App 3 1923
State of INDIANA -
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION ſ ſº 4-4
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3 201% 7 #
SECURING BETTER CLASSROOM TEACHING
Observations on the Results of District Conferences Between County
Superintendents and the State Department
BULLETIN NO. 53, 1922
Benjamin J. Burris
State Superintendent
Indianapolis
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SECURING BETTER CLASSROOM TEACHING
The State Department of Public Instruction recently held twelve
District Meetings of County Superintendents throughout the State. The
meetings were in session during two days. The first day was given over
to visiting and scoring schoolhouses (by use of the standard score-card)
and observing recitations both in grade and high schools. The second
day was devoted to round table talks on questions of vital concern to the
County Superintendent and other questions intended to establish a closer
relationship between the office of County Superintendent and the State
Department.
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD TEACHING .
Society maintains the school to promote its highest social interests
and ideals. The school’s real worth is measured by the kind of teach-
ing it provides. Fully eighty per cent of the school is the teacher, and
the recitation affords the real test of the teacher’s ability. All items of
school expense are created—schoolhouses are built, equipment purchased,
and teachers employed—so that the recitation may function properly.
Since so much attaches to this school activity, it is highly pertinent that
every school superintendent, principal, and teacher consider with renewed
interest the importance of the recitation, more especially at this time
when the world over, there is supreme need of greater efficiency not only
in the industrial plant but in the school as well.
In the school visitations made during these meetings the State
Department was impressed anew that the most fundamental problem
connected with the schools is that of improving the recitation; i.e., secur-
ing better teaching. During the evening of the day of the visits, the
teachers, whose recitations were observed, met with the superintendents,
the trustees, and others. The strong and weak points of the recitation
were discussed. -
Much of the teaching was good but some of it was very poor. In
many cases it was evident that the teacher had a fundamental grasp of
the subject matter and had made the lesson assignment carefully. In
these cases the recitation was so conducted as to achieve good results.
Other cases were observed, however, in which it was quite evident the
teacher had not prepared carefully the lesson and had been indifferent
in making the lesson assignment. Very naturally in such instances the
recitation was a failure. Because of these observations and the evils
growing more and more into monstrous deformities when the recitation
is conducted improperly and when the teaching is poor, we are raising
some questions which it is hoped every teacher will consider carefully
in making an introspection of her work. Space will not admit extended
discussion.
SYSTEMATIC DAILY PRE PARATION FOR TEACHING
It is fundamental in the doing of any important piece of work, first,
... that careful plans be made, and second, that these plans be executed
properly. In some fields of effort there is one person to plan and another
to execute. This is not true in teaching. The teacher must do both.
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To execute well she must first plan well. There is no alternative. To
do otherwise is to invite , failure. Every teacher should answer for
herself these questions:
Do you anticipate your recitation and plan accordingly?
Do you make the lesson assignment definite and hold pupils re-
sponsible for getting it and doing the work assigned?
Do you hold a pupil responsible for answering your question or after
asking the question do you call upon one pupil, and if he is slow in
answering then another and another, thus showing that you do not con-
sider seriously failure to answer your question?
Do you permit the bright pupils to do all the reciting?
D you have a good reason for the question asked 2
Do you get in the way of your pupils by talking too much yourself?
Do you speak in low and moderate tones?
Do you plan your questions carefully?
Do you make your questions simple, direct, and clear?
Do your questions stimulate thought?
Do you ask as few questions as possible in developing important
points in the lesson? * *
Do you repeat pupils' answers?
Do you say “Yes,” “All right,” or “Yes, that is right”?
One teacher of long experience whom we visited, conducted
a good recitation with this exception: He repeated the answers
thirty-seven times in the one recitation. Upon being advised of
this he said he was not aware of his weakness. He was grate-
ful when his attention was called to it. He did not defend his
mistake but readily acknowledged it. His attitude was excel-
lent. There is promise of quick improvement where a teacher
shows such an attitude as this.
Do you direct your questions so that every member of the class
must give attention?
Do you give a pupil ample time to answer your question—time to
think—or do you quickly call on another to answer it?
Do you require your pupils to stand erect when they answer, or do
you permit them to lean heavily upon the desk and assume all forms of
faulty posture? - -
Do you make good use of the blackboard for illustrative purposes?
Do you have your pupils use illustrations?
Do you make applications of your points to present-day problems and
conditions? ')
Do you make ample use of maps and charts in the schoolhouse, which
are easily transferable from one room to another?
i}o you insist upon cleanliness and neatness of the school premises
and pupils, and do you bear in mind that the appearance of the teacher
- lºss is the most potent influence in promoting this desirable end?
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These questions are not intended to stress all important matters.
pertinent to a good recitation. They are merely questions growing out
of observations made during these meetings. It is hoped they may b
of greatest value when presented under these circumstances. -
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It is in the recitation that the teacher has her supreme opportunity.
If she permits a recitation to close without creating, consciously or other-
Wise, a greater desire on the part of the pupils for doing well the task
assigned, without developing the ability to think more clearly and the
power to express themselves more perfectly, without stimulating a tend-
ency toward higher ideals, a broader view of life, a more sincere and
earnest effort—the school in a large measure has failed.
READING, A, BASIC SCHOOL ART
During the first three years of school work reading is the most
important subject in the curriculum. Unless the children are taught
during these years to read well, satisfactory work in the other important
subjects can not be expected. Yet as a rule in the rural schools and
often in the city schools the poorest teaching is done in reading. Inter-
est in securing better reading and other primary work is without doubt
the most essential element in developing greater efficiency in the school.
More emphasis is needed on primary courses in our teaching training
schools and greater interest in this phase of instruction by city and county
superintendents, principals, supervisors, and teachers.
THE PRINCIPAL AND HIS THEACHERS
The principal of the consolidated school (and of the district schools
of a township) is the vitalizing factor in promoting the efficiency of the
school in all its varied work. Not only is he a community leader and
worker, but he is especially a leader and counsellor of his teachers. To
him they look for inspiring counsel and helpful suggestions in their class-
room work. And most of them are in need of just the kind of assist-
ance he is in position to give.
Observations made by the superintendents and members of the State
Department during the visits emphasized anew that few principals attain
the full possibilities of their work. Some principals have a true concep-
tion of their opportunities in guiding and helping teachers, but many
are absorbed in routine matters or in general problems alone and seldom
See their teachers at work.
The principal quite as truly as the teachers is measured by the
effectiveness of the teaching in his school. His work as well as that of
the School as a whole stands or falls primarily by the quality of the teach-
ing done. Some of the questions every principal should put to himself
are listed here:
Do I maintain a cordial and sympathetic attitude toward my
teachers? -
Do I meet their questions squarely and give advice in clear and
definite terms?
Do I plan my work in such manner as to see at stated intervals
the classroom teaching of every teacher?
Do I offer practical and helpful criticism where needed, and speak
a word of commendation when merited?
T}o I study the plans and methods of younger teachers, seeking
where I may to strengthen the weak and encourage the strong?
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Do I actually help teachers to teach, to ask questions more effect-
ively, to give attention to individual pupils, to direct their study, to
eradicate faulty habits of speech, manner, and dress, to motivate their
work, to give it social connections?
Do I permit my teachers who are in need of good models to visit
strong teachers elsewhere?
Do I realize fully that more than fifty per cent of the principal’s job
is to help and encourage his teachers in these ways—that he is paid for
supervision quite as much as for general administration?
BETTER TEACHING THROUGH BETTER TRAINING
The State Department again wishes to stress the point that teaching
is a highly specialized work, and that it can be performed adequately
only by reason of special training. It therefore directs the attention of
the teachers to the plans for training teachers while in Service.
PLANS FOR TEACHER TRAINING BY EXTENSION SERVICE
All standard normal schools, colleges, and universities in the State
may be accredited for teacher training through extension service. Exist-
ing standards of work shall apply in respect to— (a) admission require-
ments, (b) teachers and teaching, (c) curriculum essentials, (d) absence
and late entrance, (e) records and reports, (f) size of classes.
I. In the case of monthly meetings, absence is permissible for
acceptable causes, illness or late closing of a school term, for not to
exceed one day’s session without loss of credit; from semi-monthly meet-
ings, two days’ absence is permissible, and from weekly meetings, not
more than three absences are permissible fºr acceptable causes.
1. Unit of Credit.—The unit of extension credit shall be the
semester hour. The extension semester hour is credit for pre-
pared work represented by one class period of forty-five minutes
per week for 16 weeks.
(One semester hour is equal to 1% term hours.)
(a) Double periods shall give double credit.
(b) Class periods may occur monthly or semi-monthly, instead
of weekly, if increased correspondingly in length. (Thus
one and a half hours per meeting for eight meetings will
give one semester hour’s credit; or three hours per meeting
will give two semester hours’ credit.)
The unit for prepared work is two hours of preparation for each
hour of class work.
2. Courses Excluded.—Laboratory, shop, or studio courses, applied
arts courses, supervised teaching and drill or “non-prepared”
courses, shall be excluded, unless equipment and facilities the
full equivalent of those furnished at the institution are provided.
II. Standards in Correspondence Study.—Correspondence courses
for credit shall be subject to the same conditions and requirements as
extension teaching.
1. Correspondence Study Credit.—The basis for college or normal
school credit in correspondence study work shall be the same as
for extension teaching.
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(a) Lesson Exercises shall be required weekly, the number of
such exercises per week determining the number of credit
hours to be earned in a course; provided, that a lapse of not
to exceed four weeks is permissible for acceptable reasons.
(b) Correspondence Courses for one semester hour’s credit must
be completed within a period of five months after they are
begun. Courses for two hours’ credit must be completed
within a period of nine months; provided, that for acceptable
reasons an extension of time for an additional three months
is permissible.
(c) Not to exceed five semester hours’ credit may be earned in
any collegiate department by correspondence study.
(d) Not to exceed fifty per cent of the credit required for any
grade of certificate or diploma may be earned by extension
teaching and correspondence teaching; provided, that the
first year’s work for any certificate must be completed in
oresidence.
2. Number of Coulses.—It is recommended that teachers in service
shall not attempt to carry more than one course by correspond-
ence, but two courses for credit may be carried concurrently with
the approval of the local superintendent.
EXTENSION COURSES BASED ON READING CIRCLE STUDIES IN TEACHERs’
INSTITUTES
Extension courses, both by extension teaching and correspondence
Stúdy, based on Teachers’ Reading Circle work, may be offered for credit
in connection with city and township institutes under the rules and regu-
lations given above for regular extension work.
The regularly adopted Reading Circle Books should be used as re-
quired textbooks, but assigned supplementary reading, Jectures, and dis-
cussions should constitute an essential part of every course.
The courses should follow the manual of Reading Circle courses for
extension credit to be prepared by the State Department.
1. Place in Institute.—Not more than one-half day of any session of
the city and township institutes may be given to such extension
course, the other half day being used in discussion of local and
educational problems given in the regular institute outline.
2. Eactent of Credit.—Teachers in service may earn as much as two
Semester hours’ credit in any one of the main trunk lines of
Reading Circle work by extension courses during a school year;
Such credit, when granted by a standard institution, should be
transferable on request to another institution.
Not more than two trunk lines of work should be carried con-
Currently by any one teacher or group of teachers by extension
COUll’SeS.
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390.1507653.2855