XN000022-1984-01-12 — Page 4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 1984

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NEW EDUCATION APPROACH DISCUSSED

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TODAY'S EDUCATION IS NO LONGER AN AFFAIR SIMPLY OF THE CLASSROOM IN WHICH FACTS ARE KNOCKED INTO EMPTY HEADS, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR COLVYN HAYE, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING AT THE 34TH SPEECH DAY OF YUEN LONG PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL, MR HAYE SAID TEACHERS SHOULD BE FULLY AWARE OF THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL GROWTH OF CHILDREN NOT AS PASSIVE RECIPIENTS OF IMPARTED KNOWLEDGE BUT AS ACTIVE AND EAGER DEVELOPING MINDS.

HE NOTED THAT TEACHERS OF YESTERDAY WERE PRIMARILY INTERESTED IN PRESENTING THEIR LESSONS AND ENSURING THE ASSIMILATION OF KNOWLEDGE BY PUPILS.

+TEACHERS TODAY THINK MORE OF HOW TO MOTIVATE PUPILS AND SPUR THEM ON TO THE SPIRIT OF ENQUIRY WHICH IS THE ESSENCE OF LEARNING, + HE SAID.

NOTING THAT FORMAL LESSONS HAD GIVEN WAY TO PUP IL-CENTRED PARTICIPATION IN THE EXCITING QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE, MR HAYE SAID LEARNING BY DOING HAD BECOME A COMMONPLACE AND THE PRESENT GENERATION OF CHILDREN COULD ATTEST TO ITS VALUE.

NEVERTHELESS, HE ADDED: I AM SORRY TO SAY THAT THERE ARE STILL A FEW CLASSROOMS IN WHICH CHALK AND TALK PREDOMINATE, BUT I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT THERE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THESE OLD-FASHIONED PLACES. TOMORROW I HOPE THERE WILL BE NONE.+

MR HAYE SAID THAT THIS REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION HAD TRANSFORMED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TEACHER AND PUPIL.

+WHILE THE AUTHORITY OF THE TEACHER IS STILL A VITAL FACTOR IN THE LEARNING PROCESS, THE TEACHER IS NOW A FRIEND AND A GUIDE WHERE ONCE HE WAS A FIGURE OF FEAR. THE MODERN TEACHER HAS DISCOVERED THAT HIS PUPILS LEARN MORE FROM HIS EXAMPLE AND INSPIRATION THAN FROM THE CANE,+ HE ADDED.

HE POINTED OUT THAT NEW THINKING IN EDUCATION HAD BROUGHT A NEW CONCEPT IN THE CHARACTER TRAINING OF PUPILS.

+CHILDREN OF TODAY ARE THE CITIZENS OF TOMORROW, AND EVIDENCE OF THIS CAN BE FOUND IN MOST OF OUR SCHOOLS IN THE MANNER IN WHICH CHILDREN HAVE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO A SPIRIT OF SERVICE WITH A STRONG SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY.

→IN ALMOST EVERY SCHOOL THERE IS A MULTIPLICITY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE CLUBS AND INTERESTS WHICH ASTONISH VISITORS ACCUSTOMED TO REGARDING SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG AS PREDOMINANTLY INTERESTED IN ACADEMIC STUDIES, HE SAID.

/+IN FACT