Curriculum planning and guidance services in British Columbia

195 Pages·08.896 MB·English

by  Johns, Harold Percival

CURRICULUM PLANKING
AND
GUIDANCE SERVICES
IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA
By
Harold Percival Johns.
A thesis presented to the Institute of Psychology
of the University of Ottawa In partial fulfilment
Of requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy*
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BIBLIOTHiQUEs'^g
u Ottawa
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LIOKAI4.CS
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Victoria, B. C, 1949-1^
UMI Number: DC53453
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TABLE OF COHTEHTS
Chapter pag*
IHTRODUCTIOH Til
X*- THE CURRICULUM UKDER EXAMIHATIOI, 1924-25... • •••• 1
1. Traditionalism* in the schools of 1924 1
2* Currioulum reforms suggested by Putnam and Weir 6
3* Their advocacy of a Taxied eurrieulum recognizing the prinoiple of
individual differences 8
4* Currioulum plan suggested for secondary schools 9
5. Inclusion of educational and vocational guidance in the plan 11
6. Limitations of the programme suggested 12
H*~ THE IMPACT OF THE PUTNAM-WEIR REPORT, 1925*35 15
1. Results of the Report not immediate 15
2» Modification of high school entrance requirements 17
3. Organisation of junior high schools 18
4* First curriculum references to guidance 20
5. Revision of senior high school currioulum 22
6. An attempt to provide an "Occupations Course** 28
7* Effect of economic depressioni reforms impeded, increase in
secondary school attendance 29
8* Improved school recordsi the "Progress Record Card" 31
9« Advent of G. M. Weir as Minister of Education and H. B. King as
special investigator 34
10* The King Reports advocacy of a wider curriculum with a system of
pupil guidance 35
11* Appointment of H. B. King as "eurrieulum Advisor" 38
IH.- MAJOR CURRICULUM RL7ISI0HS, 1935-37 40
1, Summary of accomplishments to 1935 40
2* Organisation of Curriculum Revision Committees 42
3* Philosophy of the new curriculum! emphasis on personal development 44
4« Weed of better methods of child study 46
5. Complexity of course selection 50
If*- GROUP GUIDANCE, 1936-44 51
1* Introduction of a compulsory guidance programme in the curriculum
of 1936-7 51
2* Emphasis on group guidance 52
3* Supplementary nature of counselling 53
4* Absence of a counsellor training programme 56
5. Developing concept of the counsellor's function 57
6. "Accrediting" of high schoolst an opportunity to insist on
counselling overlooked 58
Chapter page
7* Group Guidance becomes home-room guidance 62
8. Weakness of the home-room method 67
9* Failure to provide provincial leadership 70
T.- THE APPOINTMENT OF A PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR OF GUIDANCE, 1944 * 71
1. Meed for provincial direction 71
2. Appointment of a director of vocational guidance recommended 73
3* Dr. King's insistence on a broader concept 74
4« Appointment of a director of educational and vocational guidance 75
5. Duties of the director 76
6. Soope of the programme planned 77
71.- THE PBOGRAMUE OF THE PROVINCIAL GUIDANCE OFFICE, 194W9 81
1* Supervision necessarily indirect 81
2. Commencement of in-service training 82
3* Problem of occupational information 83
4* Publication of lists of available materials 86
5. Introduction of standard filing system 86
6. Preparation of the "B. C. Oooupations Series" 88
7* Cooperation of business and edooationi placing the problem of
guidance before the public 90
8* Improved counsel ling records 93
VXX«« A CHANGING VIEWPOINT, 1944-49......... 98
1. Interrelation of guidance and curriculum planning in British
Columbia 98
2* Influence of practice and experience elsewhere 99
3* The child as the unit in the modern currioulum 104
4* Guidance interpreted as a group of services to assist the child 105
5. Child study - the initial service 106
6. Necessity of individual or counselling approach 108
7* Informational services needed 108
8. Placement not limited to vocational matters 112
9* Value of follow-up in curricultBa planning 112
10. General support of the staff necessary 113
11. Major emphasis placed on counselling 114
VIII.- A FINANCIAL BASIS FOR COUNSELLING, 1947..... 117
1« Difficulties in establishing counselling services 117
2. Need of financial support for counselling 119
3• Precedents for special grants 120
4. Introduction of grants on behalf of counselling 122
5. Pupilp-counsellor ratio 123
6. Problem of small schools 124
7. Basis of approval for special grants 127
8* Preference expressed for half-time counsellors 128
9* Commencement of counsellor-training programme 130
10* Choice of counselling personnel 134
Chapter page
IX— ORGANIZING THE GUIDANCE SERVICES IN THE SCHOOL, 1948 136
1. Danger of identifying counselling as guidance 136
2. Interpreting the role of the counsellor 137
3. Relation of the counsellor to "group" guidance 141
4* Coordinating the Guidance Services 142
5. Composition of the Guidance Services Committee 143
6* Work of the Guidance Services Costoittee 146
7. Need of the principal's leadership 148
8* Physical requirements for the Guidance Services 148
9. A curriculum to meet the needs of proper guidance 150
X.- A BLUEPRINT FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION, 1947-49 151
1. Guidance Services as a part of the eurrieulum 151
2* Nature of the curriculum in which they art to function 154
3. Absence of major eurrieulum reforms, 1937-1947 154
4* Changing nature of the student body 158
5. Curriculum revisions planned 159
6. A challenge to the Guidance Services 166
7. Interdependence of curriculum planning and the Guidance Services 168
CONCLUSION 169
BIBLIOGRAPHY 172
LIST OF TABLES
Table page
I. - Growth of Student Population.«•••*#...••.*......*.......... 32
II. - Enrollment in Secondary Schools (1948)... ..*.....«... 126
XIX* - Pupil Retention in Schools.**,..,,.•....*,.»..««.,......... 157
LIST OF FIGURE3
Figure page
X* - Th® Guidance Services Committse.............................. 145
II. - Floor Plan of Counselling Rooms and Guidance Laboratory...... 149
INTRODUCTION
The public school system, in this or any other generation,
must from time to time consider the purposes that are fundamental
to its existence. On such occasions, the challenge is ultimately
reduced to the simple question! "Why do we have public schools?"
The justification accorded the fact that it is right
and proper to expend funds contributed by the community in
financing school systems involves the parallel assumption that
the best interests of the state require that its youth, or a
portion of its youth, receive the training offered by these
same institutions, But the subsidiary questions, "How much
education?", "lhat type of training should be given?" and
"What portion of the youth should receive It?" have been var
iously answered at different times. In reality, opinion on
all three is dependent upon the type of social and political
organization on which the state is founded.
Societies have existed that functioned best when and
perhaps only continued to exist because the privileges of
education were limited to certain groups. Conversely, in a
social order that depends upon individual responsibility and
in which each person is given a franchise to determine policies
of government, there seems little doubt that all citizens, and
therefore all youth, should be given at least the rudimentary
fundamentals of communication and computation. Thus there has
never been any real question in the Province of British Columbia, viii
as in any democratic state, that training in the "three R»s" is
the inalienable right of aU young people. But as to how much
education beyond this should be provided and of what it should
consist, and to whom it should be given, there have been dif
ferences of opinion and changing philosophies.
It is not the purpose of the writer to argue the validity
of one or other of these theories* During the past two or even
three generations, there has never been any serious attack upon
the position that a sound elementary school education for all
young people is a desirable objective. There have been, of
course, divergent ideas as to the details of the content to be
taught and the virtues of different methods of instruction.
But these have not been doubts of the fundamental wisdom of
the general concept*
On the other hand, the attention of this study is
primarily directed to the secondary schools of British Columbia
which, in the period under discussion, have undergone changes
that altered the rery purposes for which they exist. The
answer to the question, "How much education should youth be
given?", is a vastly different one to-day from that which must
have had general support thirty or thirty-five years ago. And
in this change there has been a modification of opinion as to
the allied questions, "What should be taught in secondary
schools?", and "What portion of tiie youth should be given
training in these schools?".
Again, the merits of the case for or against the prop-
osition that a secondary-school education should be the birth
right of every British Columbia youth capable of the respons
ibilities of adult citizenship is not a major concern of the
writer. The fact is that such a philosophy has been acknowledged
and accepted in this Province. Rather, the purpose here is,
accepting this as the ultimate aim, to discuss some of the
fundamental characteristics of these schools if they are
indeed to serve all youth. It is obvious, for example, that
such an ideal cannot be realised if any form of Indirect
exclusion exists, such*as the use of tests of academic ability
to eliminate all but the most able, or the practice of levying
fees that will in effect bar certain students, or the provision
of a curriculum so narrowly designed to meet the needs of
future college students that by its very inappropriateness
it will deter the attendance of young people with other
intentions.
The attempt to establish a type of secondary school
that is broad enough in concept to provide for the educational
requirements of the great majority of British Columbia youth
is recounted in the following pages. So too are some of the
attendant problems.
Among these is the fact that to be economically feasible
the currioulum developed necessitates a fairly large student