The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-09-13


 We have to consider the teacher, pupil, property and community interests in con sidering a course in rural school super. vision.
 Every successful teacher must have great deal of animation and enthuse his pupils with this essential element to good teaching if he wishes to make the great est success The superintendent should notice particularly the following points in his supervision. Progressiveness, gen. tleness, kindness, conscientiousness, thor oughness, cheerfulness, vision, firmness school spirit, punctualiy, initiative, order and system. One of the most needed things is thoroughness and it was brought out that this is one of the great weak nesses of the entire system. A teacher should be modest and kind to the pupils, and if she does not know the answer to any one question she should be free to admit it. It is not asking too much of every teacher to prepare all of her work on the night before coming to school. By so doing she will not get in so many close places, and she can teach with much less nervous strain. She will also get along much better with her work and will be more in keeping with her programme. Each teacher should &keep definite programme posted on the door, so that it can be seen at any time, and the supervisor should see if she is fol- lowing it when he visits the school. He should notice the order in the room when he enters and if the room is dis orderly, he should not give too many directions to the teacher in the presence of the pupils, but should reserve the criticisms for the general teachers meet ings, and then in the presence of all of the teachers of his district or county he can bring out these criticisms and not of fend any one teacher. I think the super visor should do all he can for the com fort of his teachers, and to this end he should create a sentiment in each com munity of trying to show the teacher every courtesy that can be shown her.
 The supervisor should pay especial at- tention to the tone of the teachers voice and the effect her commands have on the pupils, and he can be able to render some assistance by giving model lessons, by showing the teachers that he is in sympathy with them and that he wants to help them and not to just merely criticize tenn. I think he should make it a point to praise every good move in the school and all of the improve ments on the grounds and on the house, and he should do this in the presence of all of the pupils He should always have in mind one thing-getting the pupils to think more of their own teacher than they did before his last visit I do not think it is always best to teach model lessons to g. school if the teacher is real bad. for it may have the wrong ef- rfect on the pupils. It may make them think less of their teacher and her abin- ties than they did before the lesson, and in that case the supervisor has done more harm than good On the other hand, if the supervisor is not a very good teacher he may cause the teacher and her pupils to lose confidence in his abilities as a teacher. The supervisor should take note of each good point at the school and also of each bad feature, and then at the general meeting of the teachers of his district he can get all of the teachers to thrash out these points. All teachers can be led much easier than they can be driven, and so we should make all of our supervision pleas ant for the teachers and pupils.
 Sanitation should receive special atten- ticn and if the school has not already got two good toilets the supervisor should get the people of the community to come in and build them. This can be easily be done. if the teacher will just call on them to do 1t. The yards and floors should be kept clean. and I think 1t Is