The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-01

pose the fewest changes deemed
 compatible with securing a properly l graded system with easy steps up- l ward. and with inducement for teae CTS to take those steps, Some states offer Inducement in the form of ad- l ditional salary, but inasmuch as Con l necttcut is probably not prepared to 1 legislate for higher salaries the chief | inducements which can be offered | here are a longer term Of validity 1 for the higher certificates and a com 1 parative freedom from the annoy | ance Of examinations whenever cre- | dentials are such as to give ample
 assurance of the teachers knowledge and ability.
 l The lowest grade of certificate now l issued by the State board of educa- 1 ton, the statutory" shows that the 1 holder has passed examination in the | in the public elementary schools and has given some attention to methods 1 of teaching reading and writing. This requires simply that the teacher shall have a reasonable knowledge of the subjects he must teach. Less could not possibly be demanded. If it is agreed that the teacher should have l a margin of knowiedge smaM or great, beyond what he attempts to teach, it will be wise to plan for the abandonment of this certificate as 1 soon as the supply of better equipped 1 teachers shall warrant it. At pres 1 ent, however it seems a necessity. | The bill proposes to re-name the l present "Statutory' certificate the 1 preliminary certificate making it good l for one year and renewable for one 1 year. thus valid for two years in all | The next grade, midway between the 1 present statutory" and elementary certificates. might be called the inter newal or otherwise not more than five years. It is proposed to retain the present ementary" certificate un- der the name of professional certifi- cate and let it become eventually, on due evidence of the teachers abiI- bill leaves the details of term and re- newal to the State board of educa- ton. The present practice of the board in issuing all certificates at first for one year only seems wise, as giv- Ing an opportunity to discover, before granting 9 certificate or renewal for longer term, whether the candidate can actually teach and manage a school successfully. After this point has been proved we would suggest. in renewed for two periods of two years each; in the case of the professional, renewals without examination for three year periods. giving life certifi- cates after ten years of successful experience. The yearly renewals
 
 an unnecessary amount of clerical work for the state board besides sub- 5ecting the teachers to needless incon- venience. Two and three year pe- riods would probably give ample op- portunity for estimating the teach- erSs growth and success
 While this bill leaves much to be desired, it is at least conservative, and along the right line to furnish a first step towards the more complete
 
 The text of the proposed bill is ap- pended:
 Section 1. The State board of ed- ucation shall examine or cause to be ext.m1ned al! persons, except as here- matter provided, desiring to teach Tn the public elementary schools and shsll grant to those found properly qualified. certificates authorizing them to teach in any public elementary school in this state.
 Section 2. Such certificates shall be classified and granted as follows:
 A certificate equivalent to the pres- ent statutory certificate shall be made the first step in graded plan of 'cer- tiheation and shall be called pre- iiminary certificate. It shall be grant ed to any person of good moral char acter who shall be found on exam nation to possess adequate knowl- edge of the subjects required by law to be taught in the pubic elementary
 
 remain in effect during a period of one year following the date of issue and may at the discretion of the State board of education be renewed for a second year. but no preliminary cer- tificate shall. remain in effect by re. newe1 or otherwise for a period long- CT tkan two years.
 A certificate representing an inter- mediate step between the present .o- called statutory and elementary cer- tif1cates shall be known as an inter- mediate certificate. It shall be character who shall present evidence satisfactory to the State board of ed- ucatlon that he has attended a nor nal school or other institution for the training of teachers not less than four weeks and who is found on ex- animation to possess adequate knowl- edge of the subjects required by law to be taught in the public elemen- tary schools and of methods of teach ing those subjects, together with the State board of education may re- quire in the examination for such in- terme ediate certificate. Applicants for this certificate on presenting eyi- dence that they have taught success fully for at least one year under pre- lfminary certificate may at the dis cretion of the Slate board of educa- ton be credited with the subjects up- on which they passed examination in obtaining the preliminary certffi- cate. The State board of education shall make all necessary rules and regulations governing the term and renewal of the intermediate certiff- cate, provided however. that no inter- mediate certificate shall continue in effect. by renewal or otherwise for a period longer than five years.
 A certificate equivalent to the pres ent elementary certificate shall be known as a professional certificate It shall be granted CD To any person present evidence satisfactory to the State board of education that he has attended normal school or other in- Stitution for the training of teachers not less than twelve weeks and who is found on examination to possess adequate knowledge of the subjects required to be taught in the public elementary schools and of such sub- jects, related to the profession of teaching, as may be required by the State board of education in the ex- animation for such professional certi- f1cate. Applicants for this certifi- cate, on presenting evidence that they have taught successfully for at least two years under preliminary or inter- mediate certificates, may at the dis cretion of the State board of educa- ton be credited with any subjects up- on which they passed examination in obtaining those certificates. (2) To graduates of the Connecticut normal schools and of other institutions juds- ed by the State board of education to furnish equivalent academic and xxr- e.