Part 4 (1/2)

TEACHERS

I QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATION

Teaching is a profession in Norway Those following it have chosen it as their life work The people thus engaged deserve and receive the recognition, confidence, and esteenity of their calling As a class they rank high educationally, morally, and professionally With the advance in social ideals it has been necessary to raise the standards of preparation for teaching, and, as the years pass, further changes will be required For a long ti has been de position, and indications point to a rapid develop until every resource is operative

The law requires that to be eligible for appoint position in the secondary schools (ymnasium), oneprovided in the pedagogical seminary This means that the candidate has completed: (1) the twelve years of work in the prie of instruction and general culture are provided; (2) a course in the university (four to seven years in length), devoted to exhaustive research in the particular branches of study which are subsequently to be taught; and (3) the course of training given in the pedagogical seminary

It is the aim and function of this seraduates who are to become teachers thepossible within the limits of time (six months) It is readily evident that excellence in educational equip are a the accomplishments of the profession In fact,in its presentation are requisites

The certificates or diplomas issued upon completion of the preparatory work just outlined are the only credentials required of the Norwegian teachers Being issued by the state they have a standard of value which is uniforhout the realm Without these papers it would be folly to seek appointular corps of instructors occupying on full tieneral lines of instruction, there areparticular lines of work, such as ho; and still others who teach soular branches of study only part time, whose positions are not permanent Special preparation is required in order to obtain positions in these specific lines of work

II TRAINING OF TEACHERS

Norway early recognized the value of specific training for the work of the teacher The experiences of other nations served as object lessons illustrating the good co froers of proceeding without such The state was eager to lay substantial foundations, to conserve and develop every resource, to build permanently and economically, and to profit by the experiences of other systems Consequently, the people moved forward in a conservative manner and planned for the future as well as for i points of other syste them to local conditions, the state established six teachers' se one in each of the six dioceses into which the country is divided, so that they would be within easy access of the people attending them Besides these state se almost identical functions, have been established and are flourishi+ng The private see points not too close to the State Schools yet where they will be within reach of a large number of people The favorable location of these schools e number of the attendants to live in their own hoe majority need be but a short distance from their homes

The work of the teachers' seminaries is, of course, to provide special preparation for teaching in the schools throughout the nation Their curricula are similar to those used in the secondary schools The chief point of difference between them is the attitude taken toward the subjects of instruction In the secondary schools the aie measure cultural, while in the seminaries the attempt is always to present the lesson or subjects of instruction in such a et both intellectual development and the correct method of presentation It is the intent that this experience shall help to qualify for the successful teaching of the subjects studied The work corresponds closely with that done in the normal schools of America or similar teachers' schools in other lands

It is everywhere true that teachers teach as they have been taught The principle of imitation is illustrated clearly every day in every school room Teachers, like pupils, follow exaned to fit people for the teaching profession have ideal teachers, they will be able to turn out fro their masters, both in the application of scientific principles of method and in the exercise of individuality, will in turn beco of the training college are rich and varied, its products will be characterized by efficiency and resourcefulness On the contrary, should the work of the school be narrow because of a cramped curriculum, or on account of biased and shrunken ideals of the faculty, the results will be unsatisfactory The teachers who go out fro them--they will be unable to meet the situation in the educational field

Since it is a chief occupation of the training school to instillmechanical, machine-made, or stilted in one way or another Quite the opposite must be the nature and work of the teacher The teacher should be able to coh platform and cooperate with the children; to find the individual child and his interests and, in a genuinely sympathetic spirit, to direct those interests; to discard set rules, hard and fast lines, and pet theories; and to open up to each child a vision of the fields before In order to do these things the instructor hly familiar with child life: its nature, mental and physical rowth and activity, instincts, and hopes He must also cherish and manifest a sympathetic attitude towards youthful tendencies and aspirations, and be able to inspire the pupils to noble purposes

The seminaries of Norway, like those of other nations, fall short of some of the conditions of excellence that we yearn for They do not include a sufficient a nor is that which is provided always the ideal type Nevertheless, an earnest effort is being put forth to approach these higher conditions as rapidly as possible The course of three years, besides furnishi+ng a valuable fund of instruction, provides a large amount of work in observation and extensive experience in teaching The training in observation generally consists of work in connection with the state schools (primary and secondary) in the immediate vicinity of the seminary Into these state schools the se of the regularly employed instructors as they present the different subjects in the curriculu carefully discussed class room procedure with their own teachers, they are required to specially prepare and present some lessons under the close, yet sympathetic scrutiny and supervision of their masters As ti is assigned until proficiency is attained in the presentation of subjects to be taught in subsequent years While these schools do not incorporate into their activities all things that seem important, it reat service in qualifying teachers for the class of instruction which has already raised the masses to their present place of literary distinction

Besides the institutions providing teachers' training above referred to, there was established in 1907 the Pedagogical seminary This seminary is affiliated with the university in Christiania but is not an organic part of it It was founded by act of the Stortbing and is supported by the state The function of the Pedagogical Se of an especially practical type for graduates of the university who intend to th of the course is sixprovided in this institution includes: (1) lectures in hygiene, psychology, history of education, and principles of education; (2) observation of class instruction by hest representation of the art in the city; (3) discussions, foreneral and analytic, with the head e under the supervision of iven in such frank and sympathetic manner as to make them invaluable

As a rule, those trained in the teachers' seminaries are employed in the primary schools The students who avail thees of a university education and follow it by the training provided in the Pedagogical Seenerally become teachers in the secondary schools

The seeneral is of such character that it may be put into use i It also renders vital and usable for purposes of instruction the infor-continued and intensive schooling preceding such training

III TEACHERS' OFFICIAL titLES

Throughout the school syste to the nature of the positions occupied In the pri work (in America known as superintendent) is called the _Inspektor_; the head teacher or principal is termed the _Overlaerer_; and the other teachers, male and female, are spoken of respectively as _Laerer_ and _Laererinde_ In the ymnasium the titles are _Rektor_, _Overlaerer_, and _Adjunkt_ The _Rektor_ has the supervisory work and so to do; the _Overlaerer_ is one of the principal teachers who has been given the title and ranking, chiefly because of fitness and long service; and the _Adjunkt_ is a regular teacher who has served the school for five years or more and has received permanent appointment

titles do not correspond strictly to educational equiph both of these enerally are contributory factors For exaymnasia are open only to those who have certain educational fitness; the teachers with especially strong qualifications and superior ability are the ones her class positions; and, when pro tiht experience titles correspond more definitely to classes of positions occupied than to any other thing that can be na a title, that designation is invariably used in connection with his naer John Johnson or Herr Johnson, but _Rektor_ Johnson, _Overlaerer_ Johnson, _Inspektor_ Johnson, etc

IV TEACHERS' TENURE OF OFFICE

The teacher's tenure of office in Norway is very different from e are accustomed to in America Positions are of two kinds--permanent and temporary Nearly all appointments in the past have been to permanent posts This means that the individual occupies his place without molestation or any hint of insecurity until he chooses to resign or until he reaches the age of retirement[19] Soenerally they lead to permanent ones

Rarely, if ever, does a person who makes reasonable success in a temporary position fail to secure an appointment to a permanent post

Peres

Security of situation gives to the teacher a release from the uncertainty which constantly harasses the e of position is the rule A lasting appointrasp on the local situation, and to utilize without waste all thein a particular place Furthermore, the teacher who feels settled in a position is able to establish a home, and to become identified with the community and its interest