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LIBRARY

Michigan State
University

 

This is to certify that the

thesis entitled

H
A STUDY OF THE TEACHER EDUCATION
PROGRAMS IN COSTA RICA WITH AN
EMPHASIS ON STUDENT TEACHING.

presented by
DOULATRAM CHATTULANI

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

_EH..D.___ degree in WCATION

I . /
Major professor

Date__1‘_1§,Y 19 . 1972

0-7639

 

 

 

ABSTRACT
A STUDY OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS
IN COSTA RICA WITH AN EMPHASIS
ON STUDENT TEACHING
BY

Doulatram Chattulani

This study attempts to inform the reader about
the institutions and programs of teacher training which
prepare elementary and secondary school teachers in Costa
Rica. An emphasis is placed on the student teaching
experience, and all three types of programs which are
presently available are described.

Costa Rica is a small country in Central America
with a population of about 2,000,000. Though the per
capita income is only about $500, Costa Rica has been
able to establish an effective educational system. Spend—
ing only an annual average of $100 per student in elementary
and secondary schools, the country has been able to achieve
a literacy rate of about 90 percent.

The schools are staffed by teachers who are
trained in one of three types of teacher training institu—
tions.

The most prestigious teacher training school is

the College of Education of the University of Costa Rica,

 

Doulatram Chattulani

which is a 4—year institution of higher education and
trains teachers for all grade levels, pre-school through
secondary school.

The patterns of study at the College of Education
are very similar to those undertaken by education students
in the United States, although in Costa Rica the programs
for individual students are more rigid, not affording as
many choices in the electives.

In 1949 Costa Rica began providing free secondary
education for its people. Since then, there has been a
tremendous increase in enrollment in the secondary schools,
creating an acute shortage of qualified teachers because
only the University of Costa Rica was capable of training
teachers for the secondary levels. In 1968 the Ministry
of Education began a 4—year institution called the Superior
Normal School which would train secondary school teachers
and gradually replace about 62 percent of the secondary
school faculty members who do not have sufficient univer—
sity training.

Students at the Superior Normal School have a
choice of eight subject areas in which they can major.
From the beginning of the first year all the students are
grouped according to their major subject. All students
in a given major subject stay in one classroom for the

whole school day and take the same courses. The class

Doulatram Chattulani

organization is similar to that used in the United States
by most elementary schools. Each class stays as a group
for the entire four years, and there are no choices of
electives.

The plan of study for each year in every major
subject is divided into three broad categories: 1. General
cultural formation; 2. Pedagogic formation; 3. Specializa—
tion. In each of the eight semesters of work required,
the students take one or more courses from each of the
categories. In this system, then, students take education
courses throughout their studies.

The majority of the elementary school teachers
are trained in 2-year higher education institutions which
are called Normal Schools. Presently there are four normal
schools in Costa Rica with a combined enrollment of about
1,400 students. Though they are located in different
areas of the country and vary tremendously in size and
resources available to each, the over—all organization
and programs of the schools are similar.

The normal school program is essentially divided
into two units, each lasting for one school year. Through—
out the two years, a continuous laboratory experience is
built into the program. In the first year all students
are grouped into classes which then stay together for the
two year duration. All students in a class take the same

courses at the same time and have no elective courses.

Doulatram Chattulani

In the first year they take sixteen subjects which are
taught "for teaching" (i.e. rather than learning mathe—
matics on the college level, all students taking mathe-
matics learn how to teach mathematics to elementary school
students).

In the second year the number of subjects is reduced
to about half that of the first year, the extra time being
spent in student teaching and related work.

Student teaching is a very important, integral
part of teacher training in Costa Rica. As one looks at
the plans for student teaching in the teacher training
institutions of that country, one factor stands out as
common to all--this is the step that the future teacher
takes from being a student to being a teacher. The step
from the theoretical to the practical, from the "idealized"
world to the "real" world of teaching is a gradual one
which takes place over a period of one to two years. All
student teaching programs allow the future teacher to
become acquainted with the public schools and their students
through: 1. Observation of teachers and classes; 2. Partial
participation in teaching; and 3. Full participation in

teaching.

A STUDY OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS
IN COSTA RICA WITH AN EMPHASIS

ON STUDENT TEACHING

BY

Doulatram Chattulani

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

College of Education

1972

r“

©Copyright by
DOULATRAM CHATTULANI
19 72

To my best friend, Donna.

ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Throughout my stay at Michigan State University,
the members of my guidance committee, Dr. George R. Myers
(chairman), Dr. Harry L. Case, Dr. Carl H. Gross, and
Dr. William E. Sweetland, were extremely helpful. My
sincere thanks go to them.

I am especially indebted to Dr. George R. Myers
and Dr. Carl H. Gross who were my advisors in the truest
sense of the word, and who constantly helped with any
problem I faced. It was always reassuring to know that
these two teachers and friends could be consulted on any
matter at any time.

I wish to thank my mother, Miss Leonora E. Lea,
Dr. and Mrs. Al Levin, Mr. and Mrs. Manny Goldberg, and
their families for their love which always gave me
encouragement.

The educators and students in Costa Rica were
all generous with their time and information. Without
their c00peration this study could not have been possible.

Thank you, all.

iii

DEDICATION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENT. . . . . . . . . . . .

Chapter

I. INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . .

Statement of the Problem . .

Need for the Study . . . . . . .

Procedure . . . . . . . . .

Definition of Terms. . . . . .

Delimitations of the Study . . .

Background Information to Education in
Costa Rica . . . . . .

II. THE HISTORY OF COSTA RICA . . . .

III. TH

Introduction . . . . . . . . .

The Colonial Period Through the 18th
Century . . . . . . . .

The 19th Century.

The 20th Century. . . . . . .

E HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN COSTA RICA . .
Introduction . . . . . .
The Colonial Period. . . . . . .

The 19th Century. . . . . . . . .
The 20th Century. . . . . . . . .

IV. TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTIONS IN COSTA RICA

Introduction . .
The University of Costa Rica.
The Superior Normal School .
The Normal Schools . . . . .

iv

Page
ii

iii

|._.I

\D\JU"Ii—’}—’

10

12

12

12
15
17

22

22
22
23
26

31
31
36
41

Chapter Page

V. STUDENT TEACHING PROGRAMS IN COSTA RICA. . . 51
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . 51
The University of Costa Rica. . . . . . 51
The Superior Normal School . . . . . . 61
The Normal School . . . . . . . . . 69
VI. EVALUATION AND SUGGESTIONS . . . . . . . 78
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
A. MAPS OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND COSTA RICA . . . 96
B. SAMPLE PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT THE COLLEGE OF
EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA . . . 99
C. SAMPLE PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT THE SUPERIOR
NORMAL SCHOOL, HEREDIA, COSTA RICA. . . . 102
D. GUIDE AND CHECK LIST FOR FIELD TRIPS. . . . 105
E. OBSERVATION AND EVALUATION SHEETS
(UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA) . . . . . . 111
F. A GUIDE FOR LESSON OBSERVATION BY STUDENTS
AT THE SUPERIOR NORMAL SCHOOL . . . . . 115
G. EVALUATION SHEET USED BY THE COOPERATING
TEACHERS FOR THE SUPERIOR NORMAL SCHOOL . . 119

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Statement of the Problem

 

This study attempts to inform the reader about
the institutions and programs of teacher training which
prepare elementary and secondary school teachers in
Costa Rica. An emphasis is placed on the student teaching
experience, and all three types of programs which are

presently in Operation are described.

Need for the Study

 

James Reston once said, "Somehow the people of
the United States will do anything for Latin America
except read about it."1 His statement may be correct,
but the fact is that even if one wished to read about
Latin America there is a very limited amount of litera—
ture available in our libraries concerning most Latin
American countries. The literature is especially Scarce

when one wishes to go into specific areas, such as

 

lJohn Gunther, Inside South America, (New York:
Pocket Books, 1968), p. xiii.

 

Education. It becomes almost nonexistent when one looks
at even more Specific areas such as Teacher Education or
Student Teaching in a certain country.

Somehow, in this modern age of moon landings and
communication via satellites, there is a "knowledge gap"
in certain fields of study concerning the countries so
near to the United States.

In regard to most of the developed countries of
the world such as England, France, Germany, and Japan,
much of our knowledge comes through an abundant exchange
of communication media such as movies, television, and
books. However, for most of the less-developed countries
in the areas of Latin America, Africa, and Asia where
movies, television, and even radios are in the early
developmental stages, our main source of knowledge comes
from the printed pages of books and journals. Thus, if
we are to gain more knowledge of many of the less-developed
countries, we must have more research and literature
available for interested parties.

Presently in the libraries of the United States,
the only current literature on education in Costa Rica
is a book (published during the writing of this paper)

called Education in Central America.2 Since the book

 

 

2George R. Waggoner and Barbara A. Waggoner,
Education in Central America, (Lawrence: The University
Press of Kansas, 1971).

 

deals with all the countries in Central America, it is
general in nature, and does not go into much depth regard-
ing education in Costa Rica.3 Aside from this book, not
much more has been published in the last twenty years in
the United States regarding education in Costa Rica.
Regarding teacher education in Costa Rica, and more
specifically student teaching in Costa Rica, there is
absolutely nothing available in American libraries.

The writer was made acutely aware of the lack of
available sources when the idea of doing some research into
the teacher training process in Costa Rica first came to
mind. In fact, available literature was so poor that the
writer had no alternative but to place a long-distance
call to the Costa Rican Embassy in Washington, D.C., in
order to confirm that there is in fact a definite program
of student teaching in the teacher training process in
that country at present.

This ”knowledge gap" is indeed unfortunate,
especially in the case involving Costa Rica, the most
developed and promising country in Central America.
Whatever measurement of economic development is used,
Costa Rica is far ahead of any other Central American

country, and the trend seems to be towards continued

 

3In this book only 20 pages are devoted to education
in Costa Rica.

development.4 The country is also a model of political
stability in a region where coup d'etats are common,
having had free democratic elections and smooth changes
of government for a quarter of a century. Its literacy
rate is around 90 percent,5 an impressive figure for any
country, and almost unbelievable when one notes that only
an average of $100 per student per year is spent to
provide free elementary and secondary education.

As the chapter on the "History of Education in Costa
Rica" will show, education has played a major role in the
impressive development of the country. In Costa Rica,
as in other less-develOped countries especially, where
school materials and teaching aids are so scarce, teachers
are the key persons in the educational process. Therefore,
we should investigate and learn how these teachers, who
have so capably improved the general education of the

country, are trained.

 

4Howard I. Blutstein, et a1., Area Handbook for
Costa Rica, (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing
Office, 1970), p, 181.

5Felipe Calvo C., et a1., Informe General Sobre las
Condiciones de la Infancia, 1a Juventud, y la Familia en
Costa Rica, (San Jose: Ciudad Universitaria, 1971), p. 104.

 

 

 

 

 

6Ministerio de Educacion Publica, Informe Estadistico

 

del Sistema Educativo Costarricense, (San Jose: Ministerio
de Educacion Publica, 1969); P. 103.

 

Procedure

 

In July, 1971, when the final decision was made to
do a study of Teacher Education in Costa Rica, letters
were sent to the directors of all the colleges of education
in that country requesting an Opportunity to visit the

institutions and to interview the professors and the

students. The teacher training institutions which were
contacted were: (1) The University of Costa Rica; (2) The
Superior Normal School; (3) The Normal School of Costa Rica;

(4) The Normal School of Guanacaste; (5) The Normal School
of San Ramon; and (6) The Normal School of Perez Zeledon.

All necessary arrangements were made, and in the
middle of August the writer left for a six—week study of
teacher education in Costa Rica. Because of the seasonal
differences between the United States and Costa Rica, all
schools in Costa Rica have their summer vacation in
December and January. Thus the choice of going to do the
study during the writer's vacation in August and September
was considered to be the most beneficial.

During the period of study, all six of the teacher
training institutions were visited. The writer spent from
three to ten days in each city visiting with the directors

and professors, and observing future teachers at work.

At every institution the writer was granted many
hours of interview time with the director (at the University
of Costa Rica, the Assistant Dean of the College of
Eudcation was interviewed), and was given a tour of the
campus. At every institution the writer was generously
provided with all necessary information and literature
he sought. After the visit with the director, separate
conferences with groups of professors and teachers were
arranged, and permission to visit any class in session
was granted. Whenever arrangements could be made, college
supervisors of student teachers took the writer along
on their observation visits.

During the interviews with the professors and the
college students, the same types of questions were asked
of both groups regarding the school curriculum, schedules,
and student teaching experiences, so that different
reactions to the same questions from both groups could be
obtained. Quite often these interviews with professors
and students lasted beyond the school hours, and many of
the best interviews were done outside of the schools, in
the professors' homes, restaurants and in coffee shOps.
These personal contacts proved to be of great value in
completing the study, particularly since even in Costa

Rica the literature is limited and difficult to locate.

At several institutions the writer was asked to
give a talk on American education, and this offered
Opportunities for free exchanges of ideas. There were also
two American exchange students and several Peace Corps
Volunteers, working as instructors in normal schools, and
these peOple gave many hours of interview time providing
the writer with many important reactions and criticisms.
During the stay in the capital, San Jose, visits
were made to the Ministry of Education and to the University
of Costa Rica's research center to gather all pertinent
literature available in Costa Rica. These visits were
extremely productive since in Costa Rica most important
data and statistics are mimeographed, rather than printed
and published, and only a handful of COpies are available to
peOple directly working with the data. Thus, much material
not available outside of Costa Rica was generously given to

the writer.

Definition of Terms

 

In this study, many Spanish terms used in dealing
with teacher education in Costa Rica had to be translated
into English. These terms were not translated in the
strictest literary manner; instead, similar terms commonly
used in reference to American teacher education programs
were chosen. Words with no similar meanings were trans-

lated literally.

Escuela Normal

 

Normal school or teacher training institutions. In
most Central American countries these are on the secondary
level. In Costa Rica normal schools are 2—year higher

education institutions training elementary school teachers.

Escuela Normal Superior

 

Normal Superior School. This could be translated as
Higher Normal School, but because there is a qualitative
prestige attached to it, the writer will use the term
"Superior." This is a 4—year institution of higher educa—

tion training teachers for secondary schools.

Facultad de Educacion

 

College of Education in the University of Costa
Rica. This is a 4—year institution which trains both

elementary and secondary school teachers.

Practica docente

 

Student teaching.

Practica Intensiva

 

Intensive practice (in student teaching). This
term is used in normal schools where they have periods

of partial and full—time (intensive) student teaching.

Practicante

 

Student teacher. This term is used for any
student in colleges of education who goes into public

schools to observe or teach.

Supervisor

 

College student teaching supervisor or coordina—

tor .

Colaborador or Profesor Colaborador

 

Cooperating teachers (teachers in schools who assist
college supervisors in providing student teaching experi-

ences).

Escuela primaria

 

Elementary school (six years duration).

Escuela secundaria

 

Secondary school (five years duration following

six years of elementary school).

Delimitations of the Study

 

The following delimitations are recognized by the
investigator:
(1) In a cross-cultural study such as this, it
is perhaps inevitable that the values and beliefs of the
writer may have affected the interpretations and conclusions.
(2) The on-site investigation was done over a
period of six weeks at Costa Rica and the time was not
enough to directly observe every phase of the teacher

education programs.

10

(3) The literature was limited even in Costa Rica
regarding some aspects of the study and much information
was gained through interviews and observations of directors,
professors, and students. These research techniques
are subject to some criticisms since the conditions at the
time of each interview and observation may be quite differ—
ent and may affect the objectivity of the investigator.

Background Information to Education
in Costa Rica

 

 

The educational system of Costa Rica is nationally
centralized under the leadership of the Minister of
Education who is the chief administrator of educational
policies. These policies are set by a lO-member Higher
Council of Education. The Minister of Education is a
political appointee and his term of office is the same
as that of the President of Costa Rica (4 years with no
reelection possible). However, with the exception of the

Minister and his chief assistant, Oficial mayor, all

 

employees connected with the educational system, includ—
ing administrators, teachers, and janitors, are civil
servants.

The educational system of Costa Rica includes:

(1) Pre—school——for children under age six.

(2) Primary school—-grades one through six.

(3) Secondary school——grades one through five,

divided into two cycles. The first three

11

years constitute general cultural education,

and the last two years are set aside for

several diversified elective programs ("majors").
(4) Higher education——the following institutions

.are considered to be schools of higher educa—

tion:

(a) University of Costa Rica (4—8 years)

(b) Superior Normal School (4 years)

(c) Normal School (2 years)

(d) School of Nursing (3 years)

(e) Inter—American Institute of Agricultural
Science (varied number of years)

A small number of private schools augment the above public
institutions of learning.

All certified elementary and secondary teachers
are trained in institutions of higher education. However,
depending upon the level of school one teaches in, the
salary and working conditions are radically different.
Even titles used by the peOple in daily life are different
for elementary school teachers and secondary school teachers.
A teacher in an elementary school is a maestro; a teacher

in a secondary school is a profesor. Of course a

 

profesor has much more social prestige than a maestro.

 

CHAPTER II

THE HISTORY OF COSTA RICA

Introduction

 

This chapter presents the social, economic, and
political developments in Costa Rica from the colonial
period through the modern period. It traces, through
the history of Costa Rica, the transformation of that
country from a weak, unstable nation, to the most eco—
nomically developed and politically stable nation in
Central America.

The Colonial Period Through
the 18th Century

 

 

 

Costa Rica was first discovered by Europeans in
1502 when Columbus took shelter from a storm in the present~
day Caribbean port of Limon during his fourth visit to
the Americas. In the areas where he explored after the
storm, Columbus met the natives of the region who wore
gold ornaments which led the Spaniards to believe that

the coast was rich in gold. Thus, the name Costa Rica.

12

13

At the time when the Americas were discovered by
the Europeans, the centers of Indian civilization were to
the north, in Mexico and Guatemala, and to the south, in
Ecuador and Peru. Therefore, Costa Rica was lightly
populated and only about 30,000 Indians are thought to have
lived in the area.1 This small number of Indians was
divided into small, disorganized tribes scattered through—
out the country, and, with the exception of perennial
tribal wars, there was very little intercourse between
the different tribes. Most tribes existed by hunting and
maintaining primitive farms. Each one was self—sufficient
because the mountainous terrain made regular trading
between the widely-scattered tribes almost impossible.

Soon after Columbus' return to Spain, news of
the supposed wealth of the new area spread rapidly and
convinced numerous conquistadores to seek gold there.
Group after group of conquistadores came but only a few
were successful in finding their treasure. The Spaniards
suffered all types of sicknesses in the hot and humid
lowlands; they experienced hunger and pain in the cold,
almost unpassable high mountain ranges; everywhere they
went, the conquistadores faced attacks by natives pro-

tecting their land.

 

lJohn Biesanz and Mavis Biesanz, Costa Rican Life,
(New York: Columbia University Press, 1945), p. 4.

I

 

14

Despite these hardships and failures, the Spaniards
actively searched for mineral wealth in Costa Rica for
about 50 years. However, after having only negligible
success during that long period, the stories of fabulous
wealth hidden in the "Rich Coast" were gradually forgotten.
Thus it was that only small groups of hardy colonists
came to settle in isolated farming lands. These settlers
were isolated from European governments which were inter-
ested in gold and other minerals, and they learned to
become independent and self—sufficient by farming corn,
wheat, beans, sugar cane, and rice. Slowly these white
settlers increased in number. By the end of the 18th
century there were about 20,000 Spaniards in Costa Rica.2

Although many Spanish settlers did inter-marry
with the Indian women, the population of Costa Rica mainly
remained white as settlers brought their families along
and gradually began to replace the Indians whose numbers
began to diminish. The Indian population in Costa Rica
was small to begin with; and when the Spaniards began to
dominate the land and force the natives to work for them,
the Indians could not stand the harsh treatment and so
they suffered a very high death rate. As the Spanish

population increased, they began to form settlements,

 

2Howard I. Blutstein, et al., Area Handbook for
Costa Riga, (Washington, D.C.: U. S. Government Printing
Office, 1970), p. 13.

 

 

15

especially in the central plateau known as the Meseta
Central. The larger settlements around the present—day
capital began to form into large towns such as Cartago,

Heredia, and Alajuela.

Throughout most of the 18th century, Costa Rica
remained physically, socially, politically and economi-
callyisolated from the other areas of the world. Due to
the hostility of the Indians in the interior and the
European pirates along the coast, even commercial trade,
which was really necessary to bring in manufactured goods
to predominantly agricultural Costa Rica, was kept at a
bare minimum. Thus, Costa Rica was one of the most
underdeveloped and neglected colonies of the Spanish

Empire.

The 19th Century

 

In the early part of the 19th century things began
to look better for the future of Costa Rica. Around 1800
coffee growing was introduced into the region and it
quickly became a massive local enterprise, turning the
poorest area in Central America into the richest. The
rush for the ”grains of gold" was started and the whole
country devoted almost all its labor and necessary land
to coffee growing. In the short period of seven years,
from 1834 to 1841, the annual yield of coffee increased

from 50,000 pounds to 9,000,000 pounds.3

 

3Biesanz, Costa Rican Life, p. 128.

 

16

Meanwhile, in politics, much change was taking
place. In 1821 Costa Rica gained independence from Spain
as a result of the mother colony losing in her struggles
with other Latin American colonies. In the ensuing years,
as the whole of Latin America tried to gain stability
through unity or total independence, Costa Rica joined
the other Central American nations in forming the United
Provinces of Central America. During the next twelve
years of the shaky Central American confederation, Costa
Rica had to also contend with its own internal chaos
and power struggles. The decades following the independence
from Spain and the eventual split from the United Provinces
of Central America were filled with corruption and power
struggles among the wealthy few, while most of the Costa
Ricans could exercise no rights and lived in constant
poverty.

In 1848, Costa Rica truly became an independent
nation with absolutely no ties to other countries. From
that time until 1871 many families who had become rich
on the coffee business struggled among each other for
control of the new country. During this time several con—
stitutions were promulgated and abandoned, and the

leadership of the country went from one hand to another.

17

In 1871 a new constitution was put into effect by
an army officer, Tomas Guardia, who took control of the
government by a coup d'etat and tightly ran the country for
about 12 years as a dictator. This constitution was to be
different from the others as it was to remain in force for
75 years.

During Guardia's rule several noteworthy achieve-
ments occurred. He improved public education, increased
trade through the greater production of sugar and coffee,
and also built a railroad system which joined the populated
Meseta Central with the Caribbeanport of Limon. Besides
improving transportation and thus increasing trade, the
railroad contributed to the growth of the banana industry
in Costa Rica, and bananas soon became one of the chief
exports along with coffee and cacao. The banana industry
was started by an American, Minor Keith, who built the
railroad and then got a lease on hundreds of thousands of
acres of land appropriate for banana growing, and which
were located along the railroad system for easy trans-
portation of the goods. This was the beginning of the

United Fruit Company in Costa Rica.

The 20th Century

 

The decades following the building of the rail—
road saw a continual growth of the country in many areas.

In economy the increase in production of the three main

l8

exports brought about substantial expansion, though the
biggest beneficiaries were the large landowners who
controlled the plantations. In education the leaders
pressed for compulsory education, and schools slowly
began receiving students from non-elite families. In
the area of politics the country still experienced much
chaos and many power struggle every few years. However,
both politicians and the public began to see the real
need for free elections to choose the leaders, and the
number of fair, open elections increased.

The world—wide depression of the 1930's affected
Latin America tremendously. But, it was a blessing in
disguise for the future of Costa Rica. The depression
caused people on all social and economic levels to question
the old order and to reflect on the future of their
national existence. People who had stayed out of the
political arena until then began to get involved and formed
various factions. Even a Communist party was begun and
actively participated in domestic politics trying to
change the path of the Costa Rican government.

Much of the modern history of the country centers
upon political struggles between the traditionally—
oriented, wealthy minority, fighting to maintain the
status quo, and the younger, more radical groups of men
trying to bring about social welfare reforms to help the

downtrodden majority.

 

19

The leaders who fought for social progress found
support among the politically active masses who partici—
pated in rallies, elections, and job strikes to bring
about their desired goals. On the whole, these men were
quite successful in facilitating social justice, so that
minimum wage laws were passed, national insurance coverage
was made available, and several hundred thousand acres
which were returned by the United Fruit Company were
distributed to landless farmers in small plots. Also,
by 1940, Costa Rica was on its way to instituting paid
vacations, unemployment benefits, social security, and
income tax measures which were all regarded as positive
policies for social justice.

Although Costa Rica had experienced several
peaceful elections, followed by smooth transitions of
power, since the first such election in 1889, the demo—
cratic process had not been truly institutionalized in that
country. Thus, in 1948, when a candidate who was supported
by the army and the incumbent president refused to
concede defeat to the candidate supported by the masses,
who had won the election by 10,000 votes, a civil war
broke out. This was to be the last armed struggle over
the result of an election, but it was the bloodiest

political upheaval in the history of the country.

20

Since the civil war of 1948, Costa Rica has been
able to remain a cohesive, forward—looking country despite
some natural disasters and economic set—backs. During
the 50's there was an armed, international invasion by
grOUps from several Latin American countries who felt
that the Costa Rican government was turning communist.
There were also destructive floods which threatened to starve
the whole country until help came from the Red Cross.

The prices of coffee and bananas fell drastically4 and
the national debt was greatly increased. In spite of

all these disasters, the leaders of the country have been
able to keep the country united and progressing in all
areas of life.

On the whole, the presidents of the '50's and
'60's have overwhelmingly advocated reformist policies
and have brought about social welfare reforms which have
satisfied the majority to work with the government
policies. And, because of the steady and peaceful progress
of the country, other countries and international organiza—
tions have been willing to help Costa Rica through aid,

loans, and heavy investments in times of need. These

 

4Coffee prices went down from $72 per 100 lbs. in
1956 to $43 per 100 lbs. in 1960; price of bananas went
down about 18% from 1957 to 1960. A. Curtis Wilgus and
Paul d'Eca, Latin American History, (New York: Barnes &
Noble, Inc., 1963), p. 440.

 

21

aids, in turn, have steadily improved the infrastructure
of the country, thus providing sufficient Opportunities
for the wealthy to venture into new, profitable markets
and remain satisfied to go along with the social welfare
policies.

In this way Costa Rica has been able to become
today the most develOped and the most peaceful country

in Central America.

CHAPTER III

THE HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN COSTA RICA

Introduction

 

This chapter deals with the historical develOpment
of education in Costa Rica. It traces the development of
education beginning with the establishment of exclusive,
private schools during the colonial period, and leading
up to the present system which provides free elementary

and secondary education for all.

The Colonial Period

 

Formal education in Costa Rica under the control
of Spain was almost non-existent. Only the extremely
wealthy families could really concern themselves about
education for their children since in agricultural Costa
Rica each child was needed to work at home. Thus, the
few families which could afford education for their

children sent them to Church schools or sent them abroad.

22

23

The 19th Century

 

Until about 1800 when coffee—growing began in Costa
Rica, the country was, for all practical purposes, on a
subsistence economy with no extra funds to spend for
education. However, by 1829, coffee had become the
number one export of the country1 and the revenues from
the eXports became available to be used for public benefit.
At about the same time as the economic expansion took place,
Costa Rica gained independence and the people became
acutely aware of the necessity of a well—educated pOpulace
and leadership to assure progress for the country in the
future. As the realization of the need for education and
the availability Of extra funds fortunately occurred
simultaneously, the Costa Ricans began to think seriously
of building schools for their children. By 1832 a decree
was passed which obliged all parents to provide their
children between the ages of 8 and 14 years with instruc—
tion in the "4 R's", reading, writing, arithmetic, and
religion, and the government built schools to fulfill the
demands. Even a secondary school for girls was eStablished

by 1847.2 Two years later, under the national Rules of

 

lHoward I. Blutstein, et al., Area Handbook for
Costa Rica, (Washington, D.C.: U. S. Government Printing
Office, 1970), p. 230.

 

 

2Jaime Fonseca—Mora, "Education in Costa Rica"
(unpublished paper presented at Loyola College, 1962),

p. 4.

24

Education of 1849, Costa Rica made elementary education

compulsory and free for both boys and girls. In the 1869

Constitution the compulsory and free primary education was

included.3
One of the most important educators of Costa

Rica was Mauro Fernandez who was the Minister of Education

in 1886. "Don" Mauro saw that the compulsory education

provision of the Constitution of 1869 was not effective

because only the concept of an educational system

centralized and financed by the national government was

realized, and no systematic plan of organization was put

into force to unify and carry out a national program. By

studying the educational systems of various western countries,

Don Mauro began the institutionalization of a national school

system on a large, orderly scale. Under his leadership

the country organized regional boards of education,

drafted necessary laws and rules of operation, and opened

new schools. Costa Rican educators were sent abroad,

and foreign professors from around the world were called

in to reorganize and improve the whole realm of education

from curriculum to teacher training.

 

3Blutstein, Area Handbook for Costa Rica, p. 151.

 

25

Mauro Fernandez saw that one of the most important
components of any educational system is a well—trained
corps of teachers. This, the country did not have at the
time. He began the systematic training of future teachers
by setting up a normal education section in some secondary
schools, and established minimum requirements for teachers.

Don Mauro believed so strongly in the basic
educational needs of the country that he closed down the
one institution of higher education available in Costa
Rica (Santo Tomas University) because he felt that the
school was a luxury that the country could ill—afford.
With the resources that would have been spent on the
university, he Opened up new secondary schools in the
populated areas of the country. In these new schools and
in others he introduced new subjects such as science and
social studies in order to modernize the curriculum,
and, for the first time, he introduced coeducation on all
levels of school.

Although Mauro Fernandez and the Ministry of
Education worked diligently to provide schools for all
children in the country, the economic, social, and
geographic constraints of Costa Rica made the task impossible
to fulfill. However, the success of the programs which
Don Mauro started can be seen in the literacy rate

statistics. In 1864 the illiteracy rate was about 90

26

percent,4 and by 1945 the illiteracy rate had gone down to

about 23 percent.5

The 20th Century

 

The latter part of the 19th century was the actual
beginning of mass, compulsory education in Costa Rica,
and steps for future changes and innovations were begun.
The first several decades of the 20th century were there—
fore a time for growth in both quantitative expansion and
qualitative increase. More schools were built in urban
and rural areas of the country; curriculum changes were
made so that schools could adapt to local differences and
needs; teachers were given more rights and benefits.

In the 1949 Constitution, secondary education was
declared free for all able students, and this began the
expansion of secondary education throughout the country.

The first part of the 20th century was also a growth
period for higher education. After Santo Tomas University
was disbanded in 1888, various "facultades" (colleges)
were begun but were Operating independently with high
wastage of funds due to the duplication of functions and
efforts. In 1941 the country decided to incorporate all

the colleges by creating a National University, and in

 

4Blutstein, Area Handbook for Costa Rica, p. 151.

5John H. Furbay, Education in Costa Rica, (Washington,
D.C.: U. S. Government Printing Office, 1946), p. 8.

 

 

27

order to maintain a creative and independent institution
the Constitution of 1949 guaranteed autonomy for the
university.

With the civil war of 1948 which brought into power
leaders who desired economic and social betterment of
the masses came even more impetus for educational improve—
ment and expansion. Thus, in the last 25 years, all types
of reforms have taken place, and impressive records have
been achieved in Costa Rica.

One of the recent educational trends in the world
has been the development of pre—school education. Educators
in Costa Rica have also seen the need for early schooling
and they have begun pre-school institutions. In 1970
there were 106 public and private centers for pre—schoolers
which served over 8,000 students.6

The demands for the eXpansion and improvement of
elementary education have increased tremendously due to
the economic and medical advances that have taken place in
recent years. Both advances have tended to increase the
population which has, in turn, increased the demand for basic
education. Costa Rica has been relatively successful in

coping with the demands. For an example, in one year

 

6Ministerio de Educacion Publica, Centros de
Educacion de Costa Rica, (San Jose: Ministerio de
Educacion Publica, 1970), p. II.

 

 

28

(between 1967 and 1968) the Ministry of Education was
able to increase the elementary school enrollment by
almost 10 percent.7 Currently there are over 2,500 public
elementary schools serving about 350,000 students.8 The
latest published data available on the percentage of
children of ages 6 to 12 years who attend schools is for
the year 1968. This shows that about 90 percent of the
children in that category attend schools regulary, and
this is an impressive figure for a country commonly
considered "underdeveloped."9
The elementary schools have also been successful
in improving the curriculum and methods of teaching so
that the retention rates have dramatically increased over
the past few years. In 1968, 50 percent of the students
who had begun the first grade in 1963 successfully entered
the 6th grade; in 1950 only 16 percent entered the 6th

grade.10

 

Ric , p. 156.

g)
Q)

7 . , n .
Blutstein, Area HanQDOOK for Cost

 

8 . . . . . -. a . .
Ministerio de Educacion Publica, Centros oe EducaCion
de Costa Rica, p. III.

 

9Felipe Calvo C., Informe General Sobre las
Condiciones de la Infancia, 1a Juventud, y la Familia en
Costa Rica, (San Jose: Ciudad Universitaria, 1971) p. 549.

10

 

 

Blutstein, Area Handbook for Costa Rica, p. 157.

 

29

In recent years the most dramatic changes have taken
place on the secondary school level. The number of
secondary school students has increased from 9,100 in
1953ll to almost 72,000 in 1970.12 This eight-fold
increase has brought with it the problem of a lack of
sufficiently trained teachers, but there is now a new
campaign to train more secondary school teachers.

The most important event that has taken place in
secondary education is probably in the area of curriculum.
Until 1964 all secondary schools offered a rigid,
classical education gearing the curriculum for university
preparation. But, only a small minority of the secondary
school graduates were entering college. Thus, in order
to diversify the education so that graduates would be
prepared for different careers after secondary school,
the 5-year program was divided into a 3-2 cycle. The
first 3 years are common for all students and prepare
them in general education. During the last 2—year cycle,
students take some common courses but all are given the
Opportunity to "major" in liberal arts, science, or
vocational studies. This program is still in the develOp—
mental stage, but it is certain to be a positive move in

the history of Costa Rican education.

 

llIbid., p. 158.

2Ministerio de Educacion Publica, Centros de
Educacion de Costa Rica, p. VI.

 

 

30

In secondary education, the Ministry of Education
has also begun many vocational and commercial schools
which Operate independently of the regular secondary
schools.

Throughout Costa Rica's educational history, the
peOple have been extremely willing to accept foreign
ideas. In fact, they have sought and integrated many
foreign innovations into their educational system.13

Costa Ricans have also been successful in their
educational develOpment because they have been willing to
make many sacrifices to achieve their goals. In the past
several years the country has always allocated the biggest

portion of its budget to education, and has consistently

allocated about 30 percent of its national budget for the

 

education of its children.

 

13 . .. u , . _
In a book (by Luis Felipe Gonzalez, HiStoria oe
1a Influencia Extranjera en el Desenvolvimiento Educacional

w

 

-AJ.—‘

y Cientifico de Costa Rica, (San Jose: Imprenta Nacional,
1921) written about the foreign influences in Costa Rican
education, the author names and talks about the achievements
of hundreds of American, German, English, Belgian, Italian,
and Swiss professors who came to the country to work with
educators and students.

 

CHAPTER IV

TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTIONS

IN COSTA RICA

Introduction

 

In this chapter each teacher training institution
in Costa Rica is described. Such tOpics as curricula,
available facilities, and the role of student teaching
in the training process are discussed.

There are essentially three types of teacher
training institutions in Costa Rica: (1) The College of
Education of The University of Costa Rica; (2) La Escuela
Normal Superior (Superior Normal School); (3) La Escuela

Normal (Normal School).
The University of Costa Rica

The University of Costa Rica with ten colleges is
located in the capital but it has several regional centers
situated in other cities throughout the country. It is
mainly a 4—year undergraduate institution, although some
departments do offer programs leading to advanced degrees
such as the licenciatura (a pre—doctoral degree) and the

doctorate.

31

 

32

This national university was founded in 1941
as an autonomous institution financially supported by
the funds of the Ministry of Public Education. Currently
the university is assured ten percent of the annual
public education budget, but it can ask for extra funds
through the Legislative Assembly for specific projects.

As the university was founded at a time of great
social change and progress, it came to be associated
with advancement and change in the minds of the peOple.
Thus, it has been constantly at the head of educational
reform and progress, and it has evolved into an institu—
tion quite different from most of the other Latin
American universities. For an example, Latin American
universities have traditionally been institutions where
the majority of the students were concentrated in the
study of such prestigious fields as law, medicine, and
engineering.1 However, as the following data will show,
the distribution of students at the University of Costa
Rica working towards various future occupations is quite
different, and the number of students in the traditionally

prestigious fields of study such as law, medicine, and

f...)

engineering only make up about 10 percent of the tota

student body.

 

1William S. Stokes, Latin American Politics,
(New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1959), p. 73.

 

33

 

 

Distribution of Enrollment (1968)?
School Students Percent

Sciences & Letters 5,402 - 57.9
Agriculture 231 2.5
Fine.Arts 219 2.4
Conservatory Of Music 236 2.5
Economics 789 8.4
Law 497 5.3
Education 919 9.8
Pharmacy 73 0.8
Engineering 299 3.2
Medicine 215 2.3
Microbiology 105 1.1
Dentistry 52 0.6
Social Service 127 1.2
Regional Center of San Ramon 186 2.0

 

The University of Costa Rica has made great strides in many
other areas such as the establishment of a unified campus,
the use of more full-time professors, and the establish—
ment of orientation and counseling services. Thus it
has become a modern, well-organized institution of higher
learning, well-respected throughout Central America and
South America.

Within the country the university and its students
also have great prestige. One factor which contributes
to this is the difficulty in getting accepted to the
institution. Competition is extremely keen, and the cost

of a 4—year education is too prohibitive for most families.

 

2George R. Waggoner and Barbara A. Waggoner, Education

 

in Central America, (Lawrence: The University Press of
Kansas, 1971), p. 124.

 

34

This results in only a small number attending the university.
In 1970 the pOpulation of Costa Rica was 1,750,000 while

the total enrollment of the university was less than

13,000.3 Thus, not even 1 percent of the population
attended the university.4 This minute ratio of university
students to the total population will not likely increase

in the near future despite the recent dramatic increases

in the student enrollment5 because the physical capacity

of the buildings and the training of qualified instructors

.C'.’

cannot keep up with such fast rates or growth.

th

The training of teachers at the University 0
Costa Rica is done at the College of Education which has
approximately 1300 students enrolled, and is the second
largest college on the campus constituting about 10 percent

.-.

of the total university population. The college offers

 

iga ciones Escuela de Ciencias
os Datos Estadisticos Sobre la
San Jose: Ciudad Universitaria,

3Instituto de Invest
Economicas y Sociales, Algun
Universidad de Costa Rica, (
1970), p. 2.

 

 

:un.t in the
ercent of the
} Education

The projected 4—year college
United States for 1972 consri u es O
total population. U. S. Department of h
and Welfare, Projections of Educationa
1979-80, (Washington, D.C.: U.
Office, 1971), p. 22.

 

m
m
0
<
m e
h
5
B
(D!
s
(”f
m
h
F.)
s
F
[.4
5

L0

The average annual increase of the enrollment at
the University has been about 15 percent in the past years.
In 1964 the enrollment was 5,560; in 1970 the enrollment
went up to about 13,000. Felipe Calvo C., et al., Informe
General Sobre las Condiciones de la Infancia, la Juventud,
y la Familia en Costa Rica, (San Jose: Ciudad Universitaria,

1971), p. 520.

 

35

majors in every subject taught in public schools. It
trains teachers for all grade levels, pre—school through
secondary school. The college also offers graduate
programs in school administration and counseling.
Currently the courses of study for future teachers

of most subjects and grade levels requi

H

e 4 years of
full—time study. The patterns of study are very similar

to those undertaken by education students in the United
States, although in Costa Rica the programs for individual
students are more rigid, not affording as many choices in
the electives. The future teachers at the university
usually spend the first year taking required courses which
they refer to as "general studies." These consist of
courses such as History, Philosophy, Mathematics, Science,
Sports, and Language which are meant to give all university
students a broad, cultural background. The second and
third years are spent taking courses in the major areas

of study plus general courses in education such as
Educational Psychology, PhilOSOphy, and History, and general
methods courses. In the last year the students in the
College of Education take student teaching and some
seminars in their major areas for two semesters, from

f‘

6
March to December.

 

6Since the preceding description of the course of
study of the students in the College of Education of the
University of Costa Rica is a highly generalized description,
more specific examples have been placed in the Appendix.

36

Currently the College of Education runs a small
laboratory school for elementary school students. However,
due to the confining physical size and the small enroll—
ment, most college students do not have much contact with
the school except for occasional observation visits. The
College of Education has begun construction of a large,
modern, more comprehensive laboratory school, and the
completion of the building should bring about a closer
relationship between the university students and the
laboratory school.

La Escuela Normal Superior
(Superior Normal School)

 

 

In 1949 Costa Rica began to provide free secondary
education for its peOple, and the number of students
attending secondary schools has been increasing dramatically
ever since. Between 1949 and 1959 there was a 300 percent

increase in the secondary school enrOIiment. 1n the

H1

later years (1964-1968) an average yearly increase O
about 12 percent was registered.
Though the number of secondary school students

has increased consistently, the country has not been able

 

7Jaime Fonseca—Mora, "Education in Costa Rica"
(unpublished paper presented at Loyola College, 1962), p. 6,
Ch. 7.

8Felipe Calvo C., et al., Informe General Sobre las
Condiciones de la Infancia, la Juventud, y la Familia
en Costa Rica, p. 552.

 

 

 

 

37

to train sufficient numbers of secondary school teachers
to keep up with the demand. The reason for this dis-
crepancy was that the only institution capable of training
secondary school teachers was the University of Costa
Rica, and alone, it has not been able to meet all the
demands. In the ten years between 1956 and 1966, the
university was able to graduate only 362 teachers for
secondary schools. However, considering the growing
number of students, the Ministry of Education predicted
that the country would need 400 new secondary school
teachers each year for the coming 5 years (1966—1971).9

In 1966 a study found that 62 percent of the
secondary school teachers did not have sufficient university
training.lO Most of the teaching positions were filled by
older primary school teachers who themselves only had
graduated from secondary schools or from the 2-year
normal schools for elementary school teachers. Because of
the tendency of well-educated Costa Ricans to live near
large cities, secondary schools were mainly eStablished
in urban areas. Those few which were built in areas
outside of the Central Plateau were almost completely

staffed with teachers with no university degrees.

 

9George R. Waggoner and Barbara A. Waggoner, pp. cit

 

 

p. 121.

lOIbid., p. 120.

38

With such deficiencies of trained personnel in
secondary schools, the Ministry of Education decided in
1968 to establish a normal school which would train
sufficient numbers of teachers for secondary schools. A
series of "emergency plans" were set up to begin the
Superior Normal School in Heredia.

Under Emergency Plan I, a 3—year course of study
was begun which was to be a temporary solution and was to
fill positions in secondary schools in the rural zones
with young, trained teachers as soon as possible. Many
scholarships were given with the stipulation that the
recipients spend the first few years in schools outside
of the urban centers.

Emergency Plan II was set up based on the realiza—
tion that Costa Rica could nOt possibly fill all the
secondary school positions with new graduates of the
University and the Superior Normal School within the
near future. Consequently, some means had to be found
to give sufficient education and training to the teachers
currently working in secondary schools with only secondary
school diplomas or diplomas from the 2—year normal
schools. Plan II, therefore, provided opportunities
for non—degree teachers to study during four summer
vacations in Heredia where they would receive ”cram”

courses to qualify officially for secondary school teaching.

39

Emergency Plan III is referred to as the Regular
Plan. This is the final plan to be used in the future
and is set up as a 4 year course of study for secondary
school graduates.

At the beginning all three plans were run con—
currently. By 1972 Plan I and Plan II had been terminated
and only the Regular Plan is now in effect. The first
graduating class of the 4—year Regular Plan will receive
their diplomas in December of 1972.

Under the Regular Plan for the Superior Normal
School, students study for the same length of time as in L

the university to receive the title of profesorado which

 

certifies teachers for secondary school teaching. However,
except for the number of years students study in both

ED'CS

Ch

tu

U2

institutions, the programs have no similarity.
at the Superior Normal School have a choice of eight
subject areas they can major in. From the beginning of
the first year all the students are grouped according to

their major subject. Every student in a -iven major subject

LO

.1.

stays in one classroom for the whole school dav and takes
the same courses. The class organization is similar to
that used in the United States by most elementary schools.
Each class stays as a group for the entire four years, and

there are no choices of electives at any time.

40

The plan of study for each year in every major
subject is divided into three broad categories: 1. General
cultural formation, 2. Pedagogic formation, 3. Specializa—
tion. In each of the eight semesters of work required,
the students take one or more courses from each of the

ll In this system, then, students take education

categories.
courses throughout their studies, and what can be cate—
gorized as student teaching takes place in the fourth year,

lasting two semesters.

 

At the time the writer did his investigation, the
Superior Normal School had just finished the third year
of the Regular Plan, and thus there were no fourth—year
classes. The enrollment of the school with three grade
levels was 1004. The teaching Staff was made up of ten
full—time professors and sixty part—time professors.
Because of the shortage of physical and manpower resources
the school is run in two, half—day shifts with first—year
students attending in the morning and the second and third—
year students attending in the afternoons for about four
and a half hours.

The students are accepted to the Superior Normal
School after the successful completion of secondary

school and the passing of an examination given at the

 

llFor a more detailed description, see the two
sample programs of study included in the Appendix.

41

school. Though the Superior Normal School does not have
the prestige of the University of Costa Rica, and
attracts mainly students who, for financial and/or academic
reasons, could not go to the university, the competition
for admission can be extremely keen in certain pOpular
subjects. For example, in the 1971 examination 475 took
the test for acceptance to the English department. Of
this number only fifty students were accepted due to the
lack of facilities.

There are no dormitory facilities at the Superior
Normal School, so the great majority of the students come

from the surrounding cities within commuting distance.

Las Escuelas Normales (The Normal Schools)

 

With the exception of a small number of teachers
trained by the University of Costa Rica, all formally
certified teachers in elementary schools are graduates
of one of the normal schools. These schools are currently
2—year, post—secondary institutions, the firs: of wnich
was established in 1915. Before that date, elementary
school teachers were trained in normal school sections
established as a part of certain secondary schools.
Though the first normal school was established in 1915
as a separate unit, its course of study was still based
on the former secondary level program which was taken

by students after the completion of six years of elementary

42

school. In 1941 when the normal school was temporarily

incorporated into the newly established University of

Costa Rica, it came to be a 2—year post—secondary school.12
Presently there are four normal schools in Costa

Rica with a combined enrollment of about 1,400 students.

Though they are located in different areas of the country

and vary tremendously in size and resources available

to each, the over—all organization and programs of the

schools are similar.

 

The normal school program is essentially divided
into two units, each lasting for one school year. In
the first year all students are grouped into classes which
then stay together for the two year duration. All
students in a class take the same courses at the same time
and have no elective courses. The teacher training
program consists of sixteen subjects, with each subject
usually being offered once a week in one to three hour
blocks. These subjects are taught ”for teaching (i.e.
rather than learning mathematics on a college level, all
students learn how to teach mathematics to elementary

school students).

 

12John H. Furbay, Education in Costa Rica,
(Washington, D.C.: U. S. Government Printing Office,

 

43

The courses in the first year are:

(a) Agriculture (i) Industrial Arts

(b) Music (j) Student Teaching

(c) PhilOSOphy of Education (k) Children's Literature
(d) Mathematics (1) Science

(e) Social Studies (m) Home Economics

(f) Methodology (n) Sociology

(g) Art (0) Psychology

(h) Teaching aids (p) Spanish

In the second year the number of subjects is
reduced to about half that of the first year and consists

mainly of education courses such as educational adminis-

 

tration and educational evaluation. Also, almost half of
every week is set aside for what is known as "Professional
Experience". This is the equivalent of student teaching
in the United States.

Unlike the students of the University of Costa Rica
and the Superior Normal School, the students of normal
schools have to wear uniforms and attend classes for three
full days and three half days every week. Though most
students are young and come straight from high schools,
one can spot many older students who have already had many
years of teaching experience in rural schools and who
have decided to become certified in order to qualify for
better salaries and better schools.

Escuela Normal de Costa Rica
(Normal School of Costa Rica)

 

 

The oldest and largest normal school is the Normal
School of Costa Rica which is located in Heredia approxi—

mately five miles from the capital. Here, about seven

44

hundred students study in an ample complex of one—storied
buildings on a campus shared with the Superior Normal
School. The school has an auditorium and a library with

a few thousand books, and there is much land for expansion
if the need arises. At one time when the elementary school
enrollment was increasing rapidly in the late 1950's and
the early '60's, and a similar increase had to be made

in the training of teachers, the normal school enrollment
went up over one thousand each year. In fact, in 1964

the number of students in the graduating class alone was

.13 The current director of the Normal School of

515
Costa Rica attributes the recent decline in enrollment

to the leveling off of the elementary school enrollment.
Also, there is no longer a teacher shortage in the urban
schools, and most Costa Ricans do not want to teach in the
rural areas where living conditions are still quite
primitive. The Ministry of Education presently pays extra
money as an incentive for teachers who teach in remote

areas. In some areas teachers are paid 100 percent extra

QJ

pay for the hardship they must incur. Yet, still, bec use
these places are far from cities, have no roads, no doctors,
no electricity nor even a store, certified teachers do not

accept. These remote—area schools are therefore taught

 

3Escuela Normal de Costa Rica, Referencias
Biograficas de Sus Fundadores y Directores Durante los Angs
1915-1965, (Heredia: Departamento de Publicaciones
Escuela Normal de Costa Rica, 1965), P. 63.

 

 

 

45

by untrained peOple who may only have an elementary
education.

The Normal School of Costa Rica runs a laboratory
school which consists of grades 1 through 6. Though the
laboratory school is organizationally a part of the normal
school, it is very seldom used by the future teachers as
a part of the training program. Rather, it functions more
as a model elementary school for the country where

specially appointed superior teachers can experiment with

 

new programs and methods. In 1971 the innovation being
most promoted in the laboratory school was the grouping
of each class into three smaller groups according to
reading levels and interests shown, and having each group
work on different levels in every subject as an attempt
to individualize the lessons as much as possible. There
seems to be no attempt to incorporate the available future
teachers into the daily work of the laboratory school,
and students from the normal school only go once or twice
to observe the new techniques being implemented by the
laboratory school teachers.

Escuela Normal de Guanacaste
(Normal School of Guanacaste)

 

 

The second oldest normal school is located in the
city of Liberia in the northernmost province of Costa
Rica. This school was begun in 1946 as a part of a
secondary school with students in the normal section taking

an extra year of education courses. The normal school was

 

46

built in Guanacaste to attract future teachers from the
rural areas and to train them for teaching in the isolated
zones. Many changes took place through the early '60's
by which time the school had become a separate two—year
higher education institution with its own director and
staff, all working on a small campus near the old
secondary school.

The school currently enrolls 285 students in an

adequate, but small, complex of buildings. One large

 

room in one wing serves as a library—auditorium combina—
tion, but the library only has a few hundred outdated
books.

The Normal School of Guanacaste has a laboratory
elementary school within its building complex, but, here
too, there seemed to be no real effort made to use the
laboratory school as an integral part of the teacher—
training program. Therefore, though the laboratory school
and the normal school are physically integrated with
both using the same resources and facilities, in reality
they function independently without meaningful inter—
relationship.

One unique fact in this normal school is the
presence of a dormitory right on the campus which houses
about fifty women. This is the only teacher—training
institution in all of Costa Rica which has facilities
to house and feed students coming from distant rural

zones. In all the normal schools there are students from

 

47

areas where commuting to school daily is an impossible
task. However, in these situations, each student must
find his own accomodations in a private house or in a
pension. This can be a difficult thing to do in Costa
Rica, where houses are generally small while the families
are large, and tends to discourage possible teacher
candidates from going to school.

The dormitory has sufficient facilities to house
at least eighty students, but only fifty are now housed
there. There are male students who could make use of
the unused areas of the dormitory, but no attempts have
yet been made to serve students of both sexes.

Much of the land on which the normal school stands
is unused, and there is great potential for expansion
if ever the need arises.

Escuela Normal de San Ramon
(Normal School of San Ramon)

 

 

The third normal school in Costa Rica is the Normal
School of San Ramon, located in a small city in the Centre.
Plateau about fifty miles from San Jose. It was begun in
1954 as a section of a secondary school where Students who
wanted to be teachers took an extra year of work in educa—
tion. By 1957 the Ministry of Education increased the
required number of years of extra work beyond the secondary
level to two years, but the normal section was still con—

sidered a part of the secondary school. In 1960 the first

 

 

48

director of the normal school was appointed and the school
has since functioned as an institution of higher education.
The Normal School of San Ramon had approximately
290 students enrolled in 1971, and the teaching staff was
made up of nine full-time and seven part-time professors.
This normal school also has a laboratory school
attached to it. But, there is a big difference in the
relationship of the two compared to the other normal
schools which have laboratory schools. As stated previously,
the other two normal schools with laboratory schools did
not try to integrate the laboratory schools into the teacher—
training programs, so that the laboratory schools were
merely model schools located in the normal schools. However,
in the Normal School of San Ramon the director made special
efforts to take advantage of having an elementary school
right on campus and integrated the activities of the two
as much as possible. For instance, all assembly programs
held at the normal school are attended by groups from bOth
schools. Also, the future teachers are often asked to
directly participate in the teachimgof the laboratory school
students. The director appreciates the value of having
opportunities for the future teachers to come into contact
with young children.

Escuela Normal de Perez Zeledon
(Normal School of Perez ZeledOHI

 

 

The newest and the smallest normal school in

Costa Rica is the Normal School of Perez Zeledon located

 

49

in San Isidro, a small city in the southern part of the
country. This school was begun in 1968 and presently
enrolls about eighty students with about fifty in the
first year and the rest in the graduating class. There
are three full—time and three part—time professors on the
staff.

The normal school is located on the main square
Of the city of San Isidro. The building is a small
wooden structure with only two classrooms, a small auditorium,
two small offices, and a library with less than one hundred
books. Compared to the other normal schools this school
was the least adequate as far as physical facilities were
concerned. In classrooms there were not enough chairs
and desks so that when students moved from one room to
another they had to take some chairs and desks with them.
The students often complained of not having enough of
anything.

The Normal School of Perez Zeledon has no laboratory
school, and none can be constructed on the present site
since other buildings completely surround the school.

Universidad Pedagogica
(Pedagogic University)

 

 

Currently there are plans being made in the
Ministry of Education to create a new, 4—year higher

education institution to train teachers for the secondary

50

and elementary schools. The new institution would eventually
replace and/or incorporate all the teacher—training schools
except for the College of Education of the University of
Costa Rica. Thus, if the Pedagogic University is created,
all teacheretraining programs, including programs for
elementary school teachers, would become 4—year programs.
Though the plans are strongly Opposed by the
faculty of the University of Costa Rica, because they feel
that the creation of a 4—year institution would merely be
duplicating its effort, the trend at the time of the
investigation seemed to be moving quite definitely toward
the creation of the new university. If the plan is carried
out, the most likely location of the university would be
in Heredia where the shared campus of the Superior Normal
School and the Normal School of Costa Rica could offer
sufficient space for the present and future plans of

expansion.

 

 

CHAPTER V

STUDENT TEACHING PROGRAMS IN COSTA RICA

Introduction

 

The programs of student teaching in the different

teacher training institutions are described in this

 

chapter.

The descriptions include administrative aspects
of student teaching, as well as the roles and duties of the
college supervisor, the cooperating teacher, and the

student teacher.

University of Costa Rica

 

At the College of Education the student teaching
experience comes during the senior year, integrated into
a 2-semester course called "Seminar and Practice Teaching,”
which is required of all future teachers.

At the University of Costa Rica there is no COUHCCL“
part of Michigan State University's "Student Teaching
Office", whose main purpose is to provide student teaching
experience to all future teachers at the university, making
sure that all student teachers have adequate supervision

and aid. Rather, the college has a broad policy concerning

51

 

 

52

student teaching. This policy states that all student
teaching prOgrams should consist of (a) an orientation
phase, (b) an observation phase, (c) a partial practice
teaching phase, and (d) a complete practice teaching

phase. It is then up to the faculty to carry out this
policy. All activities and work connected with student
teaching are handled by almost all professors who regularly
teach major subject courses and other education courses,
and do student teaching supervision on a part—time basis.
These professors are organized into catedras for which
there is really no counterpart in the organization of
American colleges of education. The catedra is the subject
area which a professor specializes in such as Science,
Mathematics, Social Studies, English, and French. In

each catedra there is a jefe (leader) de catedra, who,

 

for all practical purposes, has the power of an American
department chairman, setting up the courses of study within
his subject area and hiring and firing his assistants.
Therefore, the one-year senior-level course into which
student teaching falls is under the direction of the

jefe de catedra and his assistants. This type of organiza—

 

tion which permits so much independence within each small
unit allows for varied programs of student teaching even
within one institution. But, since it is beyond the scope
and intent of this paper to write about each program and

point out every minor difference which exists among the

 

53

catedras, what follows is a description of the student
teaching program in those subject areas where the writer
had the best opportunity to observe and study each phase
closely. The two catedras are English and Science.

The Student Teaching PrOgram
for English Majors

 

 

During the first few months of the one—year course
"Seminar and Practice Teaching" in which student teaching
falls, a part of the time is spent on methods of teaching
English. Problems such as organizing unit plans, making
up tests, and preparing visual aids are discussed and
studied at the seminars. The seminars are held once every
week for four-hour periods. The rest of the time (5-6 hours
per week) is devoted to activities more directly related
to student teaching in the American sense, and much effort
is made to gradually introduce the future teachers to the
different aspects and problems of teaching. The steps in
this orientation phase are as follows:
1. Discussion on the objectives of Student
teaching and the roles of student teachers.

2. Visits and Observations of different communities
and schools. School organization and routines
are observed and noted utilizing detailed

guides and check lists made up by the

 

 

54

professors.l Written reports and group
discussions follow these visits.

3. Observations of different teachers. Written
observation reports are made and turned into
the professors who keep these reports in
individual record folders.

4. Introduction to the principal and the coopera—
ting teacher with whom the student teacher will

work.

 

5. Two weeks of observation of the cooperating
teacher and the class with whom the student
teacher will begin actual student teaching.

At this time the student teachers may partici—
pate in short activities such as taking
attendance, reviewing, checking homework, etc.

When the actual student teaching experience begins

around June, the student teachers become completely
reSponsible for the instruction of one class over a period
of time. In order to give every future teacher experiences
in teaching different levels of the 5—year high school
program, most student teachers in English take over classes
in three different levels (ideally grades 1, 3, and 5)

during the period from June to November. Efforts are also

 

1A sample is included in the Appendix.

 

55

made to provide student teachers with experiences in
different types of schools so that the student teachers
whom the writer interviewed had experiences in working

in co-educational schools and in all—girls or boys schools.

H)

O

(D

Thus, the length of time a student teacher is in charg

O

(1'

one class in a particular grade is approximately four
six weeks. After the first experience the student teacher
is placed in a higher grade level, and the third experience
is usually with the senior class of a secondary school.
Whenever the change of class assignments takes place, the
student teacher is expected to observe and partially help
the class and the cooperating teacher for one to two weeks.
After this familiarization period, the student teacher
takes over and teaches, evaluates, and grades the students
for that period.

All through the actual student teaching period from
June to the beginning of November, the student teachers
meet once a week at the university as a large group to
continue the seminars held during the first half of th—

school year. At these sessions many problems pertaining

U1

to methods and to the student teaching field experience.

0

are pursued. Also, every student teacher is expected t
make about eight additional observations of teachers who
are considered to be among the best English teachers in
all of Costa Rica. Some of these ”stand-out” teachers,

who are highly respected by professors, were teaching in

 

 

56

cities an hour away from the university. Nevertheless,
student teachers were expected to make the visits at speci—

fied times and to write an observation report.

The Role of the College Supervisor

 

During the first half of the year the college
professors function as teachers of methods and as logisticians
for setting up visits and observations. During the second

half of the year when the student teachers are in public

 

schools, the main job of the college supervisor becomes
that of an observer and evaluator. With few exceptions,
the college supervisors in English visit their student

teachers each time the student teachers teach a class.

 

This averages out to about three times a week since English
is offered two to four times a week in every secondary
school depending upon the grade.

Before every observation, lesson plans are handed
in for review by the professor. During each observation
the supervisors use a printed form for writing up the
observation and give the written comments to the student
teachers.2 After the Observation the college supervisor

ELK

O

and the student teacher have a short conference where w
and strong points of the lesson are discussed. At each
observation the supervisor grades the student teacher's
performance but does not inform the student teachers of

the grade until the end of the term.

 

A sample is included in the Appendix.

57

The Role of the Cooperating Teacher

 

The role of the cooperating teacher in the University
of Costa Rica's student teaching program is relatively
simple. Even though the professors of English specially
choose only university alumni to work as cooperating
teachers, these teachers are not given very much responSi—
bility for the training and evaluating of the future
teachers.

At the beginning the cooperating teachers are
asked to make themselves available for observations by
student teachers. In the latter part of the one-year
student teaching program, the cooperating teachers are
asked to allow student teachers to take over one of their
classes (so that each cooperating teacher is assigned
one student teacher to take over one class). However,
at no time are the cooperating teachers asked to evaluate
or formally observe the student teachers. Thus, except
in cases when the college supervisor is ill or unable to
come for observation, the cooperating teacher is aetually
an uninvolved third party who merely provides a setting

necessary for the training of future teachers.

 

3There is an exception to this statement. In 1971
the College of Education began an experimental program of
paying a few select cooperating teachers some money to take
more than three student teachers at one time. This was a
trial-run to see if the time now spent by college professors
in observing student teachers in different classes in various
schools could be substantially reduced by putting more
student teachers with one cooperating teacher. The coopei—
ating teacher would then be more repsonsible for the super—
vision of student teachers. At the time of this study it
was too early to determine the success of this new program
of paying cooperating teachers. However, depending upon the
catedra, strong opinions, both pro and con, were expressed.

 

58

The Role of the Student Teacher

 

Throughout the one-year course of student teaching
and seminars, the student teachers are expected to have
written reports of all activities in which they have
participated. Every bit of written work is handed in and
then returned with comments by the professors.

During the field experience period, student teachers
are encouraged to continually use audio—visual aids, and
since not many are available, student teachers are expected
to make most of them at home.

When student teachers are put in charge of one
class, they are completely responsible for the planning,

teaching, and evaluating of the students in that class.

The Evaluation of Student Teachers

 

This is done solely by the college professors
based on the grades which were given for the following
activities:

(A) Observations of lessons taught by student

teachers (at least 40 observations are made

of each student teacher).

Of}

Fl.
(0

(B) Quizzes, mid-term test, and final examinat

(C) Written reports by student teachers of lessons
taught by cooperating teachers.

(D) Written reports by student teachers of lessons
taught by teachers who are considered to be
the finest in the country.

59

(E) Written reports by student teachers of visits

to schools and communities.

The evaluation of the student teaching experience
is not as important in Costa Rica as it is in the United
States because in Costa Rica teachers who are seeking
employment are placed on the Civil Service list according
to the grade point average the teacher has received over
the four years of study.

The Student Teaching PrOgram
for Science Majors

 

 

Several subjects come under the catedra of science
including physics, chemistry, and biology. Due to the
scarcity of resources and students in each subject, a
separate catedra for each was not created.

This setnup of having students with several different
majors under one administrative unit poses several unique
problems which can only be solved by the flexibility of
the professors. Since the number of students with majors
in physics, chemistry or biology differs each term while
the number of professors with specialties in the various
subjects stay relatively stable, each professor must be
in charge of a different number of student teachers each
term. Thus, in one term a professor with a specialty in
biology may have five students and in the following term
fifteen students. In such situations the professor in

the catedra of science cannot be as rigorous as the professor

60

in the catedra of English in regard to the requirements,
and they do not ask for as many teacher observations as
the English professors.

In Costa Rican schools, most science subjects are
Offered everyday of the week while English is only offered
from two to four times. Therefore, the number of classes
a student teacher in science teaches is more than the
number of classes a student teacher in English teaches.
This makes it impossible for science professors to observe
their student teachers each time they teach, and in the
past the number of classes the professors observed has
been about 30-40 percent of the total number of classes
taught by the student teachers. Thus, the actual number of
classes observed by the science professors and English
professors is about the same.

In order to make sure that student teachers have
enough supervision throughout their teaching experience,
the catedra of science has had its cooperating teachers
observe and evaluate the student teachers using a form
made and used by the professors. However, in the final
evaluation only the observations by the professors are

used to determine the grades of the student teachers.

 

 

61

La Escuela Normal Superior
(Superior Normal School)

 

 

The "Regular Plan" under which the Superior Normal
School is currently Operating,and plans to continue as of
this writing, is now in the fourth year of Operation.
And, under this latest program, the aspect of teacher
education which can be considered as student teaching
takes place in the third and fourth years of school for

all future teachers at the Superior Normal School.

 

Since, at the time of this research in 1971, the
school was in the third year of its Operation under the
latest "plan," it was not possible for the writer to
do a first—hand study of the entire student teaching
program. However, in 1971 all plans for the next year had
been made, and information, literature, forms, and arrange—
ments were all ready to be put into motion for the fourth
year. Also, because there had been different forms of
student teaching incorporated in the previous “Emergency
Plans," the director and the staff had definite objectives
and formats in mind to be achieved in 1972.

At the Superior Normal School the whole student
teaching program comes under the Coordinador del Area

Didactica (person in charge Of all Education courses),

 

who is responsible for the over—all plans utilized in the
student teaching program. However, all day—to—day operations

are performed by the professors who teach the major subjects.

62

Thus, the design of the student teaching program for all
subject areas was made by one person, but the program
itself is carried out by the professors in each subject
area who supervise student teachers as a part of their
regular work load.

As one looks at the plans for student teaching in
the teacher training institutions of Costa Rica, one
factor stands out as common to them all. That is the
step that the future teacher takes from being a student
to being a teacher, the step from the theoretical to the
practical, from the "idealized" world to the "real“ world
of teaching is a gradual one. At the Superior Normal
School the gradual step is achieved for the future teacher
by having him go through a student teaching program which
allows him to become acquainted with the public schools
and their students through: (1) Observation of teachers
and classes; (2) Partial participation in teaching; (3)
Full participation in teaching.

In the first semester of the third year, the
students at the Superior Normal School study general
educational theory and methodology. Such things as the
organization and writing of unit plans and lesson plans,
and the writing and evaluation of quizzes and examinations
are taught. Then, in the beginning of the second semester

of the third year, student teaching actually begins.

 

63

(l) The Observation phase. In the first two or
three weeks students with the same majors are grouped into
teams of five students. Each group observes at least
three different classes a week and makes observation
reports using forms provided by the teacher training
institution.4 The observation form has in one section a
check—off list of things the student teachers should be
aware of, such as classroom management, motivation tech—

niques, teacher's knowledge of subject, questioning

 

techniques, use of audio-visual aids. On another section
the student teachers are asked to write a one-page critique
of the lesson and the teacher who has just been observed.
These reports are handed in to the college supervisor,

read by him, and returned to the student for use in a
discussion session held back in class at the Superior
Normal School.

(2) The Partial Participation Phase. During the
rest of the semester, each student teacher in each team
has opportunities to teach at least four lessons in his
subject area.

After the observation phase, the groups choose, or
are assigned, classes in public schools which they are to
teach. When unit plans and daily tOpics have been dis—

cussed with the class teacher, a schedule is made of the

 

4A sample is included in the Appendix.

64

lessons and the days on which each student teacher in

the team will teach. Then each student teacher, in COOper—
ation with his team members, writes a lesson plan for the
class he will teach. The lesson plan is turned in to the
college supervisor for correction and approval. For the
first or second teaching eXperience, student teachers are
permitted to work as a team and take turns presenting
certain parts of a lesson. Also, depending upon the team
and the regular teacher, they may arrange to teach a class
as teacher's aides.

At times when one student teacher teaches a whole
lesson by himself, the other four members of the team
sit in the back of the class and observe. The observers
take notes and write reports at home. After each lesson
taught, the college supervisor and the team members discuss
the performance in order to improve the methods and
techniques for the next experience.

During the four direct teaching eXperiences,
efforts are made for each student teacher to utilize
different teaching techniques (i.e. directed reading,
discussions, lectures).

(3) The Full Participation Phase. At the
beginning of the senior year, students at the Superior
Normal School go through an experience of full partici—
pation which they refer to as "internship." This

experience calls for each student teacher to teach one

65

class a day for two semesters at which time he will have

complete control of responsibility over that class.

During the two semesters, there will be attempts made

to give the student teachers experiences in different

levels and_types of the 5-year secondary schools. There—

fore, ideally speaking, each student teacher will have

planned, taught, evaluated, and graded a first, third, ,
and fifth year class during the one year experience.

He will also have had close contacts with three COOperat~

ing teachers.

The Role of the College Supervisor

 

During the Observation Phase of the student teach-
ing program in the third year, the main job of the super—
visor is concerned with logistics. He must make sure
that each team has teachers to observe. He also has to
read observation reports and lead discussion groups at
the Superior Normal School.

During the Partial Participation Phase the
college supervisor must observe and wr‘te up observation
reports on each student teacher. Before the student
teachers teach, he must see their lesson plans. After
the lesson has been taught, the supervisor must lead

the discussion on the lesson.

 

66

The college supervisor's job during the fourth
year Full Participation Phase is to regularly observe
(unannounced) the progress of the student teachers and
to maintain constant contact with the COOperating teachers.
After each observation the supervisor makes, he must
write up a report and evaluate the student teachers'
performances. A post-observation conference is always

held as soon as possible.

The Role of the COOperating Teacher

 

 

The Superior Normal School tries to pick as
c00perating teachers people who have been teaching for
many years. Since the Superior Normal School is located
within easy travelling distance from the capital and
another large city (Alajuela), there are enough secondary
schools and teachers to choose from.

The only compensation the COOperating teachers
get is that they are relieved of teaching one class when
the student teachers take over. There is absolutely no
payment of money involved.

During the Observation and Partial Participation
Phases, the COOperating teacher only has to make his classes
available to student teachers, and.theneis very little
instructional or supervising work involved during these
phases. However, during the fourth year Full Participation

Phase, the cooperating teacher is responsible for directing

67

and evaluating the student teachers. He is expected to
maintain a regular record of the student teacher's
progress using special forms provided by the Superior
Normal School. These forms contain check—off lists
rating the student teacher‘s performance in various
aspects of teaching a lesson. Both numerical and
descriptive (i.e. excellent, very good, good, average,
and deficient) ratings are used.5

Throughout the last phase, c00perating teachers
are expected to be directly involved in the training
of the future teachers by demonstrating, explaining, and

evaluating.

The Role of the Student Teacher

 

At all times the students are to be neat and well—
dressed when entering public schools. Girls must wear
dresses or skirts and blouses, while boys must be dressed
in a suit with a neck-tie.

During the Observation and Partial Participation
Phases, student teachers must be prepared for assigned
classes with lesson plans and teaching aids. Since there
are very few audio-visual aids in Costa Rican schools,

student teachers are expected to make their own. Student

 

5A sample is included in the Appendix.

68

teachers must keep a record Of all lessons observed and
taught on a record card which is signed by the cooperating
teachers after each activity.

During the Full Participation Phase, student
teachers are entirely responsible for the classes they
are assigned to. When there is a department meeting or
other important activities taking place in the secondary
schools, student teachers are expected to attend. Partici—

pation in extra—curricular activities is suggested though

 

no one seems to check on these.

The Evaluation Of Student Teachers

 

For the Observation and Partial Participation
Phases the college supervisor grades the student teachers
based on lesson plans, teaching ability, and classwork at
the Superior Normal School. During the Full Participation
Phase the college supervisor and the COOperating teacher
evaluate the student teachers. However, because the
classroom contact between the COOperating teacher and the
student teacher will be far greater than the classroom
contact between the supervisor and the student teacher,
the evaluation Of the student teacher will depend more
heavily on the Opinion of the COOperating teacher than

on anything else.

69

La Escuela Normal (Normal School)

 

Although in the 2—year Normal Schools the main
part of the student teaching experience comes in the
second year, one should also include the activities
students experience in the first year which serve as
an introductory step into the "real" world Of teaching.

As mentioned previously, the teacher training institutions
in Costa Rica take great pains to provide programs which
allow the future teachers to gradually work their way up

to full—time teaching. Thus, before doing the actual
student teaching, Normal School students go through various
phases which allow them to get involved in the public
school classroom one step at a time throughout their two
years of teacher training.

In the first year program, there is one morning or
one afternoon set aside each week for "Professional

experience" (eXperiencia profesional). For the first half

 

of the year each student, utilizing the periods set aside
for professional experience, must go through three phases
which are as follows: (1) Familiarization, (2) Observation,
(3) Participation.

(l) Familiarization Phase. During this phase,
every class visits a school for half a day to become
familiar with different types of schools, physical set—ups,

teacher schedules, class organizations, etc. At the school

70

the building principal usually directs the tour and speaks
to the class. After the tour there is an opportunity for
students to meet with a group of teachers for a question
and answer session.

Each class visits approximately two to three
different types of schools. After each visit, the professor
leads a discussion group back at the Normal School on what
the students Observed.

(2) Observation Phase. Over a period Of about a
month, each student teacher is expected to visit and
observe three different teachers "in action." The
observation is usually made in a group of 8 to 10 students.
NO specific observation reports are required, but student
teachers are expected to take notes which are to be used
in follow—up discussion sessions with the Normal School
professors after each observation.

(3) Participation Phase. After the Observation
phase, each student must spend three mornings or afternoons
in an elementary school as an aide to a teacher. At this
time, the student teacher participates in classroom
activities helping the teacher with routine classroom
management (taking attendance, correcting papers, passing
out materials, leading playtime activities) and teaching
small groups Of children.

This phase takes place over a 2—month period and
each experience is followed by discussion sessions with

fellow student teachers and their professor.

After these three phases in the first semester,
future teachers in the Normal Schools go into a fourth
phase during the second semester of the first year. They
call this phase "Practice" (practica).

During the 4-month period, each student teacher is
expected to have at least eight experiences in teaching a
class. Each Normal School class is divided into teams of
3 to 4 students who spend half a day each week in an
elementary school. Each member of the team teaches one
period and observes the others teach for the rest of the
morning.

Each week, before the teams are to teach, the
students spend much of the time at the Normal School pre—
paring for the practice teaching. For instance, during
methods classes, the teams may write the lesson plans with
the help Of the professor of methods. In the art classes
and industrial arts periods, audiovisual aids and other
handouts may be made by each team for use in its practice
teaching. Since the student teachers must try to teach a
different subject each time, periods set aside for every
subject in the Normal School are utilized practically to
help the student teachers teach effectively.

This whole phase is an excellent way of combining
theory and practice in the education courses Offered at

the Normal School.

 

 

 

72

During the Practice Phase, each student teacher
is also required to observe eight periods in an elementary
school, spending one class in each major subject Offered
in elementary schools (i.e. mathematics, science, social
studies, language, etc.). In contrast to the Observation
Phase previously described, this experience is designed
for student teachers to observe classes, while the first
observation experiences are planned to observe teachers.

After each observation and practice experience,
discussions are held with the class and the professor
back at the Normal School.

During the second year of the Normal School,
almost half of the school time every week is set aside
for "Professional Experience," which is the name the Normal
Schools use for student teaching.

In the first semester, students are scheduled to
teach every third week in a public elementary school. The
teaching is done, as in the first year, as a team Of 3 to
4 student teachers, each one teaching one period and Observ—
ing the others for the rest of the morning.

After each teaching experience the teams find out
what they will teach next. Knowing what subjects and
tOpics they will teach, they then spend the classes at
the Normal School preparing lessons and materials with the

aid of the professors and the team members.

 

 

73

At the end of the first semester there are three
days when each team is expected to teach full programs.
For these days each member of the team must take turns
independently doing all the functions eXpected of a teacher.
However, the planning and preparing of materials is done
as a team.

After each new experience, discussions are held
in classes at the Normal School where each team shares its
"triumphs and tribulations" with classmates and professors.

In the second semester, there are two or three days
of full time teaching in the beginning. This is done in the
same way as it is done in the 3-day full experience
which they have at the end of the first semester.

Most of the work in the second semester is devoted
to preparing for six to twelve days of "Intensive Practice"

(Practica Intensiva). This phase allows student teachers to

 

plan, prepare, teach, and evaluate alone in an elementary
school. Before the intensive practice begins, everything
from lesson plans to tests and materials that would be

used by the student teachers must be reviewed and corrected
by the professors. Thus, almost all of the lessons and
experiences the student teachers learned previously must be
put to a test. (It should be pointed out here again that
due to the shortage of all types of teaching aids and
materials, including almost a total lack of textbooks, all
lesson preparations are time-consuming beyond the imagina—
tion of people who are only familiar with schools in

industrialized nations.)

 

74

This full immersion into teaching for a week or
two (depending upon the Normal School) is the culminating
activity of the two years of gradual familiarization with
all the different facets of being a teacher. Of course,
long and detailed discussions are held in large and small
groups at the Normal School after the eXperience.

During the intensive practice, all professors at
the Normal School, including the director, go to the

schools to Observe the student teachers at work.

The Role of the College Supervisor

 

During the phases Of Familiarization, Observation,
and Participation in the first year, the most important
job of the supervisor is that of logistician. In such
remote areas as Liberia and San Isidro where schools are
not closely located and transportation is not readily
available, the problems of everyone getting experiences
in different subjects and in different grade levels are
complicated.

Another major task that college supervisors per-
form is the class Observation of student teachers at work
in public schools. Because each supervisor usually has
a large number of students to observe, there is really
no time for a thorough observation. The "Observation"
turns out to be a "visit" of 5—lO minutes at the most

since supervisors may have to visit as many as twenty

 

 

75

student teachers in one morning. Very Often the twenty
student teachers may be in three different schools, thus
requiring time—consuming travel for the supervisors.
Although these short visits are obviously of little value
in bringing about instructional improvement of student
teachers, most supervisors felt they had to do this to
make sure that everyone's work was going smoothly.

The reviewing of all lesson plans and materials
of each student teacher is another major task of the
college supervisor. Everything is checked and signed.
Supervisors are expected to evaluate these assignments
and also evaluate the actual classroom performance of

student teachers.

The Role of the Cooperating Teacher

 

During the first phases of the program when student
teachers are mainly observing, the COOperating teachers
are only eXpected to Open up their classes for the
student teachers. When student teachers begin to participate
fully, all cooperating teachers are given forms by the Normal
School for evaluating and grading the work of the student
teachers. Most of these forms are check—Off lists with
space provided for comments. Depending upon the Normal
School, cooperating teachers are to use numerical points

for grades or use the descriptive variety (e.g. excellent,

very good, good, average, unsatisfactory).

 

 

 

76

COOperating teachers are also eXpected to be very
strict about the personal appearance of student teachers,

and the wearing Of uniforms is strictly enforced.

The Role of Student Teachers

 

During the initial phases of student teaching when
future teachers mainly make Observations, they are expected
to complete a certain number of Observations without
exception. Each carries a record card, and the cooperating
teacher signs it after each Observation.

Throughout the two years of college, all work done
by the student teachers for teaching, such as lesson plans
and handouts, are to be kept neatly in a diary. Each
student shows this diary to the COOperating teacher and
the college supervisor, and the notebook is signed by them

upon approval.

The Evaluation of Student Teachers

During the first year most of the evaluating is
done by the college supervisor. In the second year when
student teachers are fully participating in teaching, the
cooperating teachers help evaluate their work. In some
of the Normal Schools where their student teachers go into
rural schools to complete the Intensive Practice Phase,
only the COOperating teachers evaluate that portion of the

work since supervisors are unable to make any observations.

 

 

77

The programs of all the Normal Schools in Costa
Rica are to follow the program of the Normal School of
Heredia, since it is the first Normal School and is the
largest. However, due to obvious differences among the
Normal Schools in respect to size, location, resources,
and student body, minor differences in the programs,
including the student teaching program, occur. Thus, the
number of students in observation and participation teams,

the number Of observations and teaching sessions required,

 

may differ from school to school. The important fact is
that every Normal School utilizes the concept of gradual
orientation to student teaching, and stresses "learning

for teaching" (as Opposed to learning for knowledge expansion).

 

 

CHAPTER VI

EVALUATION AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

As one studies the teacher education programs of
Costa Rica, three very important features appear which
merit attention from American teacher education institu-

tions. The first is the importance the teacher training

 

institutions, especially the Normal Schools, place on

the field experience aspect of their training. Throughout
their professional courses, future teachers of Costa Rica
are in constant contact with the "real" world of teaching
so that at every point of the training process they are
able to work directly with school children.

This practice is quite different from many American
teacher education programs in which much Of the training
is done on a theoretical basis, and, except for student
teaching, there is no appreciable contact between future
teachers and children. In this situation, colleges have
found that too Often people in education find out in their
senior year (during student teaching) that they cannot
work with children in the usual school setting. By this
time they find that they cannot switch to another field
as the change of majors would incur a loss of at least one

to two years.
78

 

79

Certainly a program which offers contact and inter-
relationship between future teachers and school children
right from the beginning of the professional training would
reduce such a problem. The value of providing early field
experiences for all future teachers, which has been a part
of Costa Rican colleges of education for many years, is now
beginning to be recognized in the United States. The idea
of providing early field experiences for future teachers
is being built into many programs of teacher education in
America now. For example, Michigan State University is
now experimenting with putting freshmen future teachers
into local schools to give them early exposure to the
teachers' world.1 Both Michigan State University and the
University Of Virginia are currently planning to hire a
"coordinator of early experience" who would be in charge
of giving practical exposure to future teachers early in
their college career before student teaching. Other schools
are informally building into the existing courses some
experience in working with children before the student teach-
ing period. But, in many cases, the experiences do not
have the depth, unity or extensiveness which the Costa
Rican programs have.

The other feature which is so impressive is the
Costa Rican system of providing field experiences in the

teacher education program gradually. They see the gradual

 

exposure to the role and duties of the teacher as being very

 

1In conjunction with the TTT Project, Michigan State
University began placing some freshmen in an elementary
school for several hours each week to provide them with
early clinical experience. This experimental program was
begun in 1971.

 

80

important, and coordinate their programs carefully, and much
in advance, in order to give the right ”dosages" at the
right time. This is especially so with the Normal Schools
which graduate the largest number of teachers. Through-

out his training period the Costa Rican education student
experiences the roles of observer, teacher aide, team
teacher, student teacher, and, finally, full-time teacher,
so that during different stages he is exposed to more and

more duties and facets of teaching.

 

The traditional American teacher-training institutions
have not utilized these carefully planned steps of gradual
exposure built into their programs, so that, most Often,
the future teachers are suddenly thrust into the position
of a full—time teacher in one semester (or quarter) of
student teaching. It is not difficult to see that this
type of sudden role-change, from student one day to teacher
a week later, can create many problems for all.

Another excellent feature in the teacher education
programs of Costa Rica is the practice of the University
of Costa Rica and the Superior Normal School of providing
teaching experiences for future secondary teachers on
different levels of the 5—year secondary schools. This
is extremely valuable as the span of a few years within
the secondary school age level makes a big difference,

and, in order to be truly effective, the teacher must effect

81

a change in teaching style and methodology when teaching
various levels of secondary schools. So, an early exposure
to the different ages of children in secondary schools
prepares future teachers to deal with all levels upon
graduation.

In the United States, the common practice in the
training of secondary school teachers is to provide student
teaching experience only in junior high schools or only in
senior high schools, and thus ignoring the big differences
which exist between junior high school and senior high
school students. A common complaint experienced by the
writer in his work as a coordinator of student teachers is
that new teachers, who have done student teaching in senior
high schools, most Often get placed in junior high schools
(since most experienced teachers prefer to move up to the
senior levels). In the junior high school, the new
teachers often find some entirely different problems with
which they cannot cope. This type of a problem would be
minimized if American student teachers in secondary schools
received field experiences with both junior high and senior
high students.

There are many more commendable features in the
Costa Rican teacher education programs. However, the

following points may be characteristic only in the context

 

 

 

82

of Costa Rican education, and may not be at all adaptable
to other educational systems.

One big problem which can occur in a teacher
education program which emphasizes field experiences for
its students is the placement of so many future teachers
in schools within commuting distances of the teacher train-
ing institution; and the bigger the college of education,
the bigger the problem.

In Costa Rica the problem of placing so many
future teachers in nearby schools did not seem acute, and
none of the directors of the colleges of education seemed
particularly concerned about it. When questioned on this
point, the directors answered that, aside from the obvious
reasons of cooperating teachers accepting student teachers
to be relieved of teaching one or two classes a day, all
teachers who were asked to permit education students to
observe or teach their classes saw this as a ”duty" and
"honor" to help in the training of future teachers of the
country. When such terms are still used in reference to
teaching, much is possible in Costa Rica which is not
possible in other countries where teaching has become more
unionized and is considered a "job.”

The work—load of the teachers and professors in
educational institutions in Costa Rica was at times

staggering for someone who is used to the American standard.

 

83

For example, all full-time professors at the College of
Education of the University of Costa Rica are required
to spend 40 hours at work regardless of the teaching load.
Thus, it is common for professors to teach 3-5 sections
of classes and to be a supervisor for 6—12 student teachers.
Even with this heavy teaching load, the student teachers
were Observed by their supervisors many more times than
the average student teacher in America. All the professors
admitted that their work load was too heavy. They quickly
added that they did not mind the work because ”it had to
be done."

Though the programs of teacher education in Costa
Rica were interesting and well-planned, the writer was
found several areas in which all the colleges of education
could improve:

College of Education,
University of Costa Rica

 

 

(1) During the 2—semester period of student
teaching, the student teachers teach only one period a
day. Thus, these future teachers spend an inordinate amount
of time preparing for one lesson and utilizing materials
and aids that just could not be made had the student teachers
been teaching more than one period a day. Thus, they get
a very unrealistic view of teaching, and never experience
the difficulty of teaching a full program day after day.
In order to give a more realistic picture of the work

involved in being a regular teacher day after day, the

 

 

84

University should provide at least a week or two of full-
time teaching to all student teachers, and give them
opportunities and advice for coping with the usual heavy
work-load.

(2) The cooperating teachers who work with some
of the catedras (such as English) are given no formal
function or duty except to make their classes available
to the future teachers. Therefore, with the exception
of the few cooperating teachers who have recently begun
to get compensated by the university, all cooperating
teachers are practically uninvolved in the teacher train-
ing process. Since they are neither asked to supervise
nor evaluate the student teachers' performances, many sit
in the classroom detached from the activities going on
in the class.

The university professors are very selective in
choosing their cooperating teachers who will work with
the college students, and so they are usually exceptional
teachers with many years of teaching experience. Since
this is the case, the university should take advantage Of
the cooperating teachers' abilities by giving them specific,
formal roles in the training process, and also should
encourage them to get involved and interested in the
future teachers' work by asking them to give advice and

share their expertise.

 

 

 

 

85

(3) College supervisors tend to choose as
cooperating teachers only those teachers who have graduated
from the University of Costa Rica. This, Of course, is
the result of the educational hierarchy that has formed in
Costa Rica which gives university graduates the most
prestige and a reputation of being the best-trained.
Although teachers with university training may be the best-
trained, the practice of completely isolating the university's

future teachers from teachers with different backgrounds

 

and training may be too insulating and cause in-breeding.
Thus, the university should try to place its students in
classes of cooperating teachers with different training,
even if only for a few weeks. In this way the future
teachers from the university may become aware of different
teaching styles and philosophies being employed in the

elementary and secondary schools.

Superior Normal School

 

Because the writer was not able to directly observe
the student teaching aspect of the Superior Normal School's
training program (since it was not yet Operating in full
swing), it is difficult to make any meaningful suggestions.
However, even in the planning stage, there were no provi-
sions made for some type of orientation program for new
cooperating teachers. As it will be explained in detail
in the next section, the lack of an orientation program

for cooperating teachers creates problems which tend to

 

86

negate the positive effects cooperating teachers are
supposed to have on future teachers. Thus, some form of
orientation program should be adopted as soon as possible

in the form of a short workshop or a handbook to be provided

for every COOperating teacher.

Normal Schools

 

(1) Although there are four normal schools located

in various parts of the country, the majority of the

 

students are from urban areas and are urban-oriented.
However, the critical need for teachers in Costa Rica is
not in the urban areas where these future teachers will
want to teach, but in the rural areas where most future
teachers tend to refuse to go. Even if they are willing
to go into the rural zones, they are most often not
effective in working with such communities as the well—
educated in Costa Rica tend to look down on the farmers
and cannot effectively meet their needs.

One solution to the problem of providing trained
teachers for rural schools is to recruit future teachers
from those areas. However, there has not been any con—
certed effort on the part of the normal schools to do this.
If Costa Rica is to improve the quality of the teachers

in the rural zones, then it must encourage students from

87

rural zones to attend the normal schools by providing
sufficient housing and other necessities. This recruit-
ment and training of rural people, along with the salary
differential that the government gives to teachers willing
to teach in rural zones, should provide enough trained
teachers to replace the present faculty members who are
often teaching with only a few years of elementary schooling.
(2) Although the four normal schools are located

in different areas of the country with quite distinct

 

geographic and economic characteristics, the curricula
and training that each offers are essentially the same,
all following the program set up by the largest normal
school in Heredia. This "blind" following of one
curriculum is unfortunate. Since teachers in different
areas of Costa Rica will be teaching children with quite
different economic and social orientations, there should
be some attempts made to differentiate the curricula and
the training to make the teacher education programs in
every normal school relevant to the communities‘ needs.
A good example of this failure to ”customize"
the curricula to the needs of the different areas is
the course content of the normal schools in the subject
"Agricultural Education." Future teachers in both
Heredia and Liberia have to study this, and the major
portion of the time in both schools is spent studying

about coffee-growing which is the most important

88

agricultural product in the area where Heredia is located.
However, in Liberia no coffee is grown and it is Of no
economic importance since cattle-raising is the main
business. But, future teachers will study about coffee-
growing and teach it to students living in areas where

they will probably never come upon a coffee tree. On the
other hand, they will not learn very much about cattle-
raising in the Normal School of Guanacaste (Liberia) because
it is not in the curriculum of the main normal school in
Heredia.

(3) Though there was a great deal of coordina-
tion and teamwork involved in following one normal school
curriculum in all four normal schools, there was a lack
of cooperation and coordination regarding other matters
that involved all four schools. For instance, in all the
normal schools there is an acute shortage of textbooks in
every course. In fact, in most courses there are no
textbooks available so that each professor in every normal
school mimeographs all the necessary literature in the
form of "handouts." Since all the normal schools have the
same curriculum, it would be so much simpler for some of
the professors teaching the same courses to form committees
and produce their own texts by sharing ideas and "handouts"
all have made in the past. This type of a meeting for
mutual benefit should not be very difficult to arrange as

all of the schools are within one day's travel from Heredia.

 

89

(4) The teacher-student ratio in all normal
schools is quite high in all courses. The ratio between
college supervisors and student teachers is almost
unmanageable so that each supervisor very often has to be
in charge of fifty to sixty student teachers each semester.
Thus, every time student teachers go out to local schools
to teach, the supervisor is extremely busy just dropping in
to see that each student teacher is in the class where

he should be. Usually, the supervisor has no more than

 

five minutes to spend with each student teacher so that
most Often these visits are ineffective as far as giving
student teachers meaningful post—Observation feedback.
In this situation, then, the normal schools must rely
heavily on the cooperating teachers to supervise the
experience of the student teachers and to evaluate their
work. Despite this heavy reliance on the cooperating
teachers to work with student teachers, the writer could
not find any criteria set up by the normal schools to
choose the appropriate cooperating teachers. Most often
the student teachers were indiscriminately placed with
any teacher who was willing to cooperate, and thus there
were many cases reported to the writer in which the student
teachers faced unfair and meaningless criticisms by
cooperating teachers who may not have been a good choice

to serve in that capacity.

 

90

Female student teachers reported cases where they
failed the field experience because cooperating teachers
brought out rulers and carefully measured the length of
their skirt pleats or the length Of the skirts and found
they were not the "regulation length."

Some male student teachers complained that they
received poor reports due to the appearance of their
neck-ties and suits which are both required garb for all
male student teachers.

Many complained that their cooperating teachers
stayed in the classroom for five minutes and then left
for their coffee, never to return until the end Of the class
when they rated the student teachers' work.

The work of the cooperating teachers who work
with normal school students is very important and not
everyone can be a good cooperating teacher. Thus,
professors should be more careful about setting up criteria
for choosing COOperating teachers.

(5) None of the four normal schools had orientation
programs set up for cooperating teachers so that many
cooperating teachers did not know what to do or how to
carry out their supervisory role. Frequently student
teachers complained that they were embarrassed in front
of the children when cooperating teachers loudly criticized

or scolded them for making certain mistakes.

 

 

91

During school visits the writer witnessed several
occasions when the student teachers were in the class
teaching while the cooperating teacher sat outside reading
a book. Surely, their evaluation and rating of the
student teachers' work can not be very accurate.

Thus, the normal schools badly need a workshop,
or at least a handbook, for cooperating teachers telling
them about the important roles Of the cooperating teachers.

Though the writer has pointed out many apparent

 

deficiencies of the teacher education programs in Costa
Rica, the overwhelming fact is that all the positive things
going on in the colleges of education were impressive. With
what little budget and materials Costa Rican schools have,
the educators and the students of that country have done
much through their intelligence, enthusiasm, and hard

work.

 

 

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

92

 

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

Biesanz, John and Mavis. Costa Rican Life. New York:
Columbia University Press, 1945.

 

Blutstein, Howard, e3 al. Area Handbook for Costa Rica.
Washington, D.C.: U. S. Government Printing Office,
1970.

 

Calvo, Felipe, e: al. Informe General Sobre las Condiciones
de la Infancia, la Juventud, y la Familia en Costa
Rica. San Jose: Ciudad Universitaria, l97l.

Consejo Superior Universitario Centroamericano; Estudio de
Recursos Humanos en Centroamerica.El Sistema

 

 

 

Educativo en Costa Rica: Situacion Actual y
Perspectivas. Ciudad Universitatia, Costa Rica,
1964.

D'Eca, Raul, and A. Curtis Wilgus. Latin American History.
New York: Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1963.

Gonzalez, Luis Felipe. Historia de la Influencia Extranjera
en el Desenvolvimiento Educacional y Cientifico de
Costa Rica. San Jose: Imprenta Nacional, l921.

 

Gunther, John. Inside South America. New York: Pocket
Books, 1968.

 

May, Stacy, 3E al. Costa Rica: A Study in Economic DevelOp—

ment. New York: The Twentieth Century Fund, 1952.

Rodriguez, Mario. Central America. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.:
Prentice—Hall, Inc., 1965.

 

Stokes, William S. Latin American Politics. New York:
Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1959.

 

Waggoner, George R. and Barbara. Education in Central
America. Lawrence: The University Press of
Kansas, 1971.

93

 

94

Pamphlets and Bulletins

 

Escuela Normal de Costa Rica. Referencias Biograficas de
Sus Fundadores y Directores durante los Anos
l9lS—l965. Heredia: Departamento de Publicaciones
Escuela Normal de Costa Rica, 1965.

 

 

Friedman, Burton Dean. The Public Administration of
Education in Central America. East Lansing:
Michigan State University, 1964.

 

 

Furbay, John H. Education in Costa Rica. U. S. Office Of
Education, Bulletin 1946, No. 4, Washington Federal
Security Agency, U. S. Office of Education, 1946.

 

Instituto de Investigaciones Escuela de Ciencias Economicas
y Sociales. Algunos Datos Estadisticos Sobre la
Universidad de Costa Rica. San Jose: Ciudad
Universitaria, 1970.

 

 

Ministerio de Educacion Publica. Centros de Educacion de
Costa Rica. San Jose: Ministerio de Educacion
Publica, 1970.

 

 

. Informe Estadistico del Sistema Educativo
Costarricense. San Jose: Ministerio de Educacion
Publica, 1969.

 

 

The Research and Policy Committee of the Committee for
Economic DevelOpment. Economic Development of
Central America. New York: Committee for
Economic DevelOpment, 1964.

 

 

Unpublished Paper

 

Fonseca-Mora, Jaime. Education in Costa Rica. Unpublished
paper presented at Loyola College, 1962.

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

APPENDICES

95

APPENDIX A

MAPS OF CENTRAL AMERICA AND COSTA RICA

96

 

 

 

MAP OF CENTRAL AMENBA

 

MEXi CO

 

98

-Liberia

 

San Ramon
_.Alajuela

°SAN JOSE
Bartago

6 z .’r
\ San asmr‘o

\ ""\ ,

i

E. .

Puétto Limon

  

  
   

 

 

APPENDIX B
SAMPLE PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT THE COLLEGE
OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA

99

 

 

 

 

lOO

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA

Required courses for future SGCQEQGEYifiéhQQl.hiStQfiMHHQQiHGO-

graphyyteachers.

First year- Cultural Activity
Physical Education
Spanish
Fundamentals of PhilOSOphy
Cultural History
Principles of Sociology
History of Costa Rica (Colonial Period)
Ancient History
Medieval History
Human Geography
Geography
Cartography
Introduction to Geography

 

Second year- Repertory of Letters

Repertory of Physics and Mathematics

History of Institutions of Costa Rica

Historical and Philosophical Fundamentals
of Education I

Historical and PhilOSOphical Fundamentals
of Education II

Regional Geography

History of Costa Rica (until 1882)

History of Costa Rica (from 1882)

Geography of Costa Rica

Geography of Central America

Modern History

Contemporary History

Third year- Repertory of Biologic Science
General Economy I
General Economy II
Psychology of Education I
Psychology of Education II
Secondary School Education
General and Specific Methods
Regional Geography
Introduction to Constitutional Law
History of America (Colonial)
History of America (Republican)
Economic Geography

Fourth year- Student Teaching and Seminar

lOl

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, JNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA

Required courses for future secondary school science teachers

with a major in chemistry.

 

First year-

Second year—

Third year-

Fourth year-

Cultural activity

Physical Education

Spanish

Fundamentals of Philosophy
Cultural History
Mathematics (Introductory)
Introductory Physics
Analytic Geometry and Calculus I
General Biology

General Botany

Course in Philos0phy

 

Analytic Geometry and Calculus II

General Chemistry I

General Chemistry I (Laboratory)

General Chemistry II

General Chemistry II (Laboratory)

Historical and Philosophical Fundamentals
of Education I

Historical and PhiIOSOphical Fundamentals
of Education II

General Zoology
Natural History of C
Repertory of Social
General Organic Chemis
General Organic Chemis
Psychology of Education
Psychology of Educa.ion II
Secondary School Education
General and Specific Methods

Student Teaching and Seminar

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX C
SAMPLE PROGRAMS OF STUDY AT THE SUPERIOR

NORMAL SCHOOL, HEREDIA, COSTA RICA

102

 

103

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES, SUPERIOR NORMAL SCHOOL

Reguired courses for ggtgrg secondary school social studies

teachers.

 

First year- Spanish
Cultural History
Fundamentals of Philosophy
Methods
History of Institutions of Costa Rica
Ancient History
Elements of Geography
Geography of Costa Rica

Second year- Philosophy of Education
History of Education
General Psychology
Psychology of the Child
Development of Costa Rican Education
History of Costa Rica I
Medieval History
History of America
Geography of America

Third year- Biology
Adolescent Psychology
Psychology of Learning
Educational Evaluation and Statistics
Eurasian Geography
History of Costa Rica II
Modern History
Economic Geography

Fourth year— Student Teaching
Contemporary History
History of Costa Rica III
Geography (Africa and Oceania)
Human Geography
Elements of Cosmography
History of Art

104

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE, SUPERIOR NORMAL SCHOOL

Reguired courses for future secondary school science teachers.

u...‘

 

First year-

Second year-

Third year—

Fourth year-

Spanish

Cultural History
Fundamentals of PhiIOSOphy
Methods

General Biology

Chemistry I

Philosophy of Education
History of Education
General Psychology
Psychology of the Child

Development of Costa Rican Education

Geology and Mineralogy
Mathematics
Botany

Sociology
Adolescent Psychology
Psychology of Learning

Educational evaluation and Statistics

Physics
Chemistry II
Zoology

Student Teaching
Chemistry III

Anatomy and Physiology
Astronomy

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX D

GUIDE AND CHECK LIST FOR FIELD TRIPS

IOS

 

 

106

Universidad de Costa Rica
Escuela de Educacion

GUIDTI@%I{INTERVIETS ON FIELD TRIP TO HIGH SCHOOL
8( cool Orraniziuion
Staif, Students, and Community
Information to be gathered during interviews with administrative
staff H

I’Ela’. o ONII: J L INTIL‘ {V IEIED

 

Principal Secretary Librarian Counselor Otb ers

INIJ LIL} OII.T

Organization ____?ersonnel dutiesg____hdministr: tive sta fl _~_
ieaching tr: ____Oualifications of Teaching Staff
Departamental organization.____Ev aluation.Committee

Other Committees

School bywlaws and regulations

 

STUDEN BODY

Enrollment Broportion of boys g‘rls
Levels: I II III IV V
tatisties on promotion Drop out rates

Compare tivo study with previous years

Socio~economic level of student body

 

Student body comes from: (districm o, cantons, provinces)

 

 

 

 

I“

Student Government How elected Requisites for holG ing

office Duties Efficienc

 

Clubs Kinds

r. a

North and efiioiency

 

 

 

107

[\W

SERV.CES

Student {elfare Department

 

Nee th services: Medical care dental care
hospital service health check~up
Lunch ‘niform Books

Scholarships Loans Bus fares

 

Staff

 

Counseling Service

 

Problems: displine personal home economic

Cumulative recordrwscope and devices

 

Homeroom period

 

Time allotted to guidance activities

 

w

Time allotted to classroom government and committees

 

I"

THE GO HUIITY

School Board Organization Finacial Sources

Expenditures

-‘ . _._ .F .‘ A . 'm—‘-,-\
E.T.l. (resent—Teacner assoCiatlon,
Organization he;
Fund—raising devices
Relations between home and school

" ‘1 N‘fi‘ .4‘~ I'm "- ‘/‘
school—community lelatlons

Socio economic condition of the community

School programs directed to the community

 

 

 

 

 

108

UniverridTi d Costa Rica
Cs ueLe dc Educacion

'm"
[—1
H.
O)

c+

Choc! for~Field Trip to High-School

'2
a

|
CT
0

FM a .... ‘ .7 .. A ». I Q - —.-' 4- 4—:2‘7- 4- ~» ~- 1 n T ' .
I {1.1.5 I S CL QcLlLLG CO {hill} YOU. WI J. CG 8. c: JOE." b Oil .L lch bl .I__LJ
higjh SCIIO'Olo '

I. BUILHIWC

a) Modern“ Old_' Converted home Originally used as an
elementary school

 

bDShapc of building or wings: a I T E -.«._- L .
r O -
c) There IOCTte d: Inside city limits a
Outside city-limits~
In or near small town

 

 

 

:oeoiiiiities Ior expanSion: Yes No
-.—. ' ”mu -5. 7‘ i ‘T ‘ a, 1' - "v ‘ .
Mei nco hood . Noisy Quiet In buSiness zone

In an industrial zone In a res ential zone

Roads: Many Few Good ”a'r Poor

 

2.083I JD pi; I). SPORTS AREAS;

I * K} a o I. (‘ ‘ ’ C“ “ I“. a- "\ " “ 4- r
a) Yards: Lar e small Inadequate
oports areas- adequate Fair None

,Is the public square used ? Yes no

Corridors; Open w Closed Roomy -~~ Narrow

,- , ,L -.~.-.1. ta ,- _ ~ .- :«rL‘a
Lawns: nicel/ Kept Letleccee Large oeull
’3 1“ f\"”'
J. b!:_2J Jill).

Noon 83111 EnOug h light Not enough light
1? _. fl . '~ 0 1‘. ‘A h _J_

”m__[€ntllu 10nnfluadequate Iiade equate

Show good tqste : Yes No

Adequate electric lighting Inadequate electric li‘htint

Facilities to darken room: Yes No

b)

109

DJ

Kind: tables for students Individual desks

Desks for two Desk with arm

Teachc r's desk on platformzYes No

Blackboards: Small Large Several Only one
Color3313ek Green Conditionzfiad Good

adeouatelv locateszes No
Teaching aids; idequate Inadequate None

Lud eionvic ual aids 3 Film projector _ Na di Record 11

m
g
m
H

s*
O
H

Cli dos and Iilm strip projector Tape recorder 0t

.3

Bulletin board:_1es _ No With_materialsz Bela so to

 

subject matter "Of'student interest Community or

. — r‘ f'"-L" - l - -— ~z- -. v
national InthUrb With announcement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Idbrrry:.fo Yes Small Loon y
1300‘13’ Nami‘ iEex: (iood IInaLl e’1u ate
Laboratories: oology Botany 3i ole ogy
Chemistry :hysies ‘fnatomy
Mathematics Languages
Cmall Large Adequate amount of material
Well chosen material Inadequately supplied
Music Rooms; Adequate Inadeeuate Pianolees to

Record player Record col Ml ction

 

Auditorium: Yes No Small _ Large
Gymnasium: Yes No Roomy Small

 

 

Multimpurpose rooms or units: Yes No What kind

110

b)

Study hall for students: Yes No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oom Io teachers: Yes no
Infirmary; Yes we Under tne esre oi Junie: led Lross
LN“se Assistant Counselor no one
Lunch room: Yes No fluctuate Inudccuste
Cafeteria or snack bar: Yes No Administered by:
Po eits students TeaeLers Parents and teachers
Teaclers ant students Leased to others

Slop es: Home craft s Cabinet -makin Electromeeh mnics
Book— oiqding Leehanics Home economies Art

inlflll‘fls inn" .L V3, SERVT ES

Principal’s oifice Secretary's office nssistafit
counselor‘s offices: one two or more

Piling ro no Yes No

Rooms for storing material: Yes No Amount of material
stored Jtat kind

iloom Tor aimeo3ra .Jhin 3 machine: Yes To

Loom for junitors: Yes No

Hell—conditioned rest rooms; Yes No Easy to get t0~
Yes To nee uate anoer: Yes He

“rincipal‘s house on school grounds: Yes No

 

 

 

APPENDIX E
OBSERVATION AND EVALUATION SHEETS

(UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA)

lll

 

Universidad de (
Escuela de Lduca01

Observation dheet

 

Student teacher

Date

 

School )cction Teacher Supervisor

GOOD

 

119

a
P

 

ll3

IVERSIDAD DE COSTA RICA

Escuela de fiducwcion
ED~439

(‘1
0

Lessons graded; N9____to ;;;_pates: From To A. ,1.
“chool *“- Group: ‘Classroom teacher:v V afi;
Schedule.___ '
Dates of less-0:5 not graded: A:

TUDAFT QJLULJR

'JITE To EVALUATE STUDENT TEACHING

 

 

 

 

Dates of lessons missed: - ““- t

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D11 or ,, ”A. _ _ 1
I Personal 'ualitics (2O Bts, U , : . ‘
l Agpearance) pois e & l-anguage : 1 1' 1
2 Self -Confidence and control E “' 7’ i i 1
3 V010e . A ~v ~ , 'j 1 l ‘
4 ’uflCtLWII‘V a. rcs1)o ons1bility v ' ‘ j i ‘ :i:
5 Ability to establish rapport ; : 1‘ I
Points _ , . n. » km! A 1 1
v A
_________®__r-___ i 1 3 -l.;
II Classroom Nanaqement (8 pts.) 1 1 ‘ l. ‘
A.ttention classroom conditions A 1 1“_1

l
2

Hand ling_ of classroom routines

 

  

f’Oll’l

 

Subtotal points

 

 

 

   

114

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DTTDS T"“" . 177‘
1V”Methods and ceiniqucs (40 pts.) ; . 1 ' ; I—II":
I Tesson Plan ; 1 1 ' -* ; j j .4-‘7
2 Motivation ‘ 3 i v 5 i
3 Content Presentation i j 1 1 ; 1 E 7'7
4 Promotion and guidance : f 1 E 1 1 If 1
1 4.1;--1
|
A

of observation} imitation i 3 1

b Questvon1n3: aiil1ty5 qualitya' ‘ , A ;
distrioution utilization of ‘
student ex_ erience

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

b Lvaluation and stuuywsbneiv1sio 5 } 1 1 i _ ,

7_:%tpnuldfiw}6”1nfllV1oual differences‘T7—_‘_VII'--'~'T’.'~1' ";4

87013 551005 control 1 1 ‘ i 1 ; 1

9 Teaching¥material and utilization A 3 = T 1 ; ’.A‘_j

10 Use of method 1 1'1 . , 1 1 " :
Reints 9 5 1 j A

.g.
OIZL

 

GRADING SCALES

 

_ . _, ibove 1.7. Below
Superior Av<rage, Average M.Average Poor
1 3 ”2 1 1 ;;:_i :Q i‘
Scale: to convert'aoints to graaes '77 7” w Points. ' Grade
55 7 60 : 7.30 5 : 7.60 100 ~ 17
56 = 7.10 ‘61 2-7.A0., .66 : 7,70 . . 85 m V 9
57 = 7.10 62 = 7.40 67 = 7.70 70 u 3
58 a 7.20 63 =17.50 A68 : 7.80 , <~— 55 ~ 7
59 7.30, “64 = 7.60 . 69‘217.90 1» 40 — 6
. _‘ 7O :78 ’" ~ ’ '
7O 8 75 : 8.30 80': 8.60--
71 — 8.10 76 = 8.40 81 = 8.70
72 = 8.10 -,77 = 8140 82 : 3.70 . .3 v ~
3 = 8.20 78 = 3.50 1 83 = 0.90
7b = 8.3 79

k)
: b.60 3 84 = 8.9V
9

 

APPENDIX F

A GUIDE FOR LESSON OBSERVATION BY

STUDENTS AT THE SUPERIOR NORMAL SCHOOL

115

116

SUPERIOR NORMAL SCHOOL
197 - 197

A GUIDE FOR LESSON_Q§SERVATION

 

SCHOOL

 

DATE

THEME SECTION TIME

 

 

NAME OF STUDENT TEACHER

 

NAME OF TEACHER OBSERVED

 

 

A A _"NO—‘
EXCELLENT{ GOOD; FAIR OPINION

I. ROUTINES. l

i
9

9

from classroom.

 

b. Arrangement of desks according

5
t
A
i
a. Systematic entry and departure 1
i
i
. . . . i
to actIVItIes taking place. 3

 

 

c. System of giving out materials 1 1
to be used in class.

d. Taking attendance. i

 

II. OBSERVATION REGARDING PRINCIPAL
EDUCATIONAL TECHNIQUES BEING 1 1 1
USED. 1 r 1

 

a. Use of motivation techniques : j
(materials, aids, resources). A I

m... . .. ‘u T

 

b. Relates the eXperiences of the
students with the learning 1 1 1 I
situation. 1 ‘ g i

2
I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

if 1 I TO“

é EXCELLENT iGOOngFAIR EOPINION
9 L- ‘1 ‘%
o o ‘ L; 5' ‘ i‘
c. Presents Situations and ex- “ A _ A
periences which relate to the 7 § g 1
theme. 1 f t 1
3 3 i A

4...... . - .. {é ._.....__.%- - -1- i: i; _
. A 6 r
d. Was teacher successful in g 1 1 1
creating motive for learning? 1 : A ‘
A t i .
7
III.MASTERY 0F THEME. ; a I 3
a. Selects activities which best ; A 1 i
contribute to the achievement 1 g g g
of the objectives. 5 g 5 3
E
2
b. Organizes activities in an 1 g Q g
effective manner. 3 3 g I
J;:' g
:3. #1 T g
c. Manner of conside ing the in- 5 E ; 1
dividual differences. 1 i i E
E I 3 i
A ? I j
o o o a. o -. o z.) '1‘ 7‘

d. Utilization OI auXIIiary re- 1 1 g 1
sources of teaching. 3 E a I
i g
. E' 3 :-
V. QUESTIONING TECHNIQUE ; g :

I .1; 5 3
1. Method. ; a a a
a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

. Directs questions to all the g 1 3
members of the class. i I i
b. After a sufficient pause, asks . E g :
someone for the answer. 1 fi- 2
‘ l
2. Quality of the Questions. 1 f g
a. Questions reveal different levels; ; E
of understanding among the class.? § §
‘5:
b. Questions are fair. 2 Z ;
; E g .
71' E :’
. i i E 1
c. The meanings are clear and g g i 5
definite. i 1 E i
A s
V. SUMMARY 5 g g
a. Directs discussion. % A 1 E
2 i I E
1 I
b. Is capable of being precise, ; i 1 1
and can summarize. 1 g i i
1. s
i ‘5 1 .

 

.L.LC

OBSERVATIONS: Write about the aspects of teaching which were most

interesting to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ ~ o H‘."~..k -A-—-"c—.-
g b v—v—
'--O A. - u m"- - .-
A c-—. -' - 1
‘ ‘t‘fl. '-
---.n..r-. s..-
_--.--'~>- ——‘-—-— -d-w-~—-—"
‘0‘..-
.. _- *A.‘ ‘
-*'~-A~-* A
T
9‘... .--~ ~~v-—~--.—I.---.-v. a

 

 

-.‘~ __ ‘94-.

 

M -——-—n ._.

 

 

Signature of Student Teacher Signature of

Professor

 

APPENDIX G
EVALUATION SHEET USED BY THE COOPERATING

TEACHERS FOR THE SUPERIOR NORMAL SCHOOL

119

.LAU

SUPERI 03_ NORMAL SCHOOL

DEPARTMENT OF

STUDENT TEACHING EVALUATION

NAME OF STUDENT TEACHER
NAME OF COOPERATING TEACHER
NAME OF SCHOOL

 

 

SUBJECT SECTION

 
 

1. Took opportunity to talk to you

     
 
  
 

 
  

 
 

e

necessary

 

1. Lesson plan notebook (Appearance,

  

     

   
    

y o ques ons
awakens interest, elicits answers,
others)

6. Use of teachinn QQQ§J__ _JJJJJ__J
7. Use of the blackboard (Eges it to
present and develop theme; to

      
    
 
  

 

   

 

Signature of COOperating Teacher

 

 

 

 

 

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