A survey of the educational system of the Philippine islands by the Board of educational survey, created under acts 3162 and 3196 of the Philippine Legislature.

232 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES

they exist, is that of attempting no more than can be done well, and
distributing the time in proportion to the needs of different subjects as
nearly as possible. The following outline of subjects is offered as a
suggested solution of the problem in as far as a mere chart of the several
school subjects can show it.
In the pages devoted to the respective school subjects, points in which
changes are recommended that will reduce the amount of work attempted
or save time are definitely indicated for each subject.
The second point indicating a need for change was that of the
foreign character of /much of the material in some subjects. The fifth
was the bookish, artificial character of much of the work. In some
subjects, these two points are closely related. For the reading matter,
the only solution is one of the selection of materials for reading that
are not beyond the experience backgrounds of the children, or to adapt
such materials by partially rewriting them. This problem is discussed
under the subject of reading. In the other subjects, however, the
solution lies in beginning with the experiences and environing conditions
of the children and never getting so out of touch with these that the children can not follow. In geography, language, arithmetic, science and
citizenship studies, the conditions, activities, and problems of the surrounding life should be the basis of study. In going to more remote regions
and situations, an understanding of unknown elements should be gained
by comparisons with what is known and familiar. If a proposed unit
of work can not be made clear by comparison or contrast with something
known, then it should be omitted. The courses of study should be
almost constant in their suggestiveness of means for using the first-hand
experiences and environing conditions to make clear and meaningful
whatever is taught. Memorizing from books what is not understood is
not educative at all.
The third point, that of undue emphasis upon uniformity, may be
remedied by taking steps to provide for the removal of the eighth and
ninth handicaps, the absence of opportunity for initiative of pupils,
teachers, and supervisors in the school work and in the making of the
courses of study. Uniformity in general aims, standards, and forms
of organization and procedure are not objectionable. Indeed, they
are essential. But when the uniformity extends to those details of
content and method which leave out of account the variability of
teachers, children and local economic and social conditions, it prevents
that adaptation of the work required to make it effective. It deprives
the teacher of the use of that very ability for which he is chosen as a
teacher; namely, the ability to understand the needs of individual
children and individual communities and adapt the work to these needs.