The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1922-12-14
0ur Professional Growth

(I}y Mrs. Elsie Emery OF st. Adams
Il matters not i'll What occupation
or profession We are engaged, it isl
impossible to stand sill. There
must be either Il backward mr. forward
movement. We. az teachers are real
lzing more and more this truth. and
If We are II make our chosen Work
recognized profession that move
ment must be Il forward one The
Young Inexperienced teacher needs
professional Announcements and theI
we'll trained experienced teaehrrl
needs Il even more, for il is 50 easY
To fall into set Ways Of doing and
thinking. AID before We realize iust
where We are, We are regarding eye
rythine new and different with Il
very narrowed vision.
have been asked 10 tell YOU some
ii the things which the teachers ot /
st. Abana Hartland md Palu9ra
wishing to advance and be fully alive
professionally, have done along this
line The superintendent and teach
ers OF the three towns have organic. !
ed club The constitution reads
thus THE object OF this organization
shall be 10 promote greater cooper
alton and more effective team work
among the teachers and 10 secure 10
the children Of these towns better
opportunities for education. We plan
To hold six meetings year. Before
the beginning OF tae fall term, n !
three day session is held We talk
over our course OF study. plan the
years work, and lave very helpful,
general discussions II some of the
meetings We have demonstrations OF
certain methods of teaching On one
day Of this session. We have Il distin-
gushed speaker 10 give us practi-
cal talk on some subject which we
teach. In the last year we have had
three--one on English by the Por'-
land superintendent of schools, an
other, Primary Work by the Primary
Supervisor of Augusta, and a third on
reading by the author Of books Ernest
Cobb. which are used in our own
schools. 1t is wonderfully helpful
and inspiring to get together in this
way. and to try in some measure To
work out the problems which are
always arising.
For years teachers have known
that 1t Is beneficial and instructive
To visit other schools, SO orr last
meeting was a combination club meet
Ing and visiting day. One teacher
had school Saturday and We met
there and listened To her work in the
forenoon, and had our regular session
In the afternoon. \ very significant
fact about it all is that although these
meetings are always held on Satur-
day or before school begins every
teacher in the union district was pre-
sent at our last meeting. and the per
centage of attendance is always very
high. This needs no comment. 1t
speaks for itself have heard sever. /
al teachers say they received more
real practical help right at our little
club, than at the state convention.
Last spring several Of US went to +
Skowhegan, visiting the schools there.
We saw some good work but came
home feeling that our own schools t
were not below them at all. We are
planning To go to Dexter soon st. +
Albans gives no visiting day. so that
the teacher has to do this on her
own time,
We buy three professional books 4
year We not only read these books,
but we study and use them. About
an hour OF each meeting Is devoted to
this, Mr.. Clifford acting as eacher,
aud We get much OF practical value
In this way. Every teacher Is taxi
Ing al least one educational maya zine
and some more. These serve rs an