Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-10-19
TRAINING SCHOOL NOTES

Inc IollOWlng supervising teachers,
who we're holding meeting in the city
on last Thursday, visited the school in
the afternoon: The Misses Frances
Hesslen and Clara Farrell, Wisconsin
Rapids; Regina Somers and Lucille
Berard, Stevens Point; Elizabeth
Healy, Amigo; Ella Beversdorf, Eagle
River; Helen Podeweltz, Merrill; Mar
tina Johnson, Rhinelander; Miss Mill
er and Mr.. Ralph Paff, Wausau. Mr.
L. A. Gordon, county superintendent
of Portage County was also visitor.
The school closed on Friday to per-
nit the faculty and students to attend
the annual convention of the Teach
ers' Association being held in the city.
In place of the regular news items
which have been published every week
in this paper, the school is Offering a
synopsis of the papers given at the
Rural and County Training School
Section of the Convention on "The
Scope of the Work of the County Sup
cruising Teacher" with the hope this
will reach some of our alumni who
were unable to attend the meetings.
The topic was opened by j. E. Gies-
sci of Marathon County who presented
county superintendent view of the
supervising teachers work. His ideas
were grouped under six qualities
which he thought she should possess.
1. Loyalty and cooperation.
When the plan for having supervis-
| ing teachers was devised, it was the
idea of those who worked it out, to
have the supervising teacher work
with the county superintendent. Any
| time the supervising teacher comes to
point where her ideas are so radi-
cally different from those of the sup
erintendent, they would better sever
relations.
g Judgment
The battle is more than half fought
| if the supervising teacher possesses
good judgment She often spends more
| than one day in a district. During
school hours and after school she is
helping the teacher and here this
quality is in demand. The night is
probably spent at the home of one of
the patrons who perhaps is inclined
to pull the teacher to pieces. She must
have tact to support the teacher and
yet appease the patron. Then again,
very often some school board member
| flares up. 1t will not do to deal with
him in a high handed manner, but he
| should be brought to her way of
thinking without offending.
3. Personality.
This is the most wonderful of en-
dowments. She must have the person
al force which enables her to make an
impression on all those with whom
| she has to deal, as well as to be able
| to induce the teacher to be willing to
work with her. Unless she inspires
confidence in herself, all hera work is
uphill.
4. Scholarship
Her knowledge will always be on
| top. She will have to take a class in
| geography, give help in arithmetic, or
| ganize material in history. She should
have a workable knowledge of the
| topics of the day. For example, can
she talk intelligently on the League of
Nations were she asked about it? Her
refusal to do so or lack of interest
would lose point for her in that COM
| munity. Scholarship is quality that
| is only perfected from day to day by
constant reading and thought.
5. Professional ability.
She must be filled with ideas What
| is the best arrangement of the weeks
| work. the best apportioning of the
classes? 1t will be her task to suggest
better methods for raising the STAN
dard of arithmetic, spelling, etc. In
| fact, there is no end to the demand
made on this quality.
6. Sympathy and liberation.
These, though last, are most neces-
| Sary. She comes in contact with peo-
| pie who feel their own weaknesses
and often know their blunders, there
| fore she should not swing the stick or
| use the tools of coercion but her crit
| icisms should be sympathetic and sug-
| gestive OF ways for Improvement. Can
| she be tolerant of the teachers man
| neriSmS, of conditions in the district {?
| Will she recOgnizeZ the effort and help
| to bring about a better result?
| This talk was followed by Miss Re-
gina Somers, supervising teacher of
| Portage County, who told how the
| supervisor views the teacher.
| l. Physical efficiency.
| By physical efficiency the teacher
| herself is meant. Is she healthy, pleas
ant? Has she a good voice, does she
| speak distinctly? What are her per-
/
ing neat, shoes brushed, hair tidy?
What is her personality?
| The teacher must be energetic She
must show pep; take an active interest
in the pupils themselves, and their
class work. She must be able to con-
troll herself and must not be self-con-
| scious. How does she greet the SUD-
| cruising teacher and visitors? Does
she make them feel welcome?
All of the above is a part of the
teacher and must be such that the
child is improved by copying her, for
| that is what he will do.
2. Physical aspect of the room.
| The second point depends largely
| upon the teacher. Is she making the
best of her opportunities? Is it a.
model OF goor housekeeping? Are
the pupils seated in desks suitable for
their ages? Is the school room well
lighted and the shades properly used {?
is the ventilation good? Does the
| teacher understand the heating svs-
TEN and regulate the heat? What are
| the decorations? Is the room full of
| ola rubbish or are the decorations
| suitable for the season? Do the nic-
| lures mean anything to the child? It
is far better to have it severely plain
tnan filled with dust laden decora-
| tions.
| The instruction is necessarily based
on the physical efficiency of the room.
The vital points in teaching are: Does
she nave an aim, and is it practical?
| Does she present her work in a logi-
cal and concrete way? Are the pupils
stimulated to think? Are they taught
now to study? Are the assignments
| carefully made?
All OF her work depends upon her
| preparation. Is her work planned
only now and then or daily? Are her
plans definite? Is the manual follow
ed? Is the teacher herself using the
library? Are the classes moving reg
ularly? Are the general exercises
/ SlICl thai the nj E