-
10
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1970
+ THE DUTY OF A SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER IS NOT ONLY RESTRICTED TO INSTILLING KNOWLEDGE BUT THEY SHOULD ALSO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE PUPILS, HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES, AND TO FAMILIARISE THEM WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, HE SAID.
STUDENTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES SO THAT THEY COULD EXPERIENCE HOW TO CO-OPERATE WITH OTHERS AND TO DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIALS, HE ADDED.
MR. TOPLEY ALSO COMMENDED THE HOI PING CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
FOR ITS CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY SERVICES.
+ IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION, THE CHAMBER HAS MADE A VITAL CONTRIBUTION IN BUILDING SCHOOLS AND EDUCATING THE YOUNG, HE SAID.
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCES PUPILS PERFORMANCE
*****
THE SCHOOL BUILDING AND ITS FACILITIES, THE CURRICULUM AND THE TEACHING STAFF ARE THE THREE FACTORS WHICH COMBINE TO CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT OF A SCHOOL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (CHIEF INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS), MR. ROBERT CAMERON, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).
SPEAKING AT THE SPEECH DAY OF LA SALLE COLLEGE, HE CITED FINDINGS BY LONDON RESEARCHERS THAT THE ENVIRONMENT OF A SCHOOL IS THE MAIN FACTOR INFLUENCING PUPILS' PERFORMANCES.
OF THE THREE, MR. CAMERON SAID, THE TEACHING STAFF IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR.
+IT WILL BE OF GREAT ASSISTANCE TO THE TEACHING STAFF IF THEY HAVE FIRST-CLASS FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT WITH WHICH TO WORK,+ HE SAID.
BUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IS HOW THESE FACILITIES ARE USED AND HOW THE SYLLABUS IS TAUGHT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SYLLABUS, MR. CAMERON SAID, WE MUST NOT LIMIT OURSELVES TO THE FORMAL CURRICULUM OF WHAT IS TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM.
+WE MUST NOT FORGET THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM WHICH CONSISTS OF THE PROGRAMME OF WHAT I PREFER TO CALL 'EXTRA-CLASSROOM' RATHER THAN 'EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AND THE VALUES IMPLICIT IN THE CORPORATE LIFE, IN THE SOCIETY CREATED WITHIN THE SCHOOL, MR. CAMERON SAID.
IT IS THIS +HIDDEN+ CURRICULUM WHICH DEPENDED SO MUCH ON THE QUALITY OF THE TEACHERS, HE SAID,
WITHOUT THEIR SKILLS, ENTHUSIASM AND COMMITMENT THERE CAN BE NO HEALTHY, NOURISHING ENVIRONMENT IN A SCHOOL.
+AT THE VERY CORE OF THE EDUCATION PROCESS IS THE CONTACT BETWEEN TEACHERS AND PUPILS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE MUST NEVER FORGET IN OUR EDUCATIONAL PLANNING, MR. CAMERON SAID.
/11