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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1961 BY DORIS C. CLARK APITALIZING on individual differences is the theme song of Ontario's new program for secondary schools. The new plan announced by Ontario's Minister: of Education, the Honorable John P. Robarts, provides a better opportunity for every type of student. It takes account of the boy who cannot handle a language but dearly loves hammer and saw; the girl who balks at figures but scores as a teen-age diplomat; the lad whose genius leaves him restive while the others struggle with a mathematical problem he mastered on sight; and the student with the below average achievement score. The program aims to cut down the number of early school leavers by giving them something to stay for that is peculiarity their own. In Ontario we already have large high school districts where technical and commercial (as well as academic) education has been offered for a number of years. Mr. Robarts' program calis for such resources for the entire province. 4 CHOOLS will be set up to provide four-and-five year programs in three branches of education leading to: (1) Arts and Science, (2) Business and Commerce, (3) Engineering, Technology and Trades. Any branch of the five-year program could qualify a student for university. The four-year plan adds up to a preparation for practical living, on matriculation, on a scale hitherto not possible. In addition, a one-(or two)-year program in occupational subjects, tailored to the needs of the slow learner, will equip him, or her, more readily for life than abstract studies beyond his grasp. The Minister is well aware that many youngsters haven't 2 clue about their life's work by the time they have reached grade 9. Does this mean we should just go on loading on the facts, drilling in the memory work and turning out a standard product -- a so-called educated young person, whose occupation is chosen for him through a hit or miss exploration of the employ- ment market? Who may spend several years in and out of jobs until he settles into a niche which may be much less than perfect? Or, worse still, who may find himself in third or fourth year at university and only then fully realize that his consuming interest is in a vocation little related to the studies he is taking? Such appalling waste of human talent and educational facilities has happened all too often. ONTARIO TODAY PAGE FIFTEEN After Grade Eight 5 ms new program is a challenge to every parent, teacher, industrialist and © student to help educationists prevent suck waste. Effective and counselling is the keystone of the new. 'program. To get Jack and Mary off on the right foot, all the means for measuring ability wili be tapped, all records examined and personality traits taken into account. For parents, this means knowing enough about "guidance to be alert to the mean- ing of early interests; to take full advan- tage of parent-teacher contacts from kindergarten on; to be present, without fail, at home and school meetings which feature discussion of a topic so important to the future well-being of their boys and girls. For teachers (who will work hand-in- glove with counsellors), it means that guidance begins early in elementary schools. It means that a knowledge of personal capacities, recognized early, is essential to a later choice. _ And for the reassurance of all, Dr. C. W. Booth (Deputy Minister of Education) points out that the decision to be made on entering high school is not, even then, the choice of a life's work, but a channel- ling into a broad area of individual interest, either (I) Arts and Science, (2) Business and Ccmmerce, or (3) Engineering, Tech- nology and Trades. The ultimate choice of occupation (within his chosen area) lies with the student himself. : While it is hoped that, at the grade 9 stage, his choice of educational area will prove accurate, the new program is still flexible. continuing: For example: Suppose, at the beginning of grade 9, with counselling help, Jack is still unable to choose. His counsellor may advise him to register in the tech- nical branch, five-year program. He does so. Then, through grades 9 and 10, he will spend 20% of his time at shopwork and the remainder at academic subjects. At the end of either of these grades (9 or 10), he may do one of three things: (1) Stay where he is. (2) Drop shopwork and, if he is a capable student, pick up a second language, or geography or other option, thus' moving over into the arts and science branch. Or (3), having found: the going tough in academic subjects, he can transfer from the five-year to the four-year program in the technical branch. This would lead directly to a job at the: end of four years. In each of these alter- natives, a switch would mean no less of: time, provided, of course, that the student' has demonstrated good ability in his work. Similarly, Mary, who thinks she may have some aptitude for business, may choose the commercial branch, knowing her decision is not irrevocable. HILE some of these plans may seem revolutionary, Mr. Robarts points out' that details have to be developed gradu- ally. New teachers and counsellors are in » training now to help implement the pro- gram. 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