REPORT

OF THE

COUNCIL OF EDUCATION.

The semi-annual meeting of the Connecticut Council of Education was held at the High school building in Hartford on Saturday, December 17th, the president, J. J. Jennings of Bristol, in the chair. The topics for discussion were the report of the committee on the training of teachers, prepared by M. S. Crosby, J. J. Jennings, and C. F. Carroll ; a paper on " Arithmetic in the Common School Course" by F. A. Brackett and "The State Book on Physiology and Hygiene as a Text Book."

At the meeting of the council one year ago Mr. Jennings read a paper on Training Teachers which awakened so much interest that a committee was appointed by the council to prepare something on that topic which would be of value to teachers in general. The committee, consisting of M. S. Crosby of Waterbury, J. J. Jennings of Bristol and C. F. Carroll of New Britain, having heard that the state board was preparing something of the same kind, consulted with them, after which each took up a certain portion of the subject and the whole was edited as one work. Mr. Crosby read the following report of the committee:

TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

The undersigned were appointed a committee by the State Council of Education to prepare a circular upon the training of teachers.

There ought to be a cordial sympathy among all teachers in the State, and a common desire to improve their work and to increase the estimation in which they are held by their patrons, their pupils, and the public generally.

The true object of the profession should be the best education of children. Anything that adds to the effectiveness of instruction will aid in the attainment of this object. Our present purpose is to induce an effort on the part of all teachers to obtain a better professional education and training.

Although the necessity of training would seem to be self-evident, yet very few who expect to teach pursue a course of training at the Normal school or elsewhere. The large majority enter upon the calling without special preparation therefor.

Those who should have the strongest personal interest in the training of teachers are :

1. Parents, who must certainly desire that the very best moral, mental and physical conditions prevail in the education of their children.

Some cities have

2. All who are expecting to become teachers. provided teachers' training schools. The State has established a Normal school, where approved theoretical and practical instruction is given. A course in these schools furnishes a thorough preparation for teaching.

3. All who are now engaged in teaching. It is to this third class that this circular especially appeals. We who are teachers wish to consult together and to obtain all the help we can in order that we may better accomplish our work.

In the profession of teaching, as in other professions, the highest success must depend both upon a general culture and upon a technical training. We need a general culture that we may be kept from the narrowness of a merely professional life. Also, "Many-sidedness of culture makes our vision clearer and keener in particulars.

We need a technical and professional training in order that we may be successful in the details of our work. For this training there are valuable helps easily available. The following are some of the helps :

(a) Visiting good schools. After some experience in our own school rooms we begin to know our deficiencies, and are prepared to avail ourselves of the suggestions which come to us from observing the good teaching of others.

(6) Attending teachers' meetings, such as are held under the direction of the State, and those held by local school officers, and those of voluntary associations. If we visit schools and attend meetings, not reluctantly or with a spirit of criticism, but with an earnest purpose to learn something, we shall be greatly benefited.

(c) Studying our profession, as set forth in books treating upon the theory and practice of teaching, in books upon applied psychology and physiology, and in educational periodicals.

(d) Forming a teachers' library, even if it be a small one. (e) Joining a teachers' reading circle.

There are two motives which may influence us in our efforts toward improvement. First, and most important, the good of the pupils intrusted to our care. Second, the higher position and the greater remuneration which we shall obtain for ourselves. In the cities and larger towns of the State trained teachers are in greater demand and are offered higher salaries than ever before. Teachers who are well educated and well trained are independent, and can, practically, select their own field. School officers all over New England are seeking such teachers.

It is assumed that there is an increasing desire among teachers to improve their skill and keep up with the true progress in the educational world. Teachers' meetings and institutes are provided upon this supposition. These meetings are becoming more numerous and are more generally attended, year by year. If there are those who have no aspirations toward the power of a true artist, if there are many machine-workers, mere hearers of lessons, this does not affect the zeal of the respectable company of those who aspire to a high professional standing.

An increase of teaching ability is sure to produce two results. First, the school is quickened and interested so far as pupils' activities are properly employed. Whatever favorably affects the teacher has an immediate influence upon the pupils. Second, skill, even in one direction, gives tone and improvement to all else that a teacher does.

Teaching can now be studied and learned as an art. Under a trained teacher we find order growing up in the midst of great freedom; a spontaneous and cheerful response in every class exercise; occupation for every hour; a precision and an air of confidence that is utterly wanting in the work of any mere empiric. "The voluntary attention of every child is held to profitable, systematic mental occupation." This is the substance of the definition of the art of teaching, as given by a conservative and univer. sally respected writer on Education.

The secretary of the State Board of Education sends instructors to give suggestion or direction to teachers who, in any part of the

State, are attempting self-improvement. Such teachers' classes may be organized by school officers or by teachers themselves.

We believe that all of us who are truly interested in our work are willing to undertake some deliberate and continuous course of professional study or reading which shall not be burdensome and which may be very helpful. We hope that this circular may reach every teacher and school officer in the State. We have made some general suggestions, but have marked out no definite plan for the better training of teachers. Our object has been to awaken a common interest in the subject and a desire for a cordial working together for self-improvement. We shall be glad to hear from every one who receives this communication, especially from successful teachers, who can give us friendly suggestions based upon their own experiences; especially, also, from teachers of little or no experience, who can tell us their needs; from school officers, who may better know what the public demands of a teacher.

Will you be kind enough to reply in answer to any of the questions upon the blank which is sent to you with this ?

A full response may enable us to outline some practical scheme of professional training in which we can all unite. Communications may be addressed to any member of the committee.

M. S. CROSBY, Waterbury.

J. J. JENNINGS, Bristol.

C. F. CARROLL, New Britain.

Mr. Crosby said that the above report was printed and distributed throughout the state. A circular was sent also asking for an expression of opinion upon the merits of the suggestions made in the report. Replies were received from thirty or forty towns, all expressing sympathy and hearty approval.

We have learned that the state board has formed a plan which will answer most admirably what we are aiming at in the training of teachers. It is proposed to form a State Teachers' Union. The object is the improvement of public schools through the teachers, to be accomplished by meetings of the teachers, courses of study and reading for teachers, and investigation of the work done. It may be assisted by reading circles, lectures and such means. The organization is to be as simple as possible. Some one person to be chosen as director; meetings to be held once a month. At these meetings there may be papers or lectures. A regular amount of work might be laid out, as to read six pages

per day upon a given subject; selecting studies as geography, physiology, history, history of the United States and of Connecticut, civil goverment, history of education, language, rhetoric, principles of teaching. The advantage of such a plan would be that the teachers would be engaged in some special work and that a united work. But this is not all. The mere improvement of the teacher is nothing. The benefit to be attained is the improvement of the school. To this end certain investigations should be made as to what the teachers are accomplishing. Something new would thus be reached and much of value brought to light. There would be no dues or fees to be paid. It is simply a plan for united action on the part of the teachers of the state in studying and preparing themselves to do better work. Further information on this subject may be obtained by writing to the state secretary.

ARITHMETIC.

Mr. Brackett of Bristol, said that the object of the study of arithmetic was two fold, to fit the scholar for the actual business of life and to gain mental discipline. He thought that the latter was too often magnified, in as much as all studies are arranged to give mental discipline. The criticism upon the present method of teaching arithmetic is that it does not fit pupils for practical life. Many subjects included in the text books should be dropped from the common school course; as greatest common divisor, least common multiple, all of fractions except what is necessary for practical operations of ordinary life, circulating decimals, duo decimals, alligation, progressions, cube root mensuration, pyramids, cones, life insurance and the metric systen. The study of arithmetic should begin with the school life of the child and be carried through the common school course, but more time is spent upon it than ought to be. More time might profitably be given to language, history and geography. As much time proportionately should be given to these subjects as to arithmetic, but it is not because we have attempted to teach too many subjects. The whole ground can be covered in the first five years of school life. We should spend more time in developing rapidity and accuracy in the work done.

Many of the tables might be taught in the primary and intermediate grades so as to save time in the higher grades. Many facts of percentage and interest can be taught in the lower grades.