A DEVELOPMENTAL PARAPROFESSIONAL
PROGRAM FOR THE EDUCATION OF
FUTURE TEACHERS ENROLLED IN THE
TWO~YEAR COMMUNITY JUNIOR COLLEGE

Thesis for the Degree of :Ph.‘D.» ~
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
AARON LESLIE STEENBE'RGEN _

1972

 

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thesis entitled

A Developmental Paraprofessional Program for the
Education of Future Teachers Enrolled in the
Two-Year Cormmmity Junior College

presented by
Aaron Leslie Steenbergen

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

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ABSTRACT

A DEVELOPMENTAL PARAPROFESSIONAL PROGRAM FOR THE
EDUCATION OF FUTURE TEACHERS ENROLLED IN
THE TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY JUNIOR COLLEGE

BY

Aaron Leslie Steenbergen

This study examined (1) the need for the two-year
college to take a more active role in the preparation of
teachers; (2) the need for the two-year college to deve10p
a new role in the preparation of educational personnel;

(3) the proposed curriculum deveIOped at Lansing Community
College for the education of pre-teaching students, utiliz-
ing an educational career development ladder as a vehicle
for producing differentiated staff; and (4) the differen-
tial perceptions of the several categories of personnel
who have worked with the program with a view toward gain-
ing insight into their satisfactions and dissatisfactions
with the program.

A review of the literature indicated that there is
a need to provide prospective future teachers with early
and extended pre-student teaching laboratory experiences
in school classrooms. Furthermore, with the recent influx

of paraprofessional personnel into school systems there

Aaron Leslie Steenbergen

is the requirement that future teachers have an intelligent
understanding of the role of paraprofessionals, and the
teachers'new supervisory role in regard to them. It was
further noted that the subcultures peculiar to the re-
spective school and university systems may at times gener-
ate dysfunctional pressures with the consequence that
cooperation in teacher education and training may suffer.
Moreover, the review of the literature revealed that the
local situation may heavily influence the amount and dur-
ation of pre-student teaching laboratory experiences avail-
able for students attending four-year institutions.
Finally, the review included an examination of the rapid
development of the two-year community junior college and
the role it has traditionally played in teacher prepa-
ration.

The role the two-year college has fulfilled in
teacher preparation was assessed as being largely a pas-
sive one, tied as it has been to offering university
parallel courses offered in the traditional standard pro-
gram. It was noted that the two-year college has gained
some recognition for training teacher aides and other
paraprofessionals.

The literature pertaining to the community junior
college suggested that this comparatively new institution
in higher education may fill a need where the university

could not because of its local situation. Many of the

Aaron Leslie Steenbergen

1,100 two-year colleges are located close to K-12 school
systems, and that by using a deve10pmental paraprofessional
program, the following benefits would seem to logically
accrue: (l) the future teachers would obtain invaluable
experience in the schools while assisting teachers; (2)
the future teacher would acquire insight into the role of
the teacher aide and would be in a better position to use
an aide himself, having had the experience of being one;
(3) children and teachers in local schools would benefit
by having the student trainee assisting them in the class-
room; (4) the future teacher would move from "non-concern"
to greater concern with teacher related problems and would
assign increased meaning to his courses in education; (5)
screening committees in colleges of education that are
concerned with admitting candidates to upper division
study would have more reliable evidence upon which to base
their decisions; (6) some students would select themselves
out of preparing to teach, while others would increase
commitment to teaching if afforded early extended con-
tacts with the realities of the school classroom.

A developmental paraprofessional program designed
and developed between Lansing Community College and the
Lansing Public School System was introduced as a model for
the preparation of future teachers enrolled in the commun-
ity junior college. The study presented information re-

garding the genesis, implementation, and subsequent

Aaron Leslie Steenbergen

evaluation of this program, labeled the "Teacher Assistant
Program.”

The program was evaluated against criteria of
rationality and logic, expert authority and that of
empirical grounding through a perception study. Some of
the assertive comments regarding the value of pre-student
teaching laboratory experiences and paraprofessional edu-
cation for future teachers were transposed into items and
a questionnaire, labeled the Program Evaluation Form (PEF),
was administered to ten referent groups having contact
with the program. The research design was exploratory.

The groups were classified into four categories:
(A) college student trainees, (B) classroom teachers, (C)
building principals, and (D) school administrators and
college instructors. Category "A" included (1) full-time
students, (2) part-time students who‘vere also employed
as teacher aides in local schools, (3) part-time students
who were training under funds granted under the Education
Professions DevelOpment Act, EPDA. Category "B" included
the three groups of classroom teachers supervising the
student trainees, and category "C" included the respec-
tive building principals. Category "D" consisted of
upper-echelon school administrators, college instructors
and coordinators, as well as advisors and consultants who
had contact with the Teacher Assistant Program.

The research design was exploratory. No hypothesis

was accepted or rejected. It was intended primarily to

Aaron Leslie Steenbergen

obtain information on the differential perceptions of the
program as held by the various referent groups, and to
determine relative favorability or unfavorability.

The major findings of the perception study indi-
cated that:

1. All referent groups perceive the Teacher Assistant
Program favorably, and tend to agree with the
assertive statements made about it in the Program
Evaluation Form (PEP).

2. That within the same class of student trainees,
the perception of favorability tends to increase
with distance from the scene of actual classroom
interaction.

3. That the perception of favorability appears to be
influenced by the social character of the student
trainees taking part in the Teacher Assistant
Program.

Further analysis suggested that the building
principals of the full-time student trainees were most
positive toward the program with the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, next most positive. Positive, but least
so, were the classroom teachers of the part-time student
trainees, EPDA. Ranking slightly above them in least
favorability were the building principals of this same
group.

Significant also was the degreeiof favorability
accorded the three tOp ranked items. There was close to
strong agreement across all groups that (1) the signifi-
cant amount of early practical training in the schools is

highly desirable if one is planning on teaching as a

career; (2) the trainee's practical experience with

Aaron Leslie Steenbergen

children provides a level of psychological insight into
their behavior far greater than can be acquired through
reading about children; and (3) the education and training
of pre-teaching candidates would be improved if the lower
divisions (freshman and sophomore years) of all universities
and colleges incorporated programs like the Teacher
Assistant Program.

While more sephisticated evaluation techniques
and broader studies are clearly warranted, the findings
of this study suggest role changes for the two-year
community junior college and four-year institutions con-
cerned with the selection, education, and training of

future teachers.

A DEVELOPMENTAL PARAPROFESSIONAL PROGRAM FOR THE
EDUCATION OF FUTURE TEACHERS ENROLLED IN

THE TWO-YEAR COMMUNITY JUNIOR COLLEGE

BY

Aaron Leslie Steenbergen

A THESIS

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

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Secondary Education and Curriculum

1972

CDCOpyright by
Aaron Leslie Steenbergen

1972

DEDICATION

In this time of social turmoil, this disser-
tation is dedicated to the spirit of that
countless number of ABD's who even now fight
the good fight in the field, but whose efforts
may also have the unfortunate consequence of

costing them program completion:

ii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The writer wishes to express his sincere appreci-
ation to Dr. John W. Hanson, the chairman of the doctoral
committee, who has given guidance, heartening support,
thoughtful criticism, and counsel.

To Dr. George Barnett, gratitude is expressed for
his interest, encouragement, constructive suggestions,
and great patience. A special thanks is expressed to
Dr. Ann Olmsted for her encouragement and for the many
hours she spent assisting the writer in the task of evalu-
ation. Appreciation is also expressed to Dr. Richard
Featherstone for his supervision of independent study and
for his willingness to serve as a member of the doctoral
committee.

Finally, sincere gratitude and appreciation is
due the school and college administrators, teachers,
instructors, student trainees, and countless others

whose generous cooperation made this study possible.

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter Page
I. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM . . . . . . . 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 1

The Problem. . . . . . . . . . . 2
Definition of Terms Used . . . . . . 6
Limitations of the Study . . . . . . 7

Summary and Overview. . . . . . . . 8

II. REVIEW OF PERTINENT LITERATURE . . . . . 10

The Need for Extended Pre-student

Teaching Laboratory Experiences . 10
The Influx of Paraprofessional Personnel

in the Schools and the Changing Role

of the Teacher . . . . . . . . . 20
Some Sources of Tension Between School
and University Sub-cultures. . . . . 25

The Rapid Development of the Community
Junior College Movement with Some
Implications for Teacher Education . . 30

III. DEVELOPING THE CONCEPT OF A PARA-
PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM FOR THE EDUCATION OF
FUTURE TEACHERS . . . . . . . . . . 37

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . 37
Traditional Curriculum Patterns in

Teacher Education in the Two-Year

Community College . . . . . . . 39
The Curriculum Pattern for Elementary

and Secondary Pre-teaching Students at

Lansing Community College: A Career

Deve10pment Ladder. . . . . . . . 42
Planning the Teacher Assistant Program

at Lansing Community College . . . . 55
Program Evaluation . . . . . . . . 61
The Sample . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Instrumentation . . . . . . . . . 63

iv

Chapter

FOllow-up o o o o o o o o o o o
Scoring of the Progr Evaluatio

Form (PEF) . . . . . . . . . .
Analysis . . . . . . . . . . .
Summary. . . . . . . . . . .

IV. EVALUATION OF THE CONCEPT . . . . . .
Part I. Justifying Curriculum Content .

The Paraprofessional Program as a Medium
for Screening Pre-teaching Candidates
and Increasing Commitment . . . . .

Perception and Meaning Making: Toward
More Conscious Philosophy of Education.

Summary. . . . . . . . .

Part II. Data 0 O O O O 0 O O 0
V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS . .
Summary. . . . . . . . . . .

Conclusions . . . . . . . . .
Implications o o o o o o o o o O

BIBLIOGRAPHY O O O O O O O
APPENDICES

Appendix

A. Educational Career Development Ladder
Parts I, II, and III 0 o o o o o 0

B. Questionnaires . . . . . . . . .
C. PEF Comments by Referent Group. . . -

D. Materials Given to Individuals in
Referent Groups. . . . . . . . -

E. Types of School Paraprofessionals.

F. Table of Mean Values . . . . . - °

Page
64
66
66
68
68

72

76
88

89
118
118
124

125

127

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page
3.1. Percentage of Questionnaires Returned. . . 65

4.1. Grand Means and Rank Order for Each Item on
the PEF; All Groups Combined . . . . . 91

4.2. Grand Means in Rank Order from Most to
Least Favorable Indicating Referent Group. 96

4.3. Rank Order for Each Item from Most to
Lease Favorable for Each Referent Group . 104

C-1. Strengths of Program as Perceived by Bach
Referent Group. . . . . . . . . . 144

C-2. Chief (Major) Problems with the Program as
Perceived by Each Referent Group. . . . 150

C-3. Suggestions for Improving Program Offered
by Each Referent Group . . . . . . . 155

F-l. Mean Value Assigned Each Item, by
Respondent Category . . . . . . . . 169

vi

CHAPTER I
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Introduction

As new specific institutions within a system of
institutions are introduced, the functions allocated to
pre-existing institutions may appropriately change to
take into account the unique potentialities of those new
institutions. Among the functions of the system of insti-
tutions which make up formal education is that of prepar-
ing instructional personnel for the system itself. The
rapid development of the community junior college as a
new unit in the system of formal education suggests re-
vision of functions of existing institutions in order to
capitalize upon new opportunities which the community-
junior college offers in the field of preparing instruc-
tional personnel.

It so happens that simultaneously with the
development of the community junior college as a major'
unit in the system of formal education, the entire program
of professional preparation of teachers is being seriously

questioned on other grounds, with particular attention

 

lrn

f1

to (a) increasing the meaning of the professional and
academic components of the program on the part of the
teacher-to-be; (b) preparing personnel to fill differenti-
ated staff roles in the system; (c) developing the future
teacher as person; (d) improving the selection of teachers;
self and other.

A serious theoretical and practical issue in
teacher education today is thus to coordinate the revised
institutional system and the revised conception of pro-
fessional preparation in order that an improved prepa-
ration of teachers can be achieved through the changed

system of institutions as this is emerging.

The Problem

Statement of the Problem

The present study examines (1) the need for the
two-year college to take a more active role in the prepa-
ration of teachers; (2) the need for the two-year college
to develop a new role in the preparation of educational
personnel; (3) the prOposed curriculum developed at
Lansing Community College for the education of pre-
teaching students, utilizing an educational career
development ladder as a vehicle for producing differenti-
ated staff; and (4) the differential perceptions of the
several categories of personnel who have worked with the
program with regard to their satisfactions and dis-

satisfactions with the program here being examined.

Importance of the Study

Educators are continuing to search for that combi-
nation of resources necessary to provide experiences best
suited for the education and training of teachers in a
democratic society. At the time of this writing, con-
siderable dissatisfaction with traditional teacher prepa-
ration programs was being expressed by educational leaders
and the public at large.1 Consequently, many universities
and four-year colleges responsible for teacher preparation
are currently attempting to design and implement new pro-
grams to meet this criticism and to assist pre-teaching
candidates in their tasks of acquiring knowledge, inter-
nalizing values, and developing the skills necessary for
effective teaching.2

Representatives of the various colleges of edu-
cation understandably wish to select candidates whose_
personality characteristics best lend themselves to the
facilitation of growth on the part of the students set
under their charge. The problem of whom to admit to
upper-division teacher preparation courses and eventual

certification to teach is complex and is only one of

 

1Dwight W. Allen and Robert A. Mackin, "Toward 76:
A Revolution in Teacher Education," Phi Delta Kappan, LI,
No. 9 (May, 1970), 485-88.

28. C. T. Clark, "The Story of Elementary Teacher
Education Models," The Journal of Teacher Education, xx,

several confronting teacher education. It is apparent
that the grade point averages has not proven to be a
reliable indicator of future performance in the classroom.3
A trend now deve10ping before admission to upper-division
work in teacher preparation is the requirement that some
evidence be presented indicating that the candidate for
admission has had some experience working with children
or youth. It is particularly desirable that such experi-
ence be obtained in a nursery, elementary, or secondary
school.4

Among some of the other problems plaguing pro-
fessional education one may include the following: (1)
the apparent lack of commitment to teaching on the part
of students in current teacher preparation programs; (2)
the high turnover of teachers; (3) the demand to provide
training and education for differentiated staffing roles;
(4) the need to provide career opportunities in the
enterprise of education for disadvantaged citizens who
may have the potential to be instructional aides, or
teachers; (5) the need for appropriate settings in the

public schools in order that pre-student teaching

 

3C. H. Slaughter, "A Proposed Screening Program
for Elementary Teacher Candidates,” The Journal of Teacher
Education, XX, No. 3 (Fall, 1969), 344.

4Report of the Committee for Recommending Stu-
dent Selection Criteria and Procedures for Elementar
Teacher Certification Programs, Part II, College of_1
Education,j Department of EIémentary and Special Education
and College of Human Ecology, Department of Family and
Child Sciences, Michigan State University, 1971, p. 3.

laboratory experiences may be obtained so that the stu-
dent may discover greater meaning in professional and
academic courses undertaken; (6) the need to provide
conditions for pre-teaching students which will enable
them to experience the realities of the classroom in order
to make more intelligent career decisions early in their
college careers; (7) the need to present screening com-
mittees in the colleges of education with evidence, in
addition to the grade point average, that the applicant
possesses qualities considered essential for effective
teaching and professional development; (8) the need to
develop future teachers in a manner which will enable
them to acquire insight and understanding of the role of
the teacher's aide, and to be able to direct and super-
vise the aide effectively in schools utilizing differenti-
ated staffing.

The position taken in this study is that along
with the rapid development of the two-year community
junior college movement has come the promise of the
alleviation of many of the problems previously mentioned.
The present role of the community junior college in the
preparation of future teachers is largely passive. Its
function has been mainly limited to offering lower-
division university parallel courses of a quite tradi-
tional and standard nature, usually in the arts and

sciences. The two-year community junior college can be

seen as much more than a junior partner in the perpetu-
ation of mediocrity and tradition in the lower-division
preparation of future teachers; it has also been a very
silent and timid junior partner. By contrast, the emerg-
ing new role cast, urged, outlined, and to some degree
evaluated, is of a far more aggressive nature. The set of
institutional behaviors associated with this comparatively
late-comer in higher education are those of an active
participant in dynamic cooperation with four-year insti-
tutions concerned with the selection, education, and
training of future teachers.

It is suggested that the conclusions and recom-
mendations of this study have wide implications for other
two-year community junior colleges, as well as for the
lower divisions of many four-year institutions engaged

in teacher preparation.

Definition of Terms Used

Paraprofessional.--”The paraprofessional is
defined as a person who has less than the required or
expected level of education or training, but who is

performing duties usually performed by the professional."5

 

5Arnold Glovinsky, The ParaprofessionaliStudy of
the Wayne County Intermediate SchodI'District, Office of
Professional Development and Instructional Services

(East Lansing: Michigan Education Association, June 7,
1968), p. 1.

Standard Program.--This term.was interpreted as
meaning a program in teacher education which ” . . .
consists mainly of two years of general education followed
by a two-year professional education sequence (usually
introduction to education, observation, methods of teach-
ing, psychology of learning, child psychology, adolescent

psychology), plus student teaching."6

Prestudent TeachingLaboratory Experiences.-—
Throughout the study, this term shall be interpreted as
meaning all those pro-service contacts, prior to student
teaching, which occur with children, youth, and adults
(through observation, participation, and teaching) and
which make a direct contribution to an understanding of
individuals and their guidance in the teaching-learning

process.7

Limitations of the Study
A precise classification of this study is somewhat
difficult to accomplish. It may be seen to overlap both

the historical and survey categories. As Mouly has written:

 

6Mario D. Fantini, "The Reform of Teacher Edu-
cation: A PrOposal for New York State," Phi Delta Kappan,
LIII, No. 8 (April, 1972), 478.

7Parts of this definition are taken from Karl R.
Kramer, "The Effect of the Attitudes of Prospective
Teachers on the Utilization of Professional Laboratory
Experiences for the Development of Insight About, and a
Commitment to, Teaching" (unpublished doctoral disser-
tation, Michigan State University, 1966), p. 8.

No one system of classification can fit a field as
complex as education. On the contrary, if they are
to be effective in dealing with problems as complex
as those in education, educational research methods
must be varied, complex, and, inevitably, overlapping.
This is especially true inasmuch as, at the present
stage of its development as a science, education needs
exploratory studies that have general significance in
broad areas.8
Perhaps the most severe limitations are those
concerned with the survey components of the study. The
study did not set out to accept or reject hypotheses, as
it was primarily exploratory. It did attempt to discern
broad differences in favorability or unfavorability to-
ward the Teacher Assistant Program, and to gain insight
into differential perceptions of the program as held by
the various referent groups. While the data suggest
tendencies and dispositions, the pOpulation size and the
technique used indicate that while some relatively broad
conclusions may be safely drawn, more sOphisticated

studies concerning the Teacher Assistant Program are

needed.

Summary and Overview
This chapter was structured to introduce the
problem, indicate the importance of the study, and to
recognize some of its limitations. Definitions of
terminology, where appropriate, was also undertaken. In

Chapter II, a review of pertinent literature is

 

8George J. Mouly, The Science of Educational Re-
search (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1970), pp.

 

I].

l—'I

"1

considered. In Chapter III, the concept of a develop-
mental paraprofessional program for future teachers is
developed. Planning considerations are examined and the
curriculum for the Teacher Assistant Program is presented.
The construction of an instrument for evaluation of the
program as seen by the ten referent groups is discussed.
In Chapter IV, an evaluation of the concept is under-
taken. A summary of the study, with conclusions, recom-
mendations, and implications for teacher education is

presented in Chapter V.

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF PERTINENT LITERATURE

The review of the literature is primarily directed

at and limited to the following topics:

1. The need for extended pre-student teaching

laboratory experiences.

2. The influx of paraprofessional personnel in the

schools and the changing role of the teacher.

3. Some sources of tension between school and uni-

versity sub-cultures.

4. The rapid development of the community junior
college movement with some implications for
teacher education.
The Needrfor Extended Pre-student Teaching
LEboratory Experiences
It has been nearly twelve years since Myron Lieber-
man wrote The Future of Public Education. In 1960 he
argued that: ”We are at the threshold of a revolution in

education, a revolution which will alter drastically

10

11

every important aspect of education as a social insti-
tution and as a profession."1 He strongly urged that
institutions preparing future teachers reshape their
policies and practices in order to constructively assist
in guiding the revolution. One revision he desired is
noted in the following:

Teacher education should be changed to make it accord
with sound principles of professional training. This
will require an end to the practice of deferring
practical training until the period of student teach-
ing. A much larger measure of practical training
must be included in some (but not all) of the courses
which precede student teaching or teacher intern-
ships.

Lieberman concluded his book with this comment:

Public education constitutes one of the important
occupational frontiers in American life. This
frontier requires pioneers, every bit as resourceful
as those who conquered geographical frontiers in an
earlier day. It is a frontier on which many roles
are wandering in search of leaders who understand the
problems and the potentialities of public education.
My firm conviction is that a handful of such leaders
can bring about a revolution in education, a revolu-
tion such that the practice of free public education
in the United States will stand as its major contri-
bution to the human community of the-future.3

The revolution in education has failed to
materialize. Change, yes, but hardly revolution. Haber-
man, in a sharp critique of universities wrote that:

Any status survey will reveal that the proverbial
third grade in Peoria grinds on pretty much as it

 

lMyron Lieberman, The Future of Publig:Education
(Chicago: The University of ChiEago Press, 196077 pp. 1-2.

 

2 3

Ibid., p. 115. Ibid., p. 228.

12

did in 1910. Our record for self-change is even
more dismal. After decades of massive aid for
innovation, which university has been signifi-
cantly changed? What critics said of the total
university in 1940 they could repeat in 1970, and
ditto for teacher education.4

Lieberman's suggestion that practical training in
the schools not be deferred until student teaching is
apparently still largely that: a suggestion. Popular
critics of teacher education are quick to point out this
defect. Silberman, in his bestseller Crisis in the Class-
£223! did so at some length. Some of his extended remarks
are well worth repetition here:

Remarkably little has changed, in fact, since
1904, when John Dewey described the unhappy conse-
quences of the failure to relate theory and practice
in teacher education. The teacher coming out of the
usual teacher training school, he wrote, has not re-
ceived ”the training which affords psychological
insight--which enables him to judge promptly (and
therefore almost automatically) the kind and mode of
subject-matter which the pupil needs at a given
moment to keep his attention moving forward effec-
tively and healthfully."

He does know, however, that he must maintain
order; that he must keep the attention of the pupils
fixed upon his own questions, suggestions, instruc-
tions, and remarks, and upon their "lessons," for
that, after all was the way he was taught.5

Dewey was discussing student teaching, and was

arguing against plunging the student teacher prematurely

 

4Martin Haberman, "Twenty-Three Reasons Uni-
versities Can't Educate Teachers," The Journal of Teacher
Education, XXII, No. 1 (Summer, 1971), I36-57.

5Charles E. Silberman, Crisis in the Classroom
(New York: Random House, 1970), p. 459.

13

into problems of keeping order in the classroom. Given
the full responsibilities of a classroom teacher, the
student is seen as devoting too much attention to exter—
nal, practical matters at the expense of acquiring and
develOping psychological insight into pupil needs.

Dewey wrote that:

Along with this fixation of attention upon the
secondary at the expense of the primary problem,
there goes the formation of habits of work which
have empirical, rather than a scientific sanction.
The student adjusts his actual methods of teaching,
not to the principles which he is acquiring, but to
what he sees succeed and fail in an empirical way
from moment to moment: to what he sees other
teachers doing who are more experienced and success-
ful in keeping order than he is; and to the injunc-
tions and directions given him by others. In this
way the controlling habits of the teacher finally
get fixed with comparatively little reference to
principles in psychology. logic, and the history of
education. In theory, these matters are dominant,
in practice, the moving forces are the devices and
methods which are picked up through blind experi-
mentation; through examples which are not ration-
alized; through precepts which are more or less
arbitrary and mechanical; through advice based upon
the experience of others.6

He added that:

Here we have the explanation, in considerable part
at least, of the dualism, the unconscious duplicity,
which is one of the chief evils of the teaching pro-
fession. There is an enthusiastic devotion to cer-
tain principles of lofty theory in the abstract--
principles of self-activity, self-control, intel-
lectual and moral--and there is a school practice

 

6John Dewey, "The Relation of Theory to Practice
in Education,” The Relation of Theory to Practice in the
Educatigg of Teachers, The THird Yearbook of the National
Society for the Scientific Study of Education, Part I
(Bloomington, I11.: Public School Publishing Company,
1904), pp. 14-15.

14

taking little heed of the official pedagogic creed.
Theory and practice do not grow together out of and
into the teacher's personal experience.7
Dewey makes a strong argument for a scientific
approach in student teaching, and for easing the student
teacher into control of the classroom. His remarks in
this respect provoke little criticism, while by con-
trast, the period in the standard program when the prac-
tice teaching usually occurs has drawn considerable fire.
Silberman asserts that:
The fact that most education schools delay practice
teaching until the student's senior year is another
serious, and sometimes fatal weakness, for it denies
students the chance to discover whether they like
teaching or not until the end of their course of
study.8
Selden also deplores the set of circumstances

mentioned above. He writes:

Most prospective teachers have romanticized notions
about what they are going to be able to do for
humanity once they get in a room alone with thirty
to forty children. The realities of classroom life
are often a rude shock, but more and more the truth
about teaching has permeated the public domain.9

One does not have to search the literature to any
great extent before it becomes quite apparent that the

advocates of pre-student teaching laboratory experiences

 

7Ibid.

8Silberman, op. cit., p. 461.

9T. M. Selden, The Teacher DroEout (Ithaca, N.Y.:

F. E. Peacock Publishers, Inc., 1970), p. 71.

15

are many and often vehement. Thompson, in discussing the
reasons why teacher education programs failed, listed
seven misconceptions which he felt hindered the improve-
ment of teacher education programs. As he detailed them,

he remarked that:

A second misconception is that the study of theory
almost automatically improves practice. We have
larded teacher education courses in human growth and
development, learning, educational sociology) and
philosOphy of education-~to mention only a few--that
concentrate in the main on theory. The assumption
appears to be that theory after all, is the most
practical of all studies; hence the more theory, the
better. This assumption, however, appears valid only
if the student comprehends the linkages between theory
and practice; and in teacher education, such linkages
are often missing, or tenuous.10

He went on to argue that, unlike the medical pro-
fession, teacher education has no prolonged internship.

He wrote:

Instead, teachers enter the classroom as full-fledged
practitioners after an all-too-brief encounter with
student teaching; after only one quarter or one
semester of tutelage in cadet or student teaching, it
is small wonder that the candidates knows so little
about the connections between theory and practice.11

The advantages of greater contact with the reali-
ties of the classroom through pre-student teaching labo-

ratory experiences were more explicitly set out by Ort:

 

loRalph H. Thompson, "Where Teacher Education

Programs Fail," The Journal of Teacher Education, XXI,
No. 2 (Summer, 1970), 265.

llIbid.

16

What do we hOpe to gain from pre-student teaching
laboratory experiences? . . . We might start with
these purposes for the student:

1. Development of sensitivity: to a teacher's role;
to the needs and nature of children; to the nature
of learning processes and immediate implications
for teaching processes that are closely related.

2. Development of insight: into each item listed

above; into himself as a teacher-to-be; into

curriculum structure and development.

. Development of teaching skills.

4. Refinement of teaching skills.

5. Changes in perception. Perhaps this is a re-
statement of the other ideas, but it seems to be
highly related to the process of changes in be-
havior. As such it can become a tangible goal.12

Fuller's study, among others, implies support of
Ort's statements regarding perception. In reporting the
concerns of education majors before contact with pupils in
classrooms, he stated that:

Although these students had problems, their spon-
taneously reported problems were those usually en-
countered in counseling adolescents. These students
rarely had specific concerns related to teaching it-
self. . . . The teaching-related concerns were usually
amorphous and vague; anticipation or apprehension.
Most often they didn't know what to be concerned
about. . . . This pre-teaching period seemed to be

a period of non-concern with the specifics of teach-
ing, or at least a period of relatively low involve-
ment in teaching.13

Fuller indicated the pre-teaching phase is one
of non-concern with teaching-related problems. This is

in sharp contrast with the concerns expressed by student

 

12E. Brooks Smith, et al., Partnership in Teacher
Education (Washington, D.C.: The American AssociatiEn of
CoIIeges for Teacher Education, 1967): p. 263.

13Frances F. Fuller, "Concerns of Teachers: A
Developmental Conceptualization," American Educational
Research Journal, VI, No. 2 (March, 1969), 219.

 

17

teachers, and even those who have had only very brief
actual teaching contact. In discussing his study and
others, Fuller remarked:

Can changes toward concern with pupils be encouraged
by treatment? Two kinds of procedures appear to be
promising. First are procedures which arouse teach-
ing-related concerns. Perhaps very brief actual
teaching can arouse such concerns. Newlove (1966)
reports arousal of teaching-related concerns after
only fifteen minutes of teaching a public school
class. Education students may need to teach before
enrolling in even a first education course.14

Bennett's study on teacher commitment adds
further support for the case urging more actual classroom
and pupil contact for future teachers than commonly found
in the standard program. The final conclusion of his
study of first-year elementary teachers is reported
below.

Teachers feel that professional education courses
should involve more teacher-pupil contact similar
to actual teaching situations. It was further con-
cluded that more emphasis should be given earlier in
the teacher-training program to courses involving
teacher-pupil contact. On the basis of findings
from the ranking of professional education courses,
by regularly certified teachers, it was concluded
that student teaching was by far the most beneficial
experience for first-year teachers. . . . 5
Gallegos, like Bennett, was also concerned with

teacher commitment. He wrote:

 

14Ibid., p. 223.

15Don Bennett, "Teacher Commitment--Whose
Responsibility?" The Journal of Teacher Education, XXI,
No. 4 (Winter, 1970), 517.

18

If we are willing to accept the empirical evidence
that the student-teaching experience has by far the
greatest impact on the training of teachers, it is
not difficult to envision a program designed around
experiential learning opportunities in a real setting.
. . . Teacher trainees would be placed in public
school classrooms to carry out specific teaching-
1earning tasks from the very moment they formally
declared their intent to work toward certification.
This experience in the public school classroom would
continue throughout the entire training period

rather than just occurring at the end of the program.16

He then went on to suggest a ladder program for
teacher trainees. The trainee would be in a public school
as part of a teaching team for two full days a week. He
would carry out teaching-related tasks of varying come
plexity according to his ability. Gallegos was also per-
suaded that the extensive early contact with schools in
classroom situations would have a number of other posi-
tive spin-offs. He stated:

There is no question that the uncommitted student
will not be with us for long under this type of
rigorous training, and those committed to a career
as housewifes will certainly reconsider the price

of their security. In addition, one would expect
that those students who enroll for teacher-training
and discover they really do not enjoy it or lack
the aptitude would become aware of this much earlier
and change majors.

Ryan also pointed out the relatively low level

of commitment to teaching which characterizes many stu-

dents enrolled in teacher preparation institutions.

 

16Arnold M. Gallegos, "Teacher Training: The
Realities," The Journal of Teacher Education, XXIII, No. 1
(Spring, 1972), 44-45.

17Ibid., p. 46.

19

He states that: "Thirty per cent of the peOple
who are trained as teachers in our nation's universities
and colleges never teach a class."18

Ryan cited a work by B. O. Smith, in justifying

his assertion. Smith, in Teachers For the Real World,

 

stated: "Some, especially men, never teach because they
find better paying jobs in related fields. Many women

who have prepared themselves to teach marry as soon as

they are graduated."19

He pushed the point of commitment to teaching in
the following:

Perhaps the main reason that so many trained teachers
never enter the classroom is a lack of commitment to
the profession born of little investment in prepa-
ration for it. Not many peOple who are prepared to
practice medicine or law fail to follow their pro-
fession; in all probability they would consider their
failure to practice a waste of knowledge and train-
ing. Apparently those who are prepared to teach but
never enter the classroom do not feel this sense of
waste. Perhaps they feel that the amount of knowledge
wasted is not that great or that valuable. If
physicians were trained by giving them only basic
liberal arts and science courses and four or five
courses in medicine in the junior and senior years,
perhaps they would not feel committed to their
vocations or competent to practice. Yet this is the
way teachers are now trained. They are given a basic
liberal arts program covered over with a thin veneer
of pedagogy. If they change their occupational goals

 

18Kevin Ryan and James M. Cooper, Those Who Can,
Teach (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1972), p. 239.

 

19B. Othanel Smith, Saul B. Cohen, and Arthur
Pearl, Teachers for the Real World (Washington, D.C.:
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Edu-
cation, 1969), p. 24.

20

and decide to abandon teaching before they enter it,
they have lost practically nothing since their
preparation is essentially the same as that of a
liberal arts graduate.20

He added:
If the teacher were required to make a heavy in-

vestment in preparation, he would either not enter
the field in the first place or not drop out.21

The Influx of Paraprofessionalzgersonnel
in the Schools angthe Changing
Role of the Teacher

Perhaps one of the most significant developments
in public education in recent years has been the infusion
of large numbers of paraprofessional personnel into the
schools. Bennett and Falk point out that there were
over 200,000 teacher aides employed in various school

22

systems in 1969-70. The number employed is expected

to increase at a rapid rate. Brembeck states:
It is predicted that by 1977 there will be one and
a half million teacher aides in the United States.
Few educational innovations in recent years have
spread so rapidly or have had such a pervasive
effect as paraprofessionals in the public schools.23
The paraprofessionals (sometimes labeled auxiliary

school personnel), may function in numerous different

 

20 21

Ibid. Ibid.

22William S. Bennett, Jr. and R. Frank Falk, New

Careers and Urban Schools (New York: Holt, Rinehart and
Winston, Inc., 1970), p- 208.

23Cole S. Brembeck, Social Foundations of Edu-
cation (2nd ed.; New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.,

"""T'1971 , p. 378.

21

capacities in school systems utilizing differentiated
staffing. Glovinsky identified twenty-six positions in
the Paraprofessional Study-ESEA, III, Wayne County Inter-

4

mediate School District (see Appendix E).2 Edelfelt's

explanation of differentiated roles in the schools is
quite succinct. He writes that:
Differentiating roles means assigning personnel in
terms of training, interest, ability, aptitude,
career goals, and the difficulty of tasks. The
differentiated staff idea provides a chance to
structure a school faculty so that personnel are
encouraged to proceed with their own professional
training and development to prepare for increased
responsibility and status with accompanying increases
in compensation.25
Broadly understood, the role of the teacher aide,
as a paraprofessional, may be seen to have at least three
characteristics. Bennett and Falk label them as tech-

26 Examples of

nical, supportive, and supplementary.
technical assistance for the teacher are almost innumer-
able. A few may be illustrative. The aide may monitor
hallways, do classroom record keeping, assist in assembl-
ing materials for classwork, run errands, Operate audio-

visual equipment, and do any other "busy work" which

would help the teacher. At times he may supervise

 

24Glovinsky, op. cit., pp. 15-17.

25Fenwick English, "Questions and Answers on
Differentiated Staffing," Today's Education (March, 1969),
58.

26Bennett and Falk, op. cit., p. 32.

22

playgrounds, though this is considered a marginal task.27

The aide is considered to be acting in the supportive
sense when the role " . . . requires the aide to do sup-
portive educational functions under the supervision of

28

the teacher." Bennett and Falk report:

As long as he functions under the supervision of a
certified person, a wide range of classroom activity
becomes possible. The aide can takereading groups,
he can carry out number games with groups of chil-
dren, or he may undertake to help a child with some
special problem on a one-to-one basis.

When the teacher aide adds something to the teach-
ing situation which the teacher could not bring, the aide
is acting out a supplementary role. For instance, the
aide may have a special musical ability, or some other
useful talent which may enhance the teaching situation.30

The preceding information concerning the influx
of teacher aides and their role dimensions suggests that the
teacher's role shifts as well. The teacher is no longer
seen as omnicapable, if he ever honestly was. His pro—
fessional role will expand to include that repertoire of
behavioral characteristics which will mark him as a

capable supervisor of paraprofessional personnel. Fisher

states:

 

27 28

Ibid., p. 33. Ibid.

29Ibid. 30Ibid., p. 35.

23

Tomorrow's teacher will serve as a leader of a group
of specialists, some professionally trained and
others providing clerical kinds of functions. The
teacher's role will be one of coordination, leader-
ship, and meaningful student contact.31

In adhering to his professional obligation to
develop the minds and the intelligence of the young, the
teacher must acquire a fund of new knowledge which will
enable him to intelligently direct the activities of
adult paraprofessionals set under his charge in the class-
room. The teacher's failure to understand the role of
the aide, and perhaps more importantly, the change re-
quired in his own role as a professional educator, has
often led to considerable conflict.32

Clark has pointed out that:

Some teachers have resisted the presence of another
person in the classroom while they are teaching.
These teachers may perceive an aide as infringing
upon their professional autonomy in the classrooms.
Since many teachers hold the perception that the
classroom is their baliwick where they have relative

power and isolation, they may give the aide chiefly
menial tasks, such as housekeeping and monitoring. 3

 

31James L. Fisher, "The New Teacher Education:

Prospects for Change," The Teacher and His Staff:
Differentiatinngeacher Roles Report of the 1968 Rggional
TEPS Conferences (Washington, D. C.: National Commission
on Teacher Education and Professional Standards, National
Education Association), p. 69.

32Bennett and Falk, op. cit., pp. 52-56.

33Donald G. Clark, "An Effective Instructional

Aide Program: Training for Both Teachers and Aides,"
Journal of Secondary Education, XLV, No. 6 (October,
1970), 251.

24

Fisher charges that teacher education programs
are doing virtually nothing to prepare future teachers
for coordinating the activities of paraprofessionals.34

Gordon tends to support Fisher's damaging

assertion, where he stated that:

We must learn to use paraprofessional manpower more
efficiently in the educational process. Currently,
virtually no elementary teachers are trained to work
with other teachers and to use paraprofessionals
effectively. Ways must be found to train profes-
sionals and paraprofessionals as teaching teams so
that each understands the other.35

KlOpf also commented upon the need for under-

standing the role of auxiliaries in the school system.

He wrote 3

The concentration upon team training of persons of
differing competencies as they begin to work to-
gether necessarily involves an analysis of change
within the school system. This does not preclude
concern about an equally exigent need for change--
and perhaps the most fundamental of all--the need

to change the philosophy and practice of professional
development in colleges of teacher education.36

 

34Fisher, 0p. cit., p. 69.

35Ira J. Gordon, "Education in the 1970's,"

Peabody Journal of Education, XLVIII, No. 3 (April, 1971),

36Garda Bowman, Gordon J. Klopf, and Adena Joy,

A Learnin Team: Teacher and Auxiliary (New York: The
Bani Street College of’Education, 19697, p. 4.

25

Some Sources of Tension Between School
and University Sub-cultures

 

 

To a disinterested observer, the absence of
greater harmony, understanding, and cooperation between
school and university systems may appear odd. Dissatis-
faction with teacher education programs as expressed by
public school men is so widespread and commonplace that
it scarcely needs documentation. Representatives of the

public schools are making increasingly strong and authori-
tative requests. Many are demanding a stronger voice in
decisions affecting teacher training.

Hazard, in writing on the subject of "New Demands
in Teacher Education" states that some demands are clear:

1. Teacher education is the responsibility of the
totalgprofession, not just colleges and uni-
versities. The schism between colleges and
schools may be explained historically but makes
no sense at all in either functional or pro-
fessional terms. Teacher-training programs
rarely question the basic assumption that college
professors know more about school teaching and
school management than those who do it. This un-
challenged assumption led, quite logically, to
the hierarchical pecking order among teachers
and professors. In order of academic clout (and
status), the graduate professors are first,
followed by undergraduate professors, junior
college instructors, high school teachers, and
grammar school teachers. . . . With professional-
ism centered on campus, there is little wonder
that teacher preparation moved farther from the
real world. . . .

2. The professional education seggence must ipglude
early and sustained clinical assignments. Stu-
dents in most teacher education programs have
little or no direct exposure to teaching and
pupils until they pass the point of no return in
career planning. We bar their early acquaintance
with teaching for a variety of reasons, all more

26

or less transparent put-offs. . . . The reasons
for most of our sequence in teacher preparation
are closer to professorial convenience and ad-
ministrative symmetry than to professional
necessity.3

One of the reasons why there is not greater
cooperation among educational institutions at the differ-
ent levels in teacher education is remarked upon by
Haberman:

Slow-witted, lumbering elephants circle each other
for a century only to discover they are both males and
incapable even of friendship. Reports, books, and
demonstration projects on how we can cooperate have
not affected any reality. One simple example of this
organizational gap is that lower schools (justifiably)
seek instructional services from student teachers
while colleges build programs which (justifiably) seek
to exploit these situations as vehicles for student
teacher's growth.

There are no budgetary, personnel, or other re-
sources built into either institution that depend on
c00peration; quite the contrary, the more either
institution "cooperates" the more it costs and de-
tracts from its own major purposes.38

Johnson provides additional reasons why school
systems and university systems have difficulty working
together. He cites historic differences between the two
sub-cultures as the primary source of tensions. With
regard to research and development differences, he writes:

Universities tend to collect numbers of peOple whose
preference for theoretical matters is so great that

they are uninterested in down-to-earth realities.
Such people tend to start building new theory by

 

37Margaret Lindsey, Teacher Education: Future
Directions (Washington, D.C.: Association of Teacher
Educators, NEA Publications, 1970), pp. 117-18.

 

38Haberman, 0p. cit., p. 134.

27

examining the implications of existing theory rather
than real phenomena. They tend to be reluctant to
try to provide help with the solving of down-to-
earth problems.

On the other hand, Johnson states that:

Public school staffs are largely composed of persons
who are primarily concerned with the solving of
immediate practical problems. They are inclined to
doubt the value of any help they might receive from
a theoretician.4o

Goodlad enables further insight into the problem
with the following observations:

Conscientious professors are troubled by a schizo-
phrenic situation in which they see little possi-
bility for research productivity if they give to
future teachers the attention professional develop-
ment deserves. To move beyond anything other than
lecturing in seeking to individualize instruction

is to take on an exceedingly difficult role and no
certain recognition. Assistant professors learn
from older colleagues the fate of idealistic young
teachers who chose to go the individualized instruc-
tion route in teacher education programs. Others
are insightful enough to realize that their academic
preparation to be students of the educational pro-
cess is not adequate preparation for the clinical
role of guiding neOphytes in pedagogy.41

Goodlad also calls attention to the limitations
on the grade school teacher's time. Changing the schools
is a demanding task, requiring considerable teamwork,

and, according to Goodlad:

 

398mith, pp 21., op. cit., pp. 103-04.
4Orbid.
41

John I. Goodlad, "The Reconstruction of Teacher
Education," Teachers College Record, LXXII, No. 1 (Summer,
1971), 65.

28

It is unrealistic to expect a staff, with the tag
ends of energy left over, to enter enthusiastically
and vigorously into the business of changing schools
after school is out. Keeping school is, in itself,
exceedingly demanding. It is not at all surprising,
then, that the efforts of school staffs, under pre-
sent conditions of limited time and energy, result
in peripheral but not basic changes.42

The future teacher, like the professors of edu-
cation in the universities and the teachers in the
schools, is also caught up in a schiZOphrenic situation.
Goodlad depicts the situation in the following remarks:

Another set of problems in the teacher education
sequence arises out of the several differing sets of
values with which the future teacher must c0pe as he
moves through his introductory courses into student
teaching in neighboring schools. No consistent,
agreed-upon set of values or approaches to valuing
pervade the preparation program. In chameleon-like
fashion, the student adjusts to one set of values
pertaining to the use of theory, research, and in-
quiry within the university context and then to
another, pertaining to survival and the perpetuation
of existing practices during his apprenticeship.
Since he hepes and expects to be employed by the
school system in which this apprenticeship is ob-
tained, the values of the school and classroom where
he is placed are powerful and pervasive. In general,
then, he is directed not toward what the schools
could be, but toward what they are.43

The decision, for whatever reasons, to refrain
from a greater cultivation of cooperative ties between
institutions preparing teachers and the public school
systems is considered by many as unfortunate.

It would appear that there is considerable verbal

agreement regarding the need for increased cooperation

 

42 43

Ibid., p. 66. Ibid., p. 64.

29

between the public schools and teacher education insti-
tutions. There seems to be, in addition, some recog-
nition that clinical assignments or pre-student teaching
laboratory experiences are potentially very valuable
parts of the professional sequence. Furthermore, it has
been strongly suggested that such experiences begin early
in the pre-teaching candidate's educational career.

In the wake of criticism and the professional and
public demand for up-grading of teacher education pro-
grams, a number of universities have modified their pro-
fessional education programs to incorporate pre-student
teaching laboratory experiences.

Clark compared nine models of elementary teacher
education which were submitted to the United States Office
of Education and funded by the Bureau of Research in 1968.
In his evaluative comments he remarked:

The provisions for practical experience were very
varied, probably because they were always heavily
influenced by the local situation. One theme,
however, seems to run through all models; the pro-
vision of graduated experiences before practice
teaching. These experiences, developed in detail,
will be of considerable interest to many educators.44

In a 1969 summary of model teacher education
programs, the United States Office of Education pointed

out that operational relationships were also being in-

creased and made explicit between colleges of education

 

44S. C. T. Clark, "The Story of Elementary

Teacher Education Models," The Journal of Teacher Edu-
cation, XX, No. 3 (Fall, 1969), 284.

 

30

and local school districts. Le Baron commented that,
in addition:

In all models, a deliberate attempt has been made

to improve communications among the groups responsi-
ble for preparing and using teachers and to develop
patterns of mutual c00peration and benefit.45

The Rapid Development of the Community
Junior College Movement with Some
Implications for Teacher
Education

 

It may be worthwhile to re-examine what appear to
be some of the conclusions warranted by the review of perti-
nent literature thus far. They seem to be: (1) the need
to provide prospective future teachers with early and
extended pre-student teaching laboratory experiences in
local classrooms; (2) the need for future teachers to be
thoroughly cognizant of the role of the paraprofessional
in the school system, and to develop an intelligent under-
standing of the professional leadership responsibilities
which devolve on teachers who are assisted by parapro-
fessionals; (3) the recognition that the sub-cultures
peculiar to the respective school and university systems
may at times generate dysfunctional pressures with the
consequence that teacher education and training may suffer;

and (4) that while relationships may be improving between

 

45Judith Klatt and Walter Le Baron, A Short Sum-
mary of Ten Model Teacher Education Programs, U.S. De-
partment of Health, Education, and Welfare, Office of
Education (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office,
November, 1969), p. 19.

31

school systems and teacher preparation institutions, the
local situation may heavily influence the amount and
duration of pre-student teaching laboratory experiences.
Assuming that the foregoing inferences are
justified, it is possible to draw a number of signifi-
cant implications for a comparatively late-comer in higher
education: the two-year community junior college.

Gleazer writes:

The community college movement was recently

described as " . . . going down the educational
superhighway hell for leather." That is the way it
looked to Russell Lynes, then managing editor of
Harper's magazine (November, 1966). This impressive
pace has won the attention of the nation's press both
in the news columns and on the editorial pages.

Harper commented that:

The community college scene has been a wild one over
the past 10 to 15 years--characterized especially by
growth and development than can without exaggeration
or hyperbole be described as nothing short of fan-
tastic in terms of numbers of institutions, escalating
enrollments, and expansion of programs. Most ob-
servers see these elements as sitting on the plus

side of the movement, representing a major success
story.47

A report by the American Association of Junior
Colleges reveals some interesting facts in support of

Harper's statement:

 

46Edmund J. Gleazer, Jr., Tpis is the Community
Colle e (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1968), p.
8.

 

47W. A. Harper, "The Community and Junior College:

An Overview," Peabodprournal of Education, XLVIII, No. 4
(July, 1971), 257.

32

In fall 1971 more students enrolled as freshmen in

the junior and community colleges of the United States
than in the nation's four-year institutions. In fact,
enrollment in two-year colleges has grown from 600,000
students in 1960 to more than 2.5 million in just ten
years. Today there are some 1,100 two-year colleges.
Projected for the next two years, this kind of growth
indicates that by 1973 there will be some 1,200 two-
year colleges serving 3 million students.48

Michigan alone has over twenty-four such colleges.49

Many of the states plan to put community college services
within reach of nearly all residents.

A number of significant implications for the
community junior college regarding the education and
training of future teachers may be drawn from the previous
information. The preparation of students for advanced
study in education and the profession of teaching is
certainly within the purposes of the junior college. The
Committee on the Public Junior College of the National
Society for the Study of Education stated that:

[Tlhe four major purposes of the public junior
college can be identified as (a) preparation for

advanced study. (b) vocational education, (c)
general education, and (d) community service.

 

48American Association of Junior Colleges, An
Education a Little Out of the Ordinar , Community afid
Junior College Viewbook and Report 0 the American
Association of Junior Colleges (Washington, D.C.: The
Association, 1972), p. 2.

49Gleazer, op. cit., p. 27.

50The National Society for the Study of Education,
The Public gunior College, The Fifty-fifth Yearbook
TChicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1956): p. 69.

33

It may also be useful to state some of the tenets in the
community collegp doctrine. In brief, Harper lists them
as: (1) open admissions, (2) low cost, (3) varied pro-

grams, (4) community service, (5) accessibility (6)

teaching institution, and (7) an innovator.51

Some indication of the effect of the community
college on four-year colleges and universities may be
seen from the following additional remarks by Gleazer:

In California, Florida, and Mississippi more students
began their college work in community colleges than
in any other institutions. There was a community
college within commuting distance of almost every
person in New York State and Florida and California.
This would soon be the case in Illinois Virginia,
Michigan, and a score of other states.Sé

Furthermore:

. . . with the larger proportion of baccalaureate-
bound students taking their first two years in the
community college, some universities have cut back
on their lower-division enrollments in favor of
increasing the proportion of students at the upper-
division and graduate levels. And in Florida, New
York, and Illinois, new public universities have
been established that have no lower-division and look
to the community colleges, accordingly, as a major
source of students.53

Schultz, in his discussion of pre-professional

programs noted that:

 

51Harper, op. cit., pp. 259-60.

52Gleazer, 0p. cit., p. 4.

53Ibid., p. 54.

34

Already in states with well deve10ped junior college
systems it is not uncommon to find senior institutions
where the junior class is comprised of more transfer
than native students. Before long, this will be the
norm. Consequently, senior institutions have an in-
creasing stake in the pre-professional programs
offered by junior colleges.54

The community junior college is currently fairly
active in the preparation of paraprofessionals for employ-
ment in local schools. Syden writes:

Since the preparation of teacher assistants and aides
usually is on less than the baccalaureate level, local
school districts increasingly are turning toward the
community college for participation in the education
of auxiliary personnel.

Dickinson surveyed teacher assistant programs in
Operation in community colleges in 1968. He found over
fifty-two institutions which were offering,or planning to
offer, teacher assistant programs.56

For whatever the specific reasons, there appears
to be a tacit assumption that community junior college
cannot figure importantly in meeting new challenges and
problems in the preparation of teachers, although some

credit is given to them for teacher aide training. Even

 

54Raymond E. Schultz, "Curriculum Trends and
Directions in American Junior Colleges," Peabody Journal
of Education, XLVIII, No. 4 (July, 1971),

55Martha D. Graham and John Martinson, Training
Teacher Assistants in Community Colleges: A Survpy o
§§perience to Date (Washington, D. C.: Communication
Services Corporation, 1968), p. iii.

SGIbid., p. 1.

35

as late as 1969, in discussing trends in teacher edu-

cation, Carroll wrote:
An institution of considerably less importance and
influence in the preparation of elementary school
teachers has been the junior or two-year college.
Programs in the two-year colleges were encouraged
early in the period under study (1940-1968) by the
shortage of elementary school teachers, the demise
of the normal school, and the general expansion of
the junior college itself.57

Commenting upon the role of the community junior college

and its transfer function, Thornton wrote:
In its "university parallel" programs, the community
junior college performs many important educational
services. It enables many able young peOple to com-
plete their first two years of college while living
at home and thus aids them in conserving some of
their funds for upper division graduate study.58

In reference to teacher education, however, a
further distinctive advantage is offered..

Many of the community colleges are very close to
schools in local school districts. The problem of pre-
student teacher laboratory experiences for students in
teacher education programs should be easily resolved.
Moreover, the local school systems will very likely be
glad to have the assistance of the student paraprofes-

sionals who are in training to be teachers.

 

57Raymond A. Carroll, "Teacher Education: Trends
in Concepts of the Professional Preparation of Teachers"
(unpublished Doctoral dissertation, Michigan State Uni-
versity, 1969), p. 184.

58James W. Thornton, The Community_Junior Colle e
(3rd ed.; New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1972), p. 72.

36

From the foregoing remarks it is becoming
more apparent that the community college may serve as
an important and apprOpriate source for lower-division
preparation in the education and training of future
teachers.

In the light of the rapid expansion of the com-
munity college movement and the possibilities it presents,
Gleazer's assertion that: "Obviously two-year and four-
year colleges need to know each other better than has

"59

been true before . . . may be considered an under-

statement when applied to teacher education.

 

59Gleazer, op. cit., p. 56.

CHAPTER III

DEVELOPING THE CONCEPT OF A PARAPROFESSIONAL
PROGRAM FOR THE EDUCATION OF

FUTURE TEACHERS

Every act (consciously performed), is a judgment

of value; the act done is done because it is thought
to be worthwhile, or valuable. Thus a man's real
(as distinct from his nominal or symbolic) theory

of conduct can be told from his acts.1

Introduction

 

The Teacher Assistant Program developed as a
cooperative endeavor between Lansing Community College
and the Lansing Public School System may be viewed as a
series of acts, consciously performed, to correct a number
of situations regarding the preparation of future teachers
which were considered undesirable.

The researcher was chairman of the Curriculum Com-
mittee in Education, Department of Social Sciences,
Lansing Community College. Responsibilities included

coordinating and assisting in the design and development

 

1John Dewey, The Study of Ethics (Ann Arbor,

Mich.: George Wahr, Publisher, 1897), p. l.

37

38

of the courses in the education sequence, as well as laying
out the educational career develOpment ladder in close co-
operation with the Lansing Public School System. Perhaps
most critical to the successful development of this para-
professional program was the overall invaluable assistance
and advice generously given by members of the Advisory Com-
mittee, with particular reference to the Instructional Aide
Training Program. This 30 credit hour program formed the
base, or Part I (Teacher Aide), of the three steps of the
educational career development ladder. The second step,
Part II (Teacher Assistant), consists of 15 additional
credit hours in selected subjects, and Part III (Teacher
Associate) requires a minimum of 45 more hours--a minimum
total of 90 credit hours in selected subjects. Upon suc-
cessful completion of the program the Associate of Arts
degree is awarded. Students completing the Teacher Associ-
ate level may then opt to go on the B.A. degree and teacher
certification. An examination of the two-year curriculum
will reveal that while the program focuses on the applied
as much as possible, it must at the same time operate under
the constraints of the entrance requirements for upper-
division study which are set out by four-year institutions.
This is obviously necessary if the educational career
development ladder is to be kept viable. Details regarding
the curriculum itself are included elsewhere in this study

(see page 44 and Appendix A).

39

It should be pointed out that the use of a career
development ladder in the training of paraprofessionals
has been advocated long ago by many others. The New
Careers Program indicates that there may be at least five
possible stages: (1) aide, (2) assistant, (3) associate,
(4) teacher-intern, and (5) teacher.2 Bennett and Falk re-
port a three-step ladder in the Minneapolis School System:

(1) aide I; (2) aide II, and (3) school assistant.3

Traditional Currigulum Patperns in Teacher
Education in the Two-Year Community_CoIIege

A survey of the program offerings in teacher edu-
cation in Michigan community and two-year colleges indi-
cate that the majority adhere to a program similar to that
of the West Shore Community College, Scottville, Michigan.
The 1970-71 catalog states that:

The student who plans to transfer should, with the aid
of his counselor, consult the catalog from the insti-
tution to which he wishes to transfer and determine
lower division requirements for junior standing at that
college. Catalogs of major universities and colleges
in the United States are available in the Student Per-
sonnel Office and the Instructional Media Center.4

The program for pre-teaching students at Lake
Michigan College, a junior college at Benton Harbor,

Michigan, consists of parallel lower-division university

courses. Their 1971-72 catalog states that:

 

2Garda W. Bowman and Gordon J. Klopf, New Careers

and Roles in the American School (New York: The Bank
Street College of Education, 1968), p. 21.

3Bennett and Falk, 0p. cit., p. 110.

4West Shore Community College, General Catalog

197911971, Scottville, Michigan, p. 34.

40

This program satisfies the freshman and sophomore

requirements at most Colleges of Education in the

State of Michigan. It contains the units customarily

listed for the first two years of a baccalaureate

program for elementary or secondary teachers.5

What the above means, of course, is that, among

other things, innovation in teacher education in the
community or two-year colleges is somewhat limited by the
restrictions of the parallel courses offered by the four-
year institutions.4 The community colleges dare not offer
courses to pre-teaching students unless the four-year
colleges and universities attach some transfer credit to
them, even if only general elective transfer credit. The
reasons for that are fairly apparent. Still, even with
general elective credit, the student is limited to about
90-96 quarter hours which may transfer. If the program
the pre-teaching student pursues is really blocked out
for him in the junior and senior years regarding the
minimum number of hours he must have in a major and minor

field, then the pressures to conform to the lower-
division university patterns are even greater.
A few community colleges in Michigan offer a two-

year A.A. degree program for individuals desiring to be

teacher aides in the local area. For instance, Washtenaw

 

5 . .
Lake M1chigan College, Catalog 1971-72, Benton
Harbor, Michigan, p. 82.

41

Community College offers an Education Assistant Program.6
Jackson Community College offers a secondary and elemen-
tary teacher aide program for the training of classroom
and school paraprofessionals.7 Much of the credit earned
in these programs will transfer to four-year institutions.
Yet, nowhere does one find a deliberate effort to incor-
porate instructional aide training and education as an
important part of the college program for pre-teaching
students at the elementary and secondary level, except

in the one presently operating at Lansing Community
College. Even there it is optional. It is so because of
the reasons previously mentioned. Approximately 12 hours
of the credit earned transfers as general elective credit.
That is a good deal of general elective credit to take in
education, especially in light of the fact that this
credit costs money and a significant amount of time. In
some cases, because of specific major and minor require-
ments, it may mean that instead of graduating from a four-
year institution with the traditional 180 quarter hours,
the student ends up with 190. Consequently, the number
of students taking advantage of such a program toward
teacher certification is rather small. It is inter-
esting to note, however, that interviews with hiring

officials and school principals, indicated that a new

 

6Washtenaw Community College, Bulletin 1971-72,
Ann Arbor, Michigan, p. 48.

7Jackson Community College, Catalog 1970-1972,
Jackson, Michigan, p. 37.

42

teacher with a B.A. degree, student teaching, and the
Teacher Assistant Program as part of her credentials
would be favored over one with the B.A. degree, student
teaching, and the standard program. This is not sur-
prising, all other things being equal, since students in
the Teacher Assistant Program have put more of themselves
£222 preparing for teaching.

The Curriculum Pattern forgElementary and

Secondary PEe-teachingStudents at
Lansing Community College: A
Career Development Ladder

It has been previously mentioned that the tra-
ditional lower-division university parallel teacher edu-
cation courses are available to Lansing Community College
students, and have been for some time. An alternative to
this program was first offered in September 1970, to
regular students interested in becoming teachers in the
elementary schools. In September 1971, the alternative
was also made available to regular students interested
in a career in teaching at the secondary level. Agree-
ments were made with representatives of the Lansing
Public School System so that Lansing Community College
students could receive field experience assisting teachers
in three elementary schools, K-6 and one junior high
school, 7-9.

Incoming students desiring to complete their

lower-division requirements by way of the Teacher

43

Assistant Program were interviewed and subsequently
selected a grade level and time they would assist teach-
ers in the local schools. They were required to assist
teachers on a regular basis, two hours per day, five
days a week, for three terms. Students planning on com-
pleting the Teacher Assistant Program within two years
are assigned to Curriculum Code 114, Part III, Teacher
Associate, for educational career develOpment planning
purposes. The program for secondary pre-teaching stu—
dents differs from the elementary in some academic subject
matters, and of course, the field experiences.

The Teacher Assistant Program (perhaps more
properly labeled the Teacher Associate Program) serves
as a program for the beginning of the training and edu-
cation of pre-teaching students at the elementary and
secondary levels and as a source for instructional aides
for differentiated staffing. The educational career
development ladder built into the program was commended
by the Advisory Group as being particularly useful in
helping previously "locked in" citizens see a way out and
up into full certification as teachers if otherwise
qualified.

The program for elementary pre—teaching students
is attached. It includes: (1) the career ladder; (2)
the aims; (3) the requirements of candidates; (4) the

two-year Teacher Associate curriculum; (5) fall, winter,

44

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

Overview of the Teacher Assistant
Program, Elementary

The rapid changes and developments in our society call
for new responsive programs for the preparation of future
educators. Lansing Community College, in an actively
cooperative relationship with the Lansing Public School
System, provides a Teacher Assistant Program for the edu-
cation and training of elementary pre-teaching candidates
and auxiliary school personnel.

A planned, systematic series of courses combines college
classes with field experiences assisting elementary teach-
ers in local classrooms. The activities in the local
schools are supervised by certificated elementary school
teachers and college instructors. Students from the
college assist elementary teachers an average of ten
hours per week on a regular basis, in addition to their
academic studies.

A distinguishing feature of the elementary pre-professional
curriculum is the incorporation of an educational career
development ladder. Students may begin on the first level,
Teacher Aide, and after successfully completing the 30-
hour sequence, will be awarded a Certificate of Program
Completion, Teacher Aide.

The student may then proceed to the second level, Teacher
Assistant, and after completing 15 additional hours 0
selected courses, may be awarded the One-Year Certificate,
Teacher Assistant.

The student may then opt to go on to the third level,
Teacher Associate, by completing a minimum of 45 addi-
tional credits in selected courses. Students fulfilling
all requirements of the Teacher Associate level will be
awarded the Associate Degree.

All elementary pre-teaching candidates who eventually
plan to complete requirements for the bachelor's degree
should discuss with a counselor: (1) any additional re-
quired courses; (2) majors and minors; and (3) admission
requirements early in the academic program.

45

The Teacher Assistant Program, Elementary, embodies the
following aims among others:

1.

10.

11.

12.

To sensitize elementary pre-teaching candidates tO
problems, demands, and realities of the classroom
early in the pre-professional program in order tO
facilitate intelligent career decisions.

TO acquaint elementary trainees with the aims,
organization, personnel, and procedures Of ele-
mentary schools.

TO assist the elementary trainee in the development
of a meaningful philOSOphy Of education for a demo-
cratic society.

TO develop professional interest and commitment to
teaching and education.

TO provide conditions for the elementary trainee to
obtain cognitive, manipulative, interpersonal and
managerial skills enabling the trainee to maximize
learning in the schools.

TO provide relevant academic and field experiences
for the trainee by integrating theory with practice
in the schools.

To educate and train classroom paraprofessionals to
work effectively in schools.

TO train instructional aides to become effective
members of a differentiated staff.

To enable elementary trainees to acquire skills for
working with children which permit the most ad-
vantageous use of the professional abilities of
classroom teachers.

To Open avenues for academic progression from a
position which may be less-than-high school on

through the Associate Degree and transfer to a

four-year college or university.

TO provide the beginning Of an Open-ended edu-
cational career develOpment ladder.

TO provide the elementary trainee with the ad-
vantages Of a liberating education as subsumed in
the purposes, functions, and Objectives Of the
college.

46

THE TEACHER ASSISTANT PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY

Selection Of Candidates

Candidates will be college freshmen or SOphomores
who have indicated an interest in education as a
career field with a particular interest in the
elementary level.

Candidates will assist teachers in the elementary
grades on a regular basis for approximately ten
hours per week throughout the term. Reliability
is highly important.

Candidates will be eXpected toczontinue with their
assignment in the Program for three terms, Fall,
Winter, and Spring.

Principal's guidelines.

Other

Training and Education Of the Candidates

 

Trainees are required to enroll in complementary
college courses which will assist them during their
field experience in the schools.

Please refer to the training and education program
Of the trainees in the Teacher Assistant Program.

The college coordinator will confer with the
school principal concerning classroom visits and
conferences during the term.

The trainee's activities in the school will be
conducted under the direction and supervision Of
a certificated teacher.

The trainee is expected to learn and comply with
the school rules and procedures.

Principal's guidelines.

Other

47

Some Administrative Activities Concerning the Program

. The college coordinator is responsible for ascertain-
ing the final grade for the trainee. The recom-
mendations and comments made by the supervising
teacher and school principal will be given serious
consideration before a grade determination is made.

. The college coordinator will meet with the school
principal and supervising teachers to discuss areas
Of mutual concern regarding the Teacher Assistant
Program and progress Of the trainees.

. All trainees will meet the health standards and
requirements as set out for volunteers in the class-
rooms, e.g., chest X-ray.

. Other

48

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CURRICULAR GUIDE

Curriculum: Teacher Assistant, Elementary, Associate Degree
(Part III: Teacher Associate)

Curriculum Code: 114

 

BASIC PROGRAM

 

Course Cours. Credit Course Course Credit
sulb.g Title Hours Number Title Hours
Fall Term Fall Term
SP8 101 Orientation (Optional) 1 NS 101 Botany-Zoology 4
ED 150 Introduction to Education 3 HUM 201 Western Civilization I 4
ID 101 Curriculum Reinforcement 3 ENG 230 Intro to Eng. Lin. 3
ID 102 Curriculum Reinforcement 1 GEO 201 World Regional Geography _1
ID 201 Teacher Aide Practicum 3 15
88 101 Social Science I 4
ENG 121 Freshman English ._1
18 (19)
Winter Term Winter Term
INC 250 Masterpieces of Am. Lit. 3 FBS 212 Pound of Bio. Science 4
ID 103 Curriculum Reinforcement 1 NS 102 Chemistry-Physics 4
ID 202 Teacher Aide Practicum 3 HUM 202 Western Civilization II 4
PSY 201 Introduction to Psychology 4 ss 102 Social Science II ‘41
IIG 122 Freshman English _1’ 16
15
Spring Term Spring Term
MTH 200 Arithmetic Foundations (5) FPS 211 Pound of Phy. Science 4
or SS 103 Social Science III 4
SPH 104 Principles of Speech 3 HUM 203 Western Civilization III 4
PSY 204 Educational Psychology 3 NS 103 Astronomy-Geology _:!
ID 104 Curriculum Reinforcement l 16
ED 203 Teacher Aide Practicum 3
ENG 123
or
124 Freshman English _3_ MINIMUM TOTAL.............94
14 (16)

All practicum courses include one hour formal class meeting and approximately ten hours
directed field experience in the schools per week.

Students who eventually plan to complete a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, should
discuss with a counselor: (1) additional required courses, (2) majors and minors, and (3)
admission requirements at four-year colleges and universities early in the academic prggram.

 

Students desiring to change their curriculum are required to consult with a counselor in
Counseling Services.

49

TEACHER ASSISTANT PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY

Fall Term Course Descriptions

NOTE: Student should be sure that 311 Education courses
and field experience periods are cleared before
enrolling in other courses, in order to avoid
course conflicts.

SPS 101 Orientation (Optional) (One Credit)
Orientation'is a course which introduces new students
to the ways of Lansing Community College. A special
effort is made to inform new students of the services
available to them and to make known the various ways
in which students may involve themselves more fully
in college life. This course meets one hour a week.

ED 150 Introduction to Education (Three Credits)
An introduction to teaching as a profession and edu-
cation as a career. Included is an overview Of the
foundations, philosophy, history, and organizations
Of education as a human endeavor. Current issues and
trends in education are examined. Students are
Offered an Opportunity to assist teachers in the
schools. NO prerequisite.

ED 101 Curriculum Reinforcement (Three Credits)
An introductory course for pre-teaching candidates
and teacher aides. Role orientation Of the teacher
aide as a significant person in the reinforcement
Of the school curriculum. Includes theory and methods
Of preparing audio-visual materials in support Of in-
struction. Introduction to school records, safety,
discipline, and permissible first aid. Techniques
Of assisting teachers through dramatic-play and story
telling. NO prerequisite.

ED 102 Curriculum Reinforcement (One Credit)
Methods Of assisting the teacher in modern math,
reading, reading readiness, and phonics. Growth in
knowledge Of classroom songs and games. Prerequisite:
ED 101 or departmental approval.

ED 201 Teacher Aide Practicum (Three Credits)
Seminar course to provide Opportunities for pre-
teaching candidates and teacher aides to discuss
problems and topics relevant to their academic and
field experiences. Includes the application Of ED
101 to the school setting. Two credit hours for
approximately ten hours per week directed field

50

experience in a local school. One credit for one
hour per week formal meeting. Prerequisite:
ED 101, or ED 101 may be taken concurrently.

ENG 121 Freshman English (Four Credits)
Primarily concernEd with developingthe student's
analytical and critical reading and writing skills.
The student learns to organize ideas clearly and
cogently in shorter papers. The student is intro-
duced to the library and basic research techniques.
Prerequisite: Satisfactory score on English Place-
ment Test.

SS 101 Introduction to Social Science I (Four Credits)
Survey of major concepts andfmethods Of sociology
and anthropology. Emphasis is given to selective
aspects of culture, socialization, social stratifi-
cation, associations, primary groups, collective be-
havior, population-ecology, and cultural history.

NO prerequisite.

51

TEACHER ASSISTANT PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY

Winter Term Course Descriptions

NOTE: Student should be sure that 311 Education courses
and field experience periods are cleared before
enrolling in other courses, in order to avoid
course conflicts.

ED 103 Curriculum Reinforcement (One Credit)
Continuation of ED 102 with addition of the elements
of school methods used in measuring and evaluating

child development. Prerequisite: ED 102 or de-
partmental approval.

ED 202 Teacher Aide Practicum (Three Credits)
Seminar course to provide pre-teaching candidates
and teacher aides with Opportunities to explore and
discuss problems and topics relevant to academic and
work experiences. Includes the application of under-
standing gained through Psychology 201 and other
subjects applied to the school setting. Prerequisite:
PSY 201, ED 102, or departmental approval. Two
credit hours for approximately ten hours per week
directed field experience in a local school. One
credit hour for one hour per week formal meeting.

PSY 201 Introduction to ngchology (Four Credits)
Designed to give the student a general understanding
of the science of psychology and its methods.
Intelligence, motivation, emotion, perception, learn-
ing and group processes are discussed. An Audio-
Visual-Tutorial presentation utilizing a variety of
media is provided as an aid in developing experiences
and concepts in psychology. No prerequisite.

ENG 122 Freshman English (Four Credits)
A continuaEiOn of English 121. Reading and writing
skills are further developed and special attention
is given to the careful reading of the short story.
The introduction to research techniques is continued
from English 121. Prerequisite: English 121.

ENG 250 Masterpieces of American Literature (Three Credits)
Designed to acquaint the student with some of the
masterpieces of great American writers. Emphasis on
such works as the essays of Emerson and Thoreau,
poetry of Whitman and Frost, prose of Hawthorne,
Melville, and Hemingway, and plays of O'Neill. The
student is expected to write analytical and critical
papers and scheduled examinations. Required for most

students in pre-elementary teaching. Prerequisite:
English 121.

NOTE:

52

TEACHER ASSISTANT PROGRAM, ELEMENTARY

Spring Term Course Descriptions

 

Student should be sure that 311 Education courses
and field experience periods are cleared before
enrolling in other courses, in order to avoid
course conflicts.

MTH 200 Arithmetical Foundations (Formerly 200A)

 

or

(Five credits)
Required for elementary pre-teachers. Course in-
cludes concepts of the "New Math" now being intro-
duced in elementary grades including set theory,
algebra, geometry, computation in bases other than
ten, and some elementary work in number theory. Also
includes review of all basic skills in arithmetic
and emphasis on the meaning of the process used, and
new format for some of the fundamental processes.
Prerequisite: proficiency in basic arithmetic as
evidenced by results of an arithmetic skill test.
One year of algebra and one year of geometry in high
school also desirable.

SPH 104 Principles of Speech (Three Credits)

 

Introductory course in speech. Study and appli-
cation of basic principles underlying effective
oral communication. Student makes seven speeches
during the term. Open to freshmen. (Student is
advised to see a counselor.)

PSY 204 Educational Psychology (Three Credits)

Aniinvestigation ofithe contribution of psychology

to education. It is concerned with child growth and
development, learning, measurement, and group dynamics
in the classroom. Observation of a classroom situ-
ation in the student's major field of interest is
required. Prerequisite: Psychology 201.

ED 104 Curriculum Reinforcement (One Credit)

Techniques of asSisting teachers through home
visitations, parent-teacher, teacher aide conferences.
Continued growth in elementary art techniques, group
singing, and other musical activities. Prerequisite:
ED 103 or departmental approval.

53

ED 203 Teacher Aide Practicum (Three Credits)
Seminar course for pre-teaching candidates and
teacher aides to discuss problems and tOpics relevant
to academic and field experiences. Emphasizes appli-
cation of learning gained through ED 104, Speech 104,
and other subjects as they relate to the function of
the teacher aide in the schools. Two credit hours
for approximately ten hours per week directed field
experience in a local school. One credit hour for
one hour per week formal meeting.

ENG 123 or 123 Freshman English (Four Credits)
English 123 is an alternative course to English 124.
The student may choose either English 123 or English
124 to complete his Freshman English requirements.
English 123 continues the develOpment of the stu-
dent's skills in writing and thinking in a logical,
organized and coherent manner, while acquainting him
with a variety of literary genres. The student's
writing assignments vary in length and the research
techniques previously introduced are develOped
further in a formal paper. Prerequisite: English
121 and English 122.

54

TEACHER ASSISTANT PROGRAM

DAILY CALENDAR

Curriculum:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
08:00 AM
School Assigned:
09:00 AM
Principal:
10:00 AM
11:00 AM Teacher:
12:00 N Phone:
01:00 PM Time Assigned:
02'00 PM Grade Assigned:
03:00 PM
School Subject
Area:
04:00 PM
05:00 PM
8 ecial Notes:
Important: The student should be sure that
the field experience period and
other Education courses are
cleared before enrolling for
other classes in order to avoid
possible conflict.
Field Experience Period Student's Name
Education Course(s) Address:
English Course(s) Phone Number

 

Other:

 

 

ere you can be reached)

55

and spring term course descriptions for Teacher

Assistant; (6) an example of the student's term calendar.

Planning the Teacher Assistant Program
at Lansinngommunity College

 

It is clear that one of the most critical con-
siderations in setting up a viable program is assuring
that parties to be affected are called in early in the
planning stage. It was with this in mind that specific
individuals were invited to become members of the Advisory
Committee. Their contributions proved invaluable. Members
of the Advisory Committee included one or more individuals

representing the following:

1. Local teachers' associations (LSEA and GLEA)

2. Michigan Education Association

3. School administrators--principals, directors, and
consultants of the Lansing Public School System

4. Lansing Community College-—Division of Arts and
Sciences

5. Michigan State University--College of Education,
Continuing Education, and Urban Affairs

6. Teacher aides now serving in the local schools

7. Michigan State Department of Education

8. Parents from the local community

9. College students, including some in student
government

10. Model Cities

56

With such a wide representation one tends to
create a program which will have the support of all in-
volved. After each meeting, the members returned to
their constituents and brought back their various view-
points and possible problems. The problems were then
resolved and a good many pitfalls and misunderstandings
thus avoided.

In a sense, the feeling of the community tended
to develop--committee members shared a common goal in
getting up the best possible program under the circum-
stances. Whatever came out of the committee represented
in some way a part of each person's "self." This was
true, of course, only if all involved honestly endorsed
the results. It assumed each member felt free to speak,
share his concerns, and make other contributions.

The particular developments leading up to the
first paraprofessional training proposal, called an
Instructional Aide Trainipg Program, are not only num-
erous; they are also somewhat outside the sc0pe of this
study. Certainly more information could be presented
regarding the original proposal for the Instructional
Aide Training Program in reference to: (1) introduction,
(2) need for the program, (3) relationship with other
state programs, (4) procedures for planning and imple-
mentation, (5) recruitment of trainees, involvement of

teachers and the community, (6) criteria for eligibility,

57

(7) orientation, training, and education; (8) college
admission requirements; (9) staff relationships.

Briefly, the proposal was funded under an EPDA
grant in 1970, modified and funded once again under EPDA
in 1971. It should be remembered that the 30 credit hours
in the prOposal formed the base, or Part I (Teacher Aide),
in the three-part career ladder.

The proposal was submitted by the Lansing Public
School System, with Lansing Community College as the
cOOperating college. It called for the training of
twenty instructional aide trainees. The objectives of
the paraprofessional program, as stated in the proposal,

were as follows:

1. To obtain and train classroom paraprofessional
to work effectively in schools with substantial
concentrations of children from low income

families.

2. To provide instructional aide trainees with the
skills for working with economically disad-
vantaged children which will help increase the
effectiveness of classroom teachers. Teacher
aide trainees will work with children under the
direction of a certificated teacher and will not

be assigned "busy" work away from children.

58

3. To train instructional aides to become effective

members of a differentiated staff.

4. To significantly raise the achievements of stu-
dents especially in the areas of reading and
arithmetic (appropriate to their age--i.e.,

Head Start does not teach reading). In addition
to the cognitive aspects, student growth in the
behavioral and affective domains will also be

measured and assessed.

5. To develop skills of the cooPerating teachers
necessary to obtain Optimum growth of students
with whom the instructional aides work. Again

aides will work with children.

Criteria for eligibility for acceptance as a

trainee in the program was as follows:

1. The applicant must be 18 years of age (copy of
birth certificate or other proof of age is

necessary from 18 to 21 years).

2. Proof of recent negative chest X-ray or skin test
read by a physician and a statement of good

mental and physical health is necessary.

 

8Lansing School District, "Project Application
Instructional Aide Training Program, Title V" (EPDA
application submitted to the Michigan State Department
of Education, Lansing, March 16, 1970), p. 7.

59

Applicant must have reasonable moral standards

(police check) and economic stability.

3. Personal interest and desire to be involved in
such employment with completion of course and

reasonable employment time must be a goal.

4. Personal references from such community leaders
as ministers, local employers, social workers,
friends, neighbors, and associates will assist

materially in determining eligibility.

5. Experience in working with youth in any capacity

will also help to determine eligibility.

EPDA student trainees in the first year of the
program also had to be "Model Cities" residents. This
meant they had to be living in what would be considered
the "inner city" area, and they also had to meet low-
income criteria. No educational level was specified. A
few of the trainees had some college credit; most did not.
In fact, most had less than the high school diploma, and
a few had gone only as far as the seventh grade in formal
schooling.

One of the points brought out in The Statement
of Need for the Program was in regard to differentiated
staffing, and is as follows:

The school district is extremely interested in
development of differentiated staffing. Visitations

by teams of teachers and administrators have Obtained
endorsement of the concept by the Lansing School

60

Employees, Inc. president, as well as an active

committee for differentiated staffing. Movement

toward such differentiated staffing assumes the

adOption of career ladders.9

The approval of the proposal provided the resources
for beginning the first class in the summer of 1970. This
class was a mixture of the instructional aide trainees,
whose training was paid for under the Education Pro-
fessions DevelOpment Act (EPDA); part-time students who
were already teacher aides in local schools; and a few
pre-teaching elementary education students who were inter-
ested in eventually obtaining the B.A. degree and full
certification as teachers. In the fall term, the trainees
held positions as teacher aides on a full-time basis in
the Lansing School System. They were released later on
each day to attend classes at Lansing Community College.
The second class, 1971-72, had more of the full-

time pre-elementary education students and part-time
student trainees who were employed by the school system
as teacher aides. There were also eighteen new EPDA
trainees. This time, however, a class for secondary
pro-teaching students was also available, in a new
secondary teacher assistant curriculum. The secondary

curriculum was constructed in the summer of 1971 and

given tentative approval.

 

Ibid., p. 6.

61

As it is currently operating at the college, the
Teacher Assistant Program is open to both regular and
non-regular students. Those who are now in the program
are elementary or secondary pre-teaching students or
teacher aide trainees who already have positions in the
school systems.

The college actively discourages students from
the program who might see it primarily as an avenue for
a position as a teacher aide. Teacher aide positions
simply are not available at this time and it is considered
irresponsible to encourage students to enroll for train-

ing when placement may not be possible.

Program Evaluation

The preceding indicates some of the planning and
develOpment activities which were necessary to the
Teacher Assistant Program. The important questions con-
cerning evaluation of the program are then appropriately
examined. What evidence, rational, logical, or empirical
can be marshalled to support any assertion that the in-
corporation Of this paraprofessional program in the edu-
cation of future teachers is superior to the standard
program?

In addition to the curriculum content which
logically follows from many of the suggestions and

admonitions for change which one finds in the literature,

62

a perception study was designed. The results of the
study, as well as the logical, rational, and expert
evidence in support of the Teacher Assistant Program are
presented in Chapter IV. The remainder of this chapter

will be devoted to the design of the perception study.

The Sample

 

The sample population included ten referent
groups. The groups fell into the following four cate-
gories: (A) College Student Trainees; (B) Classroom Teach-
ers, (C) Building Principals; and (D) Administrators or
College Instructors. The college student category included
(1) full-time student trainees; (2) part-time student train-
ees who were also currently employed as teacher aides in
local schools; (3) part-time student trainees whose
training was funded under an EPDA grant. The classroom
teacher category included (4) classroom teachers of the
full-time student trainees; (5) classroom teachers of the
part-time student trainees who were in-service aides;
(6) classroom teachers of the part-time student trainees,
EPDA. The third category included (7) building princi-
pals of the full-time student trainees; (8) building
principals of the part-time student trainees who were
in-service aides; (9) building principals of the part-
time student trainees, EPDA. The fourth category in-
cluded (10) Lansing public school administrators who

were not principals, but who have had some contact with,

63

or knowledge of the Teacher Assistant Program. This group
included consultants, advisors, and upper-echelon adminis-
trators. It also included instructors who had taught
education courses with the trainees and who may have at
times also observed the student trainees in local class-
rooms. Of all the referent groups, this one was the most
removed from school classroom contact with the student

trainees.

Instrumentation

The instrument used to collect the data was a
27-item questionnaire. Three of the items were open-ended
for free response. In twenty-four of the items, the re-
spondent was asked to mark each item on a 5-point scale.
The first page gave the respondent instructions for mark-
ing the questionnaire.

The items used were developed from three sources:
(1) the literature reviewed in this study, with particular
reference to a) the assertions made regarding the value
of pre-student teaching laboratory experiences; b) the
changing role of the teacher with the use of parapro-
fessional personnel; (2) the "Overview of the Teacher
Assistant Program, Elementary" as set out by the Depart-
ment of Social Science, Lansing Community College; and
(3) remarks from interviews with public school adminis-
trators, teachers, teacher aides, as well as college

personnel including instructors and student trainees.

64

The instrument was slightly modified in tense for

each category, depending on the respondent's position in the

school or college, with the stem of the item designed to

obtain information regarding a common point, or assertion.

The instrument is referred to as the Program

Evaluation Form (PEF) (Appendix B).

Follow-up

The instrument was mailed in a large envelope
with a letter of explanation, brochure about the program,
and a COpy of Part III, the Teacher Associate 1evel--a
single page showing the courses offered in the two-year
program (Appendix D). In some cases, where a number of
trainees and teachers were in one building, the envelOpes
were hand carried and given to the building principals
for distribution to the respondents.

Follow-up after one week entailed a call to the
school building principal's office, or other appropriate
offices, to remind respondents to turn in their question-
naires if they had not already done so. After five days,
calls were made to the individuals themselves, informing
them that in the event the first questionnaire had been
misplaced, a second would be gladly sent to them. In
four cases, a second questionnaire was sent out.

Table 3.1 indicates the percentage of returns

by respondent group.

65

TABLE 3.1.--Percentage of Questionnaires Returned.

 

 

Grou Number Number Percentage
p Sent Returned of Return

Full-time student trainees 16 15 93
Part-time student trainees
inservice aides 9 9 100
Part-time student trainees,
EPDA 29 24 82
Classroom teachers--full-
time student trainees 15 14 93
Classroom teachers--part-
time student trainees
inservice aides ll 11 100
Classroom teachers--part-
time student trainees, EDPA 29 27 90
Building principals-~full-
time student trainees 7 6 85
Building principals-~part-
time student trainees
inservice aides 4 4 100
Building principals--part-
time student trainees, EDPA 13 11 84
Administrators and college
instructors 24 23 95

Total 157 144 91%

 

66

Scoring of the Program Evaluation
Form (PEF)

 

Respondents were asked to respond to each item on

the 5-point scale.

 

SA = You strongly agree with the statement

A = You agree with the statement

N = You neither agree nor disagree

D = You disagree with the statement

SD = You strongly disagree with the statement

 

Three open-ended questions were also asked.
Respondents were asked to comment regarding: (a) strengths
of the program, (b) major problems with the program, and
(c) suggestions for program improvement. These comments

were categorized and placed in Appendix C.

Analysis

The data were analyzed by:
1. Rank ordering each respondent group.

2. Obtaining the overall mean rank order for each

respondent group.

3. Obtaining the mean across all groups for each

item.

4. Rank ordering of means for each item.

Summary

This chapter described the primary curriculum
pattern offered pre-teaching candidates enrolled in

Michigan community junior colleges and contrasted it with

67

that of the paraprofessional Teacher Assistant Program
developed and offered at Lansing Community College. Pro-
gram planning considerations were discussed and an instru-
ment for evaluating differential perceptions of the pro-
gram was presented. A description of the respondent
groups was given and the steps in the evaluation pro-

cedure were also outlined.

CHAPTER IV

EVALUATION OF THE CONCEPT

The concept of a developmental paraprofessional
program for the education of future teachers may be evalu-
ated against the criteria of rationality and logic, ex—
pert authority, and that of empirical grounding. This
should occur before the concept can be strongly advocated
for introduction into the lower divisions of four-year
teacher preparation institutions and other two-year come
munity junior colleges. The format of this chapter is
designed so that the first part contains some arguments
based on rationality and logic often being combined with
expert authority. The second part of the chapter is
largely devoted to the analysis of the Program Evaluation

Form administered to the ten referent groups.

PART I

JUSTIFYING CURRICULUM CONTENT

How does one justify the curriculum activities
embodied in the Teacher Assistant Program? Scheffler

writes:

68

69

Decisions that confront educators are notoriously
varied, complex, and far-reaching in importance,
but none outweighs in difficulty or significance
those decisions governing selection of content.

He asks, "What is subject to justification?" and
answers by remarking that "Justifiability applies, it
seems, only to controllable acts, or moves, . . ."2
Scheffler then goes on to discuss moves as being justi-
fied by showing them to belong to subclasses having been
defined by relative or non-relative rules. As he appears
to explain further, one may defend a move as being justi-

fied by conformity to past practice (relative justifi-
3

 

cation) or by general justification (non-relative).
Many worthwhile activities conducted under the direction
of educators are often justified by appeal to conformity
to past practice. There is also a good deal of harm
suffered by the participants when such justification is
thrust forth mindlessly. The literature on education in
the United States is replete with admonition to change.
The voices crying for appeal to "past practice" in
teacher education sound more like a death rattle than a
call to meet the new challenges of the final quarter of

this century.

 

1Bertram Bandman and Robert Guttchen, Philosophi-
gal Essays on Teaching (Philadelphia: J. P. Lippincott
Company, 1969), p. 260.

 

21bid., p. 261. 31bid., pp. 262-63.

70

Scheffler argues that educators often need to go

beyond relative to the non-relative rules in seeking to

justify moves. He writes:

ing

What rules do we appeal to in general justification
of educational decisions on content? . . . To simpli-
fy our considerations, let us avoid, at least at the
outset, the problem of formulating special, compli-
cated rules for deciding on content to be taught at

a particular time and in particular circumstances.
Let us consider instead all the content to be learned
by a child during his formal schooling . . . [Tlhe
guiding principle underlying the . . . rules is that
educational content is to help the learner attain
maximum self-sufficiency as economically as
possible.4

Scheffler then proceeds to elaborate by suggest-
the following:

Presumably, self-sufficiency can be brought about
economically or extravagantly; content should be
selected that is judged most economical. Three types
of economy are relevant. First, content should be
economical of teaching effort and resources.

Second, content should be economical of learner's
effort. . . . It is important, however, to specify
that our rules all contain a tacit clause: "other
things being equal." It may be argued, for example,
that the strenuous course makes for perserverance
and other desirable habits, as the easy course does
not. . . . Once qualified, the rule stands, in my
Opinion. There is no positive virtue in unneces-
sarily taxing the learner; his energy may better be
saved for other tasks.

Finally, we must consider economy of subject
matter; content should have maximum generalizability
or transfer value.5

The guiding principle here applied may be that

educational content is justified insofar as it helps the

future teacher attain maximum self-sufficiency as (1) an

 

4 5

Ibid., p. 266. Ibid., pp. 266-67.

71

intelligent and effective person, and (2) a future pro-
fessional educator. This again must be done as economi-
cally as possible. It may be suggested that we practice

a short-sighted economy, indeed, when we attempt teaching
courses in education to future teachers in the pre-teaching
phase who are "non-concerned," as Fuller has indicated.6
The extended pre-student teaching laboratory periods
should do a great deal to generate concern. The combi-
nation of academic and laboratory experiences should also
be more economical of teaching effort, as well, since
half the battle seems to lie in capturing the interest
and attention of the student. Scheffler's final require-
ment, that curriculum content should have maximum trans-
fer value, is perhaps most easily satisfied in the
Teacher Assistant Progpgm as compared to the standard
program offered in the lower division of teacher prepa-
ration institutions. The student not only acquires in-
sight into the realities of the classroom, he does so
while acting as a paraprofessional. This experience,
among other things, enables him to Obtain insight into
the role and functions of paraprofessional personnel in
the schools. Furthermore, it is suggested that the para-
professional program develOped in this study may well

enable the trainee to assign greater meaning to other

 

6Fuller, op. cit., pp. 207-26.

72

courses in the professional, and in some cases, the
academic, areas in teacher education programs. The topic
of justification of the curriculum is also implicitly
dealt with throughout the sub—topics in this chapter.

The Paraprofessional Program as a Medium

for ScreeningPre-teachingLCandidates
and IncreasingCommitment

 

While educators may act in making moves which
will change the demands placed upon the pre-teaching stu-
dent in that conditions to be confronted will have changed,
there are obviously other problems which will need to be
considered. Perhaps foremost is that of the personality
of the entering candidate.

It is quite probable that if the four-year teacher
preparation institutions required that pre-teaching candi-
dates complete the Teacher Assistant Program, many of the
uncommitted would drop out or change majors.

Furthermore, some of the students who had preé
viously thought they would like to be teachers may change
their minds after experiencing the realities of the class-
room. They might see themselves as being happier as a
differentiated staff member, without the responsibilities
fully certificated teachers often carry. It may even now
be seen that some fully certificated teachers prefer

acting in the role of teacher assistants, or aides.

73

It should also be noted that few supervising
teachers are very enthusiastic about telling a person in
the student teaching experience that he is not well
suited to be a teacher. Student teaching is rather late
to inform a person that he may not be psychologically
predisposed to handle a classroom at even a minimum level
of effectiveness. It may be painfully apparent that the
student teacher in question may find it extremely diffi-
cult to relate very well to youngsters. How much better
it would have been to have found this out a year and a
half earlier, through a teacher assistant program. The
student teacher could have been spared time, money, and
misery and studied for another field in the remaining two
years. The supervising teacher and the children affected
would also have been able to avoid an unpleasant experi-
ence.

Under present circumstances, there are no
special requirements for admission to the Teacher
Assistant Program at Lansing Community College. The
entering student apparently feels he has some knowledge
of what he is about; has some interest in what he per-
ceives as teaching and so presents himself for admission
to the program. Dewey writes that the foregoing are
essential to the act as moral conduct with the following

addition:

74

[Tlhe insight and interest must be more than
momentary--they must express some stability. The
act must proceed from a disposition, an established

tendency, to act thus and so.7
Broudy, in discussing teachers and the prepa-

ration of good teachers, writes the following regarding

personality:

Moreover, if a peculiar personality pattern is
essential to teaching, can it be produced, or is
one born with it? If inborn, it is a function of
teacher selection rather than preparation; if pro-
duced, it would be helpful to know how it is done.
Surely the college years are too late for producing
basic personality changes.8

Research on the characteristics of "good" and

"bad” teachers indicates that institutions preparing
teachers for the public schools ought to address them-
selves to a closer examination of the personality charac-
teristics of teacher-trainees. The effects of harsh
teachers cannot be overlooked. Sullivan writes:

. . . harsh cruel teachers . . . may affect the

child from a happy home who has been taught to

expect friendliness and a receptive and enquiring

attitude, may teach them gradually by reiterated

pain and humiliation, that the world into which h
has moved is an unfriendly and cruel world. . . .

 

7Dewey, Op. cit., p. 6.

8Frank H. Blackington, III and Robert S. Patter-
son, School, Society, and the Professional Educator
(New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., I968), p.
185.

9David Lawson, The Teachin of Values (Canada:
McGill University, 1970), p. 79.

 

75

The community college is noted as being the
"open door” college. Anyone is welcome to try college
work. It is also true that teaching, like social work,
has been considered a stepping stone for occupational
mobility. It is unfortunately true, moreover, that many
people see teaching as instrumental in meeting their own
needs for security. Some teachers currently in service
have neurotic needs Of their own to satisfy--the need to
tyrannize, to control others, all which have nothing at
all to do with education as a service. To the extent
that Broudy is correct, it seems logical to attempt to
identify persons who may be unfitted for the profession.
It is at least possible that many who present themselves
for teacher education and training may have undergone
severe experiences--in some cases so disabling that it
may be unfair to accept them into teacher preparation
programs.
According to Hamachek, research indicates that

"good" teachers are:

. . . persons who know their material and who are

basically warm, responsive, flexible individuals who

seem as sensitive to relationship variables as they

are to cognitive variables. Second, they seem to
view teaching as more than an objective presentation

of facts--they also see it as a subjective, existential

process of guiding a student to the threshold of his
own potential for understanding.10

 

loDon E. Hamachek, Human Dynamics in P3 cholo
and Education (Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1968), p.
201.

 

76

It is reasonable to assume that the task of
selecting students into the upper-divisions of the
colleges of education may now be made easier. The
screening committees will certainly set up their own
criteria, but it is clear that greater cooperation be-
tween the two-year and four-year colleges regarding
teacher preparation will be necessary if the promises of
a teacher assistant program are to be fulfilled. It may
well be wise to have faculty serving jointly in the de-
partments of education at the universities and in depart-
ments in two-year colleges. The arrangement would then
be somewhat similar to that carried out with certain high
schools participating in special projects sponsored by
colleges of education.

Perception and Meanin Makin : Toward

a More Consgious Ph1losophy
of Education

 

One additional perception that might be held con-
cerning the Teacher Assistant Program is that it presents
the student with a unique Opportunity for ”meaning mak-
ing." PrOperly conducted, the program may be seen as a
series of situations serving to aid the pre-teaching
student in consciously developing a philosophy of edu-
cation, rather than absorbing a viewpoint on teaching.

A change in fundamental attitude toward teaching and

toward life is at least possible. As students, the

77

Opportunity to reflect upon what is happening to them and
to the children they help is greater than for the teachers
caught up in classroom survival strategies and tactics.
The students have time to meet in seminars to recount and
discuss their experiences with their instructors. They
also have the Opportunity to integrate understandings
gained from their classes in the arts and sciences with
their activities in the local schools. It is quite
probable that students involved in the Teacher Assistant
Program will have some of their values and beliefs about
behavior, teaching, human beings, and the world put to
some challenge. Insofar as this is the case, then the
program may also be seen as a significant contribution to
the process of becoming, as Combs would have it. He
writes:

The problem of teacher education is not a question of

making a student's self be. It is a problem of assist-

ing the student to become. Above all, the effective

professional worker must be authentic. The attempt

to be what he is not creates confusion for everyone

he has to deal with.11

There is a sense in which every "felt difficulty"

is correctly understood to be a "personal" problem. That
assertion may seem so obvious that it hardly needs further
explanation. The sense that is intended here is in the

understanding that it is quite foolish to say that

"England went to war," or that "Groups have perceptions."

 

llSmith, op. cit., p. 218.

78

We are far more correct in saying that "Some people,
labeled as Englishmen as a consequence of the accident
of birth, etc." Clearly, "England" did nothing. It also
stands that "groups" cannot have perceptions. PeOple
have perceptions. It may also be correctly asserted that
"teachers" do not have problems. A person, labeled as a
”teacher" may have a problem, or ”felt difficulty."
Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner go to some length
in discussing Ames' studies on perception in a pOpular
book, Teaching as a Subversive Activity.12
Dewey, in commenting on Ames' work On perception
is reported to have written a letter to Ames (November,
1950), in which he wrote:
I think your work is by far the most important work
done in the psychological-philosophical field during
this century--I am tempted to say the pply really
important work.13
One of the most important facts uncovered by Ames
is " . . . that we do not get our perceptions from the
'things' around us. Our perceptions come from us."14
As Postman goes on to say,
This does ppp mean that there is nothing outside of
our skins. It does mean that whatever is "out there"
can never be known except as it is filtered through a
human nervous system. We can never get outside of

our own skins. "Reality" is a perception, located
somewhere behind the eyes.

 

12Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner, Teachin
as a Subversive Activity (New York: Dell Publish1ng Com-
pany, Inc., 1969).

13 14

Ibid., p. 88. Ibid., p. 90. 15Loc. cit.

79

The individual is then seen as a biological
organism in active transaction with the environment.
Taking a note from McLuhan, Dewey pp 31., Postman
goes on with the following:
[Olne is invited to see that the most important im-
pressions made on a human nervous system come from
the character and structure of the environment within
which the nervous system functions; that the environ-
ment itself conveys the critical and dominant messages
by controlling the perceptions and attitudes of those
who participate in it. Dewey stressed that the role
an individual is assigned in an environment--what he
is permitted to do--is what the individual learns.16
Dewey also pointed out that:
Our acts are controlled by the demands made upon us.
These demands include not only the express require-
ments of other persons, but the customary expec-
tations of the family, social circle, trade, or pro-
fession; the stimuli of surrounding objects, tools,
books, &c., the range and quality of opportunities
afforded.l7
Any demand, or for that matter, "message" must
be seen in the eyes of the perceiver--indicating that the
internal world of the person must also be carefully under-
stood if communication of correct intentions is to be
assumed. (One perceives himself as intending internali-
zation by students of value "A"--the students--individual
perceivers--internalize value "L".)
How will the individual perceive a situation?

Obviously that cannot be fully known. We may make

 

l

16Ibid., p. 17.

l7Dewey, op. cit., p. 7.

80

reasonable guesses, and that is about all, unless we have
a considerable amount of information concerning the inter-
nal environment (brain state, and other organismic vari-
ables), as well as knowledge and control of the field
(environment) impinging upon the perceiver. With such
knowledge, predictions of human behavior may be made con-
cerning that instance, and similar instances.

What meaning will the pre-teaching student assign
to his perceptions in a pre-teaching laboratory school?
One of the facts uncovered by Ames, according to Postman,
is that:

[T]he meaning of a perception is how it causes us to
act. If the rain is falling from the sky, some
peOple will head for shelter; others will enjoy
walking in it. Their perceptions of "what is
happening" are different as reflected in the fact
that they "do" different things. The fact that both
groups will agree to the sentence ”It is raining"
does not mean they perceive the "event" in the same
way.18

Some students will doubtless perceive such an
experience as a burden, something to be endured. Perhaps
such students may have among their number a good many who
are "insurance seekers." Many others may become imr
patient with their college classes, desiring that more
time be given over to "handling discipline problems."

In the main, however, the behavior in education classes

Will likely be different, if we accept askingyguestions

 

18Postman, op. cit., p. 91.

81

as acting differently. Students in pre-student teaching
laboratory exercises now have "felt difficulties,” and

perceptions of teaching in the pre-teaching phase cannot
help but change. 1

What does the pre-teaching student think of him-
self and other human beings? What does he believe about
the world? Combs writes:

That people behave in terms of their beliefs is

hardly news to most of us. We are keenly aware that
that is true with respect to our own behavior. And

as we look at our friends we quickly discover that
their beliefs are so important that it becomes possi-
ble for us to predict their behavior with considerable
accuracy.

He adds further:

Learning, we understand from modern perceptual
psychology, always consists of two aspects: one
objective, the other subjective. The objective
aspect has to do with events in the external world,
the confrontation of new information or experience.
This aspect of the problem can Often be manipulated
and controlled by some person other than the behaver.

The subjective phase of the equation is the per-
son's own personal discovery of the meaning of the
information or experience to which he has been ex-
posed. This part of the learning problem, of course,
occurs inside the learner and is not open to direct
manipulation by others. The basic principle of
learning involved here may be stated as follows:

Any information will affect a person's behavior only
in the degree to which he ha§_discovered the personal
meaning of this information for him.20

Combs argues that we have been quite successful in

gathering and presenting information to our students but

that:

 

19Smith, op. cit., p. 217.

20lbid., p. 218.

82

We have been far less successful, however, in aiding
students in discovering the personal meaning of
information we provide them so that they behave
differently as a consequence of what they are
taught.21

Combs has suggested that personal meaning may be
best discovered through a "problem solving approach to
teacher education."22 He writes that:

Learning occurs most efficiently when the student
perceives a need to learn. This is a principle we
cannot afford to overlook; at the same time it pro—
vides a criterion for examination of what goes on at
our teachers colleges. We need to look sharply at
our programs, asking ourselves these questions: Is
this really needed? How can we help the students see
that it is? . . . How can be help them discover new
needs relating to professional practice?23

It is his opinion that:

We have too long relied upon artificial or imaginary
needs; learn it for the grade, the exam, the term
paper, or learn it because I say so. It is time we
used more ingenuity in helping students find real
needs for learning, not just at the end of the pro-
gram, but at every step of the way. It seems to me
that such a goal requires a problem solving approach
to professional training which puts students actively
in touch with real problems concurrent with the aca-
demic aspects of training. This is what the college
of medicine does with its laboratories, clinics, and
the making of rounds. It is also an integral part of
social work training and the training of counselors
and psychotherapists. It is a shame to waste the
internship by putting all the student's experience

at the end of his program. The process of becoming
calls for continuous discovery of personal meaning
from the very beginning of the neOphyte teacher's
experience.2

 

21 22

Ibid., p. 219. Ibid., p. 224.

23Loc. cit.

 

24Ibid., pp. 224-25. Combs may need to stipulate

the definition of "becoming." One assumes he also means

 

83

The pre-teaching students in the Teacher Assistant
Program will certainly have "problems” to solve as they
advance in the curriculum. As the curriculum was described
previously, the students will be in local grade school
classrooms, two hours per day, five days a week for three
terms, under supervision of a certificated teacher and the
guidance of the college elementary or secondary practicum
coordinator. At the same time, the student will be tak-
ing courses in sociology, psychology, and educational
psychology. He can hardly fail to note the effects of
social class as they may be seen in the presenting cul-
tures of pupils in the schools. Examining the schools as
formal organizations, or the school as a bureaucratic
social system may stimulate students to a heightened
interest in sociology. The introductory course in psycho-
logy is tied into the practicum, ED 202, in order that
increased meaning may be obtained from both courses, the
academic and the field experience. In fact, a good many
of the suggestions made by Combs and Goodlad are at least
partially incorporated in the present program at Lansing
Community College.

Combs writes:

I believe the young teacher ought to begin active

contact with teaching from the first day he steps
into the college. He ought to be discovering

 

develOping intelligence, sensitivity, compassion, as well
as a sense of justice and goodwill toward others.

84

problems from first hand experience. I would,
therefore, take time now spent on the internship
and spread it throughout the training program.2

This last, of course, would not be done. Students
in the Teacher Assistant Program will have the internship,
or student teaching, in addition to their present prepa-
ration.

Goodlad also decried the lack of early contact
with children in the schools. He writes that many stu-
dents are disillusioned and unhappy with their education
courses, " . . . not so much for their intellectual im-
poverishment as for their failure to bring them into the
nitty-gritty of teaching itself."26

The student preparing to be a teacher " . . .
expects to get his hands dirty and his feet wet in real
classrooms with real children or youth."27

Goodlad also lashed out at the neglect in
"pedagogy." In discussing educational psychology classes,
he asserted that:

Students study principles of learning in their edu-
cational psychology courses. Rarely, however, are
they provided an Opportunity to carry these learn-
ings directly into teaching situations where they
may test and receive constructive feedback regard-
ing their efforts to apply.2

He also charged that the educational psychologists

are

 

252239;, p- 225. 26Goodlad, op. cit., p. 63.
27.13931- 28%” p. 64.

85

. . . too far removed from the classroom in their
own interests and not well equipped to spell out
the practical implications of what they teach.29

This is partially corrected in the Teacher
Assistant Program. Students in the third term of study
enroll in Psychology 204, and ED 203, Teacher Aide Practi-
cum, concurrently. The seminar session in the ED 203
class is useful for feedback concerning projects assigned
and problems encountered, while the Educational Psychology
class is now made more vivid by the previous experience
the student obtained in the grade school.

Goodlad apparently feels that the clinical
experiences in local schools along with education classes
will develop a greater commitment to teaching.30 In
this respect, among others, he is in agreement with B. O.
Smith.

In Combs' scheme for improving teacher education
and training, one finds progressive development as the
pre-teaching students gain more experience. Combs writes:
"I would begin the student's experience as a 'teacher
aide' by simply assigning him to a teacher to be helpful
in whatever ways he could."31

The Lansing Community College Teacher Assistant

Program has students assisting teachers, as Combs

 

29 30

Ibid. Ibid., p. 65.

31E. Smith, op. cit., p. 225.

86

indicates above, with an improvement. The student assists
the teacher through the ED 201 practicum, and also through
ED 101, the curriculum reinforcement course taken con-
currently. ED 101, it may be recalled, is designed to
enable the student to develop skills in audio-visual

aids, classroom management, etc. in order that he may
assist the teacher more fully.

Combs goes on to say that: "As he moved along
in the program I would increase his responsibility by
making him a 'teacher assistant.”32

The student in the Lansing Community College
program is awarded the "Teacher Assistant" certificate
of program completion after 45 hours in selected courses,
including approximately 300 clock hours assisting teach-
ers in classrooms.

Combs states: "Later he would become a 'teacher
associate' and assume a considerable responsibility for
what went on in the classroom to which he was assigned."33

Students completing the minimum 90 credit hour
program in selected courses (which include the "Teacher
Aide" and “Teacher Assistant" courses) at Lansing Come
munity College are awarded the Teacher Associate certifi-

cate of program completion.

 

321bid. 331bid.

87

Combs continues:

Concurrent with all this experience I would provide
him the academic information he needed and the
variety of settings in which he might explore the
meaning of his experience and the information he was
getting.34

This has already been commented upon (for further
insight, consult the curriculum guide, enclosed), in dis-
cussing ED 201, ED 202, ED 203, as well as ED 101, ED 102,
ED 103, and ED 104.

In his conclusion, Combs writes:

At the end of this experience I would graduate
him from the teacher's college and turn him over to
the public schools, where he would spend his first
year of teaching as a "probationer" under the super-
vision of a master teacher in the school system who
would be released part-time for this service.

I feel quite certain some teacher educators will
regard this treatment with dismay as it seems to be
removing the most important aspect of this whole pro-
gram from the control of the colleges. What I am
advocating, however, does not lose this time for the
college; it simply redistributes it through the whole
program. This should be a welcome change for many
colleges which now find their professional programs
restricted by law and custom to a fixed number of
hours in which the internship consumes anywhere from
a third to two-thirds of the student's time.

Such a program as I have suggested does raise
serious problems for colleges located in a small
town or rural setting where opportunities for stu-
dents to participate in public schools is limited.
It may be that we need to reconsider the location
of teachers colleges. . . .35

Keeping the intent of this study in mind, it
might be added that the teachers colleges may seriously

wish to reconsider the location where the first two years

 

34Ibid. BSIbid.

88

of education and training for teaching takes place. Two-
year community junior colleges having Teacher Assistant
Programs may be able to make a significant contribution to
the process of teacher preparation. Located as they are,
the problem of finding Opportunities for students to par-
ticipate in public schools is hardly a serious one. The
program outlined in this study could be easily replicated
in most two-year community junior colleges.

Among advantages of the two-year curriculum
pattern suggested, in addition to those previously cited,
are those received by the children and the teachers
affected by the presence of an instructional aide. Even
at the outset of his training and education, the pre-
teaching student is at least as good as a volunteer in
the classroom, and volunteers from the community are often
sought to help teachers, e.g., Lansing has a "volunteers
for Children" bureau. Certainly an additional advantage
is low cost. Most of the resources for the Teacher

Assistant Program are present in many communities.

Summary

The concept of a developmental paraprofessional
program for the education of future teachers tends to be
consistent with rationality and logic as well as with
expert authority, as shown in the first part of this
chapter. The second part of the chapter presents the
differential perceptions of the referent groups having

contact with the Teacher Assistant Program. Analysis of

89

the data tends to lend further support to the claim that

the program is perceived as superior to the standard
program currently offered future teachers in the lower
divisions. The researcher readily admits that studies
of a more sOphisticated nature are warranted before firm

conclusions may be drawn.
PART I I
DATA

The Program Evaluation Form (PEP) was administered
to ten referent groups. The rationale for the selection
of these groups is outlined in Chapter III. In brief,
the student referent groups were differentiated as being
full-time college students planning to enter the pro-
fession Of teaching while following a four-year program:
part-time students employed as teacher aides in local
classrooms during the day and part-time students in
training as teacher aides in local schools under special
funding through the Education Professions Development Act
of 1965 (EPDA).

The classroom teacher referent groups were
differentiated according to whether the teacher super-
vised a full-time student trainee, a part-time student
trainee, EPDA. The building principals were differenti-
ated along the same lines; those principals having pri-

marily full-time college student trainees in their

90

buildings; those having part-time student trainees who
were also currently employed as teacher aides, and those
having part-time student trainees, EPDA.

The group classified as Administrators and In-
structors was composed of administrative and instructional
personnel who have knowledge of, or contact with the
program either as supervisors with line responsibilities,
advisors or consultants, or are concerned with college
classroom instruction and supervision of the students in
training.

The nature of this part of the study is primarily
exploratory. It was not intended to accept or reject
hypotheses in a rigid experimental sense, but rather to
find differences in perceptions of the program as seen
by the various referent groups.

The data are presented in the form of tables with
discussion. Where is is felt useful, selected quoted
comments are added in order to more adequately give the
reader perspective in the attempt to understand the per-

ception of the referent group under discussion.

91

TABLE 4.1.--Grand Means and Rank Order for Each Item on

the PEF; All Groups Combined.

 

 

Item Rank Item Rank
Number Mean Order Number Mean Order
1 .67 8 13 .54 5
2 .70 9 14 .74 10
3 .79 12 15 1.28 22.5
4 1.27 21 16 1.52 24
5 1.08 18 17 .51 4
6 1.28 22.5 18 .59 6
7 .87 13 19 .32 2
8 1.18 20 20 .39 3
9 1.04 17 21 .28 1
10 .91 15 22 .89 14
11 1.90 19 23 .97 16
12 .75 ll 24 .61 7

 

 

Discussion of the Table

As was previously mentioned in Chapter III, the

key for the PEF was set out with numerical weights indi-

cated in the following manner:

Weight

waO-‘O

U02?

m

31—!—

a ree wit

3%31—1—32

An examination of the data suggests that with

t e statement
nei her a ree nor disagree
the statement
disagree with the statement

You strongly a ree with the statement
You a ree Wit

all groups combined, the pOpulation tended to agree with

the assertions made regarding the merits of the Teacher

Assistant Program.

Using a mean of .50 as an arbitrary

point tending toward strongly agree, it may be seen that

the assertions made in Items 21, 19, and 20 tend to draw

strong agreement.

These items are listed below:

92

21. the significant amount of early practical training
in the schools in highly desirable if one is plan-
ning on teaching as a career. (X = .28)

19. the trainee's practical experience with children
provides a level of psychological insight into their
behavior far greater than pan be acquired through
reading about children. (X = .32)

20. the education and training of pro-teaching candi-
dates would be improved if the lower divisions
(freshman and sophomore years) of all universities
and colleges incorporgted programs like the Teacher
Assistant Program. (X = .39)

When using a mean of 1.00 as the point at which
the respondents agree with the statements made in the
PEF, one observes that there is considerable accord with
the assertions made in item numbers l7, 13, 18, 24, 1, 2,
14, 12, 3, 7, 22, 10, and 23. All of the foregoing fall
between a mean of 1.00 and .50. The statements are shown
in rank order below, with their assigned means.

17. children in the schools benefited through the
assistance given them by the Teacher Assistant
Trainee. (X = .51)

13. enables the trainee to make a more intelligent career
decision by allowing him or her to_take into account
the realities of the classroom. (X = .54)

18. the incorporation of an educational career develOp-
ment ladder, from teacher aide thrpugh teacher
associate, is highly desirable. (X = .59)

24. In my Opinion, programs such as the Teacher
Assistant Program provide means by which genuine
cooperation between the public schools and tegcher
preparation institutions can be developed. (X = .61)

1. develops the trainee's sensitivity and insight into

tpe role of the teacher aide in the classroom.
(X = .67)

93
2. develops the trainee's_sensitivity and insight into
the teacher's role. (X = .70)

14. develOps the trainee's_insight into himself (herself)
as a teacher-to-be. (X = .74)

12. develops the trainee's sensitivity apd insight into
the needs and nature of children. (X = .75)

3. enables the trainee to develop insight into assisting
tpachers in the task of develOping pupil learning.
(X = .79)

7. permits the trainees to work with children in ways
that make possible better utilization_of the pro-
fessional training of the teacher. (X = .87)

22. theory and practice tends to grow together as a
result of the trainee's personal experience as a
pgrticipant in the Teacher Assistant Program.

(X = .89)

10. helps the trainee to develop_insight into the social
structure of the schools. (X = .91)

23. all other things equal, a prospective teacher with
experience as a teacher aide through the Teacher
Assistant Program should be given prpference when
applying for a teaching position. (X = .97)

When the remaining items are examined, it is found that

only one item (16) falls below 1.50, in the range between

agreement at a mean of 1.00 and neutrality at a mean of

2.00. Using an arbitrary division point of a mean of

1.50 as indicating tendency toward agreement it is seen

that item numbers 9, 5, ll, 8, 4, 6, and 15 are then in-

cluded. Those items are subsequently listed below in
rank order with respective means indicated. With the

above stipulations in mind, the population tends to agree

that the Teacher Assistant Program:

94
9. helps the trainee to begin develOping a meaningful
philosOphy of education. (X = 1.04)

5. enables thp trainee to develOp specific teaching
skills. (X = 1.08)

11. enables the trainee to develop insight into the
social structure of the schools. (X = 1.09)

8. enables the trainee to develOp insight ipto
curriculum structure and development. (X = 1.18)

4. prepares the trainee to act as an instructional
aide and_to be an effective member of a classroom
team. (X = 1.27)

6. epables the trainee to refine teaching skills.
(X = 1.28)

15. sprengthens the trainee's commitment to teaching.
(X = 1.28)

In reference to the latter items, one explanation
for the lack of stronger agreement may lie in the nature
of what is suggested in the assertions. It is generally
more difficult to arrive at a judgment which requires a
strong pronouncement of agreement or disagreement when
the matter under consideration is of a subtle or complex
character such as that concerning the develOpment of a
philosOphy of education (Item 9). Not that there is no
gain, but that the gain is much more difficult to discern.
By contrast, the much more obvious and immediate inter-
actions Of the trainee with the classroom environment may
tend to enable the respondents to be more confident when
asked to make judgments concerning the classroom situ-

ation. While there is nothing surprising about this, it

95

may provide a clue to one of the reasons why the referent
groups are less affirmative.

Item 16 was the only reverse item on the PEF, and
is given below with its mean:
16. The realities of the clasproom were often a rude

shock for the trainee. (X = 1.52)

As the data from the population indicates, there

was less agreement with the assertion in this item than

in any of the others. Still, the mean falls between

agreement and neutrality.

96

TABLE 4.2.--Grand Means in Rank Order from Most to Least
Favorable Indicating Referent Group.

 

Referent Group Grand Mean

 

Building Principals

Full-time
Trainees

Part-time
Trainees,

student

student
EPDA

Administrators and
College Instructors

Building Principals

Part-time
Trainees,

Part-time
Trainees,

Classroom
Part-time
Trainees,

Classroom
Full-time
Trainees

Full-time
Trainees

student
Inservice

student
Inservice

teachers
student
Inservice
teachers
student

student

Building Principals

Part-time
Trainees,

Classroom
Part-time
Trainees,

student
EPDA

teachers
student
EPDA

aides

aides

aides

4.77

5.13

5.35

8.50

8.88

 

97

Discussion of the Table

The data in Table 4.1 may be useful in attempting
to obtain an overall understanding of the levels of satis-
faction with the Teacher Assistant Program and its goals,
as indicated by the responses of the combined referent
groups, yet it fails to indicate distinctions among the
groups themselves. The data represented in Table 4.3, p.
104, suggests tendencies, inclinations, and relative favora-
bility and unfavorability concerning particular aspects
of the program. Perhaps a caveat is in order here.

While it is true that one may use Table 4.2 to
perceive some differences in the perceptions of the
various referent groups, it should be recalled that the
distinctions are relative, and that no group indicated
disagreement or even neutrality in reference to the
assertions contained in Items 1-24 in the Program Evalu-
ation Form. Nevertheless, the data suggests that there
are certain differences among the groups concerning the
relative degree of satisfaction. By setting the grand
means in rank order, as shown in Table 4.2, one tends to
gain an indication of the particular referent groups
most in favor of the program and those not as favorably
inclined. From this, and the configuration of the rank
order in Table 4.3, a number of inferences may be drawn.

The data in Table 4.2 suggests that the two

referent groups most inclined to favor the program are

98

the building principals of the full-time student trainees
and the part-time student trainees, EPDA. By contrast,
the two groups indicating least favor are the supervisors
of the part-time student trainees, EPDA; the building
principals, and the classroom teachers. While it is
recognized that the inferences one may draw are no
stronger than the data, it seems at least reasonable to
suggest that the differences in the perceptions of the
referent groups are somewhat consistent with previous
studies where one finds low income aides paired with
middle-class teachers. In the study on their experience
with the New Careers Program and the Minneapolis schools,
Bennett and Falk stated:
On top of the reticence problem, there is an addi-
tional communication problem that may affect
teacher-teacher aide relations. This is the differ-
ence in styles of communication possessed by teacher
and aide. Although these differences do not always
follow predictable lines and cannot be dealt with in
any systematic way, there is a frequent pattern that
will bear close attention. This is the situation in
which a talkative, brash, somewhat "crude" lower-
class aide is paired with the more sensitive,
literary and middle-class teacher. The aide can
in fact threaten the teacher on any number of levels,
sometimes including professional competence and
extending to sexual adequacy.36
Perhaps further support regarding conflict of
styles may be marshalled through examination of the com-
ments made by the three referent groups, as shown in the

open-ended comment categories in Appendix B. It may be

 

36Bennett and Falk, op. cit., p. 53.

99

seen that the classroom teachers of the EPDA trainees
have many more comments to make regarding a desire for
more "selective screening” of the trainees and indicate
greater dissatisfaction with language and skill levels
than do the classroom teachers supervising other student
trainees. Perhaps the comment made by one of the school
administrators puts the matter most succinctly. In re-
sponse to Item 26 on the PEF, in which respondents are
asked to list the major problems with the program, the
administrator wrote: "Lower-class aides working with
middle-class teachers.”

The comments regarding problems with the program
indicate that, among other things, the amount of absentee-
ism, tardiness, and personal problems of the EPDA trainees
tended to aggravate the building principals and teachers.
These areas were not mentioned as problems by the other
referent groups. The reasons for absenteeism and tardi-
ness may well be tied in with personal problems. As
Bennett and Falk wrote:

Chief among the problems unique to the low-income
adult college student are marital and family problems.
There are many married college students, and they do
have problems. But all the new careerists had fami-
lies, and nearly all had problems different in kind
from the ordinary young marrieds. . . . A large
number of the participants in the program were
"single" women with families, some quite large. The
families in nearly all cases were a problem for
effective reading and study. . . . The homes were

often crowded and noisy, with little peace and quiet
until late at night. . . . Another new problem in

100

this tangle of family difficulties had to do with
the fact that several people in the program lived in
some real fear of violence from spouses, estranged
or otherwise.37
One gathers from the written comments from the
classroom teachers of the EPDA trainees that there are
often extremes in liking or disliking the trainee.
Certainly no love was lost on this trainee, as the com-
ments of her teacher reveal:
The program sounds great on paper and could be great,
but you aren't getting the results that are possible
--the classroom teacher does not have time to meet
the needs of her own students, preparing materials,
projects, etc. on off-teaching hours and also help
train and then re-teach and re-train her assistant.
Another teacher wrote:
Maybe you will get willing teachers in upper ele-
mentary to accept aides, since the lower elementary
teachers are ”forced” to use them as it is now.
The anger is hardly suppressed in this teacher's

conunen t 3

Require the Assistant (EPDA trainee) to work under
the same conditions the teacher does. You either
produce or else you are not kept.

By constrast, some of the teachers were quite
pleased with their EPDA trainees, as shown in the
following comments:

I found my side prepared to assist in the classroom.
She was skilled to work [sic] with the children, was

familiar with audio-visuaI materials, and freed me
from routine matters.

 

37Bennett and Falk, Op. cit., p. 134.

101

The following comment touched upon the usefulness
of the EPDA trainees; as yet another teacher stated:

In general, much help was given the teacher and the
children.

In contrasting the EPDA trainees with neighbor-
hood aides, one teacher wrote:

I believe these peOple felt a little more pro-
fessional than the neighborhood aides, and I believe
it showed in dress, discussion (and lack of it) and
confidence with children.

The data also suggest that for each class of
student trainees, one finds that the building principals
tend to favor the program more than the classroom teachers
do. In these instances, it may be suggested that the
closer one is to the actual school classroom, the more
critical is one's disposition. This phenomenon does not
hold true, however, with the trainees. One might reason-
ably suppose that since the building principals and class-
room teachers of the part-time student EPDA trainees give
ample evidence indicating least favorability toward the
program, then probably the EPDA trainees would respond
in a similar manner, since they are part of the situation.
The data seem to indicate that this is not the case,
however. It may be seen from Table 4.2 that the part-
time student trainees, EPDA, rank second only to the
building principals of the full-time student trainees

in perceiving the program most favorably. On the other

hand, the full-time student trainees incline to rank

102

just above the comparatively discontented building
principals of the part-time student trainees, EPDA. A
rational basis for this difference may possibly be con-
structed through examination of the comments given by
the two groups on the PEF (see Appendix C). It is
apparent from the nature of the commends under the
strengths of the program that the EPDA trainees perceive
themselves as gaining much more from the program than do
the full-time student trainees. Moreover, while both
referent groups list strengths having to do with the
cognitive domain, the EPDA trainees tended to lay more
emphasis on the affective. The comments by the EPDA
trainees regarding the enhancement of one's self-concept,
teacher-student relationships, student-to-student relation-
ships are cases in point. It should also be recalled
that the part-time student trainees, EPDA, received a
summer training session with a stipend, and funding for
books and tuition while attending college classes during
the year. Furthermore, the EPDA trainees were all
guaranteed employment in the school system throughout
the year. A few of the EPDA trainees commented on these
areas as strengths of the program as well.

It may be reasonable to suggest that when one
compares the full-time student trainee with the part-time
student trainee, EPDA, the variables related to socio-

economic status and levels of expectation may tend to

103

explain some of the differences in the perceptions of

the two groups toward the program. It is also worthwhile
noting that the part-time student trainees, EPDA, not
only mentioned fewer problems than the full-time student
trainees, but they also tended to stress a greater need
for acceptance and communication in those they did mention.
The foregoing factors, coupled with the fact that the
Teacher Assistant Program is seen as a pathway for upward
mobility, are suggested as some of the logical reasons
why the EPDA trainees tend to see the program more
favorably than all of the other referent groups, with the
exception of the building principals of the full-time

student trainees.

1()4

TABLE 4.3.--Rank Order for Each Item from Most to Least Favorable for Each

Referent Group.

 

enouoouueou eosaaoo
use euoueuueecwso¢

some .noooaaua
283. «sauna»:
uaaoeooauo scavenge

suede
sew>uoacu eosoaeua

ucoooue esqunuusm
edemaoowum unavawom

eoecweua
useooue sawunaaou
.Hoaaooeuo scavenge

tdmm .mOOCaeuB
oneness osauuauem
euoaoeoa sooueueau

nomad

eoa>uoacw soocueua
pronoun sawunuuem
euonoeoa Boone-sac
noocweua

uooooue caeuiaaom

anemones Eooueeeau

dam” .moocweua
ucoooue useunuusm
m00w¢

sem>uemcn comrades
uooooue oseuiuuem

noocaeua
uoooouo usauumeoa

Item .
Number

10

2.5

2.5

 

5.5

10

7.5

105 105

7.5

10

10

8.5

5.5 10

5.5

8.5

2.5

2.5

10

10

10

4.5

10

4.5

8.5

10

8.5

10

4.5

11

10

12

10

13

10

14

10

2.5
10

2.5

15

16

5.5 10

3.5

5.5

3.5

17
18

2.5

10

4.5

2.5

10

19

10
10
10

7.5

7.5

20

5.5

5.5

21

22

10

3.5

3.5

23

10

24

145.5 122.5 76 137.5 128.5 213 63 114.5 204 114

Totals

5.13 3.17 5.73 5.35 8.88 2.63 4.77 8.50 4.75

6.08

Grand
Means

 

105
Discussion of Table (by Item
Wrent Group)

Before beginning a discussion of Table 4.3 and
the referent group rank order indicating relative favora-
bility or unfavorability for each item, it is necessary
to point out that arbitrary division points are made to
assist in the examination. If the respondent group ranked
at 3.0 or above, relative favorability is assumed. Rela-
tive unfavorability is assumed if the respondent group
ranked at 8.0 or below.

Item 1: All groups saw the program as developing
sensitivity and insight into the role of the teacher aide
in the classroom. The building principals of the full-
time student trainees, the building principals of the
part-time student trainees who were also inservice aides
and the part-time student trainess, EPDA, were inclined
to be most favorable. The full-time student trainees,
the classroom teachers of the part-time student trainees,
EPDA, and the building principals of the part-time student
trainees, EPDA were least favorable.

Item 2: The development of sensitivity and in-
sight into the teacher's role was seen by all groups as
a strength of the program. The part-time student train-
ees, who were also inservice aides, the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, and the building principals of the full-
time student trainees tended to be most favorable regard-

ing this quality of the program, while the classroom

106

teachers of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, and the
building principals of the EPDA trainees were least
favorable.

Item 3: All groups agreed that the program
enabled the trainees to develOp insight into assisting
teachers in the task of developing pupil learning. The
building principals of the full-time student trainees,
the part-time student trainees, EPDA, and the classroom
teachers of the full-time student trainees were most
positive. The classroom teachers of the part-time stu—
dent trainees, EPDA, and the part-time student trainees
who were also inservice aides tended to be least positive.

Item 4: All groups agreed that the program pre-
pared the trainee to act as an instructional aide and to
be an effective member of a classroom team. The building
principals of the full-time student trainees, the class-
room teachers of the full-time student trainees, and the
part-time student trainees who were also inservice aides
tended to be most positive. Conversely, the classroom
teachers of the full-time student trainees, the classroom
teachers of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, and
the building principals of the part-time student trainees,
EPDA, were least positive.

Item 5: The groups tended to agree that the pro-
gram enabled the trainee to develop specific teaching

skills. The building principals of the full-time student

107

trainees, the building principals of the part-time student
trainees who were also inservice aides, and the part-time
student trainees, EPDA, were most positive in their agree-
ment. The classroom teachers of the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, the building principals of the part-time
student trainees, EPDA, and the full-time student trainees
were the least positive.

Item 6: The groups tended to agree that the pro-
gram enabled the trainees to refine teaching skills. The
building principals of the full-time student trainees, the
building principals of the part-time inservice trainees
who were also inservice aides and the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, were most positive in their agreement.
Conversely, the part-time student trainees who were also
inservice aides, the building principals of the part-
time student trainees, EPDA, and the classroom teachers
of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, were least
positive in their agreement.

Item 7: There was agreement in all groups that
the program permitted the trainees to work with children
in ways that made possible better utilization of the
professional training of the teacher. The classroom
teachers of the part-time student trainees who were also
inservice aides, the building principals of that same
group, and the administrators and college instructors

were most positive in their agreement. The classroom

108

teachers of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, the
building principals of the part-time student trainees,
EPDA, and the EPDA trainees themselves were the least
positive in their agreement.

Item 8: All groups inclined to agree that the
program enabled the trainees to develop insight into
curriculum structure and development. The part-time
student trainee, EPDA; the building principals of the
full-time student trainees and the part-time student
trainees who were also inservice aides were most affirma-
tive. The classroom teachers of the part-time trainees,
EPDA, the building principals of that same group, and
the full-time student trainees were least affirmative.

Item 9: While all groups tended to agree that
the program helped the trainee to begin developing a
meaningful philosophy of education, the part-time student
trainees who were also inservice aides, the part-time
student trainees, EPDA, and the building principals of
the full-time student trainees were most positive. The
building principals of the part-time student trainees,
EPDA, the full-time student trainees and the classroom
teachers of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, were
least positive.

Item 10: There was agreement by all groups that
the program has helped the trainee to develop insight

into the social structure of the schools. The building

109

principals of the full-time student trainees, the part-
time student trainees, EPDA, and the classroom teachers

of the full-time student trainees were most positive about
this. The building principals of the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, the classroom teachers of the part-time
student trainees who were also inservice aides, adminis-
trators and college instructors were least positive.

Item 11: It was generally agreed in all groups
that the program enabled the trainees to apply theories
learned in college classes to practice in the classroom
and to note their effects. The building principals of
the full-time student trainees, the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, and the administrators and college in-
structors were most positive in their agreement. The
classroom teachers of the part-time student trainees who
were also inservice aides, the classroom teachers of the
part-time student trainees, EPDA, and the building
principals of the latter group were least positive.

Item 12: There was agreement by all groups that
the program developed the trainee's sensitivity and in-
sight into the needs and nature Of children. The build-
ing principals of the full-time student trainees and the
full-time student trainees themselves were most positive
in their agreement. The building principals of the part-
time student trainees, EPDA, the building principals of

the part-time student trainees who wereialso inservice

110

aides, and the classroom teachers of part-time student
trainees, EPDA, were least positive.

Item 13: All groups agreed that the program
enabled the trainee to make a more intelligent career
decision by allowing him or her to take into account the
realities of the classroom. The building principals of~
the full-time student trainees, the classroom teachers of
the part-time student trainees who were also inservice
aides, and the classroom teachers of the full-time student
trainees were most affirmative. The part-time student
trainees who were also inservice aides, the building
principals of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, the
administrators and college instructors were least
affirmative.

Item 14: The data suggests that all groups agreed
that the program developed the trainee's insight into him?
self (herself) as a teacher-to-be. The building princi-
pals of the full-time students, the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, the administrators and college in-
structors were most positive. Conversely, the building
principals of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, the
building principals of the part-time student trainees
who were also inservice aides and the classroom teachers
of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, were least

positive.

111

Item 15: All groups inclined to agree that the
program strengthened the trainee's commitment to teaching.
The part-time student trainees, EPDA, and the building
principals of the part-time student trainees who were
also inservice aides were most positive. The building
principals of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, the
classroom teachers of that same group and the classroom
teachers of the full-time student trainees were least
positive.

Item 16: This was a reverse item. It carried
the assertion that: ”The realities of the classroom were
often a rude shock for the trainee.” The raw data sug-
gests that full-time student trainees were neutral, while
the classroom teachers of the part-time student trainees
who were also inservice aides, and the building principals
of that same group inclined toward disagreement. The
building principals of the part-time student trainees,
EPDA, the building principals of the full-time student
trainees, administrators and college instructors agreed.
All other groups were in general agreement.

Item 17: All groups agreed that children in the
schools benefited through the assistance given them by
the Teacher Assistant trainee. The part-time student
trainees who were also inservice aides, the part-time
student trainees, EPDA, were most positive. The building

principals of the part-time student trainees, their

112

classroom teachers, administrators and college instructors
I were least positive.

Item 18: The data indicates that all groups
agreed that the incorporation of an educational career
development ladder, from teacher aide through teacher
associate, is highly desirable. The part-time student
trainees who were also inservice aides, their classroom
teachers, and the building principals of the full-time
student trainees were most positive. Conversely, the
classroom teachers of the part-time student trainees,
EPDA, and the full-time student trainees were least
positive.

Item 19: All groups agreed that the trainee's
practical experience with children provides a level of
psychological insight into their behavior far greater
than can be acquired through reading about children. The
full-time student trainees and their building principals
were most positive about this. The building principals
of the part-time student trainees who were also inservice
aides and the classroom teachers of the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, were least positive.

Item 20: The data indicates that all groups agree
that the education and training of pre-teaching candidates
would be improved if the lower divisions (freshman and
sOphomore years) of all universities and colleges incor-

porated programs like the Teacher Assistant Program. The

113

building principals of the part-time student trainees who
were also inservice aides, the building principals of the
full-time student trainees, and the classroom teachers of
the full-time student trainees were most positive. The
classroom teachers of the part-time student trainees,
EPDA, and their building principals were least positive.

Item 21: All groups agreed that the significant
amount of early practical training in the schools is
'highly desirable if one is planning on teaching as a
career. The building principals of the part-time student
trainees who were also inservice aides, the classroom
teachers of the full-time student trainees, and their
building principals were most positive. The classroom
teachers of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, their
building principals, the administrators and college in-
structors were least positive.

Item 22: The data indicated agreement in all
groups that theory and practice tended to grow together
as a result of the trainee's personal experience as a
participant in the Teacher Assistant Program. The build-
ing principals of the full-time student trainees, the
building principals of the part-time student trainees who
were also inservice aides, the administrators and college
instructors were most positive. The classroom teachers
of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, their building
principals, and the classroom teachers of the full-time

student trainees were least positive.

114

Item 23: All groups tended to agree that, all
other things equal, a prospective teacher with experience
as a teacher aide through the Teacher Assistant Program
should be given preference when applying for a teaching
position. The administrators and college instructors,
along with the part-time student trainees, EPDA, were most
positive. The classroom teachers of the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, their building principals, and the class-
room teachers of the full-time student trainees were
least positive.

Item 24: All groups agreed that programs such as
the Teacher Assistant Program provides means by which
genuine cooperation between the public schools and teacher
preparation institutions can be developed. The building
principals of the full-time student trainees, the class-
room teachers of the full-time student trainees, and the
building principals of the part-time student trainees who
were also inservice aides were most positive. The full-
time student trainees, the part-time student trainees
who were also inservice aides, and the classroom teachers
of the part-time student trainees, EPDA, were least
positive.

Items 25, 26, and 27 were open-ended questions.
The respondents were asked to list major strengths of
the program (Item 25), major problems with the program

(Item 26), and to give suggestions for improving the

115

program (Item 27). An examination of the referent group
replies, when coupled with the data, tend to lead to
several reasonable observations concerning the respective
groups. For example, in the single instance where the
part-time student trainees, EPDA, were least positive as
shown by Table 4.3, it was in reference to the utili-
zation of the aide by the classroom teacher (Item 7). When
one turns to the comments regarding major problems with
the program, the EPDA aides were most critical of the
teachers, with few criticisms of the structure of the
program. By comparison, the full-time student trainees
were more favorable in their perception of their utili-
zation by the classroom teachers. They were also con-
siderably more critical of program structure than the
EPDA trainees, and less critical of the teachers, as
shown by their replies in reference to problems with the
program.

The classroom teachers of the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, are shown to be consistently in the least
favorable category on all items except four, as indicated
by Table 4.3. It is interesting to note that, in response
to the question regarding problems with the program, well
over half of the comments were critical of the skill
levels and character of the EPDA trainees. It follows as
at least reasonable that the perceptions of the program by

the classroom teachers of the EPDA trainees were probably

116

influenced by some negativism toward the trainees them?
selves.

The building principals of the part-time student
trainees, EPDA, were also seen to be consistently least
favorable toward the program, on all items except four.
As Table 4.2 indicates, they rank just above their class-
room teachers. Well over half of their comments were,
like the teachers, critical of the trainee. In contrast-
ing the perceptions of the program held by the building
principals of the full-time student trainees, one is
immediately struck by the absence of least favorability
on any item. Contrarily, eighteen of the twenty-four
items are ranked in the most favorable area. In their
replies regarding problems with the program, the building
principals of the full-time student trainees had no criti-
cal comments, save the need for planning time. Two
principals complained that they could not get enough
trainees. In this instance, as with the building princi-
pals and teachers of the EPDA trainees, it appears quite
probable that perceptions of the program were also
influenced by attitudes toward the trainees, only this
time in a favorable direction.

As Table 4.2 indicates, the grand means in rank
order of favorability and unfavorability of the remaining
referent groups come within a spread of .98 of each other

and a maximum of .73 away from 5.00. While a close

117

examination of the data in Table 4.3 suggests that one
may develop some further exposition on the items and the
remaining groups, it may be seen that the greatest differ-
ences in the perception of the program are held by the
groups previously discussed.

While it is recognized that the design of this
part of the study was in no sense rigid, it was still
possible to draw some reasonable conclusions concerning
the differential perceptions of the Teacher Assistant
Program as seen by the ten referent groups. Among the
many inferences which the data appears to justify, perhaps

those listed below are the most salient.

1. All referent groups perceive the Teacher
Assistant Program favorably, and tend to agree
with the assertive statements made about it in

the Program Evaluation Form (PEF).

2. That within the same class of trainees, the
perception of favorability tends to increase
with distance from the scene of actual school

classroom interaction.

3. That the perception of favorability appears to
be influenced by the social character of the
student trainees taking part in the Teacher

Assistant Program.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS

Summary

Basic to the rationale of this study was the prOpo-
sition that the community junior college could, and ought
to,play a far more active role in the preparation of
future teachers. The study reviewed some of the current
problems plaguing the teaching profession, specifically;
the demand that future teachers receive early and extended
pre-student teaching laboratory experiences; that future
teachers be prepared to supervise and direct the activi-
ties of the growing number of paraprofessionals in the
school systems. The review of the literature suggested
that early and extended pre-student teaching laboratory
experiences would enable future teachers to assign more
meaning to their courses in education as well as develop-
ing greater insight into the realities of the classroom
and the profession. It was also pointed out that the un-
committed education major would seriously reconsider his
choice of occupations if a heavier investment of time and

energy were required.

118

119

It was recognized that frequently the location of
,the four-year teacher preparation institution and sheer
numbers of students tended to work against having extended
pre-student teaching laboratory experiences in local
schools. Still the demand for greater classroom contact
is being made, and schools are becoming more vocal and
authoritative in their request for a greater voice in
programs designed for the preparation of future teachers.
It was also recognized the sub-culture peculiar to the
school and that of the universities were often incon-
gruent, with attendent unhappy consequences for teacher
education.

The literature reviewed suggested that greater
cooperation between the two institutions was taking place
with new models for cooperation being introduced.

The literature pertaining to the rapid develop-
ment of the community junior college further suggested
that this comparatively new institution might fill a need
where the university could not because of its local situ-
ation. It was pointed out that many of the 1,100 two-
year colleges are located close to K-12 school systems,
and that by using a develOpmental paraprofessional pro-
gram, the following benefits would also logically accrue:
(l) the future teachers would obtain invaluable experi-
ence in the schools while assisting teachers: (2) the

future teacher would acquire insight into the role of

120

the teacher aide in the school system and would be in a
better position to use an aide himself having had the
experience of being one; (3) children and teachers in
local schools would benefit by having the student trainee
assisting them in the classroom; (4) the future teacher
would move from "non-concern" to greater concern with
teacher-related problems and would assign greater meaning
to his courses in education; (5) screening committees in
the colleges of education would have more reliable evi-
dence upon which to base the decision of whom to admit

to the upper-division programs; (6) some students would
select themselves out of preparing to teach if they had
the Opportunity afforded them for early contacts in the
classroom. I

The examination of the literature revealed many
positive claims which pre-student teaching laboratory
experiences are supposed to justify. The preparation
given future teachers in the standard program was con-
sidered markedly inferior because of the absence of
significant contacts in the classroom early in the future
teacher's college career.

A paraprofessional program designed and developed
between Lansing Community College and the Lansing Public
School System was then introduced as a model for the
preparation of future teachers who are enrolled in com-

munity junior colleges. The study presented information

121

regarding the genesis of the program, its implementation,
and subsequent evaluation.

Some of the assertive comments made by recognized
authorities in the field of education were transposed into
items and a questionnaire, labeled the Program Evaluation
Form (PEF), was distributed to ten referent groups having
contact with the program, called the “Teacher Assistant
Program." The referent groups were classified into four
categories: (A) college student trainees, (B) classroom
teachers, (C) building principals, and (D) administrators
and college instructors. Category ”A" included full-time
students, part-time students who were also serving as
teacher aides in the schools and part-time students who
were training under funds granted by the Education Pro-
fessions DevelOpment Act, EPDA. Category "B” included
the three groups of teachers supervising the student
trainees, and Category "C" included the respective build-
ing principals. Category ”D" included upper-echelon
administrators, college instructors and coordinators, as
well as advisors and consultants who had contact with the
Teacher Assistant Program.

Individuals in the referent groups were asked to
respond to the 27-item PEF. Three of the questions were
Open-ended and solicited free comments and suggestions.
The items were designed to gain a response indicating the
perception the respondent had of the Teacher Assistant

Program.

122

The research design was exploratory. No
hypothesis was accepted or rejected. It was intended
primarily to obtain information on the differential per-
ceptions of the program as held by the various referent
groups, and to gain a broad understanding of the relative
differences in favorability each group held toward state-
ments in the individual items. A measure of overall
favorability or unfavorability was also taken when the
data from all groups was combined.

The data suggested that all ten groups viewed
the developmental paraprofessional program (Teacher
Assistant Program) favorably. Further analysis suggested
that the building principals of the full-time student
trainees were most positive toward the program with the
part-time student trainees, EPDA, next most positive.
Positive, but least so, were the classroom teachers of
the part-time student trainees, EPDA. Ranking slightly
above them in least favorability were the building princi-
pals of this same group. Some of the general inferences

which the data appeared to justify are listed below:

1. All referent groups perceive the Teacher
Assistant Program favorably, and tend to agree
with the assertive statements made about it in

the Program Evaluation Form (PEF).

123

2. That within the same class of trainees, the per-
ception of favorability tends to increase with
distance from the scene of actual classroom

interaction.

3. That the perception of favorability appears to
be influenced by the social character of the
student trainees taking part in the Teacher

Assistant Program.

Significant also was the degree of favorability
accorded the three top ranked items. There was agreement
approaching strong agreement, with all groups combined,
that (l) the significant amount of early practical train-
ing in the schools is highly desirable if one is planning
on teaching as a career--Item 21; (2) the trainee's
practical experience with children provides a level of
psychological insight into their behavior far greater
than can be acquired through reading about children; and
(3) the education and training of pre-teaching candidates
would be improved if the lower-divisions (freshman and
SOphomore years) of all universities and colleges incor-
porated programs like the Teacher Assistant Program.

It is readily admitted that the findings are
suggestive, and that more refined techniques using larger
populations are necessary before coming to firm conclu-

sions.

124

Evaluation of the program was also undertaken by
referring to expert authority, rationality, and logic.
The curriculum content of the Teacher Assistant Program
was seen as consistent with many of the suggestions for
changing the standard program of teacher preparation.
This was found to be especially true with reference to
pre-student teaching laboratory experiences, understanding
the role of the classroom paraprofessional, and assigning
increased meaning to academic and professional subjects

in teacher education programs.

Conclusions
Some of the conclusions one may draw from this

study are;

1. That pre-student teaching laboratory experiences
of an extended nature are considered highly de-
sirable as an improvement on the standard teacher

preparation program.

2. That the use of a developmental paraprofessional
program for the preparation of future teachers

is highly desirable.

3. That the community junior college may be used
in a far more active manner in the preparation of

pre-teaching students.

125

That teacher preparation institutions would do
well to incorporate a developmental para-
professional program for future teachers in the

lower divisions of their four-year colleges.

Implications

 

Some implications may be immediately drawn from

the preceding conclusions:

1.

That personnel in four-year colleges and univer-
sities responsible for teacher education need to
seriously re-examine the function assumed by the
community junior college in teacher preparation.

A considerable alteration of the present role of
the community junior college is suggested in order
to capitalize on its potential contributions toward

improving the preparation of future teachers.

The present role of the colleges of education may
need to change after taking into account the
potential new role of the two-year community junior
college. It may well be that colleges of education
could limit their functions in professional edu-
cation and training primarily to the upper divi-
sions. Student enrollment in professional edu-
cation courses in the lower division would be
limited to those numbers who could also be placed
in nearby schools for comparable paraprofessional

training and education. In keeping with the

126

traditional role of the university, experimental
programs could be developed and the findings re-
layed to the education departments of the two-
year colleges in order that they may improve their

own developmental paraprofessional programs.

Joined appointments could be made including all
three institutions concerned with teacher prepa-
ration. (As compared to joint appointments,
where only two institutions are usually involved
in supporting one faculty member.) This implies
an active and cooperative relationship among the

schools, two-year and four-year colleges.

A more intensive orientation for teachers now in
service who will work with paraprofessionals may
be necessary. One of the more frequently voiced
complaints by both teacher and trainees was that
specific guidelines regarding the use of aides
needs to be drawn up, and teachers trained to

use the paraprofessionals.

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Michigan.

Klatt, Judith, and Le Baron, Walter. A Short Summapy of
Ten Model Teacher Education Programs. National
Center for Educational Research an Development.
0.8. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office,
November, 1969.

Lake Michigan College. Catalog 1971-72. Benton Harbor,
Michigan.

The National Society for the Study of Education. The
Public Junior Collegg. The Fifty-fifth YearBook.
Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1956.

Washtenaw Community College. Bulletin 1971-72. Ann
Arbor, Michigan.

West Shore Community College. General Catalog 1971-1972.
Scottsville, Michigan.

131

Unpublished Materials

Carroll, Raymond A. "Teacher Education: Trends in

Karmer,

Lansing

Concepts of the Professional Preparation of
Teachers 1940-1968.” Unpublished doctoral
dissertation, Michigan State University.

Karl R. "The Effect of the Attitudes of
Prospective Teachers on the Utilization of Pro-
fessional Laboratory Experiences for the Develop-
ment of Insight About, and a Commitment to,
Teaching.” Unpublished doctoral dissertation,
Michigan State University, 1966.

School District. ”Project Application Instruc-
tional Aide Training Program, Title V.” EPDA
application submitted to the Michigan State
Department of Education, Lansing, March 16, 1970.

Report of the Committee for Recommending Student Selection

Criteria and Procedures for Elementary Teacher
Certification Programs, Part II, P-3. Michigan
State University, College of Education, Depart-
ment of Elementary and Special Education, College
of Human Ecology, Department of Family and Child
Sciences. March l, 1971.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A

EDUCATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT LADDER

PARTS I, II, AND III

Curriculum:

APPENDIX A

EDUCATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT LADDER

PARTS I, II, AND III

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CURRICULAR GUIDE

Teacher Assistant, Certificate
(Part 1: Teacher Aide)

Curriculum Code: 112

(Taken by part-time student trainees, EPDA, and part-time
student trainees, inservice aides.)

 

 

Course Course Credit Course Course Credit
Number Title Hours Number Title Hours
Summer Term Winter Term

(Pre-Session)

SPS lOl Orientation l PSY 201 Introduction to Psychology 4
ED 150 Introduction to Education 3 ED 103 Curriculum Reinforcement 1
ED 101 Curriculum Reinforcement _3_ ED 202 Teacher Aide Practicum ._§

7 8

Fall Term Spring Term

SS 101 Social Science I 4 MTH 200 Arith. Foundations 5
ED 102 Curriculum Reinforcement l or

ED 201 Teacher Aide Practicum _3 SPH 104 Principles of Speech 3

8 ED 104 Curriculum Reinforcement 1

ED 203 Teacher Aide Practicum ._§

7

MINIMUM TOT”OOIOIOOOI...O.31

All practicum courses include one hour formal class meeting and approximately ten
hours directed field experience in the schools.

REVISED: June 28, 1971 - REPLACES GUIDE DATED: July 29, 1970

jms

132

Curriculum:

133

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CURRICULAR GUIDE

Curriculum Code: 113
(Includes all courses in Part I and others as indicated below.)
(Taken by full-time student trainees and part-time student
trainees interested in career mobility.)

Teacher Assistant, One-year Certificate
(Part II: Teacher Assistant)

 

Course
Number

SPS
ED
ED

ED

101
150
101
102
201
101
121

250
103
202
201
122

BASIC PROGRAM

 

Course Credit
Title Hours

Fall Term

Orientation (optional)
Introduction to Education
Curriculum Reinforcement
Curriculum Reinforcement
Teacher Aide Practicum
Social Science I

Freshman English

H
thbh»hlh‘hlhahd

Winter Term

Masterpieces of Am. Lit.
Curriculum Reinforcement
Teacher Aide Practicum
Introduction to Psychology
Freshman English

|h~&-ulhfiu)

p—o
9‘1

(19)

Course
Number

SPH
PSY
ED

ENG

200

104
204
104
203
123

124

Course Credit
Title Hours
Spring Term
Arith. Foundations (5)
or
Principles of Speech 3
Educational Psychology 3
Curriculum Reinforcement 1
Teacher Aide Practicum 3
Freshman English 4
or
Freshman English _1
14 (16)

MINIMW TOTALeeeeeeeeeeeeeee47

All practicum courses include one hour formal class meeting and approximately ten
hours directed field experience in the schools per week.

 

Students desiring to change their curriculum are required to consult with a
counselor in Counseling Services.

NEW GUIDE PREPARED: July 29, 1970

/3d

134

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CURRICULAR GUIDE

Curriculum: Teacher Assistant, Associate Degree
(Part III: Teacher Associate)

Curriculum Code: 114
(Includes all courses in Parts I and II, and others as indicated
below.)
(Taken by full-time student trainees and part-time student trainees
interested in career mobility.)

 

W

Course Course Credit Course Course Credit
Nud>er Title Hours Nxmber Title Hours
Fall Term Fall Term
SPS lOl Orientation (1) NS 101 Botany-Zoology 4
ED 150 Introduction to Education 3 HUM 201 Western Civilization I 4
ED 101 Curriculum Reinforcement 3 ENG 230 Intro. to Eng. Ling. 3
ED 102 Curriculum Reinforcement l GEO 201 World Regional Geography _1
ED 201 Teacher Aide Practicum 3 15
ENG 121 Freshman English 4
SS 101 Social Science I _2' Winter Term
18 (19)
PBS 212 Pound. of Bio. Science 4
Winter Term NS 102 Chemistry-Physics 4
HUM 202 Western Civilization II 4
ENG 250 Masterpieces of Am. Lit. 3 SS 102 Social Science II _11
ED 103 Curriculum Reinforcement l 16
as 202 Teacher Practicum 3
PSY 201 Intro. to Psychology 4 Spring Term
ENG 122 Freshman English _11
S FPS 21l Found. of Physical Sci. 4
SS 103 Social Science III 4
s ri Term HUM 203 Western Civilization III 4
NS 103 Astronomy-Geology _2
MTH 200 Arith. Foundations (5) 16

or
SPH 104 Principles of Speech 3 MINIMUM TOTAL..............94
ED 104 Curriculum Reinforcement 1
ED 203 Teacher Aide Practicum 3
PSY 204 Educational Psychology 3
ENG 123 Freshman English 4
or
ENG 124 Freshman English 4

'17 (16)

All practicum courses include one hour formal class meeting and approximately ten
hours directed field experience in the schools per week.

Students who eventually plan to complete a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education,
should discuss with a counselor: (l) ‘dditional required courses, (2) majors and
minors, and (3) admission requirements at four-year colleges and universities early
i2 pp: academic prggram.

 

Students desiring to change their curriculum are required to consult with a counselor
in Counseling Services.

REPLACES GUIDE DATED JULY 29, 1970 REVISED October 1, 1971

APPENDIX B

QUESTIONNAIRES

PROGRAM EVALUATION FORM (PEF)

STUDENT TRAINEES

This survey is made to assist in the evaluation of the Teacher
Assistant Program.

As you know, this is a new program and your reponse as a trainee is
very important.

You do not have to sign your name, but please be sure to circle the
number which best indicates the category you are in as a trainee
(if not one of these, please describe your situation on the back of
the questionnaire).

(1) EPDA funded (2) Regular LCC student--10 hrs. per term, min.
(3) Not EPDA, teacher aide

For each of the items listed in this scale, circle the letters that
best indicate the strength of your agreement or disagreement.

sex

SA = You strongly agree with the statement.
You agree with the statement.

- You neither agree nor disagree.

You disagree with the statement.

You strongly disagree with the statement.

UUZ’
I

THE TEACHER ASSISTANT PROGRAM:

1. developed my sensitivity and insight into the
role of the teacher aide in the classroom....... SA A N D SD

2. develOped my sensitivity and insight into the
teaCherB. r018...OIIOOOOOOOOOOOOIOCOOIOOOOOOO... SA A N D SD

3. enabled me to develop insight into assisting

teachers in the task of developing pupil
learningOIOOOO0..0.0.0.000...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOO SA A N D SD

135

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

136

prepared me to act as an instructional aide and
to be an effective member of a classroom team...

enabled me to develOp specific teaching skills..
enabled me to refine teaching skills............

permitted me to work with children in ways that
made possible better utilization of the
professional training of the teacher............

enabled me to develOp insight into curriculum
structure and develOpment.......................

has helped me to begin developing a meaningful
philOSOphy of education.........................

has enabled me to develop insight into the
social structure of the schools.................

has enabled me to apply theories learned in
college classes to practice in the classroom
and to note their effects.......................

developed my sensitivity and insight into the
needs and nature of children....................

enabled me to make a more intelligent career
decision by allowing me to take into account
the realities of the classroom..................

developed insight into myself as a teacher-

trbeCOOCOOOOOOO00.000.00.00...OOOOOOOCOOOOIOOOO

has strengthened my commitment to teaching......

The realities of classroom life were often a
rude BhOCk to m...OOOIOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOO0....

SA A N D

SA A N D
SA A N D
SA A N D

SA A N D

SA A N D

SA A N D
SA A N D
SA A N D
SA A N D
SA A N D
SA A N D

SA A N D

Part II. Directions: Please circle the appropriate letters indi-
cating the strength of your agreement or
disagreement with the statements below.

IN MY OPINION:

17.

18.

children in the schools benefit through the
assistance given them by the Teacher
Agaistant traineeOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00.00.000.000...

the incorporation of an educational career
develOpment ladder, from teacher aide through
teacher associate, is highly desirable..........

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SA A N D SD

SA A N D

SD

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

Part

25.

26.

27.

137

practical experience with children provides

a level of psychological insight into their

behavior far greater than can be acquired

through reading about children.................. SA A N

the education and training of pre-teaching

candidates would be improved if the lower

divisions (freshman and sophomore years) of all
universities and colleges incorporated programs

like the Teacher Assistant Program.............. SA A N

the significant amount of early practical
training in the schools is highly desirable if
one is planning on teaching as a career......... SA A N

theory and practice tended to grow together as
a result of my personal experience as a
participant in the Teacher Assistant Program.... SA A N

all other things equal, a prospective teacher

with experience as a teacher aide through the

Teacher Assistant Program should be given

preference when applying for a teaching position SA A N

programs such as the Teacher Assistant Program

provide means by which genuine cooperation

between the public schools and the teacher

preparation institutions can be developed....... SA A N

III. Directions: The following items are open questions.
Please give your frank opinion.

As you see it, what are the chief strengths of the Teacher
Assistant Program?

What are the chief (major) problems you have had with the
Teacher Assistant Program?

What suggestions would you make for improvement?

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

138

PROGRAM EVALUATION FORM (PEF)

CLASSROOM TEACHERS OF STUDENT TRAINEES

This survey is made to assist in the evaluation of the Teacher
Assistant Program.

As a teacher, you have had an LCC trainee under your supervision for
some time. As you know, the Teacher Assistant Program is fairly new
and therefore your responses to the questions below are especially
important.

For each of the items listed in this scale, circle the letters that
best indicate the strength of your agreement or disagreement.

sex

SA You strongly agree with the statement.
You agree with the statement.

You neither agree nor disagree.

You disagree with the statement.

You strongly disagree with the statement.

0‘2 5
llllllll

SD

BASED ON MY OBSERVATIONS, THE TEACHER ASSISTANT PROGRAM:

1. developed the trainee's sensitivity and
insight into the role of the teacher aide
1.»an Classroom00000000OOIOIOOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOO SA A N D

2. developed the trainee's sensitivity and
insight into the teacher's role................. SA A N D

3. enabled the trainee to develop insight into
assisting teachers in the task of developing
pupil learning.OOOOOOOOOIOOOIOOOOOOOOOO000...... SA A N D

4. prepared the trainee to act as an instructional
aide and to be an effective member of a class-
rwm temOOOOOOCOOOO0.0.0.000...00....00.0.00... SA A N D

SD

SD

SD

SD

10.

ll.

12.

l3.

14.

15.

16.

139

enabled the trainee to develop specific
tBEChj-ng SkiIISOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.000...OOOOOOIOOO SA A N D SD

enabled the trainee to refine teaching skills... SA A N D SD

permitted the trainee to work with children in
ways that made possible better utilization of
the professional training of the teacher........ SA A N D SD

enabled the trainee to develop insight into
curriculum structure and development............ SA A N D SD

has helped the trainee to begin developing a
meaningful philosophy of education.............. SA A N D SD

has helped the trainee to develOp insight into
the social structure of the schools............. SA A N D SD

has enabled the trainee to apply theories
learned in college classes to practice in the
classroom and to note their effects............. SA A N D SD

has developed the trainee's sensitivity and
insight into the needs and nature of children... SA A N D SD

enabled the trainee to make a more intelligent
career decision by allowing him or her to take
into account the realities of the classroom..... SA A N D SD

develOped the trainee's insight into himself
(herself) as a teaCher-to-be000000.00.000.000... SA A N D SD

strengthened the trainee's commitment to
tQCChingeeeeeeoeeeeeeeeoeeeoooeeeeeeeeeeeooeoeoo SA A N D SD

The realities of the classroom were often a
rude shock for the trainee...................... SA A N D SD

Part II. Direction: Please circle the apprOpriate letters indicating

the strength of your agreement or disagreement
with the statements below.

IN MY OPINION:

17.

18.

children in the schools benefited through
the assistance given them by the Teacher
ASSistant trainee...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... SA A N D SD

the incorporation of an educational career
development ladder, from teacher aide through
teacher associate, is highly desirable.......... SA A N D SD

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

Part

25.

26.

27.

140

the trainee's practical experience with
children provides a level of psychological
insight into their behavior far greater than
can be acquired through reading about children..

the education and training of pre-teaching
candidates would be improved if the lower
divisions (freshman and sophomore years) of all
universities and colleges incorporated programs
like the Teacher Assistant Program..............

‘the significant amount of early practical

training in the schools is highly desirable if
one is planning on teaching as a career.........

theory and practice tended to grow together as
a result of the trainee's personal experience as
a participant in the Teacher Assistant Program..

all other things equal, a prospective teacher
with experience as a teacher aide through the
Teacher Assistant Program should be given
preference when applying for a teaching position

programs such as the Teacher Assistant Program
provide means by which genuine cooperation
between the public schools and the teacher
preparation institutions can be develOped.......

SA A N
SA A N
SA A N
SA A N
SA A N
SA A N

III. Directions: The following items are Open questions.

Please give your frank Opinion.

As you see it, what are the chief strengths of the Teacher

Assistant Program?

What are the chief (major) problems you have had with the

Teacher Assistant Program?

What suggestions would you make for improvement?

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

This survey is made to assist in the evaluation of the Teacher

141

PROGRAM EVALUATION FORM (PEF)

BUILDING PRINCIPALS, ADMINISTRATORS,

AND COLLEGE INSTRUCTORS

Assistant Program.

For each of the items listed in this scale, circle the letters that
best indicate the strength of your agreement or disagreement.

Key
SA = You strongly agree with the statement.
A = You agree with the statement.
N = You neither agree nor disagree.
D = You disagree with the statement.

SD = You strongly disagree with the statement.

BASED ON MY OBSERVATIONS, THE TEACHER ASSISTANT PROGRAM:

1.

develops the trainee's sensitivity and insight
into the role of the teacher aide in the
Classrm.00....OOOOOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

develops the trainee's sensitivity and insight
into the teaCher.S rOIeOOOOOOOOO0.00.00.00.00...

enables the trainee to develOp insight into
assisting teachers in the task of developing
Pupil learningOOOOOOOIOOOOOOO0.0.000000000000000

prepares the trainee to act as an instructional
aide and to be an effective member of a class-
rom temOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOOOOO

enables the trainee to develop specific
teaChing SkiIISOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0000ICOOIOO...

enables the trainee to refine teaching skills...

SA

SA

SA

SA

SA

SA

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

10.

ll.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

142

permits the trainee to work with children in
ways that make possible better utilization of
the professional training of the teacher........ SA A N D SD

enables the trainee to develop insight into
curriculum structure and develOpment............ SA A N D SD

helps the trainee to begin developing a
meaningful philosOphy of education.............. SA A N D SD

helps the trainee to develop insight into the
social structure of the schools................. SA A N D SD

enables the trainee to apply theories learned
in college classes to practice in the class-
room and to note their effects.................. SA A N D SD

develops the trainee's sensitivity and insight
into the needs and nature of children........... SA A N D SD

enables the trainee to make a more intelligent
career decision by allowing him or her to take
into account the realities of the classroom..... SA A N D SD

develops the trainee's insight into himself
(herself) as a teaCher-to-beeeeeee00000000000000 SA A N D SD

strengthens the trainee's commitment to
teaChj-ngl.OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.000...IO... SA A N D SD

The realities of the classroom are often a
rude Shook for the traineeCOOOOOOOOO00.0.0000... SA A N D SD

Part II. Directions: Please circle the approPriate letters indicat-

ing the strength of your agreement or disagree-
ment with the statements below.

IN MY OPINION:

17.

18.

19.

children in the schools benefited through the
assistance given them by the Teacher
Agaistant traineeOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00.00.00.0000.. SA A N D SD

the incorporation of an educational career
develOpment ladder, from teacher aide through
teacher associate, is highly desirable.......... SA A N D SD

the trainee's practical experience with

children provides a level of psychological

insight into their behavior far greater than
can be acquired through reading about children.. SA A N D SD

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

Part

25.

26.

27.

143

the education and training of pre-teaching

candidates would be improved if the lower

divisions (freshman and sophomore years) of

all universities and colleges incorporated

programs like the Teacher Assistant Program..... SA A N

the significant amount of early practical
training in the schools is highly desirable if
one is planning on teaching as a career......... SA A N

theory and practice tends to grow together as a
result of the trainee's personal experience as
a participant in the Teacher Assistant Program.. SA A N

all other things equal, a prospective teacher

with experience as a teacher aide through the

Teacher Assistant Program should be given

preference when applying for a teaching
position........................................ SA A N

programs such as the Teacher Assistant Program

provide means by which genuine cooperation

between the public schools and teacher prepa-

ration institutions can be developed............ SA A N

III. Directions: The following items are open questions.
Please give your frank opinion.

As you see it, what are the chief strengths of the Teacher
Assistant Program?

What are the chief (major) problems you have had with the
Teacher Assistant Program?

What suggestions would you make for improvement?

SD

SD

SD

SD

SD

APPENDIX C

PEF COMMENTS BY REFERENT GROUP

 

 

 

' I... II. 'Jl‘I‘ ‘1

APPENDIX C

PEF COMMENTS BY REFERENT GROUP

TABLE C-l.--Strengths of Program as Perceived by Bach

Referent Group.

 

 

 

 

 

Number Strength
A. Full-time Student Trainees (N = 29)*
10 Tests interest in teaching.

7 Applies theoretical (formal)learning.

3 Benefits children; more help available.

1 Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

1 Being able to assume early responsibility.

1 Knowing teachers (instructional staff).

2 All good about the program.

1 Audio-visual training.

3 Access to particular kind of school and/or
particular age of children as test of
interest in teaching.

1 No comment.

B. Part-time Student Trainees,
Inservice Aides (N = l7)*

1 Tests interest in teaching.

4 Applies theoretical (formal learning.

3 Benefits children; more help available.

1 Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

1 Audio-visual training.

1 Learn substantive material (subject matter
made interesting).

1 Learn about teaching methods

144

145

TABLE C-l.--Continued

 

 

Number Strength

1 Learn about the role of the teacher
assistant.

2 Learn about children; teacher-student
relationships.

1 Student-to-student interaction in college
classes.

1 No comment.

 

C. Part-time Student Trainees, EPDA (N = 54)*

 

w HMU‘I-‘ubNI-‘H a: now PH (.0me

Tests interest in teaching.

Applies theoretical (formal) learning.

Benefits children; more help available.

Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

Audio-visual training.

Learn substantive material (subject matter
made interesting).

Learn about teaching methods.

Learn about the role of the teacher
assistant.

Learn about children; teacher-student
relationships.

Work in a multi-racial setting.

Having a job (guaranteed income).

Earn while learning.

Applied theoretical (formal) learning.

All good.

No comment.

Knowing teachers (instructional staff).

Student-to-student interaction in college
classes.

Enhanced self-concept.

 

D. Classroom Teachers Full—time
Student Trainees (N = 39)*

 

PM (”:50

Tests interest in teaching.

Benefits children; more help available.

Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

Learn about teaching methods.

Learn about the role of the teacher
assistant.

146

TABLE C-l.--Continued

 

Number

Strength

 

mru Ia F‘ hah' a; ta N

Learn about children; teacher-student
relationships.

Help for the teacher, permits greater use of
professional abilities.

Exposes trainee to many different types of
children.

Exposes trainee to different teaching styles.

Continuity: aide is able to follow through
on projects.

Enables trainee to work in many areas of the
classroom.

Helps trainee to see how to adapt activities
to fit individual needs.

Trainees bring in and share new ideas.

Learn about children; abilities and disa-
bilities, characteristics.

 

Classroom Teachers Part-time Student Trainees,

Inservice Aides (N = 30)*

 

H NH :5 to PM waQ

Tests interest in teaching.

Applies theoretical (formal) learning.

Benefits children; more help available.

Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

Learn about teaching methods.

Learn about the role of the teacher
assistant.

Learn about children; teacher-student
relationships.

Help for the teacher, permits greater use
of professional abilities.

Trainees bring in and share new ideas.

Learn about children; abilities and disa-
bilities, characteristics.

No comment.

 

 

‘ A

 

 

147

TABLE C-l.--Continued.

 

Number

Strength

 

F.

Classroom Teachers Part-time Trainees,

Student EPDA (N = 54)*

 

Tests interest in teaching.

Applies theoretical (formal) learning.

Benefits children; more help available.

Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

Learn about teaching methods.

Learn about the role of the teacher
assistant.

Learn about children; teacher-student
relationships.

Help for the teacher, permits greater use
of professional abilities.

Improve trainee's self-image.

Gives trainee a career opportunity.

Gives minority group members an opportunity
to work in schools with children of similar
backgrounds who can identify with them.

Learn about children; abilities and disa-
bilities, characteristics.

No comment.

 

Building Principals--Full-time Student
Trainees (N = l4)*

 

I-' H N NNl-‘UI

Tests interest in teaching.

Applies theoretical (formal) learning.

Benefits children; more help available.

Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

Help for the teacher, permits greater use
of professional abilities.

Learn about children; abilities, disa-
bilities and characteristics.

All good.

 

148

TABLE C-l.--Continued.

 

Number

Strength

 

Building Principals--Part-time Student

Trainees, Inservice Aides (N = 16)*

 

HHHH H H H w H H HHHN

Tests interest in teaching.

Applies theoretical (formal)learning.

Benefits children; more help available.

Gives trainee an opportunity to work with
an experienced teacher.

Provides trainee with meaningful classroom
experience.

Help for the teacher, permits greater use of
professional abilities.

Helps trainee learn about the role of the
teacher assistant.

Helps trainee learn about the role of the
teacher.

Helps trainee to begin developing a meaning-
ful philosophy of education.

Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

All good about the program.

No comment.

Audio-visual.

All Good.

 

I.

Building Principals--Part-time Student

Trainees, EPDA (N = 18)*

 

U N l-‘N WNW

Tests interest in teaching.

Benefits children; more help available.

Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

Learning about teaching methods.

Learn about children; teacher-student
relationships.

Learn about children; abilities, disa-
bilities and characteristics.

. Help for the teacher; permits greater use

of professional abilities.

 

149

TABLE C-1.--Continued.

 

Number

Strength

 

J.

Administrators and College Instructors

(N = 63)*

 

H N H HI—‘l—‘H H N 01 UIN U'IUIQU'I

HNHH H w

Tests interest in teaching.

Applies theoretical (formal) learning.

Benefits children; more help available.

Acquire understanding of school and its
problems.

Learning about teaching methods.

Learning about children; abilities, disa-
bilities, characteristics.

Help for the teacher; permits greater use of
professional abilities.

Helps define the role of the aide in the
classroom.

Opportunity to work with experienced
teacher over time.

Improves trainee's self-concept.

Better prepares aides to work with children.

The intrOSpection which results for trainee.

Early differentiation of potentially
successful teachers.

Well-defined curriculum with in—service
training.

Learn about the role of the teacher,
anticipatory socialization.

Provides some insight and practical
approaches of value to the Lansing
classroom teachers using the aide.

Closer alliance between teacher training
institutions and public schools.

Allows student the Opportunity to know if
she wants to be an aide.

Sincere and strong counseling program.

All good.

No comment.

Career opportunity for qualified people.

 

*
Some respondents made more than one comment.

150

TABLE C-2.--Chief (Major) Problems with the Program as

Perceived by Each Referent Group.

 

 

 

Number Problem
A. Full-time Student Trainees
(N = 18)*

1 Communication with school classroom teachers.

1 Communication with college instructors.

1 Lack of orientation session before going
into school classroom.

1 College classes should be held for EPDA
trainees separately.

1 Teachers unprepared for trainee, do not know
how to use one.

1 Lack of freedom to apply concepts learned
in college classes to classroom situation.

2 Having a classroom situation suited for an
aide.

1 College classes irrelevant.

1 Curriculum Reinforcement class, ED 101, too
lengthy.

l Trainees should be paid for assisting in
classrooms.

1 Program limited primarily to Lansing area.

3 No Problems.

1 No comment.

2 Finding a job as a teacher aide or assistant.

 

B. Part-time Student Trainees,
Inservice Aides (N = 10)*

 

NM H H l-‘N

Communication with school classroom teachers.

Teachers unprepared for trainee, do not
know how to use one.

Not enough time for discussion in college
classes.

Trying to see the viewpoints of the younger
students in college classes.

No problems.

No comment.

 

151

TABLE C-2.--Continued.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Number Problem
C. Part-time Student Trainees, EPDA
(N = 24)*

4 Communication with school classroom teachers.

3 Teachers unprepared for trainee; do not know
how to use one.

1 No acceptance by teachers.

1 College classes difficult.

2 Need loans or grants to continue education.

6 No problems.

7 No comment.

D. Classroom Teachers--Full-time Student

Trainees (N 2 l4)*

2 Lack of preparation-planning time with
trainee.

1 Lack of background information on trainee.

l Trainee confused by conflicts in teaching
method advocated by classroom teacher as
against college instructor.

2 Conflict with personality of the trainee.

1 Not enough trainees to meet teacher requests.

1 Trainee's unsure of the authority, incon-
sistent in exercise.

3 No problems.

3 No comment.

E. Classroom Teachers-~Part-time Student Trainees,
Inservice Aides (N = lO)*

1 Communication with trainee.

1 Lack of job description of guidelines on use
of trainees.

1 Lack of adequate supervision by college
personnel.

1 Disparity between theory taught in college
classes and practice in certain school
structures. 7

1 Difficulty in determining balance between
obligations to the school classroom and
college studies on part of the trainee.

5 No problems.

 

152

TABLE C-2.--Continued.

 

Number

Problem

 

F.

Classroom Teachers--Part-time Student
Trainees, EPDA (N = 42)*

 

HwHH H mu H HbHNU Hwem wN

Communication with trainee.

Lack of job description or guidelines on
use of trainee.

Trainee weak in basic skill areas.

Absenteeism and tardiness.

Trainee unsure of authority in the classroom.

Lack of adequate supervision by college
personnel.

Trainee weak in classroom discipline.

College classes not appropriate.

Evaluation of trainees inadequate.

Trainees not adequately screened.

Trainee's personal problems interfered with
classroom obligations.

Trainee failed to follow through with
directions.

Teachers unprepared to properly use trainees.

Lack of communication between college and
classroom teachers.

DrOpping aide after only one year of college
course work.

Trainee left early for college classes.

College work load too heavy.

Phonics, math weak.

School administration.

 

G.

Building Principals--Full-time Student
Trainees (N = 6)*

 

UMP

Lack of planning time with classroom teachers.
Trying to get enough trainees.
No problems.

 

H.

Building Principals--Part-time Student

Trainees, Inservice Aides (N = 7)*

 

NHH N H

Human relations between teacher and teacher
assistants. ~

Lack of professional attitude on part of
trainee.

Aides pessimistic; try too much too soon.

No problems.

No comments.

 

i! 1"! l‘ll1‘l'll1ll!lllll.|l

 

153

TABLE C-2.--Continued.

 

 

 

 

Number Problem
I. Building Principals--Part-time Student
Trainees, EPDA (N = 15)*

3 Absenteeism-tardiness.

1 Communication with trainee.

2 Lack of adequate contact with college
personnel.

1 Trainee unsure of self in classroom.

1 Trainee failed to follow through with
program once started.

1 Conflicts in philosophy of education.

1 InapprOpriate dress.

1 Trainee lacked ability to accept responsi-
bility, suggestions, and constructive
criticism.

2 No problems.

1 No comments.

1 Curriculum irrelevant.

J. Administrators and College Instructors

(N = 26)*

 

l-‘Nl-‘l-‘NNHUJ

g.»

Human relations and communication between
trainee and teacher.

Lack of planning time for teacher and
trainee together.

Clear role definitions for trainee working
with teacher.

Teachers knowing how to work with trainees.

Trainees leaving classroom early to attend
college classes.

How to involve college students to work in
a variety of schools.

Lack of scholarships to continue college
training and education.

Aides trained separately have conflicts
with teachers who have not been exposed
to same inputs.

Teachers feel jobs are threatened by use of
aides in classrooms.

Not enough college trainees for use in
schools.

Low income aides working with middle-class
teachers.

154

TABLE C-2.--Continued.

 

 

Number Problem
2 Professionalism lacking somewhat-~absenteeism
and tardiness.
1 Student scheduling and follow-up data lacking.
1 No problems.
4 No comments.

 

*Some respondents made more than one comment.

155

TABLE C-3.--Suggestions for Improving Program Offered by

Bach Referent Group.

 

Number

Suggestion

 

A. Full-time Student Trainees
(N = 25)*

 

H ha rd ta H F‘

Prepare classroom teachers and adminis-
trators on effective use of teacher aide
or trainee.

More communication between the college and
the schools.

Have teachers and aides take the same class
on concerning aide role.

Clear guidelines and job descriptions on the
role of trainee.

Match personalities of trainee and teacher
to minimize conflict.

Get feedback on program and update it con-
tinually. _

Obtain planning time for trainee and teacher
to get together.

Increase supervision and observation from
the college.

Increase practicum class time to discuss
behavioral problems.

Strengthen curriculum by emphasizing basic
skills and methods of teaching phonics,
math, and reading to slow learners.

Stress value of program to new students
intending to transfer to a four-year
college.

Shorten Audio-visual classes.

Require that all students going into education
take the program.

Have a refresher course for trainees who have
graduated from the program.

Make classes more relevant.

Have students see admission director at
school they will transfer to.

 

B. Part-time Student Trainees,
Inservice Aides (N = ll)*

 

Prepare classroom teachers on effective use
of aides.

Strengthen curriculum by emphasizing methods
of teaching phonics, math, and reading.

156

TABLE C-3.--Continued.

 

Number Suggestion

 

Increase practicum class time to discuss
behavioral problems.

More detailed information on record-
keeping and grading.

Where possible, retain aide beyond one year
in the same building.

Schedule more college classes at the end of
the school day.

No suggestions.

No comment.

are as F’ F4 be

 

C. Part-time Student Trainees, EPDA
(N = 32)*

 

b

Prepare classroom teachers on the effective
use of trainees.

Obtain clear guidelines and job descriptions
on the role of the aide for each grade
level.

Strengthen curriculum by emphasizing phonics,
Math, and reading and basic skills.

Obtain better human relations and communi—
cation with teachers.

Increase use of teacher aides in the class-
room.

Increase teacher participation in the
program.

Obtain financial assistance for trainees so
they may continue education beyond one
year.

Retain practicum teacher and social science
instructor.

Have orientation and familiarization session
when students first meet each other in
college classes.

No suggestions.

No comment.

Not work on the day college classes are held.

Increase visits to schools by college super-
Visor.

a: u» rd )d S. h‘ u:

H

NHO‘W

 

157

TABLE C-3.--Continued.

 

Number

Suggestion

 

D.

Classroom Teachers--Full-time Student
Trainees (N = l3)*

 

Ia H h‘ P“ ta ta N

H

huava id

Obtain planning time for trainee and
teacher.

Ensure a smooth match between personalities
of teacher and trainee.

Increase communication between college and
the schools.

Increase contact between the college super-
visor and trainee.

Lengthen time trainee is in the classroom in
the schools.

Ensure that aides are placed in academic
areas where they feel secure.

Increase flexibility by allowing trainee to
change schools, teachers, or grade level
if desired.

Provide specific ”brush up" courses in new
math concepts and English grammar for those
who have been out of school for a while.

Encourage trainees to ask more questions
before starting on their own.

No suggestions.

No comments.

All good.

 

E.

Classroom Teachers--Part-time Student
Trainees, Inservice Aides (N = l3)*

 

Hra rd N

Hens: r» Id

Provide clear guidelines and job descriptions
on the role of the trainee.

Provide background information on each
trainee.

Obtain planning time for teacher and trainee.

Permit trainee, at teacher's discretion, to
see the child's file, in order to enhance
understanding of child.

Increase communication between college
supervisor, teacher, and trainees.

Extend training time in classroom for the
trainee.

No suggestions.

No comments.

All good.

 

158

TABLE C-3.--Continued.

 

Number

Suggestion

 

F.

Classroom Teachers--Part-time Student

Trainees, EPDA (N = 41)*

 

éQl—‘NNUIBH

IH P‘ rauna P‘ to w

Obtain more planning time for teacher and
trainee.

Provide clear guidelines and job descriptions
on the role of the trainee.

Prepare classroom teachers on the effective
use of trainees.

Increase teacher participation in the pro-
gram.

Increase communication with the college
supervisor.

Have teachers evaluate more often and use the
information.

Require a more selective screening process in
trainee selection.

Provide "specific brush up" courses in new
math concepts, English grammar for those
who have been out of school for a while.

Require that the college supervisor spend
more time in the school classrooms.

Ensure an appropriate match between person-
alities of teacher and the trainee.

Ensure appropriate match of trainee to grade
level.

Emphasize methods in phonics and math skills.

Make courses more relevant.

Allow teachers to observe a class to see
what trainees are taught.

Get aides off Title I so they can be placed
in all rooms.

Have trainee keep a file of learning activi-
ties and games in order to help slow
learners.

Trainee should not become assistant until
she is able and willingt:o do the work
expected of her under the program.

Ensure standards of college re maintained.

Follow one trainee group through two years,
instead of training new group for one year.

 

159

TABLE C-3.--Continued.

 

Number

Suggestion

 

G.

Building Principals--Full-time Student

Trainees (N = 8)*

 

Hrah-

wraho ha

Obtain planning time for trainee and teacher.

Stress being punctual.

Increase communication and contact with
college supervisor concerning placement
of trainee and follow through.

Increase observation time by college
supervisor.

Increase time trainee is in school classroom.

No suggestions.

All Good.

 

H.

Building Principals--Part-time Student
Trainees, Inservice Aides (N = 10)*

 

HHHH HHHH HH

Increase time trainee is in school classrooms.

Stress positive reinforcement concept of
discipline.

Increase opportunity for feedback.

Emphasize human relationships.

Stress obligations attached to position.

Ensure selected trainees have an interest
in children.

Continue and expand.

Increase teacher training.

No suggestions.

No comments.

 

I.

Building Principals--Part-time Student

Trainees, EPDA (N = 8)*

 

H H H H HH N

Provide clear guidelines and job descriptions
on role of trainee.

Increase contact with college supervisor.

Increase teacher participation in instruc-
tional planning and teaching.

Have the teacher and teacher aides attend
all workshops together.

Increase communication with college instruc-
tors.

Stress importance of beong on the job every
day.

Upgrade preparation of trainees so that they
will better understand demands that will
be made upon them.

160

TABLE C-3.--Continued.

 

Number

Suggestion

 

J.

Administrators and College Instructors

(N = 35)*

 

h‘ id be ta P‘ re a» P‘ F‘ Id h‘ ya IH P‘ re

Hfd

Provide clear guidelines and job descriptions
on the role of the trainee.

Prepare classroom teachers for effective use
of trainees.

Provide an upgraded session on orientation
to the schools.

Provide a planning period for teacher and
trainee.

Provide follow-up information from trainees
and teachers involved in the program.

Plan sensitivity sessions, including both
teachers and trainees, early in the year.

Provide background information on each
trainee for the teacher.

Increase communication and contact with
college personnel.

Increase time trainee spends in the school
classroom.

Provide specific ”brush up" courses in basic
skills, new math concepts, and phonics for
"disadvantaged” trainees.

Develop teacher aide competencies and award
credit when student performance reaches the
appropriate level.

Include a Child Growth and DevelOpment course
in the curriculum.

Less reliance on lecture method in college
classes.

Admit a maximum of fifteen students to
practicum classes.

Provide a partial contract for released time
in the schools to coordinate the program.

Strengthen ED 101 by including puppets,
finger play, and action rhythms.

Focus teaching on generic teaching skills.
Possibly use MSU Clinical Teaching Module.

Emphasize professional attributes early in
the program and follow through with checks
and reminders.

Increase field trips to innovative schools.

Increase college student participation in
the program.

161

TABLE C-3.--Continued.

 

 

Number Suggestion
1 Ensure that trainees selected have a genuine
interest in children.
1 Increase supervision of trainee.
1 No suggestions.
3 No comments.
1 Supply evaluations by cooperating teachers

or coordinator of each aide for their
programs folder. Include dependability,
attendance, skills, weaknesses.

 

*Some respondents made more than one comment.

APPENDIX D

MATERIALS GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS IN

REFERENT GROUPS

 

Serving "It Moon
0' Michigan

ccansing Community College

 

“9 N. CAPITOL AVE, lANSlNG, MlCHIGAN 489“

May 25, 1972

Dear

The enclosed questionnaire is designed to assist in the evaluation of
the Teacher Assistant Program. Permission has been obtained from the
Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Dr. Robert J. Chamberlain,
and the Director of Elementary Education, Miss Grace Van Wert, to
distribute questionnaires to building principals and teachers con-
cerned.

The specific purposes of the questionnaire are: to learn to what
extent the program is perceived as meeting certain specific objectives;
to assist the instructors in the evaluation of the total program; to
gain new ideas and information concerning improvement of the courses
and other activities.

I would appreciate your cooperation in completing the questionnaire,
and returning it by June 6 or as soon as possible, using the attached
addressed envelope. I would be most happy to send you a copy of the
results of this survey as soon as it is completed.

Thank you for your assistance in this project.

Sincerely yours,

Aaron L. Steenbergen
Adviser, Teacher Assistant Program
Social Science Department

162

Curriculum:

Curriculum Code: lld

LANSING COH‘IUNITY COLLEGE

163

CURRICULAR WIDE

Teacher Assistant, Elementary, Associate Degree
(Part III: Teacher Associate)

 

Course

E

 

In
888
.

B§aa§

101
150
101
102
201
101
121

250
103
202
201
122

200

104
204

ID 104

MTH
SPH
PSY

ID
BIG

203
123

O!
124

Course Credit
Title 1%
tall Term

Orientation (Optional)
Introduction to Education
Curriculum Reinforcement
Curriculum Reinforcement
Teacher Aide Practicum
Social Science I
Freshman English

Winter Term
Masterpieces of Am. Lit.

Curriculum Reinforcement
Teacher Aide Practicum

Introduction to Psychology

freshman English

Sgging Term
Arithmetic foundations

or

Principles of Speech
Educational Psychology
Curriculum Reinforcement
Teacher Aide Practicum

Preshman English

H
mJa-a»onr-e»unr-

(l9)

‘UPU

H
«I.

(5)

UFO-DU

.1.
14 (16)

101
201
230
201

212
102
202
102

211

203
103

Course Credit
Title Hours

Pall Term

Botany-Zoology

Western Civilization I
Intro to Eng. Lin.
World Regional Geography

p
uJa»upe»a.

Winter Term

Pound of Rio. Science
Chemistry-Physics
Western Civilization II
Social Science II

5“a»a.a»a.

Spring Term

Pound of Phy. Science
Social Science III
Western Civilisation III

Astronomy-Geology

5d.......

MINI” NTn00000000000009‘

All practict- courses include one hour formal class meeting and approximately ten hours
directed field experience in the schools P0! "POR-

Students who eventually plan to complete a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, should

discuss with a counselor:

(1) additional required courses, (2) majors and minors, and (3)

admission requirements at four-year colleges and universities early in the academic grggram.

 

Students desiring to change their curriculum are required to consult with a counselor in
Counseling Services.

164

TEACHER
ASSISTANT

LANSING COMMUNITY COLLEGE

 

APPENDIX E

TYPES OF SCHOOL PARAPROFESSIONALS

APPENDIX E

TYPES OF SCHOOL PARAPROFESSIONALS

MEMO #2 From the Paraprofessional Study-ESEA, III
Wayne County Intermediate School District
1500 Guardian Building, Detroit, Michigan 48226
224-5595

Serving as a teacher aide is only one of many differ-
ent types of school paraprofessional. The Paraprofessional
Study has identified twenty-six positions which may help
in understanding the concept of paraprofessionalism and
how trained non-certificated persons can contribute to
strengthening a school's educational program. Some
positions may overlap; some may not be included, but these
brief descriptions may sharpen your thinking about one
educational practice offering short and long range solu-
tions to some of our most pressing problems relating to
staff practices and improved instruction.

The identification of positions must precede what is
the second step: the identification of observable tasks
to be performed by the paraprofessional, and step three:
the fashioning of a curriculum for training paraprofes-
sionals to carry out their assignments. The Paraprofes-
sional Study is investigating these three steps.

 

1. Classroom Aide
per orms clerical, monitorial, and teacher re-
enforcement tasks under the direct supervision
of the classroom teacher.

2. Audio-Visual Technician
inventories, stores, performs simple mainte-
nance tasks, and operates audio-visual equip-
ment; may also assist as a stage manager.

165

10.

166

School Counselor's Aide
periorms clerical, monitorial, and counseling
reenforcement tasks under the direction of the
counselor.

School Lunchroom Aide
supervises lunchfoom according to school prac-
tices during lunch periods; maintains order,
helps children when assistance is needed, works
with administration and teachers to improve
procedures; supervises after-lunch playground
or special activities.

General School Aide
perfbrms a variety of school duties as assigned
by principal, assistant principal, or designated
teacher; may assist at doors and in halls, office,
bookstore, library, clinic, classroom, but is not
assigned to a single station.

School Community Aide
acts as a liaison person between the school and
the community by informing parents of school and
community services and by informing teachers of
community problems and special needs.

School Hospitality Aide
receives parents who visit the school and under
the direction of the principal conducts the
parent to where the parent may meet with a
teacher; may also arrange for refreshments for
teachers, parents, and for children.

Departmental Aide
. works in a particular school department (language,
science, fine arts, etc.) to perform designated
departmental tasks such as record keeping, in-
ventories, attendance, supplies, marking ob-
jective tests, etc.

LibraryrAide
works under the supervision of the certificated
librarian to assist in Operating the school
library. Shelving, filing, clipping, circu-
lation, and book processing are some of the
tasks to be performed.

Testing Service Aide
works with prOféssional testers in schools or
regional centers to arrange for, administer,
check, and record student test results.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

167

Teacher Clerical Aide
per orms recordieeping function, collecting,
monitoring, duplicating of tests and school forms.

School Security Aide
Assigned by the principal to security tasks--
doors, corridors, special events, lavatories,
parking lot, banking of school receipts.

After-School Prggram Aide
supervises, under the direction of the teacher,
any after-school activities.

Materials Resource Center Assistant (Prog ram Learning
Lab Assistant)
performs clerical, custodial, and monitorial
functions in a material resource center or pro-
gram learning laboratory.

Special Talent Paraprofessional
has speciaI talents to as§ist teacher in teaching
art, music, and/or crafts.

Special Skills Aide
assists teacher by having special skills in the
areas of shOp, homemaking, or speaking a foreign
language (native Spanish speaker).

Crisis Center Paraprofessional (Opportunity Room)
works with children who have problems of adjust-
ment in the regular classroom situation.

Playground (Recreation) Paraprofessional
works with teachers during the school day to
assist with physical education activities.

Reading Improvement Aide
assists reading specialist with basic and/or
remedial instruction in a single school or
group of schools.

Special Education Aide
assists special education teacher in implement-
ing instruction and activities for individual
or groups of special education pupils.

Speech Correction Aide
works with speech'correction teacher to provide
increased correctional services for pupils with
speech problems.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

168

Attendance Officer Aide
provides assistance in dealing with attendance
problems; may make home calls whose purpose is
delineated by the attendance officer.

 

Bus Attendant Aide
is employed at beginning and end of the school
day to supervise loading and unloading of school
buses; may be assigned to ride buses, especially
those transporting very young children.

 

High School Theme Reader
reads and checks class themes for those aspects
of writing indicated by the teacher.

 

School Health Clinic Aide
operates health clinic under direction provided
by school nurse.

 

Laboratory Technician
assists in school laboratories (language,
science) under supervision of teacher; sets up,
maintains, and operates equipment.

 

APPENDIX F

TABLE OF MEAN VALUES

169

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