composed, as are the other committees, of interested teachers. They have been given essential information from the central office, such as: the number of regular school days, vacation plans, and legal holidays, and within these limitations, have made the school calendar which has been unanimously adopted by the board. Committee 10—Assisting New Teachers Committee A series of separate meetings have been held by several of the new teachers and several innovations have been made as a result of this committee. Committee 11-Material Specifications Committee This committee made recommendations on 100 or more items for use in schools. They checked on the quality of materials and made recommendations regarding changes. They urge all teachers to order only what is needed, not expecting their orders to be cut. Committee 12-Teacher Welfare Committee This committee considered such items as salaries, cumulative sick leave, and subsistence for summer school attendance. Committee 13-School Furniture Committee This committee has been active in helping to choose school furniture for the schools which are being built in the county, as well as for those buildings already in existence. The reports of these committees have been made available, not only to all of the school groups, board of education, administration and supervision groups, but to other groups in the county. For example, the presidents of organizations of various kinds in the county met with the chairmen of these committees to hear the reports. These organizations and individuals consisted, among others, of the following: Lions Club, Rotary Club, civic clubs, women's clubs, American Association of University Women, Farm Bureau, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, doctors and ministers in the county, boosters' clubs, and members of the legislature. Plans are being made for these reports to be made to other county groups. These, then, are some of the ways in which teachers are involved in curriculum planning and in management of school activities. Many other similar examples could be cited. In connection with teacher participation we should say that several instances were reported of teachers also being involved in such projects as planning new school buildings or remodeling old ones. In some places, The activities described in these pages seem to show Orientation of New Teachers In most schools there is, for one reason or other, a considerable turn-over of staff. Increased enrollment and other factors make frequent addition of new positions and personnel necessary. Many schools realize that teachers who are teaching for the first time or those that are new to the school system face problems that are peculiar to their situation. Considerable attention has been given to the problem of introducing these teachers to their new assignment and community with increased effectiveness and efficiency. Connected with the problem of orienting new teachers is the problem of helping "emergency" teachers to fit into the work of the school more effectively. Many of the ideas expressed here are indicated as useful to both new teachers and emergency teachers. A Handbook One large school system has spent considerable time compiling a "Handbook for New Teachers" based on the suggestions and recommendations which new teachers have made over a period of years. These teachers were asked to respond to such questions as: What kinds of help did you find most useful from the administrative staff? What were your most pressing problems in adjusting to your new situation? What things would be most helpful to you in your own building? The book contains, among other items, a short history of the city and of the school system; a discussion of the procedures for the first day and week; suggestions for orient ing children to their new classroom; a list of kinds of places and of persons in the community that may contribute to the education of children; a summary of the general philosophy of the school as regards discipline and other such matters; some general suggestions about keeping records; and a bibliography of additional readings helpful in orientation. Several other schools publish booklets similar in nature, but different in detail. A Delaware school reports such a detailed booklet. Some school systems report that each elementary school prepares a supplement to the school-wide publication that deals specifically with orientation problems within the school itself. Conferences Several larger school systems stress the importance of holding pre-school meetings attended only by the new teachers at which the various courses of study, bulletins, and other printed materials are given out and discussed. New teachers learn what helps are available to them from the central office and from their individual buildings, become acquainted with the general philosophy of the school, and in other ways become oriented. In some places these teachers are later called together and consulted about how the next groups of new teachers might be more successfully oriented through these pre-school conferences. In an Ohio city new teachers join with the whole staff in a series of meetings at the opening of school. After they have been in school a week, the staff conducts a special workshop in which new teachers learn about facilities that are available to them. They learn what advisory help is available, what libraries, tests, and other materials they will find useful. There are two such meetings held in the evenings. A little later in the school year, usually during the first month, there are Saturday morning meetings in which new teachers are grouped according to the grade which they teach. An experienced teacher and a principal assist with these meetings during which new teachers discuss things that disturb them. At these meetings, courses of study, methods of taking care of individual differences, and other such items are discussed. The supervisors at first follow up these meetings only by request from the teachers. If no request is made by the teachers, the supervisory staff may ask to visit the rooms and provide necessary assistance. Much attention is given to assisting weak teachers. The principals in the individual schools are considered to be supervising principals, but they refer unusual problems to the school supervisory staff. Early in the school year there are several social meetings for new teachers. Supervisory Help In many cases special supervisory help is made available to new teachers as they begin their work. Supervisors give help in planning, organizing, and locating materials of instruction, in keeping records, and similar matters. In some large city systems one supervisor is detailed full time to the orientation of new teachers. Several schools assign helping teachers to work with new teachers on their special problems. In some cases these helping teachers are selected from the city school staff to serve for 1 year, after which they return to their regular duties. In other cases they are permanent members of the supervisory staff and when necessary devote, especially at the beginning of the year, a considerable amount of their time to the problems which new teachers have. In connection with a supervisory plan, in many places arrangements are made for new teachers to visit other classrooms in their own school and in other schools in the system to observe the general teaching conditions and "get a feel for the philosophy of the school system." A Program An Arizona school system which has turned certain phases of its "new teacher program" over to its local Education Association describes the program as follows: The local Education Association's program this year covers several weeks' work, which culminates in two busy days before the regular "pre-opening" of the school program. On July 26 a committee from the Education Association wrote letters to all new teachers. The letters offered assistance and also included information about the meetings that had been planned. They read: Dear We are glad to welcome you. We hope most sincerely that you will be happy here and enjoy your work among us. Knowing that it is often difficult to become adjusted to a new community, may we offer you our help? We will be delighted to meet you and help you become comfortably settled or will be more than happy to furnish you with rental lists and a map of the city. Above all, we want you to know that we will be at your service so that we may help make your first days happy ones. With the cooperation of the Chamber of Commerce, the Sunshine Climate Club, and other interested organizations, members of the association prepared folders containing all kinds of material about the city and the Southwest. These folders were given to the new teachers when they arrived. Some of them probably know more about the community and what it has to offer than do many of the "old-timers." August 28 and 29 were busy days but most worth while for new teachers, community leaders, and the schools. The following skeleton outline gives some idea of the activities of this year's program: MONDAY, AUGUST 28 8:30. Know Your Community.-A get-together breakfast was held in the high-school cafeteria. There were soft music, beautiful flowers, good food. The president of the ministerial association gave the invocation, the mayor made a speech of welcome, and new teachers and community leaders were introduced. Representatives of more than 30 local organizations were present. 10:30. Know Your Schools.-Introduction of administrative personnel and a brief discussion of the characteristics and general structure of the schools. 2:45. Professional organizations.-NEA, AEA, and TEA.-Explanation of organization services-credit union, insurance, retirement, tenure, and a discussion of State and county aid to schools. 7:00. Swimming Party. TUESDAY, AUGUST 29 9:00. Know Your Classroom.-Group meetings-primary, intermediate, secondary. 10:30. Principals and new teachers visit their schools and their classrooms. 1:00. Integrating Resources.-Guidance and counseling. 2:30. Creative activities.-Music, art, and crafts. 6:00. Barbecue and square dance. On the following Thursday evening one of our leading department stores had a fashion show especially for teachers. By this time our new teachers felt at home and all of the teachers, townspeople, and community leaders were on the way to another fine school year. Other Helps One elementary school principal makes it a point to see that new teachers have an automobile ride around the school community. This helps them to see the kinds of homes the children live in, the types of industries that are nearby, and to learn things about the neighborhood which might influence the teaching and learning. The principal himself assumes the responsibility for this feature of orientation. Another school reports that it assumes responsibility for assisting new teachers in locating living quarters and the local Chamber of Commerce makes a special attempt to acquaint new teachers with their new environment and entertains them at a dinner meeting. A school in Mississippi and several others report that new |