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(Ed. Note--The Crimson does not necessarily endorse opinions expressed in printed communications. No attention will be paid to anonymous letters and only under special conditions, at the request of the writer, will names be withheld. Only letters under 400 words can be printed because of space limitations.)
To the Editor of the Crimson:
When, in the fall of 1936, the Graduate School of Education launched its program for the new degree of Master of Arts in Teaching, it took a positive step in the direction of elevating secondary school teaching standards. No one may justly disparage the intent of the school that "scholarship may be united with professional understanding and with personal fitness for teaching." But as a student in the school since the inauguration of the new program, I have a few criticisms and suggestions to offer.
1. Every student should be interviewed by a member of the faculty before being permitted to become a candidate for a degree, and only such should be admitted to candidacy who, in the opinion of the faculty, may be reasonably expected to be able to fulfill all the requirements for the degree. Once a student has met with the approval of the faculty, he should be backed whole-heartedly by that body.
2. While the program of studies and the bibliographies are well-constructed, the lectures are often dull and poorly organized. This is especially true of Educational Measurement 1. In a school which strives to produce inspiring teachers, it is very important that the faculty be models of good teaching.
3. Each apprentice teacher should be supervised only by such men as have had actual teaching experience in his field or in one closely related to it. A supervisor experienced in the teaching of the social studies can not be expected to understand all the problems of a language teacher.
If the Graduate School of Education will act upon the above recommendations, it will go a long way toward the achievement of the goal it has set for itself. Samuel Sinnreich 2G.Ed.
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