EDUCATION
David Griffin, student at Cincinnati's Walnut Hills High School, explains a chemistry exhibit to Edward M. Gurr, teacher in South Mountadn High School, Phoenix, Ariz. (left), and Jim Irving, Scientific Apparatus Makers Association
Best Teachers for Beginners Low enrollment in science blarned on lifeless teaching; should save best teachers for beginning courses C I N C I N N A T I . - " T h e r e is really only The joh> of t h e teacher is not to teach one place w h e r e one can g o t o find out w h a t another group of students might why, in t h e face of increasing numbers have learned; it is to teach what the of students at all levels, t h e enrollment group of students he actually has can of students for science instruction is not learn. T h e teacher is responsible for keeping p a c e . W e must look at the designing a course which his students teaching of science itself." I n address- c a n learra.. If h e cannot, he should ing these w o r d s to the Third National learn to d o so. If he does not want Convention of t h e National Science t o learn t o do so h e may be a scientist, Teachers Association recently, Ralph b u t h e is not a teacher. W. McDonald, president of Bowling The faict t h a t today many students Green State University, said jokingly graduate from high school without havthat h e realized h e was p r o b a b l y tak- ing studied t h e exact courses t h e coling his life in his hands. lege teacher had in high school does Many science courses, especially at not meant that today's high school gradcollege level, are not designed as learn- uates are not prepared for college. In ing experience in which y o u n g people fact, says McDonald, today's high can gain a comprehension of science school graduates seem on the whole in the m o d e r n world. Instead, many better prepared t h a n those of previous of these courses are relatively empty years. a n d meaningless exercises in t h e lesser Many potentially great scientists are routines of laboratory mechanics from being literally driven out of the science which t h e professor has frequently field as a result of their unrewarding squeezed out, as fully as possible, all beginning science courses in high the elements of individual thinking, school or college. There are, however, stimulation, significance, a n d meaning. many teachers who have in their own Many poorly conceived laboratory individual ways found methods to stimcourses choke, rather than evoke, an ulate young people's interest in science. interest in science. I t is no accident that t h e small liberal Worse still, a large proportion of arts colleges have turned out t h e largbeginning students are given failing est proportion of graduates w h o begrades. I n discussions of w h y so many come great scientists. students fail basic science courses, the Recruiting Teachers. Few students explanation most often given is 'lack are willing t o take the vows of "acaof preparation." This is t h e least valid d e m i c poverty" required of those who excuse of all, says M c D o n a l d . choose teaching as a career. In recruit1552
ing scientists t r i ^ problem of salary is critical because of tlae demand for trained scientists, especially for the physical sciences, malce t h e difference between academic and industrial positions much greater than i n other areas. Not only salaries, but also retirement plans should be improved, according to Hoke S. Greene, University of Cincinnati. The salary problem is partially overcome in recruiting college teachers by offering opportunities for research. This advantage is laclcing in the case of high school teachers. First requisite for a. person striving to interest students in a science career is an enthusiasm for science. T h e best teachers in the department should teach beginning science courses. Sympathetic advisers a r e another must. Most people who go into teaching enter the profession to ercuilate s o m e outstanding teacher they h a ^ e Lad themselves. Teacher Edticatioim. In times of teacher shortage, such, as we h a v e now, there is a tendency to> lower standards to attract m o r e teachers. Conrad E. Ronneberg, Demnison University, says that h e knows of no d a t a to show that lowering requirements has ever resulted in attracting r o o r e qualified teachers. A more effective policy is to strengthen requirements. A good high, school teacher's training should be divided among subject matter, general education, and professional teaching training. It is difficult to get these t h r e e in proper perspective. Many state requirements or institutional curricula empHasize o n e or the other too much. I n an ideal curriculum half of the effort should b e devoted to subject matt-er, three eighths to general education, and o n e eighth to one sixth to professional subjects in education. Drawing on his own experience as a science teacher, Ernest E . Bayles, University of Kansas, says t h a t some of the long hours he spent studying advanced chemistry courses in college might have been better s p ^ n t on subjects closer to the courses h e was later to teach. Although he majored in chemistry, he found at first that h e h a d t o p u t less preparation i n t o physics courses he taught than h e did into chemistry courses because college work in physics more closely parallels subject matter of beginning physics comrses.
• P h i l a d e l p h i a College of Pharmacy a n d Science i s offering a special course in radioisotope techniques starting June 6, 1 9 5 5 . Course will consider both theoreticral and practical aspects.
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