XN000022-1974-11-09 — Page 2

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1974

CAREFUL REGULATION OF HOMEWORK

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THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, SPOKE ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF HOMEWORK WHEN HE ADDRESSED THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE HONG KONG TEACHERS ASSOCIATION THIS AFTERNOON,

HE CHOSE THIS TOPIC AS IT LOOKS LARGE IN THE LOCAL EDUCATIONAL SCENE AND IS CLOSELY RELATED TO THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION.+

MR. TOPLEY SAID THAT IT WAS USUAL TO SUPPLEMENT THE LESSONS GIVEN IN SCHOOL BY RELEVANT AND MEANINGFUL EXERCISES TO BE DONE BY THE PUPIL OUT OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL HOURS, HE ADDED: +10 MY MIND, HOMEWORK PLAYS A NECESSARY PART IN EDUCATING THE PUPIL., PARTICULARLY THE ADOLESCENT - IN CONSOLIDATING KNOWLEDGE, J PERFECTING SKILLS, IN DEVELOPING THE POWER OF ACQUIRING INFORMATION FROM BOOKS AND THE SELF-CONTROLLED POWER OF APPLICATION.

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+ALL OF THESE HAVE TO BE MASTERED BY EACH PUPIL FOR HIMSELF, AND THOUGH THE FIRST STEPS CAN BE MADE IN THE CLASSROOM UNDER GUIDANCE, IT IS ONLY CONTINUED PERSONAL PRACTICE THAT CAN GIVE ANY MASTERY.+

CALLING FOR CAREFUL REGULATION OF HOME WORK, THE DIRECTOR

· SAID IT WAS THE BUSINESS OF THE SCHOOL TO SEE THAT WHAT WAS ASKED FOR WAS NOT UNREASONABLE, AND THAT +WHERE DIFFERENT TEACHERS SET WORK FOR THE SAME EVENING THE SUM TOTAL OF THE DIFFERENT DEMANDS IS ALSO NOT UNREASONABLE.+

HE EMPHASIZED THAT THE REGULATION OF HOMEWORK WAS OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE DURING THE MONTHS PRECEDING AN EXTERNAL EXAMINATION.

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*AT SUCH TIMES MANY OF THE MORE CONSCIENTIOUS PUPILS AMONGST THE GIRLS ESPECIALLY MAY SPEND OVER THEIR DOCKS ALMOST THE WHOLE OF THEIR TIME BETWEEN ARRIVING HOME AND GOING TO BED, PERHAPS AT A LATE HOUR. THE BOW WHICH IS ALUAYS DENT LOSES ITS SPRING 1. TOPLEY COUNSELLED.

LESS HOMEWORK SHOULD BE REQUIRED OF THE YOUNGER FORMS THAN OF THE OLDER, AND THE QUOTA SET FOR THE WEEKEND SHOULD HOT XCEED THAT SET ON THE OTHER DAYS OF THE WEEK, THUS AL GJING THE CILDREN TO HAVE A FREE EVENING TO SHARE FULLY IN THE FA 1ILY LIFE.

*I THINK ALSO THAT ANOTHER FREE EVENING IS DESIRADLE IN THE COURSE OF THE WEEK, AND THAT THIS MAY WELL DE CHOSEN TO FALL ON A DAY WHEN PUPILS REMAIN AFTER SCHOOL HOURS FOR VARIOUS CORPORATE ACTIVITIES, HE SAID.

THE DIRECTOR URGED SCHOOLS TO GIVE ACTIVE GUIDANCE TO PUPILS IN EMPLOYING THEIR FREE TIME NOT MERELY FOR PURT RECREATION BUT FOR FORMING USEFUL INTERESTS OF THEIR OWN WHICH MIGHT D.: REGARDED AS INFORMAL EXTENSIONS OF SCHOOL WORK--

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