The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-03-30
AN EXCELLENT STANDARD

What the Board Members Have a
Right to Expect of Teachers" is the
subject of the following excellent
paper prepared and read before the
teachers meeting at Bruce, March IL,
by Miss Margaret Holmes. Miss
Holmes is teaching the second, third
and fourth grades in the Bruce city
schools:
School boards are composed of be-
ings just as human as teachers and
are swayed by the same impulses and
reasons. Occasionally there are I'M
reasonable members on a board or
persons unfit for the position but such
conditions do not often exist and where
they do, they are not always the most
difficult cases to deal with. The board
in most instances does not expect any
thing out of the ordinary from the
teacher and | shall try to enumerate
a few things that they have a riehL TO
expect.
No person should apply for a posi-
ton unless he is capable Of teaching
the work for which he applies. Ken
nedy says, that a teacher should be at
least -four years in advance, academi.
callX, of the pupils he is to teach.
Whether this is true or not depends
upon the teacher. He must be full of
the subject and be able to make all
explanations clear. Before a contractor
starts a piece of work he must give
why shouldn't a teacher give some
evidence of his preparation? In the
school or home no children are alike.
What will be a benefit to one pupil
may be a hindrance to another. A
teacher must be able to understand
human nature and those factors which
go toward the improvement of the
health and %well-being of the children
such as the heating and ventilation of
the room, methods of lighting, seat
ing, etc.
The board has a right to expect that
no person morally unfit to mingle with
children would apply to teach in the
public schools. One cannot be I'M
truthful and teach truth, a dishonest
person cannot teach honesty and the
impure cannot teach purity. Chill
dren's minds are easily swayed and are
susceptible to bad influences so the
teacher ought to have a good chaldc-
ter.
The teacher ought to be physically
sound. Any serious defects which are
apt to impress themselves upon the
minds of the pupils should bar the
man or woman from the teaching pro-
fessions. The personal appearance
of a person is another consideration
of the board. They have a right to
expect the teacher to be neat and
clean. Children gain much from OBJ
servation and if their instructor is not
neat they will not care to be. In a
school where you have to do your own
~janitor work it is harder to meet this
requirement.
One of the questions of some school
boards is do you have any trouble in
disciplining a SCHOOL," This is a good
question for every child has a right to
quiet, u~ndisturbed study, uninterrupt-
ed instruction and a freedom from an
noyance in school and on the play
ground. If each pupil tries to do his
best, is obedient, prompt, and regular
in every way the problem of discipline
will be solved.
Teachers should not be clock watch
ers for they cannot accomplish much
in school and they are the kind who do
not put much time on the work out
side of school hours.
The standard of a school should be
considered when a teacher is hired.
An energetic and wide awake teacher
will add to the standard. Certainly
no board would like to have their
school degenerate.
The members of the board are will
ling and glad to give their advice in
school matters if they are consulted.
Talk to them. Approach them pleas
antly, make you requests courteously
and conyincingly. if refused take your
departure resolved to try again. Some
of the biggest problems might be solv-
ed by one or two suggestions from the
board.
The terms of the contract should
be kept. II a person signs an agree
ment to teach for a length of time it
seems that it shouldn't be broken. Uf
course the matter of salary comes in
here. Perhaps if the contract is broken
Tor that. the second place will be hard.
er to fill and be worth the extra n
The clerk Of a board once said I'VE
are going to hire the teachers early so
that IN anv hroak thar oorkroo -.