Evening star., 1937-10-10
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.


than instructor and the instructed,
so to speak Some of the conferees
were teachers newly appointed to our
educational system, being informative
ly charted around possible snags in
an apparently painless and entirely
cooperative fashion. Another group
was made up of certain of the ableSt
teachers in their respective fields,
coming together at their own request
and volition to work out the most
expeditions and approved methods of
further educational progress, SO their
pupils may profit by the best the
science Of modern pedagogy has made
available.
For Good of Children.
The foremost aim and function of
this office is "the good of the chill
dren who are pupils in our public
schools by motivating teachers to
higher planes of usefulness in their
class rooms. believing the more done
for teachers, the more ultimately is
done for the children"
by what means do you try to
bring this about?" l asked.
Miss Lind answered it by handing
me specimens mimeographed and, in
some instances. printed copies of bull
etins and photographers of various
kinds.
These" she explained, "are pre-
pared for teachers with the various
reading levels of their pupils in mind.
The first aim of elementary instruc-
ton today is to study. under expert
guidance, what happens to the child
in his continuous growth and many
changes from the kindergarten
through the sixth grade We empha-
size the necessity Of thinking of him
and his needs not alone as kinder
gartener or first grader, or at any
other school level exclusively. but
rather as continuing entity viewed
always in relation to the whole cycle
OF change. With this in mind there
is not only administrative shifting
back and forth Of elementary teach
ers in their teaching assignments,
but the teachers themselves often
seek such changes of their own voli-
ton, SO that they more fully under
stand one grade level after various
experiences in Others"
Acts in Advisory Capacity.
Miss Lind said her department tries
to hold itself prepared to guide in the
problems with which its teachers are
confronted by holding general meet
ings with them, as we'll as by bringing
them together in smaller group con-
ferences. Teachers meetings of the
present. she Immediately gathered, are
very different from those of her peda
gogical past when teachers sat primly
erect in their chairs and had the wis
dom Of their superior officer literally
poured upon their defenseless heads
in the form of didactic directions. 1,
would have been disastrous to have
publicly questioned, much less frank
ly discussed things in open meeting.
Now" Miss Lind emphasized, "the
up-to-date educational supervisor
takes pride in being consultant a.
we'll as an administrator More otter
than not, learned, teachers are moi
only active participants in discussions
in their group meetings with schoo
officials, but often really conduct then
by bringing to them for discussion
the results Of the investigations they
have made as to how theories really
have worked out in their respective
class rooms. These discussions NAV
take various forms. There is, for in
stance. the so-called educational
panel which is ideally a group meet
ing, coming before an audience tr
work out a mutual problem with a
general discussion from the floor aft
erward, which is not necessarily sup
posed to formulate an absolutely fixed
opinion, but rather to stimulate fur
ther thought"
Observe Teachers at Work.
Another phase of "self help" in the
Office of the director of elementary
instruction, is achieved through the
observation of teachers at work In
their class rooms on the part of Miss
Lind and her corps of assistants
These observations are followed up
when necessary by conferences with
the teachers afterward in a friendly
spirit Of cooperation as to how prin-
ciple and method may be changed OF
improved
Miss Lind's assistants, like herself
have not only majored in elementary
education in their college courses, but
through class room teaching as well
as previous supervisory experience
and were selected for their present
posts and duties because they have
previously demonstrated special fit
ness for them. They include the fol-
lowing: Mrs. La Verne Crabtree Walk
er, Mrs. G. j. Hecox, Miss Muriel Cros-
by. Mrs. Frances Knight and Mrs
Juanita Winn.
Among the jobs delegated to this
particular professional group in our
public school system is that of keep
ing abreast Of everything new under
the educational sun.
Some phases of educational pro-
cedure it often seems best to stress by
arranging class room demonstrations
during which the city's most skilled
teachers handle problems identical
With those Of visitorA These are In