Albuquerque morning journal., 1913-11-25


gain her lost hold. but whatever the
nature OF the superintendent COM
ment II his praise be without full
somonoss and his criticism without
earpng, the teacher win respond with
cordially and gratitude.
The private interview, the so-called
heart-to-hcart talk. ls usually means
OF helpfulnoss TO the perpleScd or un-
enlightened teacher. sometimes II
| isn't Sometimes she is pasa help and
sometimes the superintendent Is in.
capable of giving the help needed. But
where normal conditions NJ stimulus
and reaction exist the teacher ordi-
narily leaves the office With a clearer
vision, stronger purpose, renewed
courage, and Increased devotion. Here
the superintendent. oftener than any
whore else, reveals himself Go his
teachers as guide philosopher and
| friend. Sometimes there are cases
where the counsel OF the ,uperlnten-
cent is unayailing. In such instances
the superintendent needs 80 act with
neatncss and dispatch that the schools
should not suffer. When "a suporin-
tendent loses the respect of his teach
ers for any cause whatsoever, though
he be an educational expert he loses
the power and opportunity to help
them. In order that ne may have
Ithis power. he must he u man OF
broad and general scholarship. of clear
/ insight and wide vision. and OF tech
nical proficiency in the art OF teach
/ ing.
It need not be said that the superin-
t tendcnt should visit his teachers MS Of
item as possible. He should always
have "a message Of sunshine aud en-
couragemont. lie should not bee afraid
to bo ON speaking terms with his
/ teachers on entering their rooms lie
should make them feel that he is their
helpful friend II he is troubled over
some unsolved, perpleXing problem,
and feels physically exhausted, he had
better not visit schools. He win do
more harm than good
His teachers meetings win be fire.
quent ana OF many kinds Sometimes
the meeting will he round table,
where each will take his part. at|
others a school where superintendent
principals, and teachers study to-
gethcr. However this ought not toI
he the place where things academic
are learned. Sometimes Wperiuten-
dents conduct classes In professional
study as psychology pcdagogy and
history of education. such classes are
one OF the best means of Improvement
az the teaching corps In educational
theory history, and sound thinking
Usually the superintendent's best
work is done In meetings where a sim
gle grade Is present, or at most the
teachers of three consecutive grades.
The meeting will be in the nature of
a conference where exchange of
thought and recital Of experience may
be freely given also discussion Of bet /
ter plans and methods. Here the SUI
perintendent correlates educational
doctrine with educational practice and /
from the number OF teachers. temper |
amentally different. he secures the es-
sential uniformity in the work
There are other ways in which a SUI
perintendent may help his teachers TO /
gain a larger and more effective eX-
perience. Illustrative teaching is one.
This may be done by himself or by
some skillful teacher OF the same
grade OF work The visiting OF schools
is another II is we'll TO have the priu
cipal TO take charge OF the room for
an hour or two and allow the teacher
to slip into the room Of some teacher
of power even though she does not
teach the same grade as does the vis
ter The superintendent should also
arrange for the teachers OF one school
to visit the classes Of other schools oe-
casionally. II possible. teachers should I
may easily be done in some Of our ru-
raj. village and town schools.
In addition to what / have said / /
would add that to improve teachers
already in the service. give them a
chance 10 grow Give them time To
read and to investigate educational
problems. superintendent Greenwood,
OF Kansas city, made the statement q
few years ago that about so per cent
of the teachers cease TO read syste-
matically after they have once been
installed as teachers. If this be true,
and from my observations, / believe Il
Us, the pIohltil OF llhuluk lut btSt /
means and methods OF improving
teachers in the service is an uegent
enc. Glow can teachers be induced /
to fall into habits Of reading and in
vestigatng educational problems" la
the problem which must be solved.
But for the superintendent of a sys-
tenn Of schools which has from fifty TO
sixty, or as it sometimes happens,
more, pupils i'm each room, this Is not
his most serious problem. II is how
to get moro teachers into the service
and how to supply more school rooms,
We can expect teachers TO make but
little improvement under such condi-
tions
II the teacher is overloaded with
regular school work during the day,
and burdened with examination pa
pers and reports during the evening,
what gan we expect but that she viii