isua-isnscatalog-1888-1889-034

Description: INDIANA STATE NORMAL SCHOOL. 33school-room. The problem now is how to reduce the period of
actual experiment to the minimum. The person who has made
the three-fold preparation indicated is prepared for two phases of
work which should precede his taking charge of a school, namely,
(1) the study of methods of instruction, and (2) a period of
actual practice, under competent direction, in instructing and
governing schools. To these two lines of work the Normal
School gives great prominence. It has a department of Methods
and a system of Training or Practice schools. Both of these
are under the supervision and direction of the teacher of methods.
In the first sufficient instruction is given to enable the student to
employ his knowledge of the subject and of mind in determining
a rational method of procedure for teaching the subject. Special
attention is given to methods of primary instruction, since in the
lower grades the foundations of knowledge are laid, and the im¬
mature mind has less power to seize and assimilate knowledge
not skillfully presented. The schools for observation and practice
include all grades below the High School. They are in charge
of competent critic teachers, and the instruction given in them is
in harmony with the theories of education taught in the Normal
School. Students are required to observe and interpret the work
of the practice schools during the time they are receiving instruc¬
tion in methods, and, in the later stages of the course of instruc¬
tion, they are required to spend a considerable period in actual
teaching in each of these schools, under the criticism of both the
regular critic teacher and the teacher of methods. They are
thus enabled to leave the school possessing a fair degree of skill
in the instruction and management of classes attained by actual
experience.The State Normal School, then, undertakes to fulfill the pur¬
pose of its organization by (1) leading the student to acquire a
thorough knowledge of the branches required to be taught, the
professional aspects of the subject receiving attention during this
study
(2) giving a comprehensive knowledge of mind
(3)
the study of the history and science of education, and (4) a sys¬
tem of instruction in methods, and an extended period of obser¬
vation and actual teaching in the training schools connected with
the Institution.
Source: http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/33011
Collection: Indiana State University Archives

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