A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF A DEMOCRATIC TEACHER PREPARATION ALTERNATIVE - PEOPLE, PROCESS, PROGRAM Dissertation for the Degree of Ph. D. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY JILL CAROLYN MANNISTO 1975 LI BRA R Y Michigan State University 3" This is to certify that the thesis entitled A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF A DEMOCRATIC TEACHER PREPARATION ALTERNATIVE-- PEOPLE, PROCESS, PROGRAM presented by Jill Carolyn Mannisto has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Ph.D Secondary Ed. 8 Cur. degree in éAQ V. (JG W Major professor Date Tillie/75 0-7539 ABSTRACT A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF A DEMOCRATIC TEACHER PREPARATION ALTERNATIVE-- PEOPLE, PROCESS, PROGRAM By Jill Carolyn Mannisto The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe a democratic, non-traditional, teacher preparation program which I facilitated and by so doing, make a defensible case for teacher preparation alternatives geared to differing life and learning styles of prospective teachers. The following summary describes the program which I facilitated: The Interdisciplinary Teacher Training Program (ID Program) in Special Education at Michigan State University was developed in response to the State Code Committee on Certification directive that all Special Education trainees will exhibit competencies and "must be knowledgable in every aspect of growth and development, particularly human learning." The ID Program focuses on the factors involved in learning and effective interaction and places these central to all training experiences. It is evolving into a competency-based program. The program aims toward making the training experiences as close to reality as humanly possible. The students who are enrolled in the ID Program will work in assigned schools three days per week and be in- volved with planning for and teaching individuals and groups. ID students will have an opportunity to work on a regular basis with children from at least two "special areas"outside their major. Besides planning, teaching and daily record keeping, they will confer regularly with teachers and supervisors and work on profession-related projects of their choosing to achieve competency-based goals. They will attend seminars (eight hours per week), Jill Carolyn Mannisto the format of which will be designed to provide for imme- diate needs (in relation to practicum experiences) as they arise as well as anticipated needs in the areas of human relationships, basic learning process, assessment and learning, school organization and implementation of instruc- tion. Many resource people and materials will be provided. A variety of value clarification strategies and simulation projects will be employed to impart self awareness and an awareness of the factors affecting learning. Students will be asked to evaluate themselves regularly. They will keep a daily 109 and assume responsibility for establish— ing goals for themselves and for working out with a "supervisor," and executing a plan designed to deveIOp competencies essential for members of the "helping" professions. Every effort will be made to maintain an open non- threatening, non-competitive, positive atmosphere conducive to the development of open communication and effective, sharing relationships. Jill Mannisto, Instructor August, 1973 The practicum and seminar elements of the program and the personalized process are elaborated upon primarily through excerpts from students' writings. Distinguishing outcomes of the program are cited. In addition, I share some high impact experiences from my life which haVe influenced my values development and my philosoPhy of education which compelled me to pursue a democratic form of education for prospective teachers. I allude to conditions in society today which indicate a need for change/reform in teacher preparation. A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY OF A DEMOCRATIC TEACHER PREPARATION ALTERNATIVE-- PEOPLE, PROCESS, PROGRAM BY Jill Carolyn Mannisto A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY College of Education 1975 @ COpyright by JILL CAROLYN MANNIS'IO 1975 DEDICATION To the ID Students ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I had a very special guidance committee chairman and guidance committee. They recognized my uniqueness. They helped me find my direction without directing me. Dale Alam said I could (or "should;" no, Dale wouldn’t say that) get a Ph.D. I couldn't ng£_fulfill that prophecy or he might have joined the ranks of those who don't believe in self-fulfilling prophesies; education has enough non-believers in peOple. Gene Pernell has had faith in me from the first day I came to M.S.U. I'm a "needer" of positive feedback, and Gene was/is always generous with it. Gene remains £g§l_in a plastic system. Joyce Putnam has to be a great teacher - it's evident from her every day interaction with people. She's a genuine person who can keep above university administrivia and not lose sight of her role and goals. Dick Gardner is special to me because he "talks different" from most college faculty: he really knows about kids and schools and teachers. And he reads "good" (the same ones I read) books. And he cares about individuals. Frank Bruno may be most responsible for my total break from the traditional teaching model. He inspired me with a talk he gave to a group of public school people. So blame him, peOple whose-apple-carts—I- inadvertently-upset. iii Only Fritz Briscoe knows the values conflicts and anxiety that this dissertation has caused me, because our ESP is on the same frequency; or maybe he just tunes into people more than anyone I have ever known. (And Fritz may be the first committee person in history to have helped a candidate with her typing.) Last, but not least (to use a well-worn cliche'; hOpe I don't have to footnote it), I want to acknowledge: Bob for valuing my individuality and encouraging me to do "my things" - for being a supportive rather than oppressive husband, and for making all this possible by working for a year (hope I can have another year off after our second nine years). Linda Patriarca for being a special friend and co—facilitator of the ID program for two terms - and for understanding and valuing the process and people. (Jerry and Linda for their participation in the last minute hassles.) All the neat people who contributed to the success of the ID Program. Jim Marine for his millions of questions which caused me to really think about my philosophy and the soundness of my goals for the ID program, for his efferts to evaluate a non—traditional course, for his friendship (in spite of the fact that we're at the far ends of the continuum from each other; Jim being a loyal behaviorist). The people at Lake Junaluska Assembly, Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, for sharing electric typewriters and a table - both crucial to this effort. iv The tree that had to be sacrificed to supply all the paper that went into this undertaking. (Conservationists might take a look at this area of waste - perhaps dissertation guideline writers should be required to file environmental impact statements.) TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter I. INTRODUCTION . . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Definition of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . II. PART 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Values in Teaching: Mine . . . . . . . . . . . . . PART 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Need for Alternatives in Education . . . . . . . . . III. OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ID Program in Relation to the Schools . . . . . . . Orientation Prior to the First ID Program . . . . . Selection of Students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Was there ANY Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IV. THE ID SEMINAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Typical Introductory Seminars and Student Reactions Second-Fourth Week Seminars and Student Reactions Fourth-Fifth Week Seminars and Student Reactions . . Fifth-Tenth Week Seminars and Student Reactions . . Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V. THE ID PRACTICUM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .'. . . VI. STUDENT OUTCOMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General Remarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi Page 14 14 24 24 37 41 42 43 44 46 49 50 50 52 59 66 7O 76 77 97 98 100 115 118 Chapter VII. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . Part 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Six Conclusions About the World/Education/Teacher Preparation Which Don't Count One Which Does Part 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . My Last Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Values and Expectations Determine Program I Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . An Addendum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . APPENDICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Follow—up Letter; Some Student Responses . . B Levels of Values Development . . . . . . . . . C. Course Evaluations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D. Wight's Dichotomy: Traditional-Democratic . . E. More About Nance and Ardis . . . . . . . . . . F. Surveys, Vitae, Letters to Students . . . . . G. Examples: Grades, Teacher Evaluations, Final Practicum Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . H. Examples: Student Goals and Self Evaluations I. Environmental Description . . . . . . . . . . vii Page 119 119 119 120 131 131 131 133 134 135 137 143 143 164 171 194 196 200 213 229 242 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 11-29-74 Dear Jill, . . . Enough about me--Jill, it was so nice to hear from you and find out what's been happening in your life. I'm sorry your job did not come off--(damn those money problems!), but I'm awfully happy to hear that you are having some much deserved time to enjoy all those outdoorsy type things you like--in the mountains, yet! Your dissertation proposal sounds exactly like you--which is one reason that I'm sure it will be in many ways successful! Of course I'll be happy to share any thoughts--and you've got my full O.K. to use ggything you might possibly have that belongs to me . . . and if you need anything else, I have everything from the program saved. Jill, many of my reactions or thoughts about the I.D. program remain as they were when I was a part of it-—all in my log-—but I must tell you that some of my Opinions have been influenced by experiences I've had since. Let me explain. First, the things that haven't changed. I am still totally influenced by the many delightful, informative and awakening seminars we shared-~because of the openness of our group-—the honesty and concern-~I learned a treasure of—-of what could you call it? ideas? attitudes? self-insight? communication and listening? "Things," anyway, that do not only apply to teaching-—but are certainly part of a thinking, caring personality--sharing is a key word, I believe, to the whole idea of the ID program--and I believe it ties in with your democratic theme. I was introduced to the people--the kind of peOple who are in education-~introduced to education as a truly responsible and vital profession and a totally necessary part of life. It seemed like everytime I turned around I was being introduced to another unique idea, a new caring person, another method to involve someone else-- involvement is another key work--the program was almost a way of life . pone which ygg_are, in my opinion totally dedicated to.’ I don't know quite how to explain this, but in many ways the ID program was the very first thing I was ever involved with that was my choice, and it meant putting my whole being on the line--something that is still very difficult for me to do—-it seems to be a way of life for you--(am I wrong?). But for me I think I was able to extract the things I needed to fit my life style and in doing so I can point out the very best part of the program--it does not and never has required a person to fit. exactly, to give this "certain" amount or score a certain percent-—but what.it does require is putting yourself on the line--and there's no way you can be involved without somehow reacting--you can take and—give as you need and believe-ball in the context of life and education--you are left-—or should I say, I was left with a feeling of who I was--and where I could fit--if I wanted to in life—-and in particular, education. If my entire preparation for teaching could have been in the I.D. style--well, who knows how it would have influenced me? But, could I ever have been influenced as much in 10 weeks of my life in the traditional classes I took? I might have been a lot more secure and less scared attending a fifty minute class three times a week where I was never asked to write down or tell if I had done something I was proud of that day (values clarification) bgt_never have I remembered ten weeks of my life or been influenced by ten weeks so much as the ten weeks of the ID program. I say to myself--what would twenty weeks have done? thirty? What would some alternative program have been like ("rather I will be trying to make a case for the need for alternative programs to fit differing life and learning styles of prospective teachers" to quote you.) Jill-~I tell you I can't even remember the names of many teachers I've had or the courses, but yes, the ID program did make a difference-~and it i§_needed as an alternative program. I must add one more thought--one which is truly my own Opinion--the ID program gave me some much needed direction and confidence. When I went to student teach I felt fairly sure of myself as far as why I was there, how to think of it as a learning experience, how to communicate with the other staff members, etc. . . the only things I didn't feel comfor- table with were the methods of how to teach--math, English, social studies, etc. . . I mean the specific traditional skills like dividing by two numbers, how to teach what a prepositional phrase is and so on. . . Now you understand that I had traditional methods classes . . . but still somehow I didn't really learn methods--I didn't know if I didn't learn or they didn't teach or a combination of both--but I found myself feeling quite unprepared in the planning fcr instruction aspect. Perhaps if I could have done more observing in the real school in combination with specific scheduled lectures on math methods--it could have meant more to me. This is not a criticism of the ID program—-instead, it is an observation that my experience in the ID program was only a beginning to what I needed. I'm sure that I would have felt quite prepared if all my methods courses could have been involved in some way with the real classroom, like the ID program was. The ten-week program is surely not the end all--and I'm sure you never meant it to be, but, yes, alternative methods and classes are needed to fit certain learning styles. One more-—and last thought for now—-I think I must emphasize what I learned about myself from the ID program. I gained a lot of insight--I looked at things in terms of growth--not marks, percents or grades. I'll share with you a comment that my critic teacher ESQ coordinator from MSU made about me (on separate occasions)—-they both told me that I evaluated myself well--they thought I was a little hard on myself--but they both commented that they liked my evaluations (I wrote weekly evaluations much like the ID log) which they had not required, but I had done anyway. I feel that I learned how to evaluate myself from the ID program. It is something I'll always have. As always, Ann Ann Miller participated in the first ID experience l/73 to 3/73. 12-74 Dear Jill, I was really happy to hear from you! I'm sorry your program wasn't funded, however. . . I'm working in a new special education program in Clermont County. It's had its ups and downs, but it's running very smoothly now. I have ten kids--orthopedically handicapped--in a regular school setting. When we started in September, I had no material (other than my own) and no records or information on the kids. We've been really fortunate, however, and have ordered thousands of dollars of things-—including contact paper for me. Hooray! Ann goes on to talk about the program, support personnel, parents, scheduling, field trips and unique in-class experiences such as a "Thanksgiving feast" prepared entirely by the kids, and her plans to organize a summer camp program. I'll be glad to help you however I can--as I think the ID program was the best term I had. Just having more experience with kids has been helpful in my current job. The University of Cincinnati special education students student teach for a total of ten weeks-—five regular education and five special education. I have met many first year special education teachers here who felt extremely unready to teach. They don't seem to be as familiar with informal tests, methods, and programs. I conducted (and was paid) a workshop on the Peabody Kits, the Duso Kits, and the Stern Kit. These were things I was introduced to during my ID experience. I've gone back to my ID notebook many times for the Botel Reading Inventory and the Dolch word lists. I've also used the diagnostic spelling test that you gave me, the Allyn & Bacon Informal Reading Inventory, 19 Ways to Teach Left to Right, and Behavior Modification Materials. Carol Nagy's Survey of School Textbooks has been valuable to me as I had the opportunity to choose my own this year. (And other teachers--they have copied many of my things and ideas.) The ID program really helped mold my philosophy of education and life. I learned a great deal about myself that term. I have weaknesses and strengths and know how to work with them-—by being honest with children. I try to be honest and realistic with kids in my class and they know it. They know I don't spell very well--but we look words up together. I've made great progress with a severely brain damaged boy who gets "whippings" at home. He hasn't learned to read yet, but he responds to my verbal directions without testing the limits--I've never had to spank him. Most of the problem stems from the fact that he talks slowly and becomes frustrated easily when not allowed to express himself. His family has given up unfortunately! We also use the Duso Kit weekly to help with self concepts. It helps me, too. Though the parents have been trying, I think I have a slight advantage over other members of the program-—due to the ID experience. I think I can relate well and have empathy for their feelings, beliefs and desires--as many are definite concerns. I would never trade my ID experience for anything else. It was the most worthwhile term I had at Michigan State University. Let me know how I can help-~if I can. I'll be happy to do what I can. Keep me posted. Peace, Ann (Ann Berry Chapman was a participant in the first ID experience. She graduated in December 1973.) I have chosen these two letters to set the stage for this dissertation hoping to stimulate thought and generate questions in the mind of the reader before I start supplying "answers." I base my teaching on this approach, but generally begin with the "receiver's" active involvement in a situation designed to stimulate questions. Motivation which is "self-inflicted" can only follow stimulation, either from within or without. In a live situation, if I detected lack of response to stimulation, I would try to be a bit more creative and at some point seek direct feedback from the unstimulated person to find possible reasons for and solutions to the "problem." In the case of a situation in which I am attempting to stimulate an unknown, "unlive" audience, I can only guess what might be stimulating, and then I can't do anything if I haven't achieved my goal. I can only hope that these two letters will stimulate interest and questions so that the reader might proceed actively searching for answers. I would hope that the passive, unstimulated reader would proceed not at all, but would seek to find something stimulating to do. Life goes too quickly and is too valuable to be spent in unstimulating endeavors, endeavors which one would not choose to do, if choices were given. This is, I believe, the essence of this dissertation. There are few things that I do that I don't want to do, that arenH:positively stimulating, and these would only be things about which my views are neutral. I won't do anything that I really don't believe in. And I choose not to try to "make" others do things they don't want to do or don't believe in. I do not want to control people, so that future authority figures will be able to control them. I prefer to live on this earth with people who have been encouraged to develop into self-regulating human beings, not robots. I think that there is a need for this dissertation because there is a need for alternative programs in teacher preparation for people who don't want or need to be told what to do, who believe in personal goal setting, self—monitoring, who view learning as a lifelong process, who would want to develop morally beyond Kolberg's Level II (See Appendix B), for whom this statement of Milgram's is unlikely ever to be true: Stark authority was pitted against subjects' strongest moral imperatives against hurting others, and the subjects' ears ringing with screams of victims, authority won more often than not. Ann Miller and Ann Berry Chapman are only two of fifty-nine people who experienced the democratic teacher preparation program which I facilitated at Michigan State University and who displayed outcomes which firmly convinced me that democracy is not an ideal to be talked about, but that it is a viable, needed alternative (when freely chosen) for teacher preparation. My primary purpose will be to describe the involvement, learning and growth of students and myself in a democratic environment. By portraying some of the people who were directly or closely involved with this environment, by describing the format, growth and growing pains of the democratic teacher preparation program which I facilitated, and by relating the results of course evaluations and reactions of these people, I hope to make a defensible case for teacher preparation alter- natives geared to differing life and learning styles of prospective teachers. My intent is not to defend a_program as the_answer to education's or society's ills, neither is it to sell "a model program," or to criticize traditional approaches. If it were the only program, it would reflect hypocrisy; saying: "this democratic program is required" would eliminate free choice, and that is what democracy in my opinion is about. In his discussion of models for making classrooms less authoritarian, Werdell (Toffler, p. 289) says "these are not packages that can be transferred from one classroom to the next, from one institution to another . . . The near successes are understood by those responsible as first approximations to be learned from rather than replicated." Limitations Words/written language/symbols will be a major limiting factor. Language, even when employed my the most talented poet or writer, creates a different mental image for every recipient. No two of our receiving sets are wired the same. Even the most empathic person cannot feel exactly what another person feels. And the less familiar, less sympathetic one is with the concepts which another is trying to convey through written (or any kind) of symbol system, the more likely it is that the intended message will be lost entirely, interpreted differently than intended or misinterpreted. Much of what occurred inside the peOple in this teacher prepara- tion alternative can't be adequately dealt with through the written word. Those of us who experienced it have been/are frustrated by the fact that our minds can't conceptualize in transmittable form exactly what occurred inside us in a way that "outsiders" can understand. We don't even know exactly what happens to each other, but at least we share something in common that made a difference in our lives, something that can't be taken away. I can share what was put into written symbols, but even then the images which the reader has will not be exactly the same as the writer's images. The symbol /democracy/ itself can create an untold number of images entirely dependent upon one's frame of reference. The same is trwmefor other symbols which will appear in this paper. The composite (of symbols, the very format of the paper, is a symbol that will elicit \narious images which will affect the reader's opinion of the paper, if xxat.one word is read. Just as the images elicited by the concrete symmxfl./Cadillac/ may for some include status, a life long American dream, security, positive images and for others signify depletion of resources, greed, caste system, negative images, the images elicited by individual symbols within this paper and the composite have the potential for eliciting images along as broad a continuum. What images could be aroused by the symbol /cigarette/? What images could be aroused by the symbol /amnesty/? Perhaps a compilation of reactions/images elicited by this paper, any symbol, would provide better evidence to support the need for alternatives to accommodate diversity than the contents of this paper will. If I have belabored this point, it is because I think it is the basic element which has prevented policy makers in education from changing. Tbo often they fail to recognize that others have different images of education/society that are just as valid. Angyal, Fromm, von Bertalanffy treat this subject in great detail and show how symbols affect behavior and lead to many irrational decisions such as those which lead us into war and allow traditional education to be perpetuated without need for documentation of effectiveness. I should caution the reader that she/he will encounter uncorrected capitalization, punctuation, spelling, and grammar in some of the unpublished literature and writings of students. I have tried to transpose precisely what was written hoping that the readers' images of the people and what they have to say won't be tarnished by imperfection in their use of our complex symbol system. Although anything less than a full sample will be inadequate in terms of truly showing the uniqueness and beauty and growth of each individual in this experience, these qualities would surely be lost if I attempted to chart and table, categorize and classify the data (The only such compilation of data appears in Appendix C where are located the results of various course evaluations which were employed by Dr. James Marine, the researcher whose assignment it was to evaluate the program); therefore, using a planned biased sample, I will attempt to convey narratively the attitudes, insights, fears, changes, sensitivity of the college students who elected to participate in this democratic teacher preparation experience. Since standardized techniques have not been established to control for bias in interpretation of data, I will seek confirmation for such interpretation from the students, Dr. James Marine, the program evaluator, or a third party who worked closely with the program. I will not present a comprehensive review of the literature. The literature related to democratic social arrangements has been reviewed innumerable times. I don't believe that I can improve upon the reviews, nor do I want to transpose someone else's review to this paper. I refer interested readers to the reviews done by Erich Fromm in The Sane Society, Ludwig von Bertalanffy in Robots, Men and Minds and Albert R. Wight in Participative Education and the Inevitable Revolution. These men have done reviews that cover the literature dealing with "democratic social arrangements" and other social arrange— ments from as early as the seventeenth century to the present. Definition of Terms As I stated earlier, the symbols /democracy/, /democratic/ may elicit untold images in the minds of individuals depending upon their experiences and frames of reference. This definition is intended to provide a common frame of reference for these symbols as I interpret them. 10 I subscribe to John Stewart's (p. 11) treatment of democracy: The essence of democracy is not voting, represen— tation, majority, etc. . . Democracy is intelligent moral action practiced in a community that strives to maximize human development, insure and diffuse freedom and create positive peace on the presence of goodwill rather than the absence of fighting. Democracy is not acting dependently or independently; it is acthxjinterdependently. A member of a democratic community is a full human being, intelligent and sensitive, acting in order to simultaneously and transactionally develop both the capacity of the individual and the community as a whole. The democratic environment which will be described in this paper was not a "majority rule" democracy. It was an environment in which each participant was regarded as a unique individual with unique needs. Every policy or procedure was subject to revision/revocation for any one person, some or all. Fairness was not determined on the basis of applicability of a decision to the whole group unless it involved something that each member of the group decided was fair for her/him. The cliche type statement, 'It wouldn't be fair to let one do it because everyone will want to do it' was regarded as an absurd basis for arbitrary decision-making. A statement which applies to this democratic environment would be, 'It would not be fair not to let one person do something that she/he wanted to do.’ If some or all of the others found this to be a worthwhile Option and wanted to do it, they should be able to make that decision. Discrimination against the minority was not a part of the environment described in this document. Tb further clarify the role of participants in a democratic environment, I am including Combs, et al. definition of a democratic relationship: . . . one characterized by mutual and developmental responsibility. Each individual is encouraged to participate in terms of his talents and contributions. The leader offers guidance and understanding, and moves with the help and desire of each participant. It is a situation characterized by mutual faith and trust, with all participants willing u>1et others make their own decisions. The following dichotomycf Wight's (p. 181) is provided to illus- trate the difference between a democratic and traditional teaching undel: PARTICIPATIVE, DEMOCRATIC MODEL 1. Students and instructor define and redefine objectives, using provisional objectives estab- lished by instructional staff as a base. Students and instructors identify significant problems and ques- tions. Students identify and make use of available resources to obtain infermation they need to solve problems. Students explore alternative solutions to problems. Students and instructors examine, compare, and evaluate the various solutions. Students and instructors evaluate individual performance and learn- ing needs, and redefine objectives. TRADITIONAL MODEL Instructor decides on objectives. These may be more implicit than explicit and may or may not be communicated to the students. Instructor lectures to students or assigns reading on things he thinks they should know. Instructor conducts demonstra- tions; students observe. Instructor assigns practical exercises or problems. Students complete the assignments. Instructor prepares tests for knowledge and understanding. students take the tests. Instructor evaluates the student's performance and assigns grade. 12 For further clarification of the distinction between the terms traditional and democratic as they are used in this document, the reader is referred to Wight's dichotomy in Appendix D. The initials ID which will appear repeatedly, stem from the abbreviation of the original program title: Interdisciplinary Teacher Training Program in Special Education. (Although it was not intended to be a total teacher preparation program, but rather one term of a four year special education teacher preparation program, it was called a "program" rather than a course because it encompassed five courses.) These initials became the identifying referent for the program and the students who participated in it. The following summary describes the ID Program which will be dealt with in depth in subsequent chapters: The Interdisciplinary Teacher Training Program (ID Program) in Special Education at Michigan State University was developed in response to the State Code Committee on Certification directive that all Special Education trainees will exhibit competencies and "must be knowledgable in every aspect of growth and development, particularly human learning." The ID Program focuses on the factors involved in learning and effective interaction and places these central to all training experiences. It is evolving into a competency-based program. The program aims toward making the training experiences as close to reality as humanly possible. The students who are enrolled in the ID Program will work in assigned schools three days per week and be in— volved with planning for and teaching individuals and groups. ID students will have an opportunity to work on a regular basis with children from at least two "special areas" outside their major. Besides planning, teaching and daily record keeping, they will confer regularly with teachers and supervisors and work on profession-related projects of their choosing to achieve competency-based goals. They will attend seminars (eight hours per week), the format of which will be designed to provide for immediate needs (in relation to practicum experiences) as they arise as well as anticipated needs in the areas of human relationships, basic learning process, assessment 13 and learning, school organization and implementation of instruction. Many resource people and materials will be provided. A variety of value clarification strategies and simulation projects will be employed to impart self awareness and an awareness of the factors affecting learning. Students will be asked to evaluate themselves regularly. They will keep a daily log and assume responsi- bility for establishing goals for themselves and for working out with a "supervisor," and executing a plan designed to develop competencies essential for members of the "helping" professions. Every effort will be made to maintain an open, non- threatening, non-competitive, positive atmosphere conducive to the development of open communication and effective, sharing relationships. Jill Mannisto, Instructor August, 1973 CHAPTER II PART 1 Values in Teaching: Mine How does one develop values upon which to base her teaching philosophy? How does one reach a point where she believes so strongly in the inherent worth of individuality for herself and others that she doesn't want or need to wield power over others, require their submission, obedience, conformity, use the threat Of support withdrawal or grades to achieve submission, obedience, conformity? How does she reach a point where she won't yield to "higher authority" demands to compromise her values related to the cultivation Of individuality to maintain the status quo of institutional programs which aim toward mass production Of carbon copy, robot "teachers?" How does she reach a point where she really, truly believes that all peOple are valuable, capable and responsible and where she provides peOple with the Opportunity to demonstrate these characteristics? How does one reach the point where she believes in self-fulfilling prophecies, where she knows that people will behave as she expects them to behave? How does one reach a point where she realizes that tests and grades mean absolutely nothing in terms of the learner's acquisition of knowledge or future effectiveness in her/his profession? How does one begin sorting out stuff for herself, developing a value system that is unique, rather than a duplication Of value systems Of family and friends? 14 15 There are no sure answers to these values development questions. I Obviously wasn't conditioned sufficiently well by autocratic influences to assume a jump-through-hOOps-because—the-authority—says-so— and—that's—the-way-to-receive-rewards-and—advancement (a new title, tenure, higher pay)—role in society. I wasn't conditioned sufficiently well to be a purveyor Of values which were not consistent with my values and beliefs. Perhaps a look at various pre-teaching educational experiences will provide some clues regarding influences affecting my values develop- ment which lead me away from the traditional approach to education. During my preparation for life as an adult "out in the cold world," I had little self confidence prior to entering college; resisted trying new things for fear of failure. was always trying to please in elementary school — the epitomy of a "little teacher;" cried once when Ms. Miller reprimanded the class for being noisy when she stepped out; I had obeyed and been quiet. was raised on prejudice: blacks "should stay in their place," still remember the "colored" restrooms and drinking fountains from our annual trips to Florida; "foreigners are no good." will never forget Roger Tucker, a kid who spent "time" in everybody's grade and three fourths of that in the Office; he never conformed, and never was "broken," could always laugh at the creative (not malicious) capers he pulled on faculty and administrators who never laughed with kids, Roger became a successful radio and TV repairman at 16, thanks to one teacher: his father. All the kids liked Roger. appreciated the Honor System at the University of Florida - you.were on your honor for taking tests and buying apples from the boxes around the campus; surely hated the multiple-guess tests, though. learned (at age 21) from 5 year old Gail that black people are people who feel, laugh, cry, breathe, learn. . . . 16 conducted my first parent interview as a sophomore in college - with no preset guidelines, with my supervisor and classmates viewing behind one-way glass; I did really well, even with the questions about pregnancy. had Mrs. Delmaine, a retired college professor, for high school biology, chemistry and physics; she was tough, but she liked us, and she taught us; she made balancing equations interesting. Many parents wanted her fired or censored because she talked about sex-related issues - even introduced us to the pheno- menon of syphilis. had one choice in all Of my Freshman coursework at Miami University: to view a cadaver or not to view it. harassed Miss Kruger, a high school librarian, who demanded complete SILENCE in her library; we tormented her unmercifully - filled her car with leaves once. remember Sylvia, a fifth grade classmate in a school which I attended in Florida, crying during music class when we sang "Tenting Tonight;" her brother had been killed in the service. experienced a term in one graduate school where rank and student—as—nigger were the rule. was trusted and given a lot Of responsibility at home; always could argue against arbitrary decisions - once in awhile I won, too. never cheated under the Honor System, but never refused to give (or occasionally take) answers in high school where teachers were so preoccupied with trying to prevent CREATING; us "A-B" kids had a lot of "D—E" friends. got super-close with classmates, graduate students and faculty (including the head Of the department) in the Speech Pathology Department at the University of Florida; thought that was normal. resented high school history teachers who paraphrased textbooks and seemed dedicated to turning students into computer memory banks - footnotes and dates were their fetishes; we tormented them unmercifully, too. always had to be "in style," yet didn't always go along with the crowd, e.g., I couldn't get into breathing smoke in and out (maybe Mom saying I could smoke had something to do with it, too); wasn't impressed with hot rod driving - if they didn't drive sensibly, I didn't go. 17 remember three things from the scores Of TV classes I had as a college freshman: l. a psych prof telling us to regard textbooks as only one person's or group's way Of looking at something - not the gospel. 2. a turtle hooked up to an EKG machine; I was upset that it would die. 3. burning contact lenses. will never forget Aunt Margaret, a senior citizen youth leader at our church; she legitimized the naturalness Of our teenage rebelliousness and shared herself; she said that she always cut fresh pies when they were warm ("to this day") because her Mother had never allowed it. While most people were talking §t_us, Aunt Margaret was talking with us. always felt badly for people at the low end of the grading curve. developed my own style and methodology fOr speech therapy and got lots Of positive feedback from supervisors; developed so much self confidence that I didn't have the slightest doubt about my ability to take the sole respon- sibility for the speech therapy program in the lab school where I was assigned to student teach. When I became an employee in the educational system, my values continued to develop and be influenced by certain high impact experiences and Observations. During my first six years of teaching (in jobs that took me into approximately 30 schools), I learned that I could be successful, effective as a teacher Of the deaf, a speech therapist,a type C consultant (itinerant working with slow learners), a substitute teacher, and a reading, language, learning specialist; although I was only certified in speech therapy: the decision-makers with whom I worked seemed to think I had the aptitude (and perhaps the attitude) for success in other areas. that itinerant personnel experienced varying degrees of acceptance or rejection, Often being blamed for not "curing" kids, but sometimes given credit for assistance/ accomplishments with "special" kids. that there were "good" and "bad" teachers, secretaries, custodians, itinerant personnel and administrators, but 18 everyone seemed to be doing the best job she/he was capable of doing at that point in time; few hurt others intentionally. that teachers had a big job and a lot Of frustration; there were always new external pressures to add to the every day pressures of trying to teach: a new cur- riculum, another federal program, more standardized tests, another millage, loss Of program funding, staff reductions, integration, etc. that high priority topics for teacher discussions were lack Of discipline and parent inadequacies. that the majority Of teachers seemed to lose sight Of their role in relation to their constituents; they succumbed to internal and external pressures, spent hours griping about issues, blaming, criticizing what they identified as the sources of the school problems; but that's as far as they went; no solutions. that some teachers seemed able to endure, to deal with all of the pressures and do really effective teaching jobs; they really cared about kids. that most teachers seemed never to have given serious thought to what effective teaching really was; in analyzing what was wrong with everyone and everything around them, they seemed unable (or unwilling) to look at themselves, and rarely did they see themselves as part Of the problem. that most administrators seemed more concerned about improving state assessment scores than teacher morale. that most administrators "bought" behavioral Objectives without questioning their value. that there was an abundance of in-service; it seemed always to be aimed at the subject matter areas, rarely at people. that Cass Elementary School in Livonia, Michigan, had an imbalance on the side Of effective teachers; kids were regarded as the main reason for the schools existence and the teachers' energies seemed primarily focused on pro- viding effective programs for all kids. that Cass teachers were willing to make program changes to accommodate learners who needed modified programs to succeed. 19 that Cass was a "team teaching school" where the teachers functioned as teams, sharing responsibility, planning together, solving problems together (spending hours of their own time); not griping day in and day out about the same issues. that the environment at Cass wasn't Utopian; it wasn't one in which everyone always agreed or in which all were hard-fast friends. The teachers had differences; they had differing value systems and teaching styles and philoso- phies, but their manner Of dealing with differences demonstrated intelligence and rationality. that Cass was a challenging and exciting building in which to work. It seemed to me that this is what an educational setting should lOOk like; COOperation among teachers, mutual respect, straightforward approach to problems, provision for differences among staff and kids. that Carl Bovee was not shirking responsibility; he was sharing it with people he respected and had confidence in; he valued his teachers and viewed them as capable, responsible people; his teachers seemed to look at themselves and their kids the same way. the year I was leaving Cass, teachers had decided that they needed to make some changes. Some wanted to teach another grade, some wanted to team, some wanted their "own" room; so they made some changes. Cass was steeped in tradition; the tradition of growth, flexibility, democracy. In addition to the foregoing "learnings" about the people who are paid to educate children, my "learnings" from and about kids were especially impactful on my values development regarding teaching. I learned from kids like Jim who developed a school phobia in the 5th grade and became physically ill at the thought of having to attend school and look at pages of words that might as well have been Greek. Everyone liked Jim; he was quiet, adept athletically and mechan- ically, not adept academically; but Jim didn't like Jim. (Jim's Mother still dreads the end Of summer when her six kids have to return to school.). 20 from David, who was tearing the school apart when he was a third grader; he had no judgment regard- ing dangerous situations and Often got into them; in the fourth, fifth and sixth grades David was one Of the most empathic, effective, creative tutors I had; he's coping with school today - at age 14 - with the help of several advocates. from 15 - 20 "rejects" in an all black junior high where I taught. This group Of non-conformists had gone through two teachers in five months and a different sub every day for a month before I arrived; their room contained no books, no pencils or chalk or paper, nothing but desks and black kids and me. We used what we had - ourselves; we established mutual respect and had not one confrontation; so much potential being wasted; such neat kids! from Tim, Joyce, Jim, Stouten, Eddie, Kevin, Karl, Kurt and so many others, non-conformists, individuals, beautiful creative kids who deviated from the norm; they taught me the absurdity Of the norm as a reason for compartmentalizing kids, writing kids Off and a one—methOd—to-teach-all approach. that a lot Of kids were experiencing failure day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, and people couldn't understand why they weren't motivated. (I became discouraged if I had one failure a week.) that the last thing poor/non readers needed from me was more remedial reading; they needed to be convinced that they weren't "stupid"/"dumb," that they were valuable, capable, responsible human beings; just telling them wouldn't work, I had tO provide experiences through which they could prove to themselves that they weren't "stupid"/"dumb." that kids eventually chose to "brush up" on their skills and.many achieved success in grade level readers (their goal, not mine) in defiance of their learning disability, if they had a chance tO experience success in something and weren't forced to drill and achieve success in academic skills before they could partake of privileges which "achievers"/conformists got automatically. that all kids want to learn, but maybe not what we want to teach on the day we want to teach it. that kids have so much beneath the surface, so much potential, which can go untapped if we only react to their surface behavior. 21 that "special" kids, parents, and teachers, as individuals, were all really neat people who needed to be listened to, understood, and helped rather than criticized. I believe that all of the experiences and "learnings" which I have cited have had an impact on me that is reflected in my philosophy of teaching and relationships with people. All provided valuable frames Of reference. The dramatic contrasts among teaching models which I experienced and Observed provided me with many choices upon which to base my own teaching style and philosophy. I believe that most teachers and teachers Of teachers have never taken a look back over their lives, their experiences, to find relationships between their current teaching behavior and past experiences and models. TOO many don't really have a philosophy, aren't aware Of the values which they are displaying. They display belief behavior inconsistency regularly, e.g., they expect kids to display respect for each other, to not say unkind things, etc., yet they can berate kids in front Of their peers, give failing grades, gossip about parents, never speak with the teacher in the next room, etc. At some point, I began to choose my values and to try to act consistently with what I said I valued and believed. I developed a habit of putting myself in the other person's "shoes" and dealing with her/him the way I would like to be dealt with. I came to the realization that one's total growth and development is a key to her/his approach to her/his life endeavors. It seemed to me that careful consideration of the development of one's value-belief system was crucial for anyone who was likely to have an influence on the growth and development of other people, and that this was a prerequisite to belief-behavior 22 consistency. Any prospective teachers with whom I worked would have an opportunity to look carefully at their value system and consider the relationship between values and teaching. I came to Michigan State University with 23 years of experience as a student or teacher in the education system. I had experienced a lot of success. I felt confident that I knew a great deal about the system and the people who comprised it. I felt qualified tO prepare prospective teachers to deal with the system and all its people. I felt qualified to help prospective teachers develop an awareness of their own values and the legitimacy Of different value systems and a philOSOphy Of education reflective Of their own value system. I knew what wasn't happening for "special" kids, kids who deviated from the norm. In most classrooms even special education teachers discriminated against unique kids, those who deviated from the average "special" kid. I knew what could happen for kids if teachers could "celebrate" differences. I felt that the best way for me to "teach" college students about differences, about teaching individuals, was to model a teaching approach that took their individual differences into account. I felt that I would have to be as sensitive to the needs Of college students as I had been to the needs of children, their parents and their teachers. These were my goals: My Basic Goals for the ID Program 1. To provide the student with an exposure to a variety of approaches to regular and special education and help the student develop an educational belief system that he/she can justify. 2. To examine belief-behavior consistency. 3. 10. 11. 23 To provide students with an Opportunity to develOp their own behavioral Objectives in terms Of program goals and competencies. To help the student process and personalize his/her experience. Tb give students an opportunity to make choices and help the student become self-directed and self-motivated. To assist the student in self-control, self-evaluation and responsibility. To act as facilitator, rather than a dictator and provide the atmosphere for the student tO become imaginative, creative and curious. Tb encourage students to experiment in lessons and aid and support the student in decision—making and risk-taking behavior. To help the student realize the importance Of human beings——Of tolerance and cooperation—-whether basic philosophies agree or disagree. Tb encourage students to look for change in the children they encounter. TO help the student secure knowledge regarding the learning process, evaluation, special techniques and other areas Of his/her choosing. Avoid carrying a "hidden agenda." I was committed to providing a personalized experience for college students, thus my goals had to be broad. Many traditional teacher educators, particularly those who believe that everything that is worthwhile can and should be stated behaviorally to insure uniform "products," would be very critical of such general goals. However, in Part 2 of this chapter, I will provide support for an alternative based on general goals and democratic principles. 24 PART 2 Need for Alternatives in Education If the "right to education" implies that it envisions "full development of the human person— ality and . . . the strengthening Of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms," it is important to understand that such an ideal cannot be attained by any of the common methods. Neither the independence Of the person, which is assumed by this development, nor the recip- rocity that is evoked by this respect for the rights and freedoms of others can be developed in an atmosphere Of authority and intellectual and moral constraints. On the contrary, they both imperiously demand a return, by their very make-up, to the "lived" experience, and to free- dom of investigation, outside Of which any acquisition of human values is only an illusion. (Piaget, 125 & 126, 1973) Although the book from which this quote is taken hadn't been published prior to the creation and implementation Of the program which is the focus of this paper, I was familiar with Piaget's work with children and thought his approach to learning equally applicable tO adults, particularly prospective teachers who would be serving in our schools as models for our children. I believe that the "right to education" does imply the full