Syllabus Making
- Author:
William E. Grady,
Principal Public School 64, Manhattan, New York City.
For what purpose are syllabi constructed, and how much of this purpose are they accomplishing? In his report to the New York Committee of School Inquiry, Dr Frank McMurry1 says:?
“The syllabi, as now printed, accomplish two things in the main, i. e. they amplify the very brief statements contained in the curriculum proper; and they offer directions and suggestions to teachers about method. In brief, they inform merely.
“Their purpose seems too narrowly conceived. What they thus present to teachers is in danger of lacking significance like much of what they recommend that teachers shall present to children. It is fair to expect that leaders in a great system of education will offer their suggestions to teachers in a way that reveals how teaching is a profession, and hence in a way, to stimulate and encourage. The information given should be subordinated to the uplift furnished. “To this end, the leading working aims and principles of instruction that control selection of subject matter and method, should be statedIt seems reasonable to assume that, if there are persons who ought to understand and hold the aims and principles of teaching in mind, it is those persons who are doing the teaching.
“And these aims and principles should be so worded and illustrated that their direct influence on practice will be made clear; while the impossibility of there being in most cases one fixed and best method touching details will be established. This will involve an appeal to the teacher’s judgment in selection of methods. In this way, syllabi, while giving necessary information, might surround the teacher with an atmosphere of freedom while inspiring her by their breadth of thought.”
It is hardly necessary to emphasize the fact that the syllabus rather than the course of study really sets limits to the instruction given in the elementary schools. Indeed some persistent students of school conditions claim that neither the one nor the other is a real index of the extent and effectiveness of the teaching process.2 The failure of the syllabi to be controlling factors cannot be ascribed to lack of variety. Some are laboriously detailed expositions; others are meagre outlines utterly lacking in that wealth of detail which would give fullness and richness to the abstract statements of the course of study. Educational salvation is not to be found in an autocratic educational policy which would prescribe uniform dosage for all educational ills, or in a laissezfaire policy which in a large system would eventually mean the substitution of chaos for effective planning; but rather in a type of syllabus such as Professor McMurry has in mind, consistent both with limitation and with freedom. Syllabi should contain a list of sources, informational and technical, a detailed statement of aim, suggested outlines of methods wholes, and such organization of subject matter in terms both of topics and of maximum and minimum amounts of assigned work within topics as will insure the greatest flexibility. For purposes of illustration consider the tentative arithmetic syllabus under which the New York City Schools have been working during the current year. In general terms it may be described as a uniform maximum syllabus intended for all grades, 1A through 8B, in all schools throughout the city. In content it is little more than a bare, logical, modified spiral outline of practically all the arithmetic topics in the average textbook. Included within the syllabus are the following:
(?) Some statements of aim, thus,?”accuracy and rapidity” mentioned in the work outlined for 4A, and “power, accuracy, and alertness” mentioned in grades 5A and higher. (?) Some suggestions as to method and algorisms, thus,? “subtraction by addition process” in IB, “solution of problems by counting,” 1A and iB. (c) Some suggestions as to the principles of arithmetic involved in the grade work, thus,?the fundamental law of fractions is stated in full in the work outlined for 6A. (d) Some suggestions as to the content of problems, thus,? 2 See Report on the Courtis Tests in Arithmetic, published by Committee on School Inquiry. “The real meaning (of data showing overlapping of grades) is that, so far as an individual child is concerned, to say that he has completed the course in arithmetic in the public schools is to convey no information as to his ability in even the simplest work. He may be almost an absolute incompetent, so far as practical work is concerned, or he may have acquired a degree of skill that would be adequate for any situation in which he is likely to find himself.” Page 51. “No better proof of the inability of the school without objective measurement to grapple successfully with its problems is needed than is found in the fact that if children were graded mechanically on an age basis alone?all children of from ten to eleven years being put in the fourth grade, those eleven years old in the fifth grade, etc.?the grades would be neither more nor less variable then they are at present in respect to the fundamental abilities of arithmetic.” Page 138’ See also Strayer and Thorndike. Educational Administration, Chapter I, section 7, giving summary of Dr F. G. Bonser’s investigation, “Reasoning Ability of Children of the 4-5-6 Grades.” 110 THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC. “application of these cases of percentage to profit and loss, commission, and to ordinary transactions and conditions.” To what extent such a revised syllabus prepared in camera, and revised tout a fait et tout d I’heure is an improvement over its predecessor, it is difficult to see. At best it is but a redistribution of orthodox arithmetical topics (bank discount, ratio and proportion, partial payments, square root are all retained) within the limits of an eight year course practically irrespective of what the arithmetical needs of the pupils, especially those of the upper grades, really are. If revisers would leave off thinking about the disciplinary value of arithmetic for a horde of children whose real needs are certainly neither that type nor that amount of knowledge embodied in the revised syllabus, and if the revisers would work on the basis of the criterion of utility, they would be at the beginning of an investigation which would destroy much of the traditional subject matter and which would lead either to a radically different mode of treatment of so-called business arithmetic topics, or to the reassignment of much of the time to other school subjects of greater value. Judged by the life needs of the average person, much of our arithmetic work is so distinctively cultural or disciplinary that a keen critic with a sense of humor has - remarked, “Unless the pupil meets many of the arithmetic topics in the elementary schools, he certainly will never meet them or need them anywhere else.” A revision committee vacillating between two possible standards of discipline and utility is apt to grow faint hearted at the mere thought of excluding a familiar topic.
Moreover the lack of definite aim not only conditions the introduction and organization of subject matter, but also tends to bring confusion into the suggested methods. Ideals like “accuracy and rapidity,” “power, accuracy, and alertness,’-’ need restatement if they are to have even a nebulous significance. What content shall the teacher read into “power” and what special significance shall the teacher attach to “alertness” as a net result of arithmetical instruction? Again what degree of “rapidity” and what degree of “accuracy” is not only desirable, but attainable? Courtis in the report to which reference has been made has suggested tentative standards.
Is it not advisable to challenge some commonly accepted standards? Is “accuracy” in computation the all important end in the treatment of the so-called business arithmetic in the grades of the seventh and eighth years? For instance, is not a false ideal of accuracy in computation in such subjects as stocks and bonds, bank discount, partial payments, etc., an excuse for endless ciphering which leads to an absolute distrust of figures because of frequent failure, rather than to a definite unified knowledge of business situations? Should we not substitute for this ideal of accuracy the more important one of the development of a real knowledge of business situations within the limits of which such number work arises? For the ordinary pupil is not this knowledge of equal if not superior value to accuracy in technical computations? Would not a frank and definite statement of the specific aims to be attained be helpful not only to those who construct syllabi but also to those who have to interpret them? Moreover, would not such a definition of aim prevent a large amount of waste that characterizes teaching not done in the light of definitely controlling ideas?
Many, students of educational theory whose judgment deserves respectful consideration, conceive a statement of aim and suggested procedure to be undesirable, inasmuch as they may tend to limit the freedom and initiative of the teacher. The partial truth involved in this position is obvious. Unless a spirit of toleration is characteristic of the system, unless supervising officials in practice as well as in theory recognize that such statements and outlines are suggestive and intended to stimulate teachers to do better and more varied work, there is grave danger that antiquated or perverted aims and methodology may lead not only to narrowness in the interpretation of the syllabi but also to downright bad teaching by those who could easily do better work if they did not feel constrained to follow suggestions. In many instances it would seem that the absence of helpful material in syllabi is not so much an index of liberality on the part of those in authority as it is an index of their lack of definite conviction and of their hesitancy to indicate the aims and methods of procedure for which they are willing to stand sponsor. Provided the contents of the syllabus are not regarded as inflexible, little harm can result from the introduction of a maximum of material. While it is highly desirable that supervisors such as principals be invited, as they have been invited in this particular instance, to submit judgments as to the value of the tentative course of study as evidenced by the present term’s work, such a general invitation would be productive of more definite and more valuable information if a questionnaire were issued for their guidance. If it were understood that such an organization of thought as is outlined below were suggested merely, the schema would undoubtedly help much to insure constructive criticisms of a definiteness and completeness that would make them available for ready analysis and tabulation. The form which follows and which is intended primarily for the guidance of the class-room teacher, is a concrete application of the foregoing point of view:
Questionnaire.
The Course of Study in Arithmetic under which you are working during the present term was adopted for trial for one year in order that it might be subjected to constructive criticism. The best judges of its value are the class-room teachers who use it to guide them in their work. You are therefore requested to give this matter careful consideration and file a written statement with the principal as soon as convenient. - Check your judgments in terms of your class-room experience. While the points given below cover many things which would occur to you, they do not cover the entire ground. Therefore under the caption “General Remarks” please include all supplemental points which your class-room experience may suggest. In order that your judgments may be of the greatest value, please study the grade syllabus very carefully. This notice is sent at this time (May) in order that there may be no snap judgments but rather reflective judgments based on careful consideration of the facts.
Teacher Room Class I. Type of Syllabus:
(a) Do you favor a syllabus that would give fuller information, such as statement of aim, algorisms, typical problems, fuller statement of arithmetical principles, modes of solution, suggestions for the conduct of the recitation? Ex. Would it be worth while to explain the correct mode of working so as to insure “power, accuracy, and alertness”?
Amount of Material:
(a) Does the syllabus demand too much or too little of your grade? Specify in what topics or sub-topics of the syllabus too much or too little is demanded. Specify also what maximum or minimum limits you would impose.
Would you suggest the omission of any topics?
Would you suggest the introduction of any topics?
(d) Would you suggest two courses of study, one for the regular classes, and one for special classes? What would you include in the latter?
Arrangement:
(a) Do you prefer a spiral, extensive arrangement of material? Ex. Common fractions taught through several grades.
SYLLABUS MAKING. 113
(6) Do you prefer a topical compartment, intensive arrangement of material? Ex. Common fractions taught thoroughly and completely . in one grade. (c) Or do your prefer a topical combined scheme inclusive of both? id) Have you any criticism to make with reference to the present arrangement of material in terms of your own grade and related grades? Ex. Reduction of denominate numbers in 6B, and application of such knowledge to calculation of areas in 8A. IV. Would you suggest a change in any of the methods suggested in the syllabus? V. General Remarks: Ex. On the basis of your knowledge of business practices, wherein is the syllabus deficient as regards amount of work demanded, kind of work demanded, method suggested? If your present knowledge is defective with reference to these points, will you not make inquiries among business friends, tradesmen, etc.? What books, if any, other than the ordinary listed text-books, contain a type of problem material that in your judgment is preferable to the material in use?
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