[The cover and pictures at the beginnings of sections are used by the courtesy of United States Department of Agriculture, photo by Wolcott; Oak Mountain School, Carroll County, Ga.; West Georgia Regional Library, Carrollton, Ga.; United States Department of Agriculture, photo by Forsythe; University of Nebraska; and Office of Education.] UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1951 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. Price 20 cents How One School's Organization Changed. Some Schools Use a Preplanned Arrangement. Curricular Activities Are Selected To Meet Growth Needs of Boys and Girls in the Country. Everyday Experiences Are Sources of Suitable Cur- The Rural Community Is a Guide in Selecting Superintendent and Teacher Plan Before the Term The Teacher Plans Ahead of Her Pupils. THIS BULLETIN describes practices in one- and two-teacher schools that are helping rural boys and girls get a good education. It contains suggestions for improving the programs of schools that do not meet the needs of boys and girls in the country today. In the school year 1947-48, there were approximately 75,000 one-teacher schools and 18,000 two-teacher schools. More than 22 million children look to these schools for the beginning of their organized education. There was a time when the one- or two-teacher school had too many classes, too many subjects, and too little group work and socialization. Children's progress was hampered by screwed-down seats, poor lighting, wornout books, meager equipment. Janitor work was done by the teacher; weeds grew in the yard. The good modern one-teacher school or two-teacher school has attractive rural surroundings. It uses and improves the resources of the country community. It is a place where older children learn to help the younger, where children, young people, and adults work together and learn from one another. Boys and girls remain long enough with one teacher for her to appraise and guide their progress intelligently. Understanding and cooperation exist among parents, pupils, teacher, and community. Teachers on their first jobs and those serving during shortages of regular teachers should find this bulletin helpful in learning the ways of modern one- and two-teacher schools. The discussion emphasizes teaching procedures, selection of experiences, planning, evaluation, and cooperative activities. No attempt is made to show techniques of teaching arithmetic, reading, and other specific subjects since many books do this job well. Although the bulletin is addressed to teachers, we hope it will also be useful to administrators and supervisors who are looking for ways of helping teachers in one- and two-teacher schools improve their teaching. GALEN JONES Director, Instruction, Organization, and Services Branch, NEW AND PROMISING practices are finding their way into the Nation's one- and two-teacher schools. In the school year 1947-48 there were approximately 93,000 such schools serving some 22 million children. Boys and girls in many of these small schools are solving their problems of modern rural living and improving their ability to work with one another. This bulletin tells how teachers help pupils to plan, select, organize, and appraise their experiences cooperatively. It introduces the reader to teachers' informal chats about their work, teacher-pupil planning sessions, pupils' committee meetings and study periods, and teachers' planned evaluation meetings. In a county workshop in Iowa, for example, Reba Cox and Hazel Peterson, teachers of neighboring one-room schools, met at lunch and walked to the conference rooms together. We Examine Our Teaching "Our workshop has led me to take a new look at my teaching," said Reba, who had been in the county only a year. "From now on I'm going to work harder to help my pupils to be useful citizens; to make their lives really count for themselves and others." "That's my big goal, too," said Hazel. "How do you accomplish it?" 1 Gaumnite, Walter H., and Blose, David T. The One-Teacher School Its Midcentury Status. Washington. United States Government Printing Office, 1950. (Federal Security Agency, Office of Education, Cirular No. 318.) 30 p. "I don't always; it's so big. I break it down and begin with small tasks. I look first for what each child is striving for and try to help him get it." "How do you tell what children are striving for?" asked Reba. "There are some things every child wants," replied Hazel. "One thing is to be well thought of by his group. He's striving to feel that he is one of them; that he really belongs." "I have some two- and three-pupil classes," said Reba. "There can't be much group satisfaction there. I should combine small classes. But go on." "Our consultant mentioned scientific studies," Hazel continued, "showing that children want to feel successful. Two people in the group emphasized children's need to love and be loved.” "My beginners take lots of attention," said Reba. "And children who stay home to work have special difficulties. I've been wanting to have some parents' meetings. I know that the parents and I could help the boys and girls by planning together. If only there were more hours in the day!" "I think maybe we should use our time better," said Hazel. "My pupils and I have been trying to get longer working periods. Sometimes I help two or three classes to organize their work around one large problem or project. That gives me time to study and help individuals and attend to other things we have been talking about." "One of our consultants said that some schools combine several subjects when these subjects are needed for the same project," said Reba. "I'm going to try that. I wish you and I could talk about our problems more often." "I do, too. Why don't we simply set aside an evening each week for a get-together and then not let anything interfere with it?" "That would be good," said Reba. "I often see Evelyn Jones from Green Meadow School. Her pupils have activities that all grades take part in. Let's ask her to join us." “All right. I'd like to ask Anne Gordon from Rose Hill. She wants to find what children are really interested in and help them do such things better." The four teachers met regularly that year to talk about their problems. Often the group were able to think of solutions that would not have occurred to one alone. Not all of the teachers had the same problems. From time to time members of the group mentioned things that seemed so important to them in their own schools as to be kept in mind for cooperative study. Among them were: 1. Helping children learn how to: Gain approval of the other children. Develop the physical skills necessary for safety and social approval. Work and play with other people. Understand and take part in home and community activities. Understand and get along with adults in the home and community. |