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Reynolds, Annie / The training of teachers for the country schools of Wisconsin
(1917)
The teachers who train students for country teaching, pp. 52-54
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Page 52
52 TRAINiNG OF TEACHERS FOR THE COUNTRY SCHOOIA VII. THE TEACHERS WHO TRAIN STUDENTS FOR COUNTRY SCHOOL TEACHING 1. Wel Prepared Teachers Hard to Find. Since there is in Wisconsin no institution especially designed to prepare the teachers who are to train students for country school teaching, much of the direct preparation needed by training teach- ers must be secured while they are in service. No one enters upon his work as fully prepared for it as for any particular grade work, for any regular high school work or for any departmental work in a normal school. Nine times out of ten the training teacher is called upon for the first time in her teaching experience to teach pedagogy and school management and to plan and supervise observation and practice. Moreover, she must not only Illustrate correct pedagogical principles, in all her teaching, but at the same time she must con- tinually invite discussion of her own method of classroom technique by members of the class. 2. Qualiflcations of training Teachers. a. Vigorous health and attractive personality. No young people should be considered as candidates for training positions unless they have vigorous health, and personalities which attract students. They should be inclusive in their sympathies and democratic in their attitude. b. A broad education coupled with large interests. Training teachers should have not only scholarship, but an outlook and sym- pathy broad enough so that they can do their work easily and not feel the drudgery of It. Normal graduation should be supplemented by whatever advantage of higher education they have been able to secure. Resolute facing of the prosaic, workaday world should have helped to confirm their faith in the fact that material advan- tages which cannot be secured can be dispensed with. They should be people who have had the privilege of companionship with stimu- lating and educated persons. c. Right attitude toward country life. The present attitude of training teachers toward country life shold be discovered. It Is of great importance. The principal hiring them should be able to answer in the affirmative the following questions: Do these teach- ers recognize the present opportunity for rural development? Do they know country conditions at first hand because of having lived in the country? Are they interested in becoming acquainted with the local conditions in the county where they are to work? It is a great asset when training teachers can testify that they were brought up in country homes, attended country schools and had
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