ABSTRACT
When a new approach to the achievement of objectives is introduced or when new objectives are selected for achievement, problems may arise concerning measurement of progress and success and the keeping of adequate records. With the kind of structured approach presented in this book, the criterion for success is the extent to which the objec tives have been achieved by the pupils, provided that the approach to their achievement is morally and socially acceptable or does not produce unwanted side effects.1 (It is assumed that the objectives themselves are desirable and acceptable and that considerable thought and care have been devoted to their selection.2) For example, schools will often have objectives concerned with pupils’ ability to write, but not many teachers would approve of an approach to these objectives which included rapping pupils over the knuckles when they made mistakes in the hope of preventing further mistakes. Approval or disapproval of approaches on social or moral grounds may vary considerably, if not from teacher to teacher, certainly from country to country. The writers have often witnessed the approach used by swim ming instructors, usually qualified teachers of physical education, to teach young children to swim at some holiday resorts in France. How ever nervous or frightened the children might be they are forced into the water, frequently to the accompaniment of tears or even screams. The instructors show no outward concern for their young pupils’ fears and with considerable severity proceed to teach the strokes of swim ming. The objective is often achieved, but the writers find the approach unacceptable on the grounds that it does not take into account the personal feelings of the child. The end does not justify the means, in our view, and we would urge teachers to consider carefully during planning all aspects of the approaches they are proposing to use, and to monitor them carefully during their actual execution.
