CONNECTICUT TEACHERS’ NEEDS FOR IN-SERVICE EDUCATION

188 Pages·08.143 MB·English

by  DENT, CHARLES HERGER

Sponsoring Committee: Professor Walter A. Anderson,
Professor Theodore D. Bice, and
Professor Samuel J. McLaughlin
CONNECTICUT TEACHERS' NEEDS FOR IN-SERVICE EDUCATION
CHARLES HERGER DENT
Submitted in partial fulfillm ent of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Education in the School of Education of
New York University
(c>
1951 in*1 Bocnmgnt'
Accepted, -
The University of Texas
DIVISION OF EXTENSION
AUSTIN 12
OFFICE OF
EXTENSION TEACHING BUREAU
To Whom It May Concern:
I hereby guarantee that no part of the
dissertation or document which I have submitted for publica­
tion has been heretofore published and (or) copyrighted in
the United States of America, except in the case of passages
quoted from other published sources; that I am the sole
author and proprietor of said dissertation or document;
that the dissertatio n or document contains no matter which,
if published, w ill be libelous or otherwise injurious, or
infringe in any way the copyright of any other party; and
that I w ill defend, indemnify and hold harmless New York
University against a ll claims which may be made against
New York University by reason of the publication of said
dissertation or document.
^
Signed:
Charles H. Dent
March 27, 1951
TO
W. A. A .,
TEACHER AND FRIEND
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Recognition by the teaching profession of the need for con­
tinuous growth and development in service of its members does not im­
ply th at the best means for meeting this need have been discovered.
Many ideas are being explored today in the name of democratic school
adm inistration and cooperative planning for making the professional
preparation of teachers more effective at both the pre-service and in-
service levels. The identification of the needs of Connecticut teachers
for in-service education, as reported in this study, is an example of
such explorations.
I t is to be regretted th at a fu ll description of the personal
and professional experiences afforded by the study could not be set
forth herein. The personal associations throughout the study, both
with the personnel of New York U niversity's Center for Field Services
who served as Consultants to Connecticut's Fact-Finding Commission on
Education, and with Connecticut educators and laymen, were of immeasur­
able value and benefit to the investigator. The opportunity to study
methods of research and the procedures for working together in the solu­
tio n of problems provided significant in-service experiences for the in­
vestigator. In fact, the processes used in this study exemplify desir­
able ones for the area about which it is w ritten--in-service education.
These processes, also, constitute an example of the rich experiences
provided by New York U niversity’s internship program for graduate stu­
dents .
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Since the setting o f th is p roject is set forth in Chapter II I ,
I w ill attempt at thi6 point only to express the deep appreciation which
I feel to all persons, at New York U niversity and in the State of Connec­
ticut, who contributed toward making th is project possible.
Without benefit of the wisdom, foresight, guidance, and encour­
agement of Walter A. Anderson, thi6 study would not have been achieved.
His drive, his ability to organize and work patiently with many d etails
and yet not lose sight of the individual involved have been an in spira­
tion and challenge. I express to him and to the other members of the
Sponsoring Committee, Theodore D. Rice and Samuel J. McLaughlin, my deep­
est appreciation for their appraisals and advice.
I also wish to express appreciation to my colleagues at New
York University for their unfailing in te re st and consideration: A. D.
Albright, Walter and Claire Brauer, Harold Ferguson, Robert Hurst, Robert
L. Hopper, Edna Layton, and Larry and Mary Paquin.
To Henry C. Herge, Chief, Bureau of Higher Education and
Teacher Certification, Connecticut S tate Department of Education, and
Chairman, Committee on the Need for Graduate and In-Service Training
Programs, I wish to express my g reatest admiration and sincerest g ra ti­
tude for his generosity w ith tim e, m aterials, and suggestions which
meant so much to the realizatio n of th is study. The cooperation of the
other members of the Committee, individually and collectively, is also
deeply appreciated and acknowledged. The Committee members include:
Mary M. Barber, Robert H. Black, Samuel Brownell, Arthur L. Knoblauch,
Karl A. Reiche, Robert Stoughton, and H erbert D. Welte.
My grateful appreciation is also expressed:
To the members of the Governor’s Fact-Finding Commission on
Education consisting of Norman Cousins, Chairman, Mrs. Robert Mahoney,
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M erlin Bishop, Mrs. C lifford F, Thompson, and Carl A. Gray, who gave
perm ission to use the data gathered fo r a report of th is nature.
To Miss V iolet Edwards, Executive Secretary of the Governor's
Fact-Finding Commission on Education, for her help in planning, sending
out, and collecting the citizen s’ questionnaire.
To Dr. Finis E. Engleman, Commissioner of Education, and all
members of the sta ff of the State Department of Education, for their
friendliness, kindness, courtesy, and h o sp itality at a ll times. Es­
pecially do I appreciate the many consultations held with Joseph A. Baer,
Maurice Ross, Ann Foberg, and N. S. Light.
To George A. Spooner, Professor at Teachers College of Connec­
tic u t, for his sharing of pertinent m aterials and suggestions for present­
ing data.
To Margaret P ustello, Elementary School Teacher, for the week­
ly set of newspaper clippings that reported the progress and findings of
the Cooperative Study.
To Lyndon U. P ratt, W ilfred J. Sheehan, and David A. McQueen,
of the Connecticut Education A ssociation, for th e ir cooperation and in­
te re st in the study.
To the principals and teachers in the H artford Schools for
th e ir help in fillin g out the teachers* questionnaires experimentally.
To the members of the Community Study Groups for the oppor­
tunity of meeting with them, and for th e ir answers to the citizens'
questionnaire.
To the Presidents and members of the staffs of the seventeen
teacher preparation in stitu tio n s of the state for th eir cordiality and
responsiveness at a ll tim es with m aterials and ideas.
To T. M. S tin n ett, Associate Secretary, National Commission
on Teacher Education and Professional Standards, for c ritic a lly reading
the manuscript and making suggestions for its final completion.
And fin a lly , to my w ife, Mary Brown, and to my two young sons,
Charles Freeman and Larry, whose constant encouragement and understand­
ing contributed so greatly to the completion of this study.
C. H. D.
March, 1951
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I. THE PROBLEM AND ITS PROCEDURES...................................................................1
Statem ent of Problem ....................................................................................... 2
Statem ent of Subproblems ............................................................................. 2
D efinitions .......................................................................................................... 2
Basic Assumptions ............................................................................................ 3
D elim itations of the Study ........................................................................ ^
Significance of the S tu d y ........................ ^
Procedures Used in the S tu d y ........................................................................6
Subproblem 1 ........................................... 6
Subproblem 2 7
Subproblem 3 9
Sub problem L ................................................................................................9
Subproblem 5 10
II . THE SETTING OF THE PROBLEM...........................................................................11
C onnecticut's Cooperative Study of Its Educational Program . 11
R elated Studies ...................................................................................................12
III. OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS' PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND
DEVELOPMENT IN SERVICE....................................................................................23
Study fo r Degrees ..............................................................................................2l»
Extension Services ........................................................................................... 27
Other In-Service Education A ctiv ities ........................................... 28
Some Illu stratio n s of In-Service Education Programs in
A c tio n .................................................................................................................29
Summary ......................................................................................................................35
IV. THE STATUS OF TEACHERS’ PREPARATION IN CONNECTICUT...................37
O verview ......................................................................................................................37
Levels of Preparation .....................................................................^0
Professional Experience ................................................................... ^0
Years of College Preparation .......................................................^2
College D eg rees.........................................................................................^
Highest College Degree Now Held ................................................ W
Study at In stitu tio n s In and Outside the State for
D e g re e s ........................................................................... M
Years in Which Degrees Were A c q u ire d .....................................^7
Im plications of Levels of P rep aratio n .....................................52
Preparation in Progress ...............................................................................51*-
Study in Progress for Advanced Degrees ................................5^
Major Areas of Study in Progress for Advanced Degrees . 56
Im plications of Teachers* Preparation in Progress . . . 60
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
Future Degree Plans ........................................................................................ 62
Plans for Acquiring Advanced Degrees . . . ...............................62
Major Areas of Study Planned for Advanced Degrees . . . 64
Im plications of Future Degrees Plans ...............................69
In State Study Preference ............................................................69
Preference of Teachers with Advanced Preparation in
Progress for Study Inside S t a t e ..........................................69
Preference of Teachers Planning Advanced Preparation far
Study Inside S ta te ................................... '71
R estrictive Factors Affecting Professional G ro w th ..........................71
Teachers' Reasons for Not Working for Higher Degrees . 75
"W ritten-in" Reasons for Not Working for Higher Degrees 75
Sum m ary..................................................................................................................75
V. CONNECTICUT TEACHERS' IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS FOR PROFES­
SIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN SERVICE..........................................78
The Needs of T e a ch e rs..................................................................................78
Suggested Needs ................................... 82
General Needs of Teachers for Professional Growth and
Development . ......................................................................................82
"W ritten-in" Responses under General N e e d s ...............................85
Specific Needs of Teachers for Professional Growth and
D evelopm ent..............................................................................................92
"W ritten-in" Responses under Specific N eed s...............................95
Some Implications of Teachers' General and Specific
N e e d s ...........................................................................................................97
Suggested Professional Growth A c tiv itie s..................................................99
Teachers' Suggestions for Improving O pportunities for
In-Service Education ........................................................99
"W ritten-in" Responses for Improving O pportunities for
In-Service Education...........................................................................101
Suggested A ctivities for C red it..........................................................103
Suggested Non-Credit A ctiv ities..........................................................105
"W ritten-in" Suggestions for Non-Credit A ctiv ities . . 106
Suggested Information and Research S e rv ic e s.............................108
"W ritten-in" Suggestions for Information and Research
S e rv ic e s.....................................................................................................110
Importance of College Credit to T eachers................................................I l l
The Reasons for Importance of College C redit to Teachers . 114-
Summary ........................................................................................................................114
VI. LAYMEN LOOK AT TEACHERS AND TEACHER PREPARATION.............................119
Laymen's Responses to Selected Q uestions................................................120
What Kind of a Teacher Do You Want for Your C hild? . . 120
Do You Believe the State of Connecticut, at the Present
Time, Is Doing a Goou Job in the Preparat Lon and
Training of Teachers? .......................................................................121
What Do You Think Is Missing in the Education of
Teachers T oday?....................................................................................124
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
What Do You Think Can Be Done to Help Teachers Who Are
A lready on the Job to Continue to Grow Professionally? . 12'7
O riginal Responses to Citizens* Q uestionnaire..............................130
From C itizen A ........................................................................................130
From C itizen B .........................................................................................132
Summary .......................................................................................................................137
V II. IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................138
Findings and Im plications ..................................................................... 139
Present O pportunities for In-Service Education in Con­
n ecticu t ..................................................................................................139
Present S tatus of Teacher Preparation.....................................1+1
Needs of Teachers for Professional Growth and Develop­
ment in Service ...............................................................................1+3
Suggestions for Improving In-Service Education . . . . 1+5
Types of O fferings Desired ...........................................................1+6
Im portance of College Credit .......................................................1+8
Reasons for Importance of College C re d it.............................1+8
Other P rofessional A c tiv itie s .......................................................1+9
Laymen's Responses ..............................................................................1+9
Conclusions and Recommendations ...........................................................151
The Schem atic Plan ...............................................................................151
F urther Recom m endations.....................................................................153
Suggested Future Studies ......................................... 157
BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................159
APPENDIX......................................................................................................................p63
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