

Neatby .

requli

secretaries of school trustees’ snoclations do not wish to see expensive shop and home econom- ics equipment lying idle. nor do they wish to see children absent from school because of an under supply of teachers.

The heads of teacher training institutions do not wish to intro- duce lowered admission require- ments nor reduce the standards in teacher-training programs, Curriculum directors of Provincial Departments of Education do not wish incompetent. incompletely or poorly-trained personnel to at- tempt to interpret the carefully- dmigned programs oi studies drawn up by hard-worhing. our- riculum sub-committees cf teach- ers and expert consultants.

Chief superlntiexidertts of schools in Provincial Departments of Edu- cation do not wish to see schools closed because of 1. lack of teach- era.

0 I O

The introduction in Western Canada and possibly in the Do- minion of Canada of a Standard Certificate, either regionally or nationally. would do much topso- fessionalize teachers. and would add grea._tly to their prestige. The issuance of a certificate by Pro- vincial Departments of Education would iii no way interfere with local certification in certain fields; nor would it impede such mens- ures as special license. or interim certificates being issued by each of the provinces in order to meet crises similar to that through which we are now passing.

Every person in every part of Canada should concede that teacher training and teacher ser- vice constitute the most important {factors in maintaining our demo- 'cratlc way oi llie. -

. . .

Democracy is based on three important tenets. One. the su- preme lmportance oi the individ- ual: two, mutual respect and co- operation b e t w e e n individuals: three, faith in the intelligence of all persons.

The third tenet suggests. the importance of educating all per- sons to the full limit oi their tal- ents, provided they are all willing to co-operate. This is true at the rural. urban, provincial, national commonwealth and world levels Education is our way of survival. Education is the best bulwark a- gainst communism and demagog- uery. Education is the best way to Education is the best way to maintain our moral, spiritual, and cultural standards. Education is the best way of carrying out the Christian ideal of the Golden Rule in action.

A uniform Standard Certificate across Canada would tend to place teacher training and the whole business of education in its proper perspective. It is no use merely talking about its importance. A significant Canadian teacher cro- dential is an effective means of recognizing the all-lm:portsntiunc- tion of teaching in our society. If we closed our schools and elimin- ated teachers, our society would degrade to the levelgof that which existed in primitive times. Our schools develop the minds oi youth and in this way guarantee the retention oi our democratic civilization.

A National Standard Certificate should be based on a mlriimum oi two years of training in a teach- er-education institution, after the achievement of senior matricula- tion into I recognized provincial university. Anything less than this is skimpy and shoddy.

O I O :

The professim of teaching con- sists of more than men-eLv school keeping. To develop a sound pro. iessional background and outlook, teachers must. be educated. not trained. Trail-.ing suggests a cir- cus busineaa of knowing a bag oi tricks. '

Teacher education, on the othu hand. is based on the following social foundation ‘of education: (1) Educational sociology—o study‘ of school and society. Educational psychology — a study of child growth and be- hoviour.

Educational philosophy -— A study of the relation oi educa- tion to our way of life. Educational history. Educational resesmch. Educational methodology — I study of general method: of class control, and handling of subject matter content.

I O I

(2) (3)

(4) l5) (8)

The professional side of teach- ing is more than merely holding class from 9.00 am. to 4.00 pm. Teachers must view education in its broad. social implications. For complete teacher education. a four year Bachelor of Education pro- gram is necessary. after which time. teachers should be granted a professional certificate. The task of teaching is too important to expect anything lea. A minimum of education should consist of I two-year program head on senior matriculation.

edge the respective teacher-eduich tion program oi all other provin- ces. A standard Certificate, duly recognized as the minimum goal for good toscher training is logic- ally sound however. due to the critical tesc or shortage nonpro- vince may find it expedient to set up special licenses. or short cours- es in training. such measures are not to be interpreted as approba- tion of reduced standlrds. National certlfieati within the existing framework the local autonomy of provindlal education- al authorities is A ‘definite panth- llltv. Our society must become awsrs of the fact that teaching is the.nioet important function in our culture. public is to react. to 6 its like "fetch!!! Mould our Nation‘: Future." TIM:|'lIl‘l are not A race sport Their work‘ erlis respectability. A National tondsrd certificate. based on f non of prepara- tion. and National Profenlonsl Certificate. based on four years of

Each. province should scknowl- '

IMPRESSIONS OF DANIEII EDUCATION

By VERA HANSON

(Taken from the ATA Msgulnel

I had just finished my first day of substitute teaching in a mod- ern Danish school. On my way out of the door shortly after two o‘clock I noticed a group oi boys lingering in the school yard. They were waiting to walk home with me. Eagerly they gathered round. brimming over with questions they had not been able to ask me dur- ing the morning classes. “Do the Indians still scalp people over there?" they asked. Most of my time spent in Den- mark was spent in Horsen, a city of some 35,000 population, beauti- fully situated on an east coast fjord. Here I was given the priv- liege of actually teaching in two different, schools. Being an Al- berta teacher. I was interested to learn at first hand more about the educational system of Den- mark. Accordingly I seized every opportunity to visit the schools in various parts of the country. These visits supplemented the ones I had made to the classes some years ago. At that time I had listened to their oral exami- nations. open to the public. I had examined the extensive displays" of sewing. woodwork and other projects which were shown at promotion time.

The school system itself should be explained. After five years in the primary school, the pupil may continue without an examination. into the "ioikeskoie" where he may get three years of general education and then stop. Or he may take an examination which will admit him to the secondary school where he may study for three years and write another ex- amination. Passing this. he may take a one-year "re-alskoie" course followed by another examination. From here many of the students go directly into offices or get jobs with business firms. Others go on from secondary school into a grammar school or gymnasium course of four years. leading to university entrance.

I formed the impression that Danish country teachers are se- cure, contented and independent. They usually spend the greater part of their lives in one commu- nity. where they are respected citizens.

Every year the iieadnlastrr of a village school I know takes the older students on a tour to some part of Denmark. One year the trip takes them to Copenhagen it- self. with all its many sights. The next year they travel to some oth- or interesting place to spend a week. This summer he and his assistants arranged for twenty- five of the pupils to spend a week

is furnished with all necessary equipment. The principal himself is furnished with an attractive office as well as I home on the ground. I spent a morning with the school psychologist at this school. This lady is in charge of classes for mentally deficient chil- dren throughout the city. Besides her own oflice she has a small testing room and also a waiting room with free pamphlets for the parents. The children are selected on the advice of their teachers. after considerable testing. and have an IQ. below 70. O C O

Aarhus University is a very mod- ern establishment attended by over 1700 students. The auditorium it seli is well worth a visit. It is 65 feet high and has fine acoustics. It seats 700 on pigskin covered chairs and spotted calfskin sofas. Behind the stage is a great will- dow overlooking the beautiful park- like grounds and the university residences. The summer porch. with its hugh windows and vine- oovered yellow brick. is popular with the students. The open-air floor for dancing and the ope-n-air theatre are used on various occa- sions. In the kitchen, one woman and I. helper prepare the great kettles with potatoes and vege- table soup for the students who have their meals ill the cafeterias.

There are A number of kinder- zarton schools in the capital is well. The one I visited accepts children aged two-and-a-half to seven whose mothers work during the day. Tllere is no special pro- gram. The day is .S|')t‘llL in walk- ing, playing and SlC'€].')ll’lg,\\'lll'l time in between for meals and milk The children have their meals at long tables in groups of twelve. Tables and chairs and toys are standard equipment. Beds are stored away in the wall and can be pulled out two at a time. Reg- ular doctors visits are a part of the programme. Two of the stiff have the full two-years‘ training required; the rest are assistants,