Bulletin

1. Situation. What is the character of the work required of you? Be specific.

2. Response.-Describe what you did. Also, when possible, state briefly the methods you employed to accomplish the results desired.

(File report each day.)

[Back of report.]

3. Describe the work observed.-Summarize the main points of the recitation. Mention some significant factors contributing to the effectiveness of this period. (Include any points which seem to you important.)

4. (a) Notes on conference with teacher, principal, or supervisor; (b) occasionally anticipate ways of dealing with some definite situation arising in the class, or with some exercise designed for instructional purposes, and explain how you would proceed.

5. Reading references which you find helpful from time to time in this course.

SOME SIGNIFICANT INTERPRETATIONS OF THE SPECIAL

STUDIES AND REPORTS.

By ROMIETT STEVENS

Careful search through the studies and the special reports reveals many items of interest for those who have to meet the real administrative problems in the practical field. First, we call attention to the increase of interest in practical work. Of the 30 State universities reported in Prof. Mead's study, 19 gave practice teaching; of the 11 that did not give it in 1914-15, 6 were then planning to do so. Several of these have already reported progress to this committee (1916). Thus, there are only 5 of the 30 still omitting this phase of work. Of the 13 non-State universities reported, 13 give practice teaching; of the 133 small colleges, 81 give practice teaching. Of the agricultural colleges reporting, 100 per cent make provision for practice teaching. This we believe to be indicative of the value that is attached to practical work in connection with university and college courses in education.

RECOGNITION BY TEACHERS THEMSELVES OF THE VALUE OF PRACTICAL WORK.

Although we have only one local study bearing upon this point, its conclusions are overwhelming for that locality. Of the 79 reported graduates of Indiana University who entered the teaching profession, 41 had had previous experience in teaching and 38 had had no previous experience. Of the first group (with experience), 33 reported that practice teaching in the university had been of much benefit, 6 moderate benefit, and 2 little benefit. Of the second group (without experience), 36 reported much benefit, 2 moderate benefit, and none little benefit.

RECOGNITION BY SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE VALUE OF PRACTICE

TEACHING.

In the report of the 19 superintendents replying to Prof. Child's questionnaire, 10 of the practice-trained teachers were found to be above the average of all the teachers in the school; 17 of the 19 were equal to or above the average of all. The comparison with teachers who had had no previous experience is still more striking, as 14 of the 19 were rated decidedly above the average and 18 as equal to or above the average.

situations are met constitutes the principal basis of estimat teacher qualities and teacher possibilities."

MINIMUM ESSENTIALS IN HOURS FOR CREDIT IN PRACTICE

Here again local needs and local facilities have cooper tablishing local practices that vary greatly, as may be s following summaries from Prof. Mead's report:

State universities.-Average amount of teachi hours, 4 to 413. Median amount of teaching in so (A. D. 2.2).

Non-State universities.-Average amount of teaching in s hours, 4 to 4.8. Median amount of teaching in semester hours, 4. Small colleges.-Average amount of teaching in semester hours, 3.08 (A. D. 2.1). Median amount of teaching in semester hours, 2.5 (31 institutions).

State agricultural colleges.-Average varies from to about 3 semester hours.

If the term "practical work" is used to cover the different interpretations of practice teaching, as quoted in the excerpts, from special reports above, the following requirements are observed in local practice:

Chicago requires one hour a day per quarter.
Harvard requires one hour a day per semester.

Indiana requires one hour a day per semester.
Iowa requires one hour a day per semester.

Minnesota requires 1 hour a day per semester, including 36 hours actual teaching.

Missouri requires one hour a day for one year.

Ohio Wesleyan requires 1 hour a day for 36 days.

Pittsburgh requires two to three hours per day for one year.
Teachers College, 25 days.

Wisconsin, 40 days.

Assuming that these statements cover the requirements for practical work rather than actual practice teaching, several questions suggest themselves:

(1) Should there be a definite period of apprenticeship before actual teaching is begun?

(2) Is there a minimum essential in hours of actual teaching for the certification of a teacher?

(3) Is there a maximum in hours for the teaching of one subject or one class?

(4) Should adequate training definitely provide opportunities to work with more than one group of pupils?

of Nevada: Nevada allows a student teacher to act as

. Supervision

er in the high school, in case of sudden emergency,

such an extent the urgh: To the school granting the privilege of The data in Prof. Mversity grants a scholarship for two hours' cover where the respons other hand the board of education pays State universities, show th student in traveling to and fro.

1. With the exception of ersity pays each supervising teacher the work of supervision is ever leges of education.

also at Whitman College the

their services.

2. In the following universities members of the department of ed where there is danger of interpreting th have quoted the wording in Prof. Mead's University of Arkansas ("Supervisor teacher").

8 Te

'tual agreement between ol of education, and annual salary of the ays 60 per cent,

University of Minnesota ("Special supervisor

University of Nevada ("Instructor who gives that m

tice").

Ohio State University.
University of Oregon.

University of Texas ("Professor of art of teaching a

ants").

University of Utah.

West Virginia University.

'h this prob

ne definite ols, and te with better

and use

Northwestern University ("Critic teacher and professor of

ondary education").

New York University.

University of Pennsylvania.

3. There is very little supervision by academic departments. ( the 30 universities in the list, only 6 mention supervision by academic departments: Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Teachers College, Leland

Stanford, and Chicago.

PREREQUISITES FOR PRACTICE TEACHING.

Because of the difficulty in interpreting the requirements for ma jors and minors and the nature of the college courses from their titles, it seems impossible to classify or to tabulate these returns in any intelligible way. While the nomenclature of college catalogues is perfectly clear to those who originate and use it, it is often bewildering to the stranger. That there is considerable variation in the nature of the professional preparation that is prerequisite to or parallel with the work in practice is undoubtedly true; but in the main universities and colleges alike report as prerequisite some courses in the general field of education, the academic subject the

situations are met constitutes the principal basis of estimating teacher qualities and teacher possibilities."

MINIMUM ESSENTIALS IN HOURS FOR CREDIT IN PRACTICE WORK.

Here again local needs and local facilities have cooperated in establishing local practices that vary greatly, as may be seen from the following summaries from Prof. Mead's report:

State universities.-Average amount of teaching in semester hours, 4 to 413. Median amount of teaching in semester hours, 5 (A. D. 2.2).

Non-State universities.-Average amount of teaching in semester hours, 4 to 4.8. Median amount of teaching in semester hours, 4.55.

Small colleges.-Average amount of teaching in semester hours, 3.08 (A. D. 2.1). Median amount of teaching in semester hours, 2.5 (31 institutions).