The training of teachers in the United States of America — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The training of teachers in the United States of America
John Stuart Mill · en
The Model School at New Britain, Connecticut, is preserved strictly
as a Model School. After observing teacher and class for some time,
the student usually gives one trial lesson in the school, but there
is no systematic teaching by the student. For the actual independent
practice, the student must go to a practising school outside New
Britain, and be entirely responsible for a class for four months. At
the large practising school in connection with the New Britain Normal
School, at South Manchester, I saw students dealing with the actual
difficulties of discipline and class-management. Each student was in
charge of a large class with different divisions or grades. There
were four responsible, experienced teachers for reference in cases of
emergency, and for criticism; but each student had her own class, and
the school of 700 children was practically managed by students. Such is
the general plan of practice-work in the Normal Schools.
Much care is given to the Model Schools. The class-rooms are supplied
with all necessary apparatus, and they are bright and airy, and well
supplied with flowers and children’s books. It is quite customary
in some of the schools to give short periods in school hours for
private reading, or to allow one child to read to the other children
while they are doing some kind of mechanical work. Much importance
is laid upon the observation of the teaching in Model Schools. It is
possible, however, that this is insisted on too early in the course;
indeed, the hearing of lessons is usually the students’ first work
in the school. It would be much more profitable, and there would be
less danger of blind imitation, if the student had herself previously
gained experience in teaching. As it is, the danger of imitation, and
one-sided and narrow lines of teaching is increased by the fact that
one student is chiefly under the supervision of one teacher.
At the Worcester Normal School there is no Model or practising School,
but the students teach in the public schools of the city. For the
first six months of her last year at the Normal School, the student
acts as an apprentice or pupil-teacher, serving in at least three
grades during this time. Each teacher has the direction of only one
student, who may be left in sole charge of the class for hours or
days. One day in the week the apprentice-student attends the Normal
School, where she shows her class diary for the week, and discusses any
difficulties that may have arisen. On that day, too, she takes part in
the “Platform Exercises” of the Normal School--viz., exercises in which
students speak, read or draw, on the platform, in presence of the
whole school. The apprentice-students usually give an account to their
fellow-students of anything interesting or helpful in their practical
work of the past week.
EXAMINATIONS.