90
;*
The distribution of the staff of this Anglo-Chinese School is possible only if specific subjects are allotted to Masters possessing special acquaintance with and peculiar aptitude for teaching those subjects, and if in the teaching of all English subjects the Chinese Masters are subordinated to the English Masters. If the Headmaster would only recognise the axiom that Europeans are (unless specially gifted and skilled) unfit to teach the Chinese language and that Chinamen are as a rule incompetent to teach efficiently any specifically English subject, he would have no insuperable difficulty in re-organizing his staff, without additional expenditure, so as to ensure a marked and immediate improvement in the results of the English teaching of the School. But a considerable amount of decentralisation would also be necessary.
Under the present system the individual Masters have no individual authority whatever, nor does any Master identify himself with the interests of his class, which may be under him only for a few months at a time. Hence comes the grave defect which I have observed, viz:- that the Masters appear to be devoid of any personal sense of responsibility for the solidity of the teaching given in their respective classes.
All the Masters seem to care for is to work out certain prescribed results in certain prescribed subjects. Whether these results are obtained by mere cram or not, is not their business. They do as they are ordered. They look upon themselves as irresponsible teaching machines. They consider that they are not intended to be educationists, but coaches. With rare exceptions, each man seems to do his duty till the bell rings and on walking out of the building to shake off
all
90
;
*
tribution of the staff of this Anglo-Chinese School is pos-
sible only if specific subjects are allotted to Masters pos-
essing special acquaintance with and peculiar aptitude for
teaching those subjects, and if in the teaching of all En-
glish subjects the Chinese Masters are subordinated to the
English Masters. If the Headmaster would only recognise the
axion that Europeans are ( unless specially gifted and skilled
unfit to teach the Chinese language and that Chinamen are
as a rule incompetent to teach efficiently any specifically
English subject he would have no insuperable difficulty in
re-organizing his staff, without aduitional expenditure, so
as to ensure a marked and immediate improvement in the re-
sults of the English teaching of the School. But a consider-
able amount of decentralisation would also be necessary.
Under the present system the individual Masters have 10 in-
diviqual authority whatever nor does any Master identify
himself with the interests of his class which may be under
him only for a few months at a time. Hence comes the grave
defect which I have observed, viz:- that the Masters appear
to be devoid of any personal sense of responsibility tor the
solidity of the teaching given in their respective classes.
All the Masters seem to care for is to work out certain pres.
cribed results in certain prescribed subjects. Whether these
results are obtained by mere cram or not, is not their bu-
siness. They doas they are ordered. They look upon them-
selves as irresponsible teaching machines. They consider
that they are not intended to be educationists, but coaches. With rare exceptions each man seems to do his duty till the bell rings and on walking out of the building to shake off
all
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