The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-12-02

possible to get a certificate to teach
without having taken a certain amount
OF training in education. For the
teachers In secondary schools, this
training is largely mythical, howeY-
err New York requires it; some other
states do. The state OF Maine. thirty
fifth in the list of states educationally.
permits a raw graduate OF college, a
good student it may be, but a perfect
babe in teaching, TO founder along
for his first year lat the very least
at the expense of his helpless pupils.
The state let me do it. No person
should be allowed TO begin teaching
anywhere without some training in
the tools of his subjects-books. helps,
etc, without training in the entrance
requirements for college, and what
these involve in his subjects. and
without some training in the special
methods which have been found most
efficient in his special subjects To
allow any person to begin practising
the art of teaching without some train
ing in these basic elements is nothing
less than crime done to the begin
ner. to the teaching profession. and
to the unlucky pupils thus exposed to
the unskilful experiments of igno-
rance There ought to be a depart
ment of the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Children to prevent il,
And one point in which an association
like yours can serve education Is. in
conjunction with the State Board Of
Education to insist that every college
in the state which is supplying teach
ers for the secondary schools shall re-
quire such training before it shall rec
ommend any graduate for a teaching
position
| have devoted considerable time TO
the discussion of this point because it
seems to me to be at the bottom of any
possible Improvement in American
education Many of the leaders in
education stoutly maintain that it is
not possible to teach how TO teach,
that one can learn to teach only by
getting into the work and advancing
by the method of trial and success.
And so can one learn to swim only by
getting into the water. but millions
have done swimming on dry land. and
have learned 50 eXcellently that with
one lesson in the water they can
swim. Some hold it folly to throw a
tyro in swimmins into deep water.
but sound sense 10 do the same thing
with a tyro in teaching. Technical
training will both improve the stand
ing and promote the professional feel
ing of teachers
Now let us approach little closer
to the actual problems OF school. l
can't see why a community should re
gard its schools as anything but a
factory. There is the plant. the raw
material chow raw only the teachers
know,) and the product And the
methods which have hten found best
adapted to secure excellence IN the
running OF a factory are at least
worth considering in connection with
the running of a school Teachers
and pupils are human beings. strange
as that may seem
In a school. there should be oppor-
tunity for promotion. Generally this
is the last point which is considered
by the directors of schools There
must be inducements to rouSe the am
bition and loyalty of the teachers and
to spur them to better work Perhaps
in no line of human activity Is IL 81
vital that one be alive i'm every ihef
of his being, with all the powers OF
body and mind "on high. hgt Whai
earthly reward is there fer mos
teachers for work splendidly done L
a teacher does satisfactory work. h
may stay on for another year. At al
increased salary, perhaps. II he con
tinues to do satisfactory work. ht
cox