THE GRADING OF TEACHERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2741, 21 February 1910, Page 4

THE GRADING OF TEACHERS.

Closely allied to this subject is that of the grading of teachers. This matter was brought before the Hawke’s Ray Board of Education by Mr Malcolm McLeod and was the subject of a lengthy discussion at the Inspectors’ Conference in Wellington on Wednesday. In the past one of the curses of the teaching profession has been the extent to which canvassing has been carried on when vacancies have occurred. Inspectors, members of Boards of Education and of fc'ehoo] Committees have been appealed to on behalf of the various applicants until the whole business has approached the proportions of a grave scandal. These methods are degrading to a profession that should rank amongst the highest in the land, and are abhorred by the larger proportion of the teachers themselves. Vet in the interests of iself-preservation they are compelled to adopt or condone on behalf of their friends the practices adopted by the least scrupulous of their rivals. To abolish this undesirable phase of the educational system the Inspectors’ Conference lias recommended that in order to facilitate the system of transfer the department establish a uniform system of grading to be applied to all certificated teachers in the Dominion, and that a scheme as appended furnish a basis for the working of the system. The total marks attainable are 100, to he allocated as follows:—Service, ten marks (2 years one mark); academic attainment. 15; teaching proficiency, 40: personality and discipline, 20; organisation, 10; environment, 5. There is no doubt that if it were possible to correctly administer such a scheme as this the lot of the teachers would be .greatly improved. They would Ik; judged on their merits and canvassing would be abolished. Unfortunately it is by no means certain that the proposals can be administered with anything more than approximate success. The InspectorGeneral of Schools expressed the opinion that in practice it would not work. Mr Hogben considers that the value of the marks would differ in different districts and this to our mind is a very real obstacle. Thus Mr. Hill in Hawke’s Bay would have his own ideas as to personality and basing figures on his individual judgment might give a teacher IS points, whereas Mr Braik, in Wanganui, might allot to another teacher equally meritorious in this respect but 15. In this inevitable diversity of ideas it would seem that teachers of equal qualifications might easily vary 20 or 30 marks in different districts. Jn other words the teachers when seeking promotion would he judged by a false standard. However, despite this aspect we find that Mr Braik, of Wanganui, strongly supported the scheme because it had worked well in his district. He said the marking of personality was found in practice to be quite equitable, judging by results, and when an appointment was to bo made the board examined the register. Therein was to be seen what man was doing the work. There was, he said, no chance of a. side influence, so that the man who stood best in the estimation of his colleagues and the inspectors gained promotion. The principle involved is of the utmost importance, and it now remains to be seen whether the Department will sanction the adoption of the scheme that is so strongly recommended by its Inspectors.