Friday, May 6, 1977
2
University Dally Kansan
Mon
e and
ing the
Four
Un
Acres
Teachers rate education courses
By DONNA KIRK
Staff Renorter
Education courses at the University of Kansas received low marks in classroom applicability from 15 1976 graduates now teaching in Kansas.
Most of the teachers said recently that educational psychology, educational mathematics and methods courses weren't useful but help students teaching was. All teachers rated the education faculty as excellent and helpful to work on advice about course work and teaching.
METHODS COURSES teach prospective teachers how to present a subject to students. Other educational courses discuss school systems; theories of learning and child development; how to write, grade and test; and how to evaluate course objectives.
But those courses just don't apply to actual teaching, most of the teachers said.
"I don't give essay or multiple choices tests in the first grade," Carole Kinney, first grade teacher in McLouth, said, "but I think that might be useful for other teachers."
MATHEMATIC METHODS courses in which students learned to make teaching aids weren't useful, she said, because most schools already had the types of teaching aids made in KU classes. She said she made teaching aids that her school didn't have.
Arvel McEilroy, second grade teacher in Wichita, said that the science content courses he had at KU were helpful but that the mathematics methods courses at KU offered a more approach used in his school. He had to do math to learn the district's approach, he said.
Suggestions for exposure to methods courses in areas other than a student's major came from Gregory Kifer, chemistry, physics and earth sciences from Jill Moore, English, speech and journalism teacher in Gardner High School.
"I NEVER HAD A COURSE on how to teach speech or drama," Moore said, "and I really suffered because I had no preenration for debate coachin'."
"They're nice sounding theories," Banks said, "but then you try them in class and you fall flat on your face. Then you ask yourself what you should do."
Robert Banks, elementary and secondary music teacher in Overbrook, said there was too much emphasis on theory at KU and not enough work with students in class.
HE SAID EDUCATION courses should emphasize more role playing to help prospective teachers solve problems that might occur in class.
A teacher develops his own theory, Linda Gould, elementary substitute teacher in Lawrence, said. She recommended that University education professors visit public school classrooms to keep pace with the changes in schools and teaching methods.
"If a prof hasn't been to a classroom for a long time," Gould said, "it shows in his teaching in assigning useless projects to do that are based on theory."
Sarah Wohlrabe, journalism and English
The recipient of a new $500 Clytice W. Nichols scholarship established by the senior class this year from leftover class funds is Tracy Spellman, Salina senior.
Nichols award given to senior
Spellman was selected from about 20 seniors who plan to do graduate work at the University of Kansas next fall, according to Jan Scott, chairman of the five-member scholarship committee. Financial need wasn't a condition for eligibility, she said.
The scholarship was named in honor of the late wife of Chancellor Emeritus William D. Barker and an active hostess for official visits of legislative committees from the Kansas Legislature and who made suggestions for campus landscaping, died in January this year.
Mr. Nichola was chancellor from 1792 to 1830, and said that he was flattered that his wife was with him.
Steve Sgebrecht, committee member,
said that Spellman would receive a check at
the bank.
teacher in Arkansas City, said tests and measurements courses helped her to define what she wanted to teach and how to measure what her students learned.
DISCUSSING WHAT they learned as student teachers should be a post-student teaching course, according to McErory, John Adams, theater and speech teacher at Eudora High School, and Jan Torny, high school studies and history teacher in Toneka.
Adams said that student teaching should come after students have taken all courses.
"It's crazy to come back and talk about philosophy when you've been out there and seen it all," he said.
THE RELEVANCE of education courses to actual teaching is an old debate, according to Nita Sundbye, professor of
curriculum and instruction.
"Part of the problem is that juniors don't listen to educational theories when they're taught because they've nothing to compare them to," Sundybe said. "They're removed from the situation unless they've been aides or done student teaching."
In their junior year, KU students can be an aide, which entails classroom work with students and teachers, but not necessarily teaching.
Sundaye said that elementary education students could get aide experiences in all but one course, but that there was little opportunity for secondary students to be aides.
MOST SECONDARY EDUCATION
students enroll in general background courses in their major areas, she said.
Lelpa Cenps, associate dean of education,
observed. "We have to get the school's"
students."
Capps and Sundybe said that the secondary and elementary programs were being reviewed by a committee within the School of Education, and that proposals for revisions and course changes and additions would be issued in a report next year.
TOMORROW
"ZZ TOP has earned the right to be called the number 1 beogie blues band in the world." Dallas Morning News
Allen Field House May 7
An Amusement Conspiracy Production
An SUA SPECIAL EVENT
By contract with ZZ TOP—No cameras.
No smoking or drinking on main floor.
Hams alert
present along the path of destruction; relaying emergency information.
. .
From page one
Ross Mayfield, 1011 Ohio St., radiated for an ambulance only minutes after the torrade had left Ethel Daniel, Rt. 3, Baldwin, pinned inside her demolished home. Danley is sent to the KU Medical Center. She currently is in serious condition with spinal injuries.
Other amateur units were quickly pressed into service after the storm had passed, to help blockade a growing stream of sight-seers.
"I COULDN'T believe all the sightseers
getting in the road and causing jam-ure to see some mangleed ume, "Mayfield
Kenny Baker, Kansas Power and Light general foreman, wasawed by away one amateur unit as he drove up in an unmarked car.
"I'm sure glad you guys are out here,
he said, we can hardly get by all
these," he said.
Editor's note: Rick Link, Lawrence sophomore, is an amateur radio operator and member of the local emergency corps group.
Now Open Lawrence's ONLY DEEP PIT B-B-Q
All our meats are Slow-Roasted over a Hickory-Fire to give you the finest in Deep Pit Barbecue Flavor.
Open Mon.-Thurs. 11-9 Fri. & Sat. 11-11
719 Mass.
When you've just found out that the place you booked 2 months ago for the biggest bash of the year went out of business 2 weeks ago ...it's no time to get filled up.
c. 1977 Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, Wis.
Lite Beer from Miller.
Everything you always wanted in a beer. And less.