Evening star., 1961-08-20
EDUCATION
FORUM
BY BENJAMIN FINE

@. have finished by jun
ior year in high school and
am trying to make prelimi-
nary decisions concerning the
choice of a college and a ca
reer. My favorite subjects are
classical literature, English
and foreign languages. also
like to paint and to study mu-
sic and ancient civilizations. 1
expect to be in the upper 10
per cent of my class when I
graduate. I've always thought
I wanted to teach, but my
friends tell me teaching is bor-
ing and humdrum. BeSides, I'd
like a liberal arts course, and
you can't get that in at teach
ers college. Would you recon-
mend teaching as a career?
A. Indeed I would! Actually,
you are the type of young
woman who should go into
teaching. You are bright, and
appeart o be on the track of
getting a good, liberal educa-
ton. Who said teaching is
dull? Or boring? Or uninter-
esting? Not the enthusiastic,
challenging teachers who like
to work with children, and who
can see the intangible unfold
ing of mind and character.
Moreover, you can combine
your love of the liberal arts
with a teaching career. I would
suggest that you enrol in a
good liberal arts college, get
your undergraduate degree,
and then take your fifth year
in one of the many colleges
that now offer the master of
arts course in teaching. The
Ford Foundation provides fl
nancial aid to many top-rank-
ing colleges who offer a gradu-
ate year to students who want
to go into teaching.
@. Can you give me any ad-
vice to help my nephew? He
has a good 10 but he is un-
happy in school. He seemed to
get along very we'll until the
fourth grade. That year his
regular teacher was out, and
the class had a number of
teachers. Ever since he has
been having trouble with read
ing. We've given him remedial
work but it hasn't helped. He
is an only child. His father
is a country doctor and his
mother is a registered nurse.
They don't have much time
for the boy, so I help out. I
am a teacher. The boy would
much rather spend his spare
time taking care of the herd
of high-blooded cattle which
he is building. He says he
doesn't want to make all AS
he's satisfied with low Cs. How
can we force him to study? Or
read better? He'll enter the
eighth grade this fall.
A. There is a problem, evi-
IDENTIFY, but I'm not sure that
it's all the boys. A youngster
living on a farm, as an only
child, naturally might be ex-
pected to turn to the fields,
the barn and the woods. 1
wonder: Are you pushing the
boy too hard? That can often
have a boomerang effect, you
know. I'm against the terrific
emphasis on grades. It's not a
question of an A or a c. It's
a matter of motivation.
The boy comes from a highly
educated family. Perhaps too
much emphasis has been
placed upon his achievement,
upon grades, upon perfection.
More attention might be paid
to the emotional tension your
nephew is undergoing. 1t
strikes me that he is lonely,
and is turning towards his
herd of cattle for affection
and recognition. I know that
a doctor is busy, and a nurse
even buster, but an only boy
needs love and recognition.
My advice: Don't nag the
boy. Don't worry too much.
He may respond better if left
alone.
@. I read your article about
college scholarships and am
writing to your for advice. We
have two sons, both eager to
go to college. They are bril-
liant and have fine habits. !
But my problem is we don't