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106 THE B.C. TEACHER THIS ISSUE Will team teaching be the answer to tlie problems of stall utilization in schools? Dr. L. L. Cunningham tells teacher of the experiments with this new development in the article commencing on page 108. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA TEACHERS' FEDERATION One B.C. school has al• (Affiliated with the Canadian Teachers' Federation) ready experimented with this DECEMBER, I960 now type of teaching. L. V. VOLUME XL, No. 3 Rogers High School, Nelson, was the school and its prin• cipal, G. H. Lee, reports the TABLE OF CONTENTS results on page 112. FEATURES Page Replies from the Depart• Team Teaching L. L. Cunningham 108 ment to policy resolutions 112 from the 1960 AGM will be It Was Tried at Nelson G. H. Lee found commencing on page The Department Answers i!4 114. This Program Meets Individual On page llfi, Mr. Gough. 116 District Superintendent in Needs John Gough Victoria, describes the new What We Said 120 Pre-employment Training Program developed there. The Academic Day and Year 123 R. \V. I'rittie of Burnaby attended a Press Education DEPARTMENTS Workshop in Los Angeles. What's the Answer? 136 He tells of the workshop and the use that can be made of On Your Behalf - - 137 newspapers in the classroom on page 131. New Books 142 About People • 147 On page 150 readers will find the first of a series of It's News to Us 149 articles prepared by the Edu- • cation Finance Committee to explain the Federation's pol• MISCELLANY icy on this important subject. Teacher-sponsored Studies W. V. Allester: 125 Council Activity in ' EDITORIAL BOARD 126 STAN EVANS, Fraser Valley East C. M. Blots Editor and Business Manager. 129 A. BARBARA J^ACFARLANE, What's in an I.Q.? G. P. Mason . Associate Edi;*;\ 131 ESTHER G. HARROP Newspapers in die Classroom R. W. Prittie WES JANZEN H. S. JOHNSTON Action Research to Improve F. P. LIGHTBODY 134 C. D. OVANS School Practices R. Daniels

EDUCATIONAL The Nativity - Our Cover Picture 138 DRESS Provincial Association of Teachers of Classics 141 i\ /ASSOCIATION What Do You Know about >A B*39?AM ERICA. Education Finance? D. /. S. Smith 150 ' ^ EDITORIAL OFFICE: 1815 W. \\.7th Avenue; Vancouver 9, B.C.. ^Published every month except :•- '.Tune, July,- August and Septem• B.C.T.F. OFFICERS AND OFFICE STAFF ber. Advertiser's copy received a\\ to the 1st of the month pre- President W. H. JANZEN, Surrey cet'ing month of publication. •'First .Vic'e-President:-^:: ;„,;; •"• --I ,:„„'„•••• K. M. AITCHISON, Burnaby Annual' Subscription, $2.75; - Second Vice-President ...... — H. M. PALSSON, Sooke Federation .Members, $2.00. ; Secretary-Treasurer J. W. STEWART, Coquitlam Authorized as Second Class Mall, General Secretary —C. D. OVANS i • Post Office' Department, Ottawa.Assistant General Secretary STAN EVANS Printed !>y Evergreen Press Ltd. Executive Assistant -J, A. SPRAGGE Executive Assistant W. V. ALLESTER

DECEMBER;\!960

m Team Teachin

To use teaching personnel to the best possible advantage, experi• mentation in the use of teaching teams of various types is under way. Some teams are comprised solely of professional teachers; others have non-professional people in association with teachers.

LUVERN L. CUNNINGHAM

TN RECENT YEARS an increasing num- professional personnel has been in the ber of schools have been experiment• formation of teams of teachers. In spite ing with new ways of organizing person• of the widespread attention to and experi• nel for the teaching function. The stimuli • -mentation with team teaching, however, no for these modifications appear to be varied. adequate definition or description of what Some schools are seriously concerned with is involved has been made available. There improvement of instruction, other schools are many variations of this approach and are forced into changes because of enroll• each one reported is in some way unique. ment pressures or for tlie sake of admini• I shall try to reduce some of the confusion strative convenience, and still others launch which surrounds this concept of staff or• into projects because of the public relations ganization. value of innovation. At any rate, consider• The experiments with team teaching able attention is being directed toward currently under way in the United States improved staff utilization; it is quite likely are based upon several assumptions, the that this is only the beginning of the move• two most important of which seem to be ment. that existing organizational arrangements Attempts to improve staff utilization are of professional staff are not as effective as placed in two categories in a research re• they might be, and that tlie special port of the National Education Association: abilities and talents of professional staff This experimentation may, be divided are not being fully utilized. In keeping generally into two types: (a) introduction with these assumptions, most of the or• of new and different types of nonprofes• ganizers of team teaching projects are sional personnel, and (b) reorganization trying to find answers to a number of of the professional staff to use the varied questions: for instance, will team teaching talents 'and energies of the teachers more (1) provide for more effective use of efficiently. Teacher aids are an example teacher skill and talent? of the first type of experimentation, and (2) provide an opportunity for more team teaching of the second.1 adequate differentiation of teaching tasks? The focus of this article is upon the (3) expose students to a larger number second type—the reorganization of the pro• of capable teachers during the course of fessional staff with special reference to the their school experience? organization: and performance of teaching (4) facilitate the formation of larger teams. )( •• : classes either on a continuing or on a special -Much of/the innovation in the use of purpose basis?

THE B.C. TEACHER JOB (5) provide opportunity for more flexible teacher-beginning teacher type, and co• grouping and sub-grouping of students ordinated type. within larger classes? Team Leader Type (6) offer the individual teacher more Under this team arrangement, two or time for planning and classroom prepara• more teachers are assigned joint respon• sibility for instructing a group of students. tion? One member of the team is designated as (7) provide "built-in" in-service growth team leader, or possibly team co-ordinator. features for teachers? In some eises this is only a status differen• (8) offer a useful way of inducting new tiation, but in jthers the team leader teachers into a school system? actually receives a higher salary than other (9) provide an opportunity to increase members of the group. The team leader teacher-pupil ratio without adding sub• serves as chairman of the planning sessions stantially to the teacher work load or with• and must exercise varying degrees of out reducing the effectiveness of teaching? leadership responsibility. In most instances Although these questions are not always the team leader teaches along with the stated in the published reports of team other members of the team, but th's does teaching ventures, they are implicit in the not appear to be universally true. Nonpro• thinking of those who are organizing teams fessionals are frequently assigned to these and those who are -^sponsible for the teams; they perform assigned non-teaching teaching itself. tasks. To date most experimentation in team In Lexington, Massachusetts, the leader teaching has occurred at the secondary of the team is described in this way: school level. Much of the stimulation for At the apex of the team hierarchy is the experimentation has been provided by The position of team leader. Tlie team leader, Commission on the Experimental Study of a specialist in a content area that comple• the Utilization of the Staff in the Secondary ments the areas of his senior teacher School." The work of this commission in assistants, also exercises certain general approximately one-hundred junior and administrative and co-ordinating functions. senior high schools in all parts of the coun• The team leader also has primary respon• try has been supported by the Ford sibility in his team for the identification of Foundation. pupil needs and readiness and for the A few teaching teams are also found in assignment of pupils to groups; for direct• elementary schools. Currently in the Nor- ing tlie continual re-examination and devel• walk, Connecticut, system seven elemen• opment of the curriculum; and for the tary teams are in operation; at the Franklin training and supervision of junior and School in Lexington, Massachusetts, four 3 less experienced personnel on his team. elementary teams are working; at Price To discharge his responsibilities effectively, School, Fort Wayne, Indiana, one elemen• 4 the team leader is released from classroom tary team is functioning. In each of these teaching responsibilities for about a third , three examples the schools have been of the school day. The career line from assisted either directly or indirectly this position would probably lead to a through support from Ford Foundation principalship and perhaps to the super- funds. intendency." Types of Teaching Teams In examining the status of team teach• Dr. Cunningham, Assistant ' Professor, ing, I was immediately struck by the Department of Education, University of variety of teams, or so-called teams, that Chicago, is editor of the Administrator's actually are in existence. There are similar Notebook, from the April, 1960, issue of teams but few are organized on the same which this article is reprinted. The Ad• basis. The teams described in the litera• ministrator's Notebook is a publication of ture can be divided into four categories- the Midwest Adminstration Center at the team leader type, associate type, master University.

109 DECEMBER. I960 A secondary team of this typo may in• for newcomers to be inducted into tlie clude only teachers from one subject area sy'^m. Sharing tho responsibility for in• or it may have representatives from several structing a group of youngsters permits the subject areas. In all cases teams organized less experienced members of tlie team to in this way work with large groups of mature under the direction of accomplished youngsters. There are probably more of professionals. Status difference:) are im• these than of any other type. plicit in this team arrangement, but these Associate Type normally exist between old-timers and An associate type team consists of two newcomers. or more teachers joining together as Co-ordinated Team Type colleagues for the instruction of a group o(; A number of schools have formed a youngsters. No one is designated as the variation of team organization in which official team leader. Leadership might be members have not been assigned joint re• best described as "situational." Planning sponsibility for a large group of students. and instruction are worked out co-opera• Members of such teams meet regularly for tively so as to recognize special talents in joint planning in an effort to integrate and deciding upon teaching responsibilities. co-ordinate teaching more effectively. When these arrangements involve teachers of the Teams in this classification are usually same subject, classes are brought together two or three member teams. Some have in auditoriums, cafeterias, or other large non-professional adults or students assigned areas for lectures or special presentations to them. At the high school level associate to large groups. In some cases teachers teams are sometimes composed of teachers switch sections during certain periods in from just one subject area and sometimes an effort to capitalize xipon special talents, more than one. Practices are- not at all but each team member retains personal uniform, but most of these teams work responsibility for a class of normal size. with large classes and a premium is placed It is questionable whether this should upon opportunities to work with sub-groups be included as a team type. The relation• of students. ships appear to be so loose and informal At Rich Township High School, Park that little can be expected from an or• Forest, Illinois, a two-member associate ganization of this character. team is working with three sections of American History students. Each section What About Results? has about seventy-five students assigned Reading the descriptive reports of team to it. Emphasis has been placed upon teaching projects is discouraging business developing effective methods for foiming —particularly if one is searching for objec• sub-groups and upon working out useful tive evidence of increased pupil growth. ways for students to carry on independent Repeatedly the reports end with the state• study within the large class framework. ment that little or no difference was found These teachers have additional planning in the achievement of the youngsters time as a result of the large class assign• taught by teaching teams when compared ments. with youngsters taught in the traditional Master Teacher-Beginning Teacher Type manner. It is not unusual to find beginning Evidently most of the thinking to date teachers, and sometimes teachers, with ex• has been at the organizational and adminis• perience but who are new to a system, trative level and not at the learning level. linked with one or more master teachers Considerable thought has been given to in a team assignment. For the most part improving the utilization of teacher talent, these projects include teachers of the same but only incidental attention has been subject working with large classes in junior given to impact upon learning. In a tenta• and senior high schools. tive list of seventeen findings from the One of the principal justifications for this Experimental Study of tlie Utilization of type is that it offers unusual opportunity the Staff in the Secondary School, only

THE B.C. TEACHER 110 three relate to learning directly and these demonstrate its value. appear to be tenuous: In nearly every report of team teaching Students can learn when taught by the team members and the administrators means of television, electronic tape, over• associated with these projects are en• head projector, and films. thusiastic about results. From my observa• Size of class in itself has little relation• tions of team teaching in operation, I would ship to the achievement of students. concur with these appraisals. The pro• Students can learn materials as well in fessional stimulation that a capable teacher large groups of 70, 100, or even 1100, as in receives from others cannot be discounted. traditional classes of 25-30." Teaching seems to take on new meaning, Of the few projects that have focused and considerable professional growth can more directly upon what happens to pupils occur. in these experiments, a team project of the team leader lype at tlie University of Whither the Team? Chicago Laboratory School is worth noting. Team teaching has all the earmarks of a An inter-subject team, under the direction fad. It is being tried in many places; it is of a team co-ordinator, was formed. The being discussed in many more. Although organizational modifications which were a there does not appear to be a genuine team part of this team were arrived at after teaching bandwagon, there is lots of careful consideration of the impact that interest. There are administrators and this innovation would have upon the learn• teachers who say they have team teaching ing process. Provisions were made at the and have had it for a long time, but more outset for data collection which would per• often than not many of these efforts can mit adequate judgments about the effective• not be thought of as bona fide teams. ness of the team arrangement in terms of: Available evidence does not provide ... (a) the degree to which extensive much encouragement for principals or information on individual differences and teachers who might like to try team teach• needs affects teaching method and course ing. But the absence of direct objective content, (b) tlie effect of intensive guid• data on pupil growth should not discourage ance on student learning and attitudes people from continuing to experiment with toward school, (c) the dimensions deter• the idea. Many projects have been re• mining the predicted shift in teaching ported prematurely in the past; team functions among members of the teaching arrangements need time to "shake down" team, (d) the attitude of students toward before they can be judged faiily. It is the large teacher-class unit, and (e) the possible too that some important gains frequency and extent of the changes in have been made as a result of team teach• schedule and sub-groups made possible by ing which have not been measured through the large unit of organization.' conventional appraisal methods. It should be recognized that all teachers It is regrettable that few programs seem can not be effective team teachers. But to have included this kind of advance plan• for those who are philosophically and ning. The enthusiasm for innovation and psychologically tuned to working closely getting under way apparently overrides with competent colleagues, team teaching the need for more careful attention to ex• can be a stimulating and rewarding, even perimental design and to techniques for though demanding, experience. When team evaluation. Administrators and teachers teachers have adequate time for joint who are interested in trying out new ways planning, when school administrators make of doing things are content to rely upon available adequate space for housing large intuitive appraisal. This, in itself, is un• classes, when school systems place a pre• fortunate enough but perhaps a greater mium upon superior performance, teachers weakness is the fact that it pluses the grouped into teams can make an important administrator in a tenuous position when contribution. he is asked to defend an innovation and to Continued on page 152

DECEMBER, I960 111 G. II. LEE

It Was Tried at Nelson

An application of team teaching

TpDUCATION TODAY in the Western flexible grouping of classes, class sizes to Hemisphere is facing a crisis. What range from 15 to 100 or more members. steps should be taken to meet the challenge Second, a more efficient use of teacher of the Iron Curtain countries? Every re• time and several levels of the teaching port leads us to believe that there is more function: i.e., secretaries, assistant instruc• effort, more material resources, and more tors, master teachers. These teacher groups enthusiasm being diverted to the channels would work as teams rather than as indi• of education than is being diverted in the viduals. Thirdly, there should lie a much West. There are two main schools of more extensive use made of the many thought on this continent as to how we mechanical teaching aids, visual and other• should meet this challenge. One for want wise. The last change would be in the of a better title might be called: "The best form of school buildings, which would be of all possible schools" theory. Those who more flexible to accommodate the other follow this line of thinking, notably Dr. changes mentioned above. Conant, feel that our schools are basically For some time now we have felt that sound; all that is required are a few minor some such change as visualized by the adjustments. The second school of thought Trump Commission is in order, and a very feel that tlie menace of tlie Soviet educa• modest start has been made in the L. V. tional challenge is too imminent to be met Rogers High School during tlie past three by our present system of education unless years. For two of these years the principal it makes some radical changes. The latter taught a double class of English 91 to find group is sparked by tlie Commission for the problems of teaching a larger group of Experimental Study of the Utilization of the pupils. Except for the obvious defect that Staff in tlie Secondary School Tlie com• tlie teacher could not give as much indi• mission is appointed by the National vidual attention as with a single class, there Association of Secondary School Principals, were surprisingly few complications. Stu• a Department of the National Education dent attention was excellent, most of the Association of the United States. common methods of teaching, with slight This committee, headed by Dr. J. Lloyd modifications, worked just as well with the Trump, has brought out several publica• large class as with'the regular size. It is tions dealing with their suggested recom• always difficult to evaluate accurately mendations. In brief, they feel there have achievement in any teaching program as to be four fairly radical changes in the there .ire so many variables to consider. In orthodox educational pattern. First, a more this case, however, the pupils appeared to

112 THE B.C. TEACHER do as well as, if not bettor than, when they Mr. Lee, the author, is principal of the were in the standard size classes. The per• L. V. Rogers High School in Nelson, where centage of failures in the Departmental this experiment in team teaching was examinations was the same as it had been, undertaken. when there had been two classes. Fortified with this information last year, as the usual size, and complained that there we went one step further and started to set was less time for each individual to dis• up the program for team teaching. The cuss and nsk questions about the work. timetable was so constructed that our top Most of the teachers concerned expressed two classes of Grade X pupils were placed a desire to go on with the idea of team on the timetable in the same blocks for teaching, and this year we have set up En 20, Sc 20, Ma 20, Fr 20 and SS 20. For teams for English 30, Math 30, Sc 20 and these subjects the classes were programmed Biology 91. We thought quite seriously of in adjoining rooms, one of which was large putting all our Junior Matriculation courses enough to scat the double class. The on the team basis but felt that we wanted teachers taking the classes were allowed to another year's trial before we were pre• combine the classes for all or a part of the pared to do this. work. Both ttsichers could be in the large classroom at the same time, or they could Apart from proving or disproving the make any other arrangement they liked, effectiveness of this more flexible type of provided they felt the standard of teaching organization, there are several advantages was maintained. At this stage, there was to be gained by setting classes back to back no compulsion placed upon the teachers in the timetable. In cases where one to work in teams. Teachers are individua• teacher of the team lacks experience, the lists and the team approach is somewhat experienced teacher can present the more alarming to many of them. From time to difficult portions of the course, and thus time during tlie year, the principal checked ensure equality of opportunity for both what was being done in these classes and a classes. The beginner can gain valuable meeting was held at the end of the year information by observation so that the prac• when the project was discussed at some tice can thus become a sound method of length. in-service training. It also allows for the making of the best possible use of each teacher's talents and experience. It can Some Teachers Approve save as much as fifty percent of a teachers Some of the more pertinent conclusions teaching time, which can be used for more from observations and comments are given thorough preparation of lessons or for below. The Math and French teachers marking assignments. Again in the use of made little use of the double classes. This mechanical aids to teaching, the double may have been because of the subjects or class is more economical and more efficient. just that the teachers assigned to these Classes so programmed suffer a minimum subjects did not wish to work together as dislocation from teacher absenteeism, since a team. The English, Science and Social it is seldom that both teachers belonging Studies teachers all used the double classes to the team are away at the same time. quite extensively. The teachers felt that This system also allows for a much more tlie double class gave them a challenge and flexible grouping of students; with two tended to "keep them on their toes." This teachers and two rooms the pupils can be was especially true if the team teacher was grouped with tlie weaker pupils in one present in the classroom. The Science room and those who have a good know• teachers saw to it that each part of the ledge of the lesson in the other. Although science course was taught by the specialist wc have had very little experience in this in the subject; i.e., physics, chemistry and type of organization to date, we are con• biology. There was no problem of con• vinced that it is a field of promise which trol in the larger class group. Some of the we cannot afford to lie fallow.-^- pupils did not like the large class as well

DECEMBER. I960 113 Replies to our 196 Policy Resolutions Re: Sabbatical Leave Re: Sick Leave 1. That the Department of Education be 2. (a) That the Department of Educa• asked to agree to an amendment to the tion be asked to incorporate in the grant Public Schools Act to provide for permis• structure provision for extension of cumu• sive sabbatical leave with pay, and also to lative sick leave. pay grants to school boards for this pur• (b) That such increased cumulative sick- pose. leave be at least partially retroactive with Reply: The Public Schools Act, Section tlie amount of allowable retroactive sick 129 (k), provides that the Board of a school leave to he worked out jointly by the De• district may, subject to any rules made by partment of Education, the B.C.S.T.A. and the Board, grant at its discretion, for a the Federation. stated period of time, leave-of-absence (c) That accumulated sick leave be made without pay to a teacher for the purpose of transferable from one district to another. professional improvement, for maternity, Reply: (a) Since School Boards include or for any other purpose acceptable to the as sharealile operating expenses, an amount

Board. ,; for substitute teachers' salaries there is, in The request that Section 129 (kj be modi• effect, provision of a grant for cumulative fied to permit leave with pay would add sick leave in all districts where the ap• greatly to the operating costy of the schools. proved operating costs exceed 9 mills for The Department believes that this increase Rural Districts and 12 mills for Municipal in costs is not justified at this time. Districts.

114 THE B.C. TEACHER (h) Lenve-of-absenco for illness is cumu• rooms, which include sufficient washroom lative under 132 (2) of the Public Schools facilities for teachers. Act as follows: "The allowance of loave-of- Reply: At the present time staff accom• absencc with full pay for that teacher shall modation is provided as follows: be treated as cumulative to the full extent One-room school: Nil. of the part of the aggregate allowance Two-room school: Office — Stall — Medi• unused." The cumulation cannot be in• cal (one room) with toilet. creased since it is now entirely cumulative. Three and Four-room school: Office Tho cumulation of sick leave is retroactive. Stall' — Medical (two rooms) with toilet. This portion of the Resolution therefore Five to Eight-room school: Office — Staff has no meaning since all of its requests are — Medical (three rooms) with two toilets. at present fulfilled by the actual provisions Nine-room school and over: Offices — of the Act. Staff — Medical (four rooms) with throe (c) The transfer of sick leave from one toilets. district to another does not appear to be Consideration is being given to some ad• justified. The purpose of providing sick ditional accommodation lor certain size leave benefits is for faithful services to the schools. employer. It is a relationship between the employer and the employee—not a profes• Re: Technical - Vocational School sional attribute such as an experience or a 5. That the Federation recommend that qualification. Sick leave benefits are not the Department of Education provide for transferable in other vocations, industries the establishment of a suitable technical - or governments. vocational institution in the Okanagan Val• ley area. Re: School Grounds Reply: The establishment of additional 3. Be it resolved that the Department of vocational - technical schools throughout Education adopt a more generous policy the province is a question that will in all in the sharing of costs of new school probability be answered in the "Chant" grounds. Commission on Education. Reply: The Province of British Columbia Until this Royal Commission Report has has been generous in sharing the costs of been tabled with the Government and its school sites. Such cost is shareable on the contents released to the public, little can same basis as the building cost, namely, be said at this time. 50%-50%, 75%-25%, 90%-10%. The shareable expenditures approved for Re: Special Programs and developing facilities such as blacktop courts Materials for Remedial Teaching and playing fields, has been limited to an 1. That the B.C. Teachers' Federation area which is believed adequate to meet urge the Department of Education to set the curriculum requirements. While this up facilities for special programs of instruc• does encourage School Boards to provide tion of slow learners and pupils of average facilities to this limit it does not prevent ability requiring remedial training, and them from developing areas of their own that these two groups receive separate choosing at the district's cost. On the aver• treatment. age the expenditure for school grounds de• velopment is approximately 4% of the con• Reply: (a) There is provision for School struction costs. An increase in playing field Boards to establish special programs of in• area for tlie small elementary school and struction for slow learners, both through intermediate size secondary school is being building programs and through teacher en• considered. titlement. (b) There is rjrovision, also, for estab• Re: Staff Rooms lishing remedial programs with the approv• 4. That every school be provided with al of teachers within entitlement. comfortable and adequately furnished staff Continued on page 111

DECEMBER. I960 1 IS JOHN GOUGH

This Program Meets Individual Needs

The Victoria Pre-employment Training Program for teen• age boys and girls is related directly to their needs and in• terests. The students have been challenged in a program that has directly assisted them in obtaining employment.

N SEPTEMBER, 1959, a new type of It was further estimated that at least instiuction was commenced in School another 100 boys in their early teens had District iTo. 61 (Greater Victoria). It was left school and had not found permanent a form of special education intended to employment. There was reason to believe meet tlie needs of a small minority of stu• that a large number of girls were in this dents of secondary school age who were category also. Thus, it became apparent withdrawing from school for various rea• that such boys and girls needed further sons. This development was considered education and vocational preparation to to be a forward step in that it made pro• make them more acceptable as potential vision for the instruction of pre-adolescents employees. whose interests and capacities were not being challenged by existing curricula and The Needs Of AH Youth teaching procedures. A few years ago, the "imperative needs Surveys conducted in tlie junior high of youth" were stated in a publication of schools of Greater Victoria during tlie past tlie National Education Association (Wash• two years had indicated that at least 100 ington, D.C.), entitled "Education for All teen-age boys were not benefitting from American Youth." These "imperative tlie regular school program. Most of these needs," listed below, are basically the same boys were of normal intelligence and be• as those which local School Board officials havior, yet almost all had expressed a had in mind when they embarked on the desire to leave school after completing only project described in these pages. Grade IX, or even a lower grade. If they All youth need to develop salable skills, had withdrawn, they would have found it and understandings and attitudes that extremely difficult, if not impossible, to make a productive worker. obtain suitable employment because they All youth need to develop and maintain had little to offer an employer in the way of good health. merchantable skills All youth need to understand their rights

THE B.C. TEACHER 116 and duties as citizens ol the community, the project, and (c) facilities and equip• state, and nation. ment were available for the type of instruc• All youth need to understand the family tion to be offered, particularly in the In• rind conditions of successful family life. dustrial r\rts shops. Ail youth need to know how to purchase and use goods and services. Composition and Interests of the- Class All youth need to understand the nature By the end of the 1959-60 school year, of the world and of man. the class contained 23 of the 23 boys whose All youth need opportunities to develop names had appeared on the Attendance appreciation of beauty in literature, art, Register. They came from nil parts of the music, and nature. School District and, in some instances, had All youth need to be able to use their a considerable distance, to travel. leisure time well and to budget it wisely. The main interests of the boys were to a All youth need to develop respect for large extent "non-academic," as this list other persons, ethical values and principles, shows: and ability to live and work co-operatively Automotive 5 Plastering 1 with others. Cooking (Cam])) 2 Truck Driving 1 All youth need to grow in their ability to Carpentry 2 Plumbing 2 think, to express their thoughts, and to Sheet Metal 1 Pet Shop 1 read and listen with understanding. Army (Forces) .... 2 Forestry 2 Fishing Watchmaking 1 An Experimental CJass (Cominerciiil).. 1 Aviation The experimental class, and it was, Welding 1 (Administration) 1 indeed, so, came into being in September, The ages of the boys ranged from 15 to 1959, with the approval of the Minister of 17 years of age. Although most of the Education, under provisions of Section students were of average intelligence, their 163(d) and (e) of the Public Schools Act. scholastic achievement had been such that The class consisted of 20 boys of approxi• they could not bo placed m regular Grade mately 15 years of age, recommended for X classes. In fact, some of them had transfer to it by the principals of the senior slio'^n little enthusiasm for continuing high schools. It was decided to designate their education. Thus, the schools were this group as a Pre-employment Training not anxious to retain them: industry could Class. not absorb them; and consequently several This caption appeared to be appropriate of the boys had turned to wandering the because the main objective of the project streets. was to help the students to acquire skills The boys gave these reasons for not and personal qualities that would assist attending regular classes: them in obtaining employment. By means 1. Not interested in the existing curricu• of (1) a modified curriculum and (2) prac• lum; and tical out-of-school experience in the business 2. Discouraged because of poor achieve• and industrial world of the community, it ment caused by illness, emotional insta• was intended that those enrolled in the bility, home conditions, etc. class would come to discover their poten• tialities and to realize that they were grow• Useful Courses Offered ing up satisfactorily. The Pre-employment Training Class was The class was placed at Mount View High organized to approximate, in so far as pos• School, a unit enrolling 530 pupils in Grades sible, conditions of business or industry. A X-XT.I, for these reasons: (a) this arrange• ment enabled the members of die class to be Mr. Gough, District Superintendent in associated with students of a similar age; Victoria, prepared this report on a special (b) the principal and staff of tlie school new program of instruction for the Vic• were very interested in, and sympathetic to, toria School Board.

DECEMBER. I9SO Manager, Secretary, Treasurer, Foremen pairing electrical appliances, welding, mak• and Workers were selected, liuch boy had ing articles of furniture, and gaining ex• opportunity at some time during the: year perience in using various machines as well to be the "boss," as well as a worker. as automotive information (tune-up, main• Tin; "curriculum" consisted essentially of tenance, etc.) the following: 1. Basic Arithmetic, including Shop Mathe• (i. Physical Education. matics. During the second term, a few of the boys 2. Practical English, such as letter writing, accepted afternoon employment as part of spelling, and making out invoices, receipts, the program. This was done with the co• cheques, etc. operation of the employers who permitted 8. Oral language, such as that involved in the instructor to visit the places of employ• talks to the class, explanations, the use; of ment periodically to assess the progress be• the telephone, the interview, etc. ing made by the boys. Only five boys parti• 4. Lectures and trips to industrial plants cipated in this phase of the course; one and business firms to provide an orienta• worked as a garage helper, one as a watch tion to the world of work. repair apprentice, one as a bowling green- 5. Shop work which placed emphasis on keeper and caddy, and the other worked in practical projects in the class, such as re• a hardware store.

Time Table (7-Day Cycle)

Period 1 Mathematics Knglish Matlicinnl ics English Mathematics Engl ish Mathematics 2 Business Business Knglish Mathematics English Business Business Practice Practice Practice Practice il Job Physical Shop Business Physical Shop Physical Analysis Training Science Practice Education Science Education Training i Shop Shop Shop Shop Shop Shop Shop Work Science Work Work Science Work Work 5 Shop Shop Job Shop Shop Job Shop Work Work Analysis Woik Work Analysis Work Training Training

Explanations Work. Taken as a group or individually. May or may not be part of regular Shop 1. All periods interchangeable and of vari• Courses given. able length, 4. Physical Education — taught with regu• 2. Shop Work or Commercial Subjects — lar classes given in gymnasium or as a to be fitted into regular classes of the separate group. school. 5. Safety and Personal Development — 3. Shop Work — includes Metal and Wood correlated with Job Analysis Training.

During the year, it became apparent tions in certain subjects as those being that several of the boys had developed a administered to students of the General change of mind — they wanted to re-enter Program in Grade X. The results, as one of the regular streams of high school shown on the following page, were most education. As a result, these students encouraging, both to the students and their were permitted to write the same examina• teacher.

its THE B.C. TEACHER Slutleiil I'lnsical Mai lis. Kng. Kng. I.A. I.A. llnilding Jo!> 1 loirc Ki No. I'.cl u c a t ion 21 I.ang. Lit. Wood Metal Construe. Training 20

1 1' 511 Sll S(i HI SI 02 00 C r r,-i 71 SO r>7 7S 78 -:i 1" 32 DO 70 OS 70 07 •i V so lil 81 SI SH 81) ,"i — [dined class .March ISth, 1001). lining well. o 1' ' 01 00 OS 88 78 87 7S 7 l' no .111 HI SO 70 70 8 p .1.1 33 HI 83 50 0 1" li", SI 08 83 83 80 7! 1(1 K\t'iii]il 70 Sli 80 HS 70 80 07 II Joined dass March '1Mb. 1000. Did well. 12 1' (ill S'.l SO 78 72 00 OH IS 1' (il SI SO H3 7S OS 00 II 1' fi7 32 7S SO 72 •12 IS 1' (17 02 72 00 81 Hi 1' S!) lil SO 71 •10 HI 72 17 1' 20 •18 72 00 00 SI IK 1' 38 liS 07 ->'\ S7 08 83 I) 10 1' (iK •II 7-1 70 07 7S 03 20 1' SO OS 07 Sli 32 80 21 1' 2S 7'l (ill 30 HS 22 1' 1(1 3S SO •13 •IS 23 — Joined class April 2Sth, 100C Satisfactory progress.

(Numbers represent "percent")

As tlie boys began to experience a feeling (iii) It stimulated the boys to improve of success, they put forth more and more their basic English and Mathematics. effort. Some enrolled for correspondence (iv) It encouraged some boys to con• courses which, upon completion, gave them tinue their education in expectation of credits enabling them to earn an equivalent eventually graduating with Grade XII standing for Grade X on the General Pro• standing. gram. Reactions of parents towards this training In June, 1960, nine of tlie boys left school course were obtained by means of a letter, with a Grade X (equivalent) standing, ten sent to the homes in May, 1960. All of the boys were advanced to Grade XI, and the replies that were received indicated that remainder were assigned to further pre- parents were both enthusiastic and grate• employment training. Each one received a ful: some expressed the hope that the certificate showing his achievement. course would be continued. Typical of the responses was the one that read "we feel Looking Back And Forward that if there were more similar courses in Looking back over the experiment, those the city, there would be fewer boys in in charge of the class are prompted to make trouble." these observations: 1. In general, the students in tlie class By June, 1960, School Board officials changed greatly in attitude, behavior and were convinced that the Pre-employment general outlook on life. Training Program should be expanded. 2. This type of training achieved the fol• Preparations were made for adding two lowing results: classes the following September — an extra (i) It offered helpful guidance to tlie one for boys and an initial class for girls. boys during a difficult period of their de• Both of these were to be accommodated in velopment, namely 15 to 18 years of age, the Victoria High School where facilities and, at the same time, gave them much in the Shops and Home Economics labora• needed training of a practical sort. tories were considered to be conducive to (ii) It taught citizenship and developed the development of a suitable program in self-confidence. pre-employment training.-^-

DECEMBER. 1960 119 What We Said

To acquaint teachers with some aspects of B.C.T.F. Brief to the Royal Commission on Education, toe are continuing our series of sections of that brief. This is the section deal• ing willi pupil progress. Tlie article following deals with the academic day and year.

Examination Procedures additional examination, the results of which ALTHOUGH THE British Columbia will be — Teachers' Federation believes that the P: Passed; credits awarded length of the school year is adequate, we or suggest that more efficient use should be F: Failed; no credit awarded. made of the term from Easter to June in 4. Recommendation should he on the the secondary schools of the province. To basis of achievement throughout the year.1 this end we believe that a critical look at This last item is stressed in the Adminis• the present promotional policy in secon• trative Bulletin. Although we agree that all dary schools is needed. pupils should work to capacity throughout Departmental policy and procedures for the year, we wish to point out that this making recommendations in accredited aim cannot be realized under existing con• schools are set forth in the Administrative ditions. Bulletin for Secondary Schools. The follow• The present recommendation system de• ing points are particularly noteworthy. mands too much of human nature from 1. Letter grades of A, B, C+, and C are both students and staff. Most students in required for recommendation in all subjects accredited schools are in a position, about in which the school is permitted to recom• the middle of April, to estimate closely the mend for standing. subjects in which they expect recommenda• 2. Pupils with marginal letter grades of tion. They know their year's averages at C—, D, and E must write and pass the this time, and they know of the recommen• Department of Education examination pro• dation system. To expect students to work vided in order to obtain credit on the Uni• diligently in class and in home study at a versity Program. subject they know they have passed is un• 3. Pupils with marginal letter grades of realistic. Only those who are conspicuously C—, D, and E in courses taken for Uni• idle or foolhardy forfeit, their recommended versity Program credit and for which De• status. partment of Education examinations are At no time during the school year should not provided must write a final school pupils be allowed to feel that their work is examination" which the school board may not subject to testing. Yet the period when provide and which is not necessarily an their work is no longer subject to critical

120 THE B.C. TEACHER examination, constitutes a huge portion ol' Pupil Retention the school year. The absence of a compel• (a) The Slow Learner ling reason lor concentration results in a The question of retention mainly involves loss of learning for many students. two types of learners—tlie. slow learner (I.Q. Further subtle iniquities are noticeable. approximately SO and below) and the be• Students who expect recommendations in low-average learner (I.Q. approximately SO one or two subjects lend to concentrate to 100). In the Vancouver school system their efforts on subjects which they know the slow learner is first placed in a junior they will have to write. Teachers may special class. When he is approximately spend more lime on these examination eleven years of age, he continues on to a candidates. Teachers are inclined to feel senior special class in tlie elementary school that they arc held in judgment for the organization. On graduation from the ele• results of C—, D and E students. Further• mentary organization, the slow learner is more, the students who would really profit placed in a junior high school special class. from sustained efforts to the end of the At present there arc thirty-five junior spe• term are the more able or "recommended" cial classes in the elementary school organ• group. ization, and eight junior high school special It is argued that the recommendation classes in the secondary school organiza• system frees students from the fears as• tion. sociated with exams. This is not so, for the Several other school districts, with the standings necessary for recommendations financial help of the Department of Educa- are usually determined by classification ex• fion, arc making reasonably adequate pro• aminations patterned consciously after de• vision for the education of slow learners. partmental examinations. As there is little In many districts, however, :^nch has yet evidence that universities will abandon the to be done. As the population o," the prov• examination system, students should be ince increases, the number of slow learners prepared to write such examinations. Fur• will correspondingly increase, and the need thermore, a good examination, in itself, is for special classes for slow learners will a learning experience of great value. become more imperative.2 (b) The Below-average Learner In June, 1958, the Vancouver School In contrast to the progress made in meet• Board required all pupils in grades seven ing the needs of the slow learner, little or and eight to write final examinations. The nothing has been accomplished for the purpose was, among other things, to keep below-average learner cither at the local students working at peak performance to or at the provincial level. He is first identi• the end of the term. Those members of the fied in the elementary school. In the sec• Federation who were in a position to note ondary school he becomes a serious prob• the change in attitude and application of lem. His interests are non-acadernic. Be• pupils who realized that they were faced cause he has difficulty in following either with the challenge of final examinations are oral or written directions, and because of heartily in favor of final examinations for his short attention span, he usually obtains all high school grades. Furthermore, this letter grades in the D and E categories. type of motivation is recognized as one of Promotion for him is more a matter of age tlie most effective means a teacher may em• than of ability. From grade four on, teach• ploy to stimulate a large group to maxi• ers are increasingly aware of this pupil. He mum effort. We therefore suggest: becomes a discipline problem. Because 1. That a study be made to determine academic work becomes progressively more ways to keep students from grades seven to difficult, he eventually leaves school, in• eleven inclusive working at peak perform• adequately prepared for other than tlie ance to the end of the school year. most routine tasks. 2. That a study be made to determine ways to improve the grade twelve exam• Scholastic Retardation ination system. The decision to retard a child is difficult

DECEMBER. I960 121 to make. Quito apart iron) academic con• promotion, we suggest thai the pupil cover siderations, 1 lis physical, emotional, and tho work at a pace commensurate with his social needs must be taken into account. physical, emotional, mental and social cap• The guiding principle is the welfare of the abilities. It is possible that .sonic plan of child. pacing such as tho Hamilton plan'-' should In the light of this statement, it is diffi• bo developed to replace tho traditional sys• cult to set forth a definite policy on retar• tem of promotion and retardation. To this dation. Each case should bo judged on the end wo make tho billowing recommenda• basis of all relevant data with a view to tion: mooting the needs of a particular child at Recommendation a particular stage of development. To 2:1 That the Department of Education guard the child against over-retardation, conduct a study of methods of pacing pre• we suggest that no child should bo re• sently used in Canadian schools, with a tarded more than two years in elementary view to informing teachers uirl others of school. This principle is in keeping with possible benefits to bo gained Irom such the "best thought in the matter (which) methods. seems to be to reduce non-promotion to a minimum in the elementary schools."''1 Teacher Entitlement for Remedial Teachers Scholastic Promotion Qualified remedial teachers can do much Consideration of promotional policy has to help pupils at all levels of ability who been highlighted in part because of school are having difficulty in the tool subjects of emphasis on the learning needs of gifted mathematics and reading. Insofar as re• children. Programs for the gifted are now tardation is concerned, wo believe that in operation in many schools in British Co• remedial teaching would further reduce lumbia. The success of this or any new pro• the rate of non-promotion. Wo make the gram will depend largely upon teamwork following recommendation- involving teachers, principals, local super• Recommendation intendents, and officials of the Department 24. That teacher entitlement in elemen• of Education. Long befoj

THE B.C. TEACHER •J2Z ill tlie following: needs revision. If the present trend towards The process of reporting pupil progress streaming continues, reports in the re• is in a state of ihix. There is demand for spective learner categories should more ac• information that will tell parents and others curately interpret the academic achieve• with delinitenoss where their children arc ment of the pupil. Today one report format showing strengths or weaknesses as judged purports to serve all pupils in our schools. by normal expectations ol children ol their We suggest that reporting lie subject to ages and opportunities. There is also de• study on the part of teachers, principals, mand for information that describes a and local superintendents. To this end wi: pupils progress in a way analytical enough submit the following recommendations: to give helpful guidance and to indicate Recommendations the pupil's likelihood of success in continu• 2(i. That reports be devised to interpret ing to work in certain fields, both in later more accurately the academic achievement years in school and in advanced institu• of children in our schools. tions." 27. That a measure of local autonomy be We believe that the present method of granted school districts in the adaptation reporting to parents in British Columbia of reports to local circumstances, -fa

Ucfcicnt'cs 1. Ocpailmcnt of Education, Administrative llitllc- Children, Harper and Urol hers. New York, 1958, tin for Secondary Schools, Queen's Printer, Vic• Preface. toria. 1958. pp. 59, GO. 5. Van I.oon. J. \V„ Canadian Education, Vol. 2. cf. Slow Learner Section. XIII, Canadian Education Association, Toronto, 3. Trends in Cily School Organization /93S-I9IS, September, 1958, pp. I(i-5I. NEA Research Uullctin, Vol XXVII, No. 1, p. 5. John W. M. Rothncy, "Evaluating and Reporting .18. cited in Rcavis, Pierce, Suillken and Smith Pupil Progress", Administration of Elementary "Admiti'stering the Elementary School," New Schools, Harlan L. Ilagtnan, McGraw-Hill Hook York, Prentice-Hall Inc., 1953. p. 351. Company Inc., Toronto. I95fi, p. 199. •I. Abraham, Willarcl, Common Sense About Gifted

What We Said about The Academic Day and Year

HE BRITISH COLUMBIA Teacher^ mental and emotional resources. At the end T Federation believes that the length of- "of the regular school day pupils and teach• the academic day and year should be con• ers ahi physically and mentally tired. sidered in relation to the problems of pupil- Learning docs not take place only in tlie teacher load and teacher supply. Any in• classroom. The child learns much from free crease in the length of the school day or association with others. He should have of the school year would involve an in• time to play, to explore, to grow, and to crease in the work-load of teachers. Since mature. Apart from the classroom environ• tlie pupil-teacher ratio in most schools is ment, he needs to develop freely as an in• such as to make many teachers believe dividual. Given the opportunity to do these their work-load to be quite heavy, it is things, he will approach the formal learn• likely that this increase would have an ing situation in the classroom in a better undesirable effect upon the problem of state of balance simply because he is more teacher supply. . relaxed. If quality of instruction is to be main• Length of the School Day tained and improved, teachers should have ..• Those who suggest that the school day time for the adequate preparation of teach• be lengthened are hardly realistic in terms. ing assignments. Apart from this considera• of the child's or the teacher's physical, tion, teachers must mark students' books

DECEMBER, I960 1Z3 and help backward students. As a result teaching profession and that therefore as the teachers' day is much longer than the far as relative change is concerned the teaching day. To lengthen the teaching day vacation question is beside the point. It is to deny teachers n time to relax. Relaxa• should also be recognized that such "vaca• tion is vitally important if they arc to main• tions" urc, when properly applied, working tain a vigor and a freshness of outlook in periods in which the teacher fits himself teaching and in resolving the diverse hu• through study and reflection for his subse• man problems with which they are con• quent teaching duties. A teacher on a fifty fronted. The quality of teaching, rather week or even an eleven month teaching than tho length of the school day, is the year would soon be unfitted for his occupa• important consideration. tional responsibilities, It is true that many teachers work for money in periods when A recent report prepared by the Interna• they are h.)t in residence, but such prac• tional Labor Office supports the statements tices, though they have become financially necessary, arc contrary to the educational made above: 2 In relation to the hours of work of teach• interests of the community. ing staff there is quite a widespread ten• Recommendation dency among many members of the public We make the following recommendation: to compare the number of hours for which 86. That the length of the school year they have to teach and the hours applying remain as now established by the Coun• in public services generally or in other simi• cil of Public Instruction. lar work, and to compare the teachers' hours of duty with their holidays, the con• Size of Classes clusion reached being that teaching staff Docs the pupil-tcaeher ratio in the arc, if not in a privileged position, at any schools of British Columbia today permit rate not too badly off. In this connection it the teacher to provide fully for the unique should be borne in mind that not only is nature and needs of each of his pupils? In the teacher's function a very important one some classes, particularly in those for the but the teacher spends most of his time slow learners and the gifted, the answer is either with children or with young people doubtless in the affirmative. Here, size of whom he must instruct, educate and train. class is limited in order that the teacher in Besides the intellectual effort involved, this each learning situation may make the best calls for a considerable expenditure of possible use of his talents and the children's nervous energy and leads to a good deal of abilities. In the Vancouver school system, fatigue.1 for example, the maximum number of Recommendation pupils in junior and senior slow-learning We make the following recommendation: classes is fifteen. Although slow-learning 85. That the length of the school day classes at the junior high school level have ; remain as now established by the Council a maximum of thirty pupils, at no time does/ of Public Instruction. the special class teacher have more thai? fifteen pupils in a learning situation. The Length of the School Year other half of the class is engaged in The following quotation is pertinent to courses such as industrial arts and home any consideration of lengthening the school economics. Classes for the gifted have a year: recommended maximum of twenty-five Two observations in general may be pupils. This number is in keeping with the made to clarify popular misunderstandings "consensus of ... opinion of school authori• as to the life of the teacher. First, the ties . . . that classes in elementary schools teacher is thought to gain something in should not have more than thirty pupils and 3 terms of long vacations and, at the higher probably as few as twenty-five." levels, in the conventional sabbatical year. In contrast to this principle, the child in It, should be noted that such provisions most classes in the urban schools of British have always been characteristic of the Continued on page 130

.124 THE B.C. TEACHER Teacher-sponsored Studies

A summary of the discussions on In-service Education at the 1960 Workshop

W. V. ALLESTER B.C.T.F. Executive Assistant

THHE PARTICIPANTS in the 1960 Sum- told of arrangements made by supervisors •*- mer Workshop at Nelson discussed or consultants for inter-school visiting in-service education, pensions, membership within a school district. In the latter case, and curriculum. It became obvious that the role of the local association might only the first of these topics covered a great be the recommendation to authorities that variety of activities, at the individual, such arrangements be encouraged. school, local association, regional and pro• The difficulties involved in obtaining vincial levels. However, all in-service pro• off-campus credit courses in parts of die jects are aimed at contributing to more province distant from the University were effective teaching. recounted. The delegates were interested In each of the four discussion groups, in the experiment of Prince George where• the main emphasis was on the in-service by a member of the English Department education work of the local association. is to be resident there for a winter, giving Some of tlie delegates had little to report three English courses. They were pleased from their own areas; others told of a busy to know of die experience of the U.B.C. program involving a large number of teach• Mathematics Department in offering a ers. Some found that off-campus credit credit course at Nanaimo. It seemed courses served most of the in-service needs obvious that much more could be done, in of their members; others emphasized a off-campus courses, if the Faculty of Arts variety, of non-credit activities. Among the and Sciences provided these in comparable items reported were: monthly meetings of numbers to those given by the Faculty of rural or primary or English teachers; a Education. series of discussion sessions on reading or The in-service value of displays was science or modern mathematics; one-day agreed upon. Co-operation has been re• workshops on secondary English or Cuisen• ceived from publishers in arranging small aire arithmetic or geography; and speakers displays of books in specific fields such as for the program of a regular meeting on a Primary leisure reading or French teach• number of topics. One local association had ing. The B.C. Art Teachers' Association arranged for teachers to visit schools in has prepared one travelling display and it Bellingham and Seattle, at times when is possible that others will be made up Canadian schools were closed and Ameri• in the future. can schools were in session: Other delegates Continued on page 146

DECEMFER. I960 125 C. M. BLOIS

Council Activity in Fraser Valley East

A report on another active District Council

EACHERS IN THE geographical area dustries of logging and agriculture. The T known as Fraser Valley East have in economy of the Canyon area is based main• common with teachers throughout the prov• ly on the forests which clothe the mountain ince, a pride in their profession and a slopes. Some of the province's best agri• devotion to their work. Evidence of this cultural lands make possible the dairying interest in matters educational is shown by and small fruits industries of the Fraser tlie activity of twenty-five representatives valley centers. In addition numerous saw• who meet in Abbotsford four times during mills, ranging in size from the large cedar the school year to conduct the business of il'ill of B.C. Forest Products at Hammond the Fraser Valley East District Council. to the small tie-mills, dot the landscape This area comprises a large section of the along the Fraser. The tourist trade and the Fraser Valley and stretches from Boston retailing and distributing of goods help to Bar in the heart of the Fraser Canyon to diversify the nature of the economy. Be• Abbotsford on the south side of the river sides the people dependent on the forego• and to Maple Ridge, relatively close to the ing sources of income there are many others metropolitan area on the north side of the who, though working in the metropolitan Fraser. In all, six school districts are in• area, commute from homes in the lower cluded. Farthest east in the Canyon area, Fraser Valley. This trend has increased to as the name, implies, is the Fraser Canyon such an extent in the last few years that School District including such centers as construction can now be classed as one of Boston Bar, .Yale and Hope, all of great the important industries in much of the historic significance in the development of valley area. our province. Farther west on tlie south The people in this geographical region side of the Fraser are the districts of differ greatly in racial.background, occu• •Chilliwack and Abbotsford. North of the pations, and interests. Serving them in the Fraser are the three districts of Agassiz, field of education are seven hundred nine . Mission and Maple Ridge. teachers who are members of the six;?6cal The people living in the valley depend associations within the district council. iOf for their livelihood on the two main in- these, two are relatively small associations '•

DECEMBER. 1960 127 graphical area to meet for professional ad• other groups have their associations and vancement, for interchange of ideas, for hold regular meetings. All these focal discussion of problems and to benefit from chapters of P.S.A. are important in the special resource people who can be brought growth and strength of the provincial as• into the area only at such times. Further• sociations. Jn this field, Fraser Valley East more, this is the time when all teachers is showing great professional advancement have an opportunity to hear their elected through in-service education. Federation and district council officers and Early in the school year the district coun• executive staff. cil sponsors a regional leadership confer• Since the district council was first form• ence for table officers of local associations. ed, public relations officers from all the These conferences acquaint local associa• local associations have met during the dis• tion leaders with B.C.T.F. policy on im• trict council meetings for the purpose of portant matters, with their duties in the planning and co-ordinating their activities. posts they hold, and help them to function Because public relations officers should be with greater efficiency. Another activity well informed on Federation activities and of the district council is in the field of because they have always taken a great salary co-ordination which is done through interest in district council proceedings, they a regional co-ordinator who reports to dis• have recently been made voting members trict council. of the district councils. Two main sources of revenue provide Perhaps the most active groups within the financial means to operate the organ• the council are the local chapters of the ization. One of these is the B.C.T.F. Provincial Specialist Associations. Though grant based on approved expenses of mem• these are not organized directly by the bers attending the meetings. The other district council their activities are encour• is a part of every teacher's convention fee. aged and followed with great interest by Seventy-five cents per member is ear• district council members. Meeting monthly marked for the district council treasury. in Abbotsford, the English teachers carry This amount varies as all profits, if any, on an ambitious program of study, book from the convention are turned over to reviews and discussions. The president of district council. this group is Miss Louise Poole of Maple Thus, from the interchange of ideas and Ridge Senior High School. Social Studies the comparison of local activities, the Teachers' Association executive is from members of the district council aire drawn Fraser Valley East with Mr. Peter Anders together by a common bond of interest in of Chilliwack serving as president. The working for the benefit of all teachers. Administrators have their association which Their reward lies in the personal satisfac• meets at Abbotsford on call of the presi• tion that comes from the knowledge that dent who presently is Mr. Lewis, principal their efforts are furthering the status of of Mission Se-ior High School. Various their rJrofession. -jAr

The Teacher's Task What a gigantic task confronts the films, broken homes due to laxity in the schoolmaster — to influence the younger marriage obligations, the advertisement of generation to take the right road. His task sex in certain of the newspapers — all of is made the more difficult by modern con• these impose a severe strain on the adol• ditions of life. The, boy today faces tempta• escent boy, and the development of char• tions and problems greater than you and I acter under such conditions is not easy. ever had to face. The thriller, gangster — FIELD MARSHAL VISCOUNT MONTGOMERY OF ALAMEIN

123 THE B.C. TEACHER G. P. MASON

Whafs in an I.Q.?

This case history suggests a strong relationship between im• proved emotional adjustment and intelligence test performance.

qpHE I.Q. OF A CHILD is a measure of Jeannette thus entered her present home his ability to respond to certain test in 1955 at the age of seven and a half years. questions. It is a measure of his level of At this time she lied continually, stole re• functioning in response to test stimuli under peatedly, and was defiant and hostile to her relatively controlled conditions. This level teachers at school. At home she was sub• of functioning may be seriously depressed missive and withdrawn. She had no friends, by emotional factors, whether situational or and belonged to no clubs, being quite un• chronic. able to play with other children. The following is a brief synopsis of a As the result of careful handling in her case history of a child in one of the public present home Jeannette has shown gradual, schools of British Columbia. It suggests but considerable change in her general be• a strong relationship between improved havior. She no longer lies nor steals. She emotional adjustment and intelligence test has one or two friends. A few months ago performance. she demonstrated affection for her new par• Jeannette C. was born in 1948, the second ents for the first time. The last four years, child to irresponsible parents. Three years from a clinical standpoint, appear to have and three children later, as a result of de• been a period of improving adjustment in teriorated home conditions, the Children's which her new parents appear to have Aid Society was obliged to assume custody been a major environmental factor. Both of the five children. Jeannette spent a year are professional workers with advanced de• and a half in a reception home and then grees. Both evidence superior general ad• approximately one year in each of two fos• justment and character, and great interest ter homes. At the end of this period the in the child. Both are kindly and sympa• subject was hospitalized for two months as thetic in their handling of the girl, but ex• a result of a complaint from the foster home pect high standards of performance from that she was "mentally disturbed." On dis• her. charge from the hospital she was placed in another foster home for six months and The author of this report of increased then in. her present home where eventually I.Q. is Associate Professor in the Depart• she was legally adopted. ment of Psychology at Victoria College.

129 DECEMBER, I960 Jearinctto's intclligcnco test record over simple live point scale from A to E with a tho past four years is of interest. 5';;,, 20%, 50%, 20%, 5% distribution. Table I Table 2 Standard 9\r. lil jr. Ilyr." "la. ARC Test I.Q. Score Language C. C ('. It It A H yr. 1 mo. 1 lcnmon-Nelson DO -O.H.'I Spelling C, C 11 It A A 8 yr. 10 mo. Slanfotd-Itinci Form I. 83 — 1.01) Arithmetic 1) K C C It A 9 yr. 5 mo. Heninon-Nclson 111 + 0.75 Writing K F. c c 11 It 11 yr. 1 mo. Otis Self Reading C C c. c. C II Administering 125 + 2.0:") 12 yr. 0 mo. Stanford-Hinct In summary, the subject five years ago Fortti 1. 128 +1.7") manifested sufficient emotional disturbance Both the Stanford-Binet tests were ad• to warrant hospitalization. Since that time ministered by a. professional psychologist. progressive improvement in her emotional The other tests were given in school. adjustment has been accompanied by a rise The demonstrated increase in functional from a Stanford-Binet intelligence quotient ability with regard to intelligence tests is at the 15 Centile to one at the 95 Gentile, accompanied by improvement in her school and by a considerable increase in school grades which have been evaluated on a grades, it

Academic Day and Year mine the optimum number of pupils per teacher for the most effective development Continued from page 124 of the child. Columbia is likely to be one of forty in an elementary school, or one of thirty-five in Supervision Duties of Teachers a secondary school. In the heterogeneous The members of the Federation believe grouping of the conventional class, the that teachers should be freed from much teacher, constantly working under pressure of the responsibility of supervising children of numbers, must rely on mass instruction outside of class time. The task of general rather than on individual teaching. The supervision is physically and emotionally pupil can count on little individual help in tiring. We believe that better teaching class. This condition of affairs constitutes will result if the teachers are relieved of a denial of the basic principle of equality this task. of educational opportunity. It is difficult, if Recommendations not impossible, to teach thirty-five or forty We make the following recommenda• individual and unique personalities without tions: great loss in the development of individual 88. That provision be made to relieve potentialities. Only minimum progress can teachers of the task of general supervision thus be made towards the attainment of before school, at noon-hour, and after the twelve vital objectives of education school. summarized in the Administrative Bulle• 89. That the Department of Education tin.* This is one of the most deplorable conduct a study of the policy of super• situations in our school system today. vision as it affects teachers or. school Recommendation premises. We make the following recommendation: 90. That representatives of the Federa• 87. That research be conducted to deter• tion be asked to participate in this study. References 1. International Labor Organization, General Re• Now, New York, 195fi, p. 15. view of Social and Economic Problems Affecting Rcavis, I'earce, Stullken and Smith, Administer• Teachers, International Labor Office, Geneva, ing the Elementary School, I'rcnticc-Hall, New 1958, p. 52. York, 1953, p. 338. 2. The Fund for the Advancement of Education, Administrative Bulletin for Secondary Schools, • Bulletin No. I: Teaching Salaries Then and Department of Education, Victoria, 1958, p. 9.

130 THE B.C. TEACHER Newspapers in the Classroom

A report on a workshop on the use of the daily press in the classroom and. some suggestions for Social Studies teachers on the techniques involved.

R. W. PRITTIE

R. DENIS BROWN ot Victoria and washing" by those sponsoring the Work• M• I, along with twenty-one American shop. In any case it would have failed with teachers, were delegates to a Press Educa• that critical group of teachers. tion Workshop in Los Angeles. The Work• Why docs the Newspaper Publishers' shop was under the direction of the Dean Association sponsor these workshops? They of the School of Education of U C L A, Dr. are quite frank about it. They want Howard E. Wilson. He was assisted by teachers to encourage young people to Mr. Duane S'pilsbury and Mr. Charles Katz- read newspapers. This desire to maintain man. The latter is a former newspaperman circulation would not be sufficient reason who is now a member of the University's for teacher participation in such efforts, Department of Journalism. but it happens to suit our purposes to The group met every day for approxi• encourage newspaper reading by our stu• mately five hours. Part of the time we dents. teachers exchanged information and tech• A Social Studies course is incomplete niques on the use of the newspaper in the without adequate time allotted for current classroom. At other times we heard talks events. I agree that our students should by working newspaper people. In this way study about Bolivar, Garibaldi, Bismarck, we had an opportunity to learn the methods and the other leaders of the nineteenth used by other experienced teachers and tlie century nationalism, but they should know, daily operation of the newspaper business. too, of Mboya, Banda and Nasser. Not• withstanding the contributions which tele• Those in charge had arranged an inter• vision and radio can make in tlie dissemin• esting program of speakers. These speakers ation of news — current history — the local included the city editors of the four Los daily newspaper, despite general and par• Angeles dailies, the West Coast Corres• ticular failings, is still the best source of pondents of the New York Times and the national and international news for most Christian Science Monitor, the publisher of us. Some teachers deplore the fact that of a suburban daily, representatives from the local daily is not a Times, Monitor, or the wire services, and several columnists Guardian. They forget that such news- and editorial writers. From these talks and the discussions which followed, we gained an understanding of newspaper operation and newspaper people which, for most of Mr. Prittie, of Burnaby North High 'lis, had not existed before. The teachers School, was the B.C. teacher sponsored by asked many frank questions about the op• the Vancouver Sun at a recent Press Edu• erations of the newspapers and made many cation Workshop at University of Cali• criticisms of them. At times the newsmen fornia, Los Angeles. He was selected by defended the press and at times freely a committee of representatives of the Sun, admitted that the criticisms were justified. the Department of Education and the Certainly there was no attempt at "brain Federation.

DECEMBER. I960 131 papers are possible only in areas of con• present they are following the events in the siderable population and that they are read Union of South Africa with much interest. by a minority, albeit important, in those Before beginning this experiment, I gave places. The average citizen can be well some lessons on the make up of a news• informed if he knows how to read the local paper: the purpose of the editorial page, press intelligently. the function of the columnists, the opera• I am well aware that competent Social tion of the wire services, the recognition of Studies teachers have always employed objective and slanted reporting, and other newspapers in many ways. Consequently, information of this kind. To check the to many, the following classroom uses of success of this method I plan to follow up tlie newspaper will not be at all new. with a questionnaire to try to find if there One use, the pinning of news clippings has been any carry over—to determine if, on bulletin boards, will not be successful in fact, the students are reading the news• unless the students can be encouraged to paper more at home than they did before read them. An attractive layout and the these news lessons began. provision of time during the period is necessary. At times I have given the res• Useful Tool for Social Studies ponsibility of preparing the board to small It is obvious that the newspaper can be groups of students. employed more extensively in social studies Another use is the news test. Frequently than in other subjects. But it can be used I have a student prepare a brief test on the as a tool in English and modern languages. highlights of the week's news. He must For example, French language newspapers have the relevant clippings to support each can be available for French classes. item. After the test each question can be For those who are interested in learning the basis for a discussion. more about this topic there is information Younger students particularly can be available. The teachers attending the Work• encouraged to keep scrapbooks on certain shop produced a number of mimeographed topics such as a country under study, outlines of tlie many classroom uses of the nuclear tests, Canada's petroleum resources, newspaper. In order that interested teach• and so on. They will usually peruse the ers may have access to them I have placed daily newspaper avidly for the particular copies with the Lesson Aids Department items for their scrapbooks. of the Federation. Teachers in the Lower Mainland may borrow my own set upon Have Papers in Classroom request. However, I have found that the best method is to actually have the newspaper I realize that some teachers hesitate to in the classroom. In this connection it is spend tlie time on current events because interesting to note that one of tlie Los they fear that courses will not be com• Angeles dailies now produces a weekly pleted. But current events are part of the edition designed for secondary school stu• Social Studies courses. A reference to the dents. This has some merit but it is a ser• Department of Education Bulletin "Social vice not likely to bo • available in many Studies 1958" will reveal that ". . . the places. Most dailies have extra copies teaching of important contemporary events which they are quite willing to send to any . .." is recommended to the teachers of school requesting them. At the present Social Studies 20. Similar references ap• time I receive a class set of t' 3 Wednesday pear in the general introduction to the edition of a Vancouver daily. I examine it Bulletin and in the introductions to the and select a number of. news and editorial individual courses. It can be done if a items on local, national, and international definite amount of time is provided each events which I think will interest the stu• week. If current events teaching results in dents. These items are listed on the board. better informed citizens, one of the aims After they have had time to read them, a of the social studies will have been discussion on some topic may follow. At achieved, -^r

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DECEMBER. I960 133 Action Research to Improve School Practices

R. DANIELS Chairman, Research Committee

HE RESEARCH COMMITTEE feels and better research methods. No one has T that there is a reluctance on the part a corner on these bettor methods. They of teachers to engage in action research are learned with practice. To refrain from and to let others know about their findings trying because one lacks skill or has per• when they do engage in it. This reluctance fectionist aspirations precludes improve• may be a result of perfectionist aspirations ment, and improvement is what counts.'"' or of mistaken ideas about the aims and What are the characteristics of the range values of action research. We hope this of research between the subjectivity of com• article will show action research in a new mon sense and the rigid standards of light. The article is a digest of sections of science? To this range the term "action an excellent book, Action 'Research- to Im• research" is often applied to distinguish it prove School Practices, by Stephen M. from what is called pure research. There Corey. The book is a publication of the are only minor differences in methodology Horace Mann-Lincoln Institute of School between action research and pure research. Experimentation, Teachers College, Col• In either case the researcher makes a defini• umbia University (1953). tion of the problem, forms an hypothesis, designs the experiment, devises measuring In addition to tlie ideas summarized here methods and collects evidence and, finally, the book describes many examples of action forms generalizations. The vital difference research and carefully expounds the char• is in aims. Whereas pure research aims at acteristics which a school situation needs "truths," action research aims to improve to have if action research is to be carried current practices in a particular school out. situation. Thus, where pure research is The separation of research and practice carried on in a laboratory situation, action is based at least partly upon the belief research goes on in the hurly-burly of that there is a sharp distinction between regular classrooms and schools. The at• the methods of science and those of com• tempt is not made to control all the var• mon sense. The distinction is "unrealistic."1 iables. But a great deal more care is There "is really only a relative difference. exercised than is the case in the common . . . It is possible to progress, by stages, sense approach to problems.' from the method of problem solving that As the degree of care increases the re• results in actions in which relatively little search moves along the scale toward so• confidence can be placed to a method phisticated research. It is one of the resulting in actions in which a greater important side-effects of action research degree of confidence can be placed."2 "The that those involved will improve their fact that, attempts at problem solving fall methods of research. "To expect to leap at various points on a continuum ranging all at once from the everyday method of from careless, untested inquiry to careful common sense to a method that incorpor• and reliable research is rarely emphasized. ates the best scientific rprocedures is un• . ..•..•There is little motivation for practical realistic."4 "Advocating that a group en• people who are trying to 'solve practical gage in the best research it is capable of problems to move in the direction of better and strive for improvement in the future

134 THE B.C. TEACHER has much greater meaning."'"' In summary, there is a range of types of Some have disparaged the value of action research. The term "action research" desig• research by saying that generalizations nates the broad area between common based upon it are not reliable and not valid. sense and science. Its aim is practical; to Once again, these are relative terms. The improve current practice. Generalizations generalizations are not as valid or reliable based upon it are more valuable than those as those taken from pure research if one of casual inquiry and can be as good as attempts to apply them to other schools and those of pure research if extended verti• other situations. But there is evidence that cally. Perhaps tlie greatest advantage ac• "generalizations derived from action re• cruing from action research is that those search studies of a teacher's present class" involved in it can gradually improve their can be extended "to at least several im• research skills. "It is possible to progress mediately following classes."0 gradually from the casual method ordin• Statistics are an important tool in re• arily used to cope with practical difficulties search.!; Traditional courses in educational to a method much more scrupulously scien• statistics have made it seem forbiddingly tific. As improvements are made in the complex and difficult to learn and use. In• methodology of action research, increased volvement is again the key. When "it confidence in the inferences and generali• becomes necessary for school people to zations drawn from the research data be• learn how to treat quantitative data in comes possible."8 *fc order to answer questions in which they are genuinely interested, the learning of 1 p. 71. = p. 83. 7 statistics goes rapidly." In most cases a - p. 72.

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COMMERCIAL PRINTERS . ' LITHOGRAPHERS BOOK MANUFACTURERS'

DECEMBER, 1960 13S What's the Answer?

Suitable Dress for out-of-school functions. Some teachers The other day in the staff room we gotwh o are always well dressed at school seem into quite a discussion on suitable dressto lower the standard when attending for teachers. Some members thought itteachers ' meetings. 1 consider such meet• was all right for the men to come to schooling s a part of the teachers' professional without ties, while some thought ties activity and the professional standard of should be worn except in the really hotdres s should apply. Of course, teachers weather and others thought ties were shoula d be suitably dressed for participa• "must" regardless of the weather. A coupletion in sports activities but for business of members thought sport shirts were gatheringac• s business dress should be worn. ceptable but the rest of us were in com• In my opinion, the principal should set a plete opposition. What's your opinion? high standard of dress at all times and should insist that his staff meet these stan• I belong to the "tie-regardless" group dards, even to die extent of having cour• but I am certain you will agree that suit• teous but frank discussions where these be• able dress for male teachers extends be• come necessary. yond the wearing of a tie. I have concentrated on tlie men's dress My basic tenet is that teachers belong but I would insist upon similar high stan• to a professional group and at all times dard::, for the feminine members of the they should dress like professional people. staff. I expect them at all times to wear There are acceptable standards of dress for well-cared-for clothing and suitable shoes. doctors, lawyers and the other professionals Just as I insist on ties for men for school, and these should be tlie unquestionable I insist that the ladies always wear hose. standards for teachers. All teachers, male and female, both in and out of school, should dress in such a In my opinion, taking them as a group, way that they are considered well- there are no better dressed men than law• groomed. yers, and teachers should be in the same class. By "better dressed" I am not refer• Insurance Necessary ring to the price tag of tlie suit. With a I live in a teacherage. Are my personal little care a fellow can be just as well effects covered by any insurance the School dressed in a moderately priced suit as in Board carries? the most expensive one. Thus my first requirement is a well- No, you are in the same category as any pressed suit or jacket and slacks combina• other tenant. You should carry your own tion. And of course a dress shirt and tie insurance. If you don't have any coverage and suitable, well-kept shoes. For hot at present, you should investigate the weather there are short-sleeved shirts. merits of a Householder's Policy. This In the hot weather I would permit the embraces fire and burglary insurance and neck button of the shirt to be loosened offers some coverage for losses suffered with the tie also loosened but I would while you are travelling. still insist on a tie being worn. Only in ex• And>don't think it can't happen to you. cessively hot weather would I permit coats We know of one teacher who lost personal to be removed. belongings valued at more than $900 when There is no place in school for a sport the teacherage was destroyed by fire in shirt. Never. The open-neck flannel sport October. It is surprising how clothing and shirt is inexcusable. . a few things like a camera, a radio, a type• I would set the same standards of dress writer mount up.

136 THE B.C. TEACHER on )(our o

INCE THE LAST report of activities of October 21, 22 S various Federation committees, the Mr. Aitchison and C. D. Ovans, General following committees have met, some of Secretary, attended the Okanagan Valley them several times: Agreements, Curricu• Fall Convention at Kelowna. J. W. Stewart, lum Directors, International Affairs, Mem• Secretary-Treasurer, and Mr. Evans at• bership, Public Relations, Teacher Educa• tended the Burnaby Fall Convention. tion and Certification and Workshop. The October 24 B.C. Education Week Committee, on which Mr. Janzen attended a meeting of the the Federation has representation, has also Teachers' Association in Grand Forks. Mr. met in the Teachers' Building. Allester met with tire executive of tlie Pri• October 17 mary Teachers' Association to discuss vari• The First Vice-President, K. M. Aitchi• ous problems of that organization. son, and W. V. Allester, Executive Assist• October 24, 25 ant, were present at the meeting of the Mr. Evans attended, as B.C.T.F. repre• Curriculum Directors. sentative, some sessions of the annual meet• October 18 ing of the B.C. Federation of Labour. The President, W. Janzen, Assistant Gen• October 25 eral Secretary S. Evans and D. A. Smidi, Mr. Janzen attended a dinner and Induc• chairman of the Professional Education and tion Ceremony of the Kettle Valley Teach• Induction Committee, met in Victoria with ers' Association at Greenwood.

Mr. H. C. Gilliland, Director of Teacher October 27 : v Education and Victoria College, and Mr. In the afternoon, M:;. ;.«.-hzen represented G. A. Brand, Director of Student Teaching the Federation at Fall''Convocation at the there, to discuss plans for B.C.T.F. Day University of British Columbia and at the and the B.C.T.F. Student Workshop. Mr. sod-turning ceremony for the College of Allester was in Haney for a meeting of the Education building on the campus. Fall Convention Committee and a briefing October 27-29 of chairmen of sections. Mr. Janzen and Mr. Ovans were in Cour- October 19 tenay to attend the Vancouver Island (Sec• Mr. Allester met with Mr. E. J. Irwin, ondary) Fall Convention. On the same principal of Winston Churchill High days, Mr. Aitchison and Mr. Evans were in School, Vancouver, and Mr. L. Ecroyd re Victoria for tlie Vancouver Island (Elemen• plans for a panel discussion at the Fraser tary) Convention. Valley East Fall Convention to be held at October 28, 29 Haney. : The Federation was represented at the October 20 North Vancouver Workshop by Mr. Stew• Mr. Spragge attended the dinner meet• art and Mr. Allester. • ing of the Burnaby delegates to the Fall November 1 Convention to discuss resolutions. Miss Mr. Janzen was in Campbell River to Macfarlane, Office Assistant, attended the attend a meeting of the Teachers' Associa• Sooke Teachers' Association Induction tion and an Induction Ceremony. Mr. Alles• Ceremony. ; ter met with the Surrey Fall Convention October 20-22 ' committee on general plans for their con• Mr. Janzen and Mr. Allester were in vention. Quesnel to attend the Fall Convention of November 2 the North Central District Council. Mr. Janzen continued his series of visits

DECEMBER, I960 137 to local associations by attending a meet• Teachers' Association Induction Ceremony ing of the Mission Teachers' Association. was Mr. Ovans. November 3 November 8 Mr. Alex Suttie, chairman of the new Mr. Janzen was on the Island for the International Affairs Committee, Mr. R. Alberni Teachers' Association banquet and Kaser, a committee member, and Mr. Alles• Induction Ceremony. On the same day, Mr. ter met with officials of the U.B.C. Exten• Stewart, Dr. Ruth White, chairman of the sion Department concerning ways in which Acceleration and Gifted Child Committee, that department might be of assistance to and two members of the committee, Mrs. the committee. Pain and Mr. Cullis, as well as Mr. Ovans November 3-5 and Mr. Allester, made up a delegation to Terrace was the location in which the discuss the committee's proposals re sum• Northern B.C. Fall Convention was held. mer courses with the Dean and members H. M. Palsson, Second Vice-President, and of the Faculty of Education and Dr. Argue, Mr. Ovans represented the Federation Director of Summer Sessions. there. November 4 November 9 Mr. Evans attended sessions of the con• In the afternoon Mr. Aitchison and Mr. vention held by B.C. Weekly Editors in Allester attended the first meeting of the Vancouver. International Affairs Committee. Mr. Jan• November 4, 5 zen represented the Federation at the In• Fraser Valley East Fall Convention was duction Ceremony of the Vancouver Ele• held at Haney. Mr. Janzen and Mr. Allester mentary School Teachers' Association. Also represented the Federation. Mr. Aitchison present on that occasion were Mr. Aitchi• and Mr. Spragge were in Dawson Creek to son, Mr. Palsson, Mr. Stewart, Mr. Evans attend the Peace River Fall Convention. and Miss Macfarlane. November 6 Mr. Allester was in Victoria for a meet• November 13-16 ing of the Membership Committee. Mr. Janzen was in Ottawa to attend a November 7 meeting of the Education Finance Commit• The special speaker at the Langley tee of Canadian Teachers' Federation.

The Nativity—Our Cover Picture

ELJKO KUJUNDZIC is the first artist- Europe and he has held one-man shows in Z teacher whose work has been chosen London, Edinburgh, Paris, Oslo, Montreal, a second time as a cover picture for The Calgary and Spokane. He has just com• B.C. Teacher. pleted the copper fountain for the Middle- Mr. Kujundzic was borr»,in 1920 in Yugo• gate Shopping Center in Burnaby. slavia, into a family knowry for its art metal Mr. Kujundzic is now principal of the work. He first studied in fVenice and later Nelson School of Fine Arts. graduated from die Royal College of Art in Budapest. He escaped from Hungary in The Nativity (on the cover) was a de• 1947 and settled in Scotland, where he re• sign specially prepared for tapestry, hence mained for ten years. He is an artist of in• die predominance of vertical lines and ternational reputation and of diverse tal• color areas, an essential requirement for ents,: equally versed in painting, sculpture this art form. The actual work on the tapes• and graphic media. try was executed by Ann Kujundzic, the His work has been exhibited throughout artist's wife. ,

THE B.C. TEACHER Provincial Teachers' Medical Services An Integral part of the B.C.T.F. 1815 West 7th Avenue, Vancouver 9, B.C. Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

A Summary of an Actuarial Report In line with the policy of other prepaid, medical care plans, the Board of Directors of the Provincial Teachers' Medical Services instituted an actuarial survey of your plans. After a lengthy study, the actuary made the following, among other, observations: 1. "There has been exhibited in B.C. prepaid plans a gradual increase in utilization that has worked out to approximately a 2% increase in usage per year. Whether or not this increase in usage is instigated almost entirely by the patients or partly by the patients and partly by the medical profession need not be discussed at this time, but it is prudent to allow in the rate structure for a gradual increase in costs of approximately 2% per year because of increased use. Very recent changes in the availability of service (number of doctors, the percentage of doctors who are specialists, ,ind the available hospital beds) would suggest raising the allowance to 3%." 2. "The rates current1y,,charged are lower than would have been expected from the experience of the Doctors' M.S.A. but'we believe this can be rationalized by geographical factors, the relative 'newness' of your Plan A membership, and perhaps by some element of social restraint exercised by members of the Association in their use of the Association's benefits." 3. "The Association has shown a recent sharp increase in enrolment. Experience has shown that new groups do not show their highest cost in the first year. Apparently the members take a while to learn how to get.maximum use from their protection or to decide to make the best use of the benefits. For this reason you may,,expect perhaps a greater annual increase in utilization in the next year or two than the 2% shown, byi'bther groups over a longer period of time." 4. "The increase in the Doctors' Fee Schedule at July 1st, 1959, so that a full 90% of the Schedule is now being paid, was. really not shown in the accounts paid by the Association until October and November because of the delay between tho period that the services were rendered by the doctor end the day that the Association made payment for the services. To adjust the last year's experience for the increase in the Fee Schedule at Ju|y 1st, 1959, based on the experience of Medical Services Association, which can be reliably used, for your purposes, we would increase last year's costs by

about 4.7%." H s { •' - In consequence of the fircnoing, the actuary made the following suggestions: (A) That premiums be adjusted upwarti by approximately 8.7% and that the following rates ; be. charged:. ,. - • $48.00 per annum for single .Members, • $92.00. per annum for members' with one dependent, . $114.00 per annum for members with more than one dependent. Note: Current annual rates are $45.00, $85.00 and $105.00 respectively. After discussing tho suggested preriiium increase with the actuary, your Executive expressed the opinion that no immediate increase in fees be adopted. Another review of the matter will be /taken when .the auditor presents his annual report at the end of November, I960. (B) "We suggest you change your fiscal year end to September 30th to coincide with the period for which most of the members pay their dues. The financial experience could be studied in August of each year for purposes of making a' decision - on :what the membership dues should: be for the coming yoar. A ten-month experience of the current year would be added to previous * : /'experience It would be desirable to empower the directors or the * executive committee to adjust the rates': without, having to adjust the by-laws of the Association. - To go one step further, we think it would bo desirable to ornpower tho Executive or the Directors to modify the benefits as well without having to change the by-laws. This could be handled by - amending the by-laws to provide for the adoption of Regulations by the Directors or the Executive ~i Committee covering such matters as the level of membership fees and amount of benefits." •Note: Your- Executive is not in favor of giving the Executive control over fees and benefits. (C) "We recommend that you adopt a 'goal' of accumulating a general reserve floating between a minimum of 15% and a maximum of 25% of a year's dues. Special action would be taken to i; adjust benefits or membership- fees'; when the general reserve, fell below the lower limit or exceeded the upper; limit; .While such a; reserve philosophy can be changed at any time, it: does give;sprne'-'sense of direction to the membership and the Directors.in deciding what level of reserves is reasonable." -

DECEMBER. I960 139 DENT'S CANADIAN SPELLING SERIES General Editor: Mary Thomas DENT'S CANADIAN SPELLING SERIES is a new series of spellers de• signed to give teachers a modem, practical and sensible method of teaching Spelling. The series includes seven books, covering the grade levels from 2 to 8, and provides a complete and comprehensive course in Spelling. Purposes of the Series 1. To ensure mastery of a list of words essential for writing needs. 2. To teach Spelling through auditory, visual and kinesthetic approaches. 3. To develop spelling skills as an integral part of the Language Arts Programme. 4. To make immediate use of the spelling words in creative writing. 5. To develop a permanent active interest in the study of words. Grades 2- 8 Each —$1.05 J. M. DENT & SONS (CANADA) LIMITED Toronto Vancouver

COMPTON'S has j'J* OFFICIALLY ^ been setting the YOU CAN GO TO Af APPROVED ^Jl pace in the develop• JJ Recommended by Vi ment of up-to-date \7. nil Departments of jr/ materials for schools \*k Education across EUROPE! and libraries. Young Adults 18 to 35 EXCLUSIVE FEATURES 56 FABULOUS DAYS OVERSEAS Special "Canadian $795.00 Up From Toronto Edition" Easy Ref• \\ erence Fact Index back of each Everything included — Transportation, v o I u rn e) with Cross-indexing. Lodging, Meals, Entertainment. COMPTON'S CHOICEiOF 'SIX ITIHERARiES !N PICTURED EUROPE ENCYCLOPEDIA The finest school and home encyclopedia ever built. For detailed itineraries, applications TEACHERS please note: and information writo:— Writo for New Study Guide by Prof. Emeritus "Tot" CANADIAN YOUTH HOSTELS Boyes correlating the B.C. Course of Studies to Compton's — also Free Teaching Units

ASSOCIATION available. Prepared by Staff Members of B;C. National and Great Lakes Region Offices Teachers College. j .606 Jams St. Toronto 5, Ontario Sole Canadian Distributors Telephone WA 4-1072 STURGESS DISTRIBUTORS, LTD. 2194 W. 4th Ave., Vancouver 9, B.C. RE 1-5891

140 THE B;C. TEACHER jor^our injormati on—— Provincial Association of Teachers of Classics

HIS NEW SPECIALIST association These same teachers may be interested T elected its first executive at a meeting in joining the Classical Association of Can• in April. President is F. A. Poole, of Magee ada. The association has an annual as• High School, and Secretary-Treasurer is sembly, usually in June, at the time of the Miss Margaret Loch, of King Edward High meetings of the Learned Societies. The School. Phoenix, a quarterly journal, is published Membership is open to all teachers inter• by the Classical Association, which also ested in the Classics, in tlie fields of Latin, circulates a small mimeographed pamphlet, Greek, History (Social Studies) and Liter• Classical News and Views, twice yearly. ature. The fee is $1.00. One meeting was Information on the Classical Association in planned for the fall and another is planned Canada may be obtained from Dr. Mal• for the spring of 1961. A Textbook Com• colm F. McGregor, Head of the Depart• mittee is considering new Latin texts and ment of Classics at the University of B.C. some of these, with the permission of the Department of Education, are being used now on an experimental basis. Tlie Asso• Edmonton Dispute Settled ciation also has a Newsletter for its mem• The Alberta Teachers' Association has bers. notified tlie Federation that the dispute Teachers who are interested in joining which has existed between the teachers this association should communicate with and the School Board in Edmonton has Miss Loch. been settled.

The Department Answersrecommen d to the Department of Educa• tion that funds be made available for the Continued from page 115 purchase of special materials necessary for (c) The Department of Education recom• the instruction of slow learners and pupils mends to school districts that slow learning of average ability requiring remedial train• groups and remedial groups should receive ing. • special treatment. Reply: Making special grants for special (d) The Division of Curriculum plans to parts of, or projects in, the program of stud• provide a suggested program for slow learn• ies is contrary to the policy of the Depart• ers. The highly individualized nature of ment. When special classes are approved, remedial work precludes a standardized the costs of their operation become part program. of the total approved operational costs of all instruction in the district involved and 2. That the B.C. Teachers' Federation are accepted as such.

DECEMBER I960 141 fieri ®ooks ESTHER G. HARROP, Book Review Editor

bright pictorial cover, the larger page and type ART sizes, and the improved (although still rather An Anthology of Canadian Art, edited by amateurish) cartoon illustrations should help in Robert H. Hubbard. Oxford University establishing favorable student attitudes. Finally, the expansion of the text's title from Press, Toronto, 1960. Illus. $5.50 its former all-embracing label, Canadian Law, In this collection of Canadian artwork, the should serve to end any impression that between examples selected cover the field of painting to• the covers of this one small hook would he found gether with some showings of architecture, sculp• the entire body of Canadian legal fact and inter• ture and crafts. Those chosen belong to the periods pretation.— K.L. from 1671 to 1957. The pictures are mostly in black and while, but some are in color. Dr. Hubbard has included examples of portrait, still-life, outdoor EDUCATION scenery, interiors; and they illustrate photos, oils Education of the Gifted, by M. R. Sumpton and watercolor types of art. The editor has set and E. M. Luecking. Ronald Press, New forth in the 20 pages of his careful introduction York, 1960. 499 pp. No price g'ven. material which will be very useful to a student in This volume, designed for teachers in service a:, Canadian art. In addition to these sections of the well as for students who arc preparing to teach, history, he has included some bibliographical in• attempts to present objectively the information formation and 27 pages oE biographical facts about presently available as to the advantages and dis• the artists themselves. advantages of the various kinds of educational Such an anthology dealing with Canadian art programs and practices in educating the gifted. It should prove most valuable in any library art points out the need for and the uses of various collection.—E.G.H. types of educational facilities and materials designed to foster the optimum development of gifted AUTOMOTIVE MECHANICS children. Automobiles Work Like This, by Phil The topics dealt with include: The Nature of Brackett. Phoenix House Ltd., London, Giftedness, A Historical Review, Identification of n.d. Illus. $2.00 the Gifted Child, Research on the Gifted, Guidance This book would be a well-read book in an of the Gifted, Administration of Education of the elementary school or junior high library. The sec• Gifted, Present Organization and Practice, Teachers tion dealing with the internal combustion engine of the Gifted, The Role of the Community, The is somewhat difficult to read, hut the sections 1'rc-School Program, The Secondary School Prog• dealing with the diescl and turbine type engines ram, and the College Program. result in fascinating reading. While English cars The above topics are each dealt with as a com• arc used as major examples, occasional mention plete unit. This makes it very convenient for tlie of North American cars and their development is reader who wants to study a particular topic. How• given. The English expressions used in the text ever, this practice has involved repeating one, two arc somewhat confusing to the reader, but with or more times, information that has already been care they arc readily understood. Tlie black and given. As a result the reader who is going through white illustrations do an admirable job in sup• the entire book must needs skip a good deal of plementing the story.—T.B. material already dealt with. The book is sound and thorough and should be COMMERCE of great value to all teachers since all must neces• Canadian Law for Business and Personalsaril y dear with gifted children to some degree. Use, by W. H. Jennings. Ryerson, -S.R.L. Toronto. Rev. 1960, 8th printing. $2.20 One can only wish that, in revising the text FICTION prescribed in this province for use in the Law 93 Run for Your Life, by Fred Swayze. Ryer• course, the author and publishers had concentrated son, Toronto, 1960. $3.50 their attention on the correction of the previous John Rutherford came to North America from edition's major shortcomings. The continued Scotland just at the end of the Seven Years' War, absence of plentiful and simple examples, of chap• and at the time of the trouble among the ter summaries, of systematic review questions, and French, the British and the Indian tribes whose of case problems for. student analysis still requires ferocious leader in the Detroit district was Pontine. the use of the relatively expensive student work• The author, who has a wide knowledge of Cana• book. dian history, has gathered much of his material The rather slight revision of textual material has, from John Rutherford's own careful and detailed within its limited scope, helped to reduce the em• record. Many stories of Indian episodes and cap• phasis placed upon Ontario legal institutions and tives have been written/ but here is one which statutes. will have a fascination for readers who arc fond The greatest change undertaken in this revision, of historical talcs of the 18th century Indian davs that of physical format, is generally successful. The in the New World.-E.G.H.

THE B.C. TEACHER 142 Gogo, the French Sea Gull, by Louis character-development travelogue. A Girl Scout company, the Rugged Dozen lias planned a trip to Slobodkin. Brett-Macmillan, Gait. .$3.25 the British Isles and Europe, just as they set A delightful slory (o hold the interest of any out on the ocean crossing, their plans have to be 7 to 10-year-old whether he is a reader or listener. changed by the unexpected receipt of a message The number of passengers aboard the "Queen that they go as delegates to a World Camp in of France" mentioned repeatedly would appeal par• Switzerland. ticularly to the eight or nine-year-old ear. It is interesting lo note the changes which lake Graphic illustrations make this hook a worth• place in the gills' points of view as the weeks while addition to a classroom library.—K.It. pass. But the lack of understanding among some of the members of the group, their failure lo appre• A Filly for Joan, by C. W. Anderson. Mac- ciate what is not American, and their critical re• millan, New York, 1960. Illus. $3.00 marks directed at tradition, customs and altitudes A real "horse story" that juveniles will read in overseas countries arc quite irritating. Romance avidly. Mr. Anderson, the author, understands plays a pan in the story which ends on a note and likes horses, and is a well-known artist of of very real human understanding.—E.G.H. horse-portraits. This book describes the proper training for horses who arc junipers or racers. GUIDANCE Intermediate grade pupils especially will appreciate it.—E.G.H. You and Your Career, by M. D. Parmenter. The Guidance Centre, Toronto. 1960. Mountie Patrol, by Anne MacMillan. Long• Illus. 220 pp. 80c mans, Green, Toronto, 1960. $3.50 Professor l'.inncnter's latest addition to the A tale of a scarlet-coated "rider of the plains," a Canadian Guidance Series of text-workbooks could member of that Force, the North-West Mounted prove of considerable value to teacher at the Grade Police, which has meant so much to Canada. With IX lo XI levels. Units of work are logically devel• setting, characters, action — all Canadian — the oped, and ancillary material is present in abund• author, herself a Canadian, has written an exciting ance. Those discussion topics and exercises which story of a young man, his training, and his horse. have been included arc generally meaningful. Morton Ciiirie's life of training as a mounted The author has endeavored to produce a book patrol will fascinate all readers.—E.G.H. which does the work of textbook, reference library and pupil workbook. At the same lime he ob• viously iries very hard lo avoid letting the work Follow the Brook, by Dorothy P. Lathrop. become bulky. The result is an unfortunate clut• Brett-Macmillan, Gait, 1960. Illus. $3.25 tering of pages, the reduction of illustrative mat• This book for the six to cight-ycar-old readers erial to a si/e which renders its use quite difficult, tells the slory of two raccoons who escaped l:.m their cage and ran off to hide in the woods. |t is a genuine animal story with interesting illustrations in black and white showing the natural habits,ami GO- CH R-^'OW-PAY LATER appearance of raccoons. Children who can not' yet read will enjoy hearing Follow the urtyih nudor told to them. Recommended for Primary .jjcok collections.-E.G.H. - • \\ The Black Totem, by Eleanor Bell. Rwr- son, Toronto, 1960. $3.50 . A story full of excitement that teenagers who enjoy mysteries will read avidly. The scene set on the British Columbia coast without- bsing definitely located, which adds somewhat to .'the impossibility of the tale. Although the multipli• city of episodes occurring in relatively too short a space of time tends to lower the standard of the book, the fine descriptions of British Columbia weather and scenery should warrant the story a good place on school library shelves.—E.G.H. Judy and Her Turtle Osmond, by Jane North America. • Covers transportation, meals, hotels, Quigg. Brett-Macmillon, Gait, 1960. Il• sightseeing . . . even all-expense ''Pack• lus. $2.75 age" Tours. A story for Grade I readers which will be • S100.0C minimum, 10% down, up to 2

DECEMBER. I960 143 and the omission of an index which is essential to the efficient use of such a comprehensive volume. The greatest value of the book lies in the ex• cellent suggested reading references which accom• pany most chapters, and in the wealth of current B.C.T.F. material it presents. You and Your Career is certainly worthy of inclusion in any professional library.— T.B.IJ. LESSON You and Your Work Ways, by M. D. Par- ms menter. Guidance Center, Ontario Col• 1815 West Seventh Avenue lege of Education, Toronto, 1960. 64o Vancouver 9, B.C. Otic of a scries of workbooks in the fieldo f Guidance by the same author. It contains a wealth of material on obtaining proficiency in an area of Phone RE gent 1-8121 difficulty vital to students yet difficult to obtain— adequate work habits and appropriate goals. Chapter I "Improving your work wavs" provides reading material on the history of efficiency and references for further reading. A section follows containing many excellent suggestions for discus• sion in this field. Counsellors and H.P.D. teachers Our Big Catalog is Still Free! could use these in the difficult task of inspiring Send for it now. and guiding discussions. The plan for Chapter I is,followed in the four• Soma of our units are: teen succeeding chapters, important phases of work efficiency such as Planning Work Schedules: #209 Questions on Young Explorors, cover• Making Notes; Preparing an Essay or Report; ing 24 stories 35c Work Plan and Equipment; Preparing for an Examination arc well covered. The field of good #212 Lady of the Lake, summarized by mental health is covered in chapters discusring goals, attitudes and work habits. All are helpful canto, with questions 16c for Guidance classes. #195 Teaching Prose in Grade 8 English....$l.00 The workbook is punched on 'he edge with three holes thus permitting the insert *n of other mate• #183 Kidnapped—134 guide quostions for rial. The ideal condition would be for each student to own his own book, but a set of forty copies the student 6e would do for several classes. In addition lo its other good points, the book might help students to #681 Course outline for S.S. 20 30c change an attitude of moody confusion to one of #241 Arithmetic Fundamentals—set of 7 happy efficiency.—R.N.H. cards and 14 tests 25c MISCELLANEOUS #202 Science Workbook for Grade 7—19 Cross Country Trucker, by Arthur Gates chapters $1.00 and Henry Lent. Brett-Macmillan, Gait, #679 A Study Guide of Some Terms Used in Biology 91 6c 1960. Illus. 60c Although the material in this booklet relates #201 Lesson Suggestions for;Art in Grades specifically lo the United States, it could also fit 7, 8, 9 .• 20c into the Canadian trucking business as a source of #686 Geography of Canada—students', — information for one of the modern occupations. Study Guide (S.S. 30) .=;.:::.:.. SOe Good general information is included. The reading level is recommended as Grade IV. Boys interested ' EXAMINATIONS in automotive? will study the book With enjoyment. -E.G.H. We have Christmas and Easter examina• tions for English Literature and Language from En 7 to En 91 and En 93. We have Mental Hygiene in tlie School, by Samuel similar., coverage'in secondary Social R. Laycock. Copp, Clark, Toronto, 1960. Studies, Modern. Languages, Mathematics, $2.25 Science,: Latin, Home Economics, and other sublets. •••-••}-••- Attention, all leachcrsl Dr. Laycock has done it again. This time he has given us a reference that will serve as a guide for the experienced teacher as • SEPARATE LISTS well as the beginner. The basic philosophy that Modorn Languages and Industrial Arts pervades this useful book is a pica for better mental . units are listed in separate catalogs from health for all who participate in school life, — no tho other subjects. one is overlooked, be he pupil, teacher or adminis• trator. Sound suggestions arc made to help the teacher (a) understand the pupils' basic needs and LESSON AIDS.FOR ALL THE GRADES the satisfaction of these both in general and in particular; (b) employ good discipline as an aid Order the FREE catalog NOW to mental health; (c) have a look at some of the better teaching methods; (d)~ allow for individual1.

144 THE B.C. TEACHER differences; and (c) aid in tlie administrative poli• cies by co-operating in such matters as: 1. accelera• tion and other special groupings; 2. remedial instruction; 3. wise assignment of homc\v.i:k; 1. administering and analyzing examinations; B. re• porting to parents; G. using counselling services; 7. availing one's self of referral agencies. The B.C.T1 Co-operative answer to your particular educational "beef" may well be found in this excellent handbook. — N.A.McI. Association Menwrtj, Learning and Language, by Wil• liam Foindel. University of Toronto Press, Toionto, I960. $2.00 1815 West Seventh Avenue AfeiiKiry, Learning anil Language is a collection Vancouver 9, B.C. of essays given originally as lectures at the Jubilee celebrations of the University of Saskatchewan. The half-dozen contributors to the symposium Phone RE gent 1-8121 • (•present a few of the many academic disciplines possessing a common interest in the better under• standing of the human brain. The increasingly popular and practical multi-discipline approach OFFICE HOURS: utilized at the Saskatchewan symposium fails to convince the reader that the various disciplines Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. represented (ranging from classics to cybernetics) have anything more in common than a com- Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 noon munalily of interest in the brain. The volume does provide, however, an excellent showcase in which six scholars display their wares to admirable advan• tage. Abandoning much of. the academician's argot, the contributors (anchored by Dr. Wilder Pcnlield) present material appropriate to the professional teacher's area of general competence. This little book could hardly be termed "immediately practi• cal" for the classroom teacher, but the prose of Are you interested in investment classics scholar Dr. J. F. Lcddy, Dr. A. Hoffer's discussion of hallucinogenic compounds, or the . for a fair return? intrinsic interest of an account of research at the frontiers of human knowledge, cannot but maintain . for security of principal? the attention of the reader.—J.J.D. . for ready convertibility? READING AND LITERATURE Macbeth, by Wm. Shakespeare. Ed. . for redemption at par? Bernard Groom, with questions by W. R. McGillivray. Oxford University Press, . for compounding privileges?;;. Toronto, 1960. Illus. 207. PP: 95c The "New Clarendon Shakespeare for Canadian Schools" edition of Macbeth is'a neat, hard-backed If. so edition which would be; quite suitable for prize- giving. Many interesting features make it an out• Use Co-op Loan Certificates standing value at the price. In an acknowledged attempt to present "... the text in such a way in multiples of $50 that it can be easily read and understood" the editor has placed essential meanings in glossary They pay 6% per annum form at the foot of each page. He thus makes possible a rapid, yet intelligent, first reading of the play. Commentary notes follow the.play in the usual way except that detailed notes to assist the advanced. student are presented in fine print and set off in squared brackets for easy identification. The commentary notes are followed by a sclec- Answering charter flight inquiries . . . y tion of criticisms of the play, both old and new The Co-op charter flight for 1961 ^Hazlitt to Spurgeon) which cover the basic clc- :•; ments of the tragedy, such as character analysis, leaves Vancouver for Prestwick on irony, imagery and use of. contrasts. July 3. ;.. Four appendices cover the life of Shakespeare; ^chronology of his plays; Shakespeare's language; .•meter in Shakespeare's plays; and a delightful Leaves Pres+wick for Vancouver on 'selection of pertinent extracts from Holinshed. The August 23 by C.P.A. Britannia. volume is completed by McGillivray'si, questions.

DECEMBER. I960 • 45 These arc divided into a short list of "extensive" The cards are arranged so that the children may questions for uses in a first reading, and a much work singly, in pairs or in small group'.. The prac• longer list of "intensive" questions for use scene tice is self-administering and self-correcting. There by scene and act by act. The wide variety of are six aspects to the set—each word is analyzed, questions makes for applicability at various ability pronounced, classified by meaning, written, read levels. and spelled. This will make a very elfctlivc pro• Undoubtedly this volume should be a useful gram in the remedial area.—G.P. adjunct to the library of every teacher of Macbeth and worthy of consideration as a replacement for SCIENCE the current classroom edition.—T.H.I!. Rockets and Satellites Work Like This, by Knight Crusader, by Ronald Welch. Ox• John B. Taylor. Phoenix House Ltd., Lon• ford University Press, Toronto, 1954/ don, n.d. Illus. $2.00 1960. Illus. $1.25 This is an excellent book explaining how rockets In this book the end-papers show a inap'cif" the and satellites work. 'I he vocabulary level is that route taken by the Crusaders to the Holy 1,-t'ud. of a guod Grade V or VI student. Hoys interested Full of excitement, treachery and intrigue, liic story in rocketry would find the book stimulating. The will make a good background for the history of the text deals with the development of rockets from Crusades period, and will give an interesting des• early Chinese times up to the modern 1CBM pro• cription of the customs, dress and life of the days gram. It explains quite clearly and simply what of Chivalry. Boys especially will enjoy it. many of the problems have been in the creation of Teachers will find considerable help in the the modern rocket. It also shows how international method to be used in studying a novel since there cooperation has solved many of these problems. are sets of leading questions attached to the notes The uucoloretl illustrations assist in making this accompanying the individual chapters. The Preface text clearer. Experiments leading to man's first should he useful also, and nine pages of good space (light are explained in an unbiased manner. general information on the historical background of Russian and American exploits are praised for what the talc arc included.—].S. they have accomplished. This is an excellent addi• tion to any school library.—T.B. Word-Analysis Practice, by Durrell, Murphy and Spencer. World Book Co., Chicago, The Web of Naittre, by Ted S. Pettit. 1960. No price indicated. Doubleday, Toronto, 1960. Illus. $3.50 Here is a series of three sets of catds. each set The author of this book has ably shown that containing !(() cards. These sets are designed for plants and animals live together in environ• the intermediate level. Sol A cards show 720 mental homes in a web of interdependence. words used for low Grade IV reading ability. Sets Places where plants and animals live arc grouped B and C contain 1200 words in each set which arc into major communities and the life in each is lo be used for low Grades V and VI reading ability. interestingly described. Particularly commendable The sets slimulrclc and guide vocabulary growth is the wealth of factual detail.

by combining the application of phonetics with The book's a|.t eal has been assured by the very the use of context skills. They will also contribute excellent illustrations by G. lion Ray. effectively to growth in reading power, and improve Elementary science teachers will find the book spelling performance. very useful.—D.G.N.

needs and interests, questionnaires can be Teacher-sponsored Studiesused or the committee could conduct a Continued from page 125 series of planned interviews of other teach• The delegates recognized that there were ers. The more representative the local com• a number of different authorities or agen• mittee tlie more likely it will be to arrange cies interested in providing in-service edu• a program that suits the tastes of tlie bulk cation for teachers. One of the first tasks of of the members. the local in-service committee is to find out what is being planned by these various As a consultant on this topic I was agencies and persons. Some co-ordination pleased to learn about the many in-service is desirable in order that the teacher will activities that have been going on through• not feel under pressure to undertake more out the province. The Federation Commit• activities than he can handle without en• tee on Professional Growth through In- dangering his health and diminishing his service Education has been encouraging classroom efficiency. such programs for five years. It would It was agreed that the interests and needs seem that the fondest hopes of this commit• of the individual teacher should be the tee are being realized—with local in-service main factor in. determining what program programs now being available to a great is to be offered. In order to find out the number of teachers, -fc

146 THE B.C. TEACHER ahout

Mrs. Flora M. Reddykoff Her many friends will regret to learn of the passing during the summer of Mrs. Flora M. Reddyhoff, of Qualicum Beach. Mrs. Reddyhoff had been forced by illness to give up teaching two years ago, but she maintained her interest in her profession and did do some coaching after leaving the classroom.

Vancouver School Superintendent Dr. R. F. Sharp was appointed to the six-mem• ber Canadian delegation to the United F. M. Davies Nations Economic, Social and Cultural Or• ganization (UNESCO) conference which Peace Rivers' Geographical was held in Paris in November. Representative Frank M. Davies came to British Colum• Two Victoria educators were awarded bia from Ontario in 1949 after years of Canada Council scholarships this year. H. teaching in Toronto, Prescott, Windsor W. Hickman, Principal of Victoria College, and Grimsby. His graduation from North and C. II. Denike will spend the year in Toronto Collegiate was followed by gradu• study. ation from University College (University of Toronto) and Ontario College of Educa• Dr. J. Roby Kidd, has been appointed tion. His teaching service in Ontario was Secretary-Treasurer of the Social Science interrupted by four and a half years of ser• Research Council and the Humanities Re- vice in the R.C.A.F. He joined the staff : search Council, effective May 1, 1961. He of Fort St. John Elementary-High School • will be succeeded as Director of the Cana• in 1949 and is presently vice-principal of dian Association for Adult Education by North Peace High School. Mr. Davies was Arthur V. Piggott, who joined the C.A.A.E. active in teachers' affairs in Ontario and staff on November 1,1960. has continued this activity in British Colum• bia, having held various offices in the Peace At the Fall Convocation at the Univer• River North Teachers' Association. In his sity of British Columbia, Master of Arts community he has served on executives of degrees were awarded to H. N. Matheson, the Canadian Legion, of library associa• Burnaby; E. D. Macpherson, College of tions in Fort St. John and of P.-T.A.'s^Mr. • Education (formerly of ..WestVancouver); Davies has for many years been active in and C. H. Smith, Victoria; Master of Edu• Army cadet work arid in the work of his cation degrees were awarded to G. H. church. Mr. Davies is married and has a Bevan, Surrey; Iris H. Crabb, Vancouver; grown up family of three sons and a J. D.Moore, Agassiz; R. W. Elliott, W. D. daughter. . Latham and J. W.;Salmon, Burnaby; L. P. .Hunter, Chilliwack; J. R. Leullier, Langley; 'Mis'a'K. Baker, of Vancouver, who taught , G. E. Smith, North Vancouver, and Do H. last year; at Brookmere, has retired from -'Toms, Victoria." active teaching.

DECEMBER. I960 DEVELOPING LANGUAGE SKILLS

Here is the practical approach to composition and grammar for Grades III, VII and VIII. The DLS Series • STIMULATING concentrates on stimulating children to express their thoughts clearly, accurately and effectively by giving them "something to say." The exercises offer con• © CONSTRUCTIVE structive suggestions to encourage the growth of ideas, and an attractive format with many illustrations gives interest and incentive. DLS has been thoroughly © ATTRACTIVE classroom-tested in both rural and urban areas. Grades VII and VIII are approved for permissive use in Ontario. Each $2.00

Watch for more books in the DLS Series. Grade V now in preparation.

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148 THE B.C. TEACHER it'sISJerts to us

Shell Merit Fellowships for 1961 will be made to a leading student in Eng• Announcement has been made that tlie lish from the second year who is going on Shell Oil Company of Canada is again to specialized studies in English. It is planning its program of Fellowships for hoped that enough money will be raised to secondary school teachers of chemistry, endow a permanent and living memorial to physics and mathematics for the summer this distinguished scholar and teacher. of 1961. A key purpose of tlie Fellowships is to Honor Diplomas for Teachers provide tangible recognition of those teach• The Minister of Education has an• ers, supervisors and department heads nounced tlie names of three teachers who who are demonstrating the qualities of have been selected to receive an honor dip• distinguished leadership in the secondary loma from the Department of Education. school teaching of chemistry, physics and These are Mr. F. E. Cunnings, Duncan; mathematics. Furthermore, the awards are Miss Edna Johnston, Abbotsford, and Mrs. intended to provide such individuals with M. A. Meek, Salmon Arm. new experiences and studies that will help An official presentation of tlie diplomas them to improve their own work and to will be made on a suitable occasion in the develop ways and means of assisting other spring. teachers. Merit Fellows from Western Canada The Changing Prairie attend special summer seminars at Stanford Teachers of Grades VI to IX may now University, Stanford, California. During obtain from Canadian Industries Limited the all-expense paid summer seminars, they class quantities of an illustrated article participate in courses, special lectures, dis• "The Changing Prairie" which has been cussions, visits to research and production reprinted from tlie C-l-L Oval of August, • establishments and. informal interviews 1960. The article was written by Marjorie with outstanding scientists, mathematicians Wilkins Campbell, in co-operation with 'and educators. Fellows also each receive the C.B.C. $500 in cash to help offset the loss of other Requests for these free reprints may be summer earnings. sent to Canadian Industries Limited, Pub• Applications close on January 1, 1961, lic Relations, The Changing Prairie, Box . and/the participating universities announce 10, Montreal, P.Q. faeir selections, in February. Interested ...••./teachers west of;the Ontario-Manitoba bor- High School Essay Contest /der should apply to Dr. Paul DeH. Hurd, A prize of $500 is being offered by # School of Education, Stanford University, Doubleday Canada Limited for tlie best /Stanford, California. essay written by any high school student in Canada on "Alexander Graham Bell and Thorleif Larsen Memorial the Invention of the Telephone." The con• Scholarship test is for The Thomas B. Gostain Award. Many former students and friends of the • The purpose of the contest is to refresh latev Professor Thorleif Larsen have asked and extend the knowledge of the facts and how contributions may be made to the the part Brantford, Ontario, and Canada memorial scholarship set up in his honor. played in the life of the inventor. The Cheques may be sent to Miss Margaret contest closes on March 30, 1961. Rules Lalonde, Assistant Accountant, University of the contest may be obtained from of British Columbia, made out to the Thor- Doubleday Canada Limited, 105 Bond ,v.leif Larsen Scholarship Fund. The award Street, Toronto 2.

DECEMBER. I960 149 What Do You Know about Education Finance?

D. J. S. SMITH Chairman, Education Finance Committee

Thirteen years ago, in October, 1947, thetion , no one would ever take away tlie Federation Executive formed the Educa• larger school districts. This, he said, made tion Finance Committee, of which I haveit all worth while. been a member ever since. In SeptemberLe t us turn back the pages of time to the of this year, the committee decided that'30' s and early '40's. You were a Normal the membership of the Federation had noSchoo l student. You perused a copy of the clear idea of what had been done in thosePubli c Schools Annual Report. In those thirteen years. Therefore, we decided today s every teacher's salary was listed. You write a series of articles to be published inwer e struck by what seemed to be '-She fab• The B.C. Teacher. ulous sums paid to Vancouver teachers. We have found that among the member•You found that a few other places in the ship there is an attitude of either indiffer•province—perhaps Victoria, Oak Bay, New ence or awe towards our work. This shouldWestminster , Nelson, Trail, Powell River- not be. While the technical details-may bewer e paying something like Vancouver sal• awesome, the general principles are not.aries . What of the rest? These were the For indifference there is no excuse. Moneyplace s where you got your start, armed is important. yourself with five years' experience and, And so we undertake to inform and in• you hoped, glowing inspector's reports. terest the members with this series. WeThe n you waited for the letter of accept• intend to avoid the technical and the ob•ance from one of these large areas. It was scure. Therefore* we are taking the his•not all bad. It was a process that separ• torical, or narrative, approach. Please readated tlie men from the boys (with apolo• on. . •.: '•' gies to the ladies), for the competition was keen.. <. Every municipality was automatically a school district. That seemed a logical rTiHE MOST IMPORTANT single event arrangement until you analyze the situation. A in the history of education in British Port Moody had nothing to do with Port Columbia was the implementing of the Coquitlam, which in turn was separate Cameron Report. Dr. Max Cameron told from Coquitlam. North Vancouver City me in our last conversation, before, he died was not to be confused with North Van• in 1951 that, whatever happened in educa^ couver District. Esquimalt • ran its own

THE B.C. TEACHER ISO show. Municipal boundaries of Abbotsford, Let us look at the effect of the $300 odd on the two Chilliwacks and the two Salmon the tax structure. The average one-roomed Arms had been drawn without regard to school district had an assessable wealth of school problems. Do you know where $50,000. Simple arithmetic shows the tax Glenmore and Coldstream municipalities rate to be six mills. In those days any sub• are located? The populations of Merritt, stantial rise over that figure would have Kaslo and Greenwood were most inade• been regarded witii suspicion. Let us sup• quate for the maintenance of a school dis• pose, however, diat we have a forward- trict. Intelligent attempts to patch the looking school board, one that would like problems had been made—by attaching to retain the services of a good teacher and adjacent rural areas to municipal school provide a few more tools for that teacher's districts, and by conducting single high use. A decision is made to increase her (or schools to serve adjacent municipalities, as perhaps his) salary by $100 and to provide was done in North Vancouver and the Al- an additional $50 for much-wanted sup• bemis. But nobody had ever done any plies. The tax rate goes up by 50%! overall planning. This is not exaggerated. The figures What was tlie situation in the rural area? quoted above are average, not minimum, A few like Kimberley (it was not a city figures for die more prosperous part of the then), Creston, loco, Powell River, were period under review, The figures are easy doing very nicely, thank you. But they to grasp when applied to the one-roomed were not typical. At the other extreme school district. The situation was essential• were the one-roomed school districts—over ly die same in all areas where there was no 500 of them. It seems unbelievable now industrial or better-class residential • cax that 500 three-man school boards adminis• base. tered the affairs of their school districts, almost unaided. Probably as many other First Salary Scales districts numbered their teaching staff at Now let us turn to the more favorably five or less. An estimated 25% of the situated areas of the province. Vancouver population of the province received its ele• teachers had succeeded in establishing a mentary education under these auspices— salary scale in 1929. The scale survived and no secondary education whatsoever. the depression, battered but intact. During the late '30's and early '40's, all the substan• School Board Finances tial municipal districts and a few of the Sooner or later we must turn to money. relatively wealthy "rural" districts had been Let us inquire into the financial status of persuaded by their teacher-employees to these tiny entities. Then as now tlie big agree to salary scales. Secondary maxima item was teacher's salary. The government were in almost all. cases much lower than of the day made a grant towards this item. present elementary minima. However, the It was based on assessed value within tlie principle had been established. Pressure district, • but there was a-maximum grant for added expenditures on salaries and of $680 in respect of the services of ail other items resulted in two developments: elementary-school teacher. Since the effec• emergency financial aid aud the Cameron tive legal minimum salary was $780, die Commission of Inquiry. district had to contribute $100. Teachers of those days received the local share reason• Dr. Max Cameron gadiered the statistic• ably prompdy at the end of each month. al information which revealed the dis< The provincial share came from Victoria, graceful situation alluded to earlier in this after the monthly report had been received article. He kept his rural and municipal and "processed." I got mine about the figures separate. The result was, of course, to reveal the appalling inequalities. Then 20di of the following monthl Other expen- : ditures had to be made by the school dis• he threw away, or at least disregarded, the trict. • In 1943, after, the depression was figures for the depressed areas and centered over,, these expenditures averaged $198. his reasoning about the favored areas of the province. This was his: fundamental

DECEMBER, I960 151 precept: Every child in the province should powered to spend more at local expense. be entitled to an educational standard School boards would meet to discuss die equal to that already provided for the budget, secure in the belief that an ade• municipal areas of the province. This shall quate standard was assured, and free to be the foundation program. Every school "hold the line" or to spend more. As any district in the province shall henceforth be publicly-elected body should, they were to in a financial position to agree with its assess the attraction of additional educa• teachers on a salary schedule and have tional service against the increased cost enough money to pay for the other items and consequent higher tax rate. Any deci• at a rate proved to be necessary by ex• sion to increase costs had to meet die pos• penditures made throughout the province. sible resistance of municipal councils and All this shall be provided at a reasonable rural representatives. Also, the board rate to the local taxpayer. members themselves had to face re-elec• Having guaranteed a reasonable stan• tion. dard of education, based on the latest in• This was the grand plan—a guaranteed, formation about costs in a preceding year, equalized program: and local autonomy. Dr. Cameron then made it abundantiy The B.C. Teachers' Federation stands be• clear that school districts should be em• hind it.

Considerable attention must be given to Team Teaching developing sound theoretical bases for Continued from page 111 team teaching. Some understanding of the There is nothing magic about team improvement that can be expected in teaching, however. Just making classes learning if team teaching is done effec• larger and grouping teachers will not pro• tively, is crucial to continued success. duce more effective learning. Teachers and administrators need to understand fully The school that has a few teams of what they are about when they venture teachers is a far cry from the school en• into team teaching. visioned by Trump in Images of the Future, It would be unfortunate if the funda• or by Chase in his article "The Schools I mental advantages of team teaching should Hope to See." * At the moment, we have somehow be lost through widespread but only fragmented, disjunctive beginnings, indiscriminate adoption of the practice. but I see them as important, -jf

References 1 NEA, Research Division, "Studies of Utilization 4 Edward H. Gilbert, "A Design for School Im• of Staff, Buildings, and Audio-Visual Aids in the provement," Administrator's Notebook, VIII (May. Public Schools" (Washington: the Association, 1959). October, 1959), p. 9. 5 Anderson, Hagstrom, and Wade, op. cit., p. 77. 2 J. Lloyd Trump, now associate secretary of 6 J. Lloyd Trump, "Summary and Some Find• the National Association of Secondary School Prin• ings," The Bulletin of the National Association of cipals, was director of this important commission. Secondary School Principals, XLIII (January, 1959), Two publications authored by Dr. Trump describe 284-85. some of the work and some of the thinking of the Similar conclusions were reached by Beryl R. commission. These are New Horizons for Secon• Dillman: "An Appraisal of NASSP's Staff Utiliza• dary School Teachers and Images of the Future; tion Study at the Close of Its First Two Years"; they can be secured from the Commission on the Ibid., XLIV (January, 19G0), 13-18. Experimental Study of the Utilization of the Staff 7 Robert Ohm and Morton Tencnberg, "Staff in the Secondary School, 200 Gregory Hall, Uni• Reorganization Through Differcnt&iion of Teach• versity of Illinois, Urbana. ing Functions in the University of Chicago Labora• 3 Robert H. Anderson, Ellis A. Hagstrom, and tory School"; Ibid., XLIII (January, 1959), 263-65. Wade M. Robinson, "Team Teaching in an.Ele• 8 Francis S. Chase, "The Schools I Hope to Sec," mentary School," The School Review, Vol. LXVIII, NEA Journal, Vol. XLVI, No. 3 (March, 1957), No. 1 (Spring, 1960). 64-66.

132 THE B.C. TEACHER Are Your Household Contents and Personal Effects Protected?

Most- teachers have the HOUSEHOLDERS policy protecting them against Fire and Burglary loss, whether they are married or single.

What does it do?

Protects personal effects in the house or apartment, plus travelling, for an amount which you stipulate (minimum $3,000).

EXAMPLE: If you stipulate $4,000 coverage at your residence, you have this protection for Fire, Burglary and Theft. If you are travelling (as so many teachers do during the summer months) you have protection for 10% of the amount of insur• ance ($400) covering the perils of transportation (Fire, Bur• glary and Theft); 10% of the insurance amount ($400) should there be evidence of forcible entry to a car and goods taken therefrom.

The cost is very nominal and protects you for a three year period. Inquire about it at once — you may still be without this essential protection.

AUTO INSURANCE, NEW COVERAGES AND DISCOUNTS

On January 1st 1961 a new automobile insurance policy comes into effect, with new coverages, added flexibility and discounts. Have this explained to you also.

AUTO FINANCING can still be obtained through us at simple interest rates.

Get your 20% discount on the HOMEOWNERS PACKAGED POLICY.

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P.S. Don't forget to ask about TCA's Extra Cities Plan: A ticket to Vienna for in• stance, lets you see fifteen oilier European cities at no extra c. 'Of course, there's TCA's 'Pay Later" Plan — only 10% down, up to 24 months . he rest. Direct or connecting flights are leaving from airports near your home ... anyway, summer travel is likely to be heavy. It's best to book early, so see your Travel Agent, TCA or BOAC office soon.

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