Instruction to Science Teachers at South Kensington

Abstract

DURING the months of June and July, a number of science teachers from various parts of England, Scotland, and Ireland, were assembled in London, for the purpose of attending special classes, arranged for their instruction under the auspices of the Science and Art Department. We propose to give some account of the course of instruction in the principles of Biology, which was directed by Prof. Huxley, to whose suggestion, we believe, liberally accepted by Mr. Forster and acted upon by the Government, this important scheme for raising the character of science teaching in the various schools and classes at present in relation with South Kensington is due. It had long been felt by those who annually examined teachers and pupils for certificates in various branches of science, under the Science and Art Department, that the candidates displayed a sad want of practical acquaintance with the subjects in which they presented themselves for examination; many showed considerable ability and great book knowledge, but a knowledge of the things themselves with which science deals, a proof of personal intercourse with Nature, which after all is the only foundation of scientific knowledge, and without which all the 'ologies are so much book-wormery, was to a very great extent wanting. Under the existing state of things it seemed almost impossible to get out of this vicious condition, for the scholars who were in their turn destined to become teachers were for the most part taught by men who were deficient in practical knowledge; and with the increasing demand for science teaching there appeared to be a probability of the evil being increased by the rapid accession of these book-taught students to the position of instructors. The only way to meet this difficulty was to find teachers who had the requisite familiarity with “the solid ground of Nature,” and set them to work to leaven the mass. The readiest means of doing this was undoubtedly that adopted by the authorities—namely, to summon to a central class the ablest of the teachers at present distributed throughout the kingdom, and to impart to them as much practical acquaintance and personal familiarity with the things of which they had read in books, as was possible in a given time. By annual repetition of this plan there can be little doubt that the body of science teachers throughout the country would be materially affected. Being already acquainted with the outlines and much of the detail of their subjects by hearsay, they would readily understand and appreciate the facts and methods of investigating facts placed before them, and after passing through such a course of instruction would be prepared to proceed further in the same direction by their own individual efforts, ancl what is more important, to teach, not at second-hand, but from experience, not as fluent repeating machines, but as thoughtful students of phenomena.