The Normal Magnet
Page 3
controlling a school, and that lect
uring is a poor method of instruc
tion for children. Had she been
thus started her chance of being a
successful teacher would have been
greatly increased.
The Normal teacher or profes
sionally trained teacher has great
er advantages than the teacher
who lacks professional training.
Many of these better prepared
teachers are beginning their first
schools with more helpful knowl
edge of school work than many
olaer teachers had after teaching
several years, in a poor way with
no one to show them. School of
ficials who visit the schools now
taught by these well trained teach
ers can hardly believe that such
excellent work can come from one
who has taught so little. Their
success is the result of education
and training. This is proof that
it pays to take time for prepped-
ness. Such teachers are receiving
rewards for their efficient service.
They are chosen for promotion,
and better positions are open for
them and they are the first to re
ceive increased salaries.
Professionally trained teachers
are what the world is calling for.
They receive many benefits for
themselves and for the pupils.
The Teacher And
The Community
By Sarah Commander
A good teacher becomes a part of
her community. Teacher partici
pation in community life is neces
sary for success in the teaching
profession. The teacher has some
times been led to believe that activ
ity in the real world of other folks
would result in loss of dignity ac
companied by too cordial relation
ships between teacher and pupil.
It has been even intimated to some
teachers that their chances _ of re-
election would be impaired if they
took an active part in community
life. The real success of a teach
er’s work is measured by the abil
ity of the child to make his full
contribution to the society in which
he lives. Before beginning teach
ing in any school system, the wise
teacher will acquire the widest
knowledge of his teaching problem.
This advance information_ should
be gleaned from community his
tory, city library, school reports
and from mingling among the
people.
It is unfortunate to find teachers
leaving the community every Fri
day as school closes and not return
ing until the hour before school re
opens on Monday. Such teachers
do not make the contribution to
community life that teachers
should, (a) The isolated school-
house—The schoolhouse standing
alone in its isolatioci and aloofness
from all community interests and
activities may still be commonly
found. Such a schoolhouse has a
cold appearance. K attracts neith
er child nor parent. The child goes
to school in the morning and leaves
with joy when school is over in the
evening, (b) Community service—
There are many teachers in Ameri
ca who have been known to secure
better streets, to elevate the stand
ards of home conditions, to change
house renters to home owners.
Children have had the privilege of
discovering the virtues of soap and
water, have been introduced to well
kept lawns and gardens, clean
clothes and wholesome food, (c)
Successful leadership—The work
of teachers has lingered long in the
memory of the communities be
cause of helpful achievements.
The individual classroom teacher
will find many o’^portunities which
will grant her a share in cementing
the relationship between home and
school. Kindergarten teachers may
make their contribution by visiting
homes, celebrating special fathers’
and mothers’ days at school, and
thus bring into school four and five
year old children who otherwise
would lose a year or so of social
contact.
The entire teaching force of a
school may assume leadership in a
community by uniting on a pro
gram of civic betterment. Their
program may consist of the estab
lishment of playgrounds, manual
training, domestic art and science
courses, the opening of evening
school for adult activities. When
parents are given the opportunity
for participating in the activities,
the probilities of success are en
hanced.
Mothers’ meetings have in many
communities been the entering
wedge in the attacks on the school
as an isolated institution. The
meetings consist of informal talks
followed by refreshments served
by the science classes, lead to soci
ability and a desire for further
knowledge concerning the policies
and work of the school.
These meetings attract mothers
who rarely find opportunity for
social mongling and relief from
househould drudgery. In this ach
ievement the teachers find their la
bor repaid. These meetings are
held after school hours on school
days.
In planning mothers’ meetings it
must be borne in mind that many
of the mothers have had only a
limited amount of educatinonal
training an dwill therefore profit
most by simple talks. The achieve
ments of children and the results
of medical inspection are types of
school problems, a knowledge of
which will assist parents in ap
preciating more completely what
is possible in the field of educfa-
tion. As a result of mothers’ meet
ings barren uninviting schoolhouscs
have been turned itno attractive
educational homes.
From mothers’ meetings have
grown the Parent-Teacher Leagues
which are bringing together school
and home. The constitution of the
organization is as follows:
(a) Raising the standards of
home life.
(b) Bringing into relatijnship
the home and the school so that the
parent and teacher may cooperate
intelligently in the education of the
child.
(c) The development of better
trained parenthood.
(d) Interesting men and women
to cooperate for purer and truer
homes.
The activities of Parent-Teach
er organizations have produced the
following results:
(a) Circulating libraries have
been established.
(b) Lunch rooms provided.
(c) Pure milk supplied to under
fed children.
(d) Rest rooms for teachers.
(e) Musical instruments.
(f) Sanitary drinking fountains,
etc.
The extension of a teacher’s
work to realms outside the class
room will make her a busy person
profitable to any community.
Seniors Go On
Observation Tour
The Senior Normal Class of 1927
has certainly derived many bene
fits from the school this year. Un
der the supervision of Mrs. M. E.
Doles, Supervisor of Practice
Teacing the practice teachers spent
a day in the rural districts observ
ing. We find that the county has
improved very much in that there
are one four-teacher, two three-
teacher, four two-teacher, and sev
en one-teacher schools. This shows
some advancement toward con
solidation. We find that the rural
schools of Pasquotank county have
greatly inproved under the direc
tion of, first, Miss T. L. Faulk, and
now Miss Helen Escridge.
Four years ago there were one
three-teacher school, one two-teach
er and fourteen one-teacher schools.
We found that under very limit
ed equipment the teachers were do
ing some good work. These teach
ers have been enrolled in the ex
tension class taught by Prof. Coop
er and you can see results of the
instruction in the improvement in
the technique of the classroom
work.