Milford chronicle., 1925-02-13
A Talk On Teachers
And Rural Schools

Prevention Rather Than Correction
Errors once made by a child are
not wholly blOtted out of his mind
He tends to repeat them and to con-
tinue repeating them until they be-
come firmly fixed bad habits. AS faI
as possible, schools should try so 10
direct the child that there will be a
minimum of mistakes in his work
and he will not be led into the for
nation of faulty physical and mental
habits.
| These were the conclusions reach
ed by two of the speakers at the re-
cent meeting of the American Asso-
citation for the Advancement of
Science, concerning the teaching of
spelling and algebra. DR.. Garry May
ers, of the Cleveland School of Edu-
cation, studied children's mistakes
in spelling and found that if word
was mispelled once the same error
would probably occur again and the
amount of work then necessary to
learn the word correctly was much
greater than it would have been had
the child not made the original er-
ror. A similar experiment was car
ried on by Flora L. Scott, who fol-
lowed up the errors made in a SER
les of algebra problems to see whe-
ther the mistakes made by any pu-
pill had no apparent connection with
each other or whether in answering
the same problem the pupil repeat
ed the same mistakes. Out of 200
sets of answers containing more
than one error she found that in 1853
sets or "a per cent the errors were
repeated. Both speakers conclude
that much valuable time and effort
can be saved in the schools if mis-
takes are prevented rather than cor
rected.
Kentucky Improves Rural Schools
By Standardization
Kentucky has recently adopted a
Statewide plan for improving, by
Standardization, it's more than 1000
one-twO and three-teacher schools.
Approximately 100000 rural school
children attend these schools. The
suggestions and regulations regard
ing the plan are set forth in a
pamphlet entitled Kentucky Rural
School Standards" prepared under
the direction Of the State superin-
tendent.
The pamphlet says that the State,
in justice to the present generation
of country school children can not
tolerate the present low grade of ef-
ficiency of the small rural school;
that the greatest need in the cam
paign for rural school improvement
is some practical way of evaluating
the different elements in the make
up of an efficient school; and that a
few standard schools in each county |
will awaken the civic conscience |
and open the public purse to the end |
hat country children may enjoy the !
advantages to which
hey are justly entitled. According
o the Kentucky plan the main
points to evaluate in order to build
lp a good school are: Grounds and
the school building
md furniture, equipment and sup
,lies, the teacher and the organiza-
ion of the school, and community
ctiVities.
Improving rural schools by stand
rdization is not new. More than
wo-thirds of the states have adopt
d similar plans for increasing the
of the small rural schools.
seports issued by departments of
ducation in these states indicate
hat standardization improves physi-
al conditions, raises the qualifica-
ions of teachers, increases school
and stimulates interest
1 the schools on the part of the
Do Rural Teachers Believe in
Supervision!
The Maryland State Department of !
lducation recently published bull !
etin giving a number of interesting !
eplies to the question, What do
ne teachers of Maryland think is
eing. accomplished by the supervis- /;
IN of teaching?" The following eX- ,,
racts taken from the replies of sew !
n teachers are typical: !
"The supervisor is often more ;
ware of the individual needs of the
chool than the teacher herself"
"The beginning teacher and the D.,
experienced teacher in outlying dis
riots need more than anything else
ONE one who understands and can
heer the teacher on her way"
"To discontinue supervision would
lean loss to taxpayers of our
ounty in the less effective work of
he inexperienced teachers, the care
sss work of Indifferent ones and in
1ss of inspiration to the hardwork-
lg, conscientious group of teach
rs"
"The supervisor keeps me in
ouch with the work being done in
he other schools in my county and
nth the activities of the State at
lrge."
"This makes my second year Of
and feel that the progress
have made is due to the encourag-
lg words, the helpful methods, and
he wise judgment of my supervis-
r."
81 have taught school for 35 years.
or years I measured myself by my
elf which is the poorest measure to
Sc. During my two years teaching
nder supervision 1 have found new
leans by which to measure my
ork."
Supervision aids a teacher in
nding her weak and strong points, {
nd does more toward overcoming
le weak points and Strengthening
le strong ones than does any other
ling in the school life"