Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-11-10
The Pre- paration of the Teacher.


when so many are asking the question,
"How can L best prepare for my chosen
work or prOfessiOn," as now. Never,
has there been Il time when the push
and hurry of our American life, and the
eXacting requirements III all lines OF
labor have SO imbued men with spirit
of professionalism, and the earnest seek
ors after success with the spirit voiced
in the words OF the Master Il must be
about my Fathers business"
In approaching his subject recall the
fact that about twelve years ago the
writer was country schoolmaster
"boarding around, as was the the GUS
tom, walking homo each Friday night
and back 10 school again each Monday
morning, distance of about three miles,
through deep snow, earning the first
considerable sum that ever graced his
small but accommodating purse The
work was looked upon as sort OF test
and valuable experience. The money
earned was regarded as the principal
thing to be acquired, which in this case
was to be used in securing an advanced
education. Erroneous us these ideals
were. this school taught many lessons,
opened up new fields of labor, and new
views of education, which have brought
increasing pleasure in succeeding years,
and that added satisfaction which year by
year approaches more nearly the ideal.
But twelve years is long apprentice
! ship; educational ideas ard conditions
are much changed; experience. though
valuable, is Il hard and tedious inStruc or;
and those of us who have thus learned
! however valuable the service rendered
! have learned at the greater or less eX-
! pense of the boys and girls under our
care. Besides the demand today is, not
only that the teacher possess the required
! knowledge, bu' that he possess the power
to present knowledge suitably to the APP
perceiving mind Of the child.
Should teachers be trained? Perhaps
/ there are some who are Of the opinion
that a good knowledge Of the subjects
commonly taught and Of human nature,
combined with common sense and good
Judgment make an ample equipment.
Some may argue that the school train
ing itself should be sufficient For these
il is well TO consider that III school work
subjects are stud,ed in their relations 10
the studying mind, hut that he teacher
must STUDY them with reference TO their
principles and application. The one stud
les 10 gain power 70 apply; the other 10
gain power TO present; the tendency of
[
patty with the natural world. the other
into sympathy with the child world
Referring 10 the Report Of the Commit
tee of Fifteen on 1.-THE training Of teach
Crs, | find the following There is
a profound philosophy on which educa-
tiOual methods are based and careful
study OF this philosophy and of its appli
cations under expert guidance are essen.
tial TO making fit tie man born 60
teach Again referring TO the chapter
on "The Study of Children | find this
statement, mo common sense power Of
discerning human nature is sutf cient;
though common sense and sympathy 90
long way in this study" IL is almost
universally conceded that some sort Of
training is necessary 10 succeed in any
line Of hfework. The mechanic spends |
several years in training or apprentice
ship IN order that he may succeed. 1t Is |
we'll known that the trotting or pacing |
horse that has been carefully raised and |
trained can easily Out-distauce his I'M
trained mate though the latter may Dos
sess the same natural qualifications for |
the race course And We fail 20 see how |
the unframed teacher can brig out |
complete usefulness and perfection of |
character in child, any more than one |
who is unsLilled in music aid the use
OF the piano can produce the perfect |
music of a Memo CiSsohn, Mozart or
Beethoven.
What should tie training cf the teach
or be? We THINK il Will be readily con- |
coded that all teachers should receive |
some training; hut as 10 the nature and |
extent of this training there Will proba-
bly, not be perfect agreement IL order |
Z N l. ft "a or,
must possess in an eminent degree three |
qualifications 60 \ knowledge Of the |
subjects taught (2) power T.
present this knowledge to the child CD |
q knowledge OF tie child itself. Perhaps |
some may ask, should all teachers have |
the same tIainug <: To this | would re-
ply,that our growing sprjt Of profession |
allsm seems to have already answ cred in |
the negative. Al over our land have |
sprung up Kindergarten training |
schools, and normal schools for the train |
ing of elementary teachers; while az the |
present time many of our colleges and !
institutions of higher learning are max
ing an effort to give some special train
ing to those who desire to teach in the |
secondary OF high schools Referring
again tot the Committee of Fifteen on the |
training Of teachers we find the follow |
ing recommendations: THAT teachers !
Of elementary schools should have a Sec
ondary or high school education, and |
that teachers ot high schools should |
have a collegiate education. These are
the minimum requirements that can be |
accepted The scholarship. culture and |
power gained 10y four years of study in
advance Of the pupil is not too much TO |
be rightfully demanded. In the report |
of this committee on 1.-The correlation Of !
studies in elementary education" | find |
this statement: THE whole course of |
study at any given time should repre-
sent all the great divisions Of human !
learning, as far as is possible, at the
stage of maturity at which the pupil has
arrived; that the branches should be so
arranged as to afford the best exercise of
the faculties of the mind, and to secure
the unfolding of those faculties in their
natural order" Referring 10 the pro.
gram for elementary schools submitted |
by this committee, we find, that an ele- !