Teaching in the Joyner School
This article describes two different student teaching experiences had at Joyner School in the 1920's. This and other articles may be found in the University Archives.
Citation for this article is: "Teaching in the Joyner School," Training School Quarterly, Volume 7, pp. 247-250.
Teaching in the Joyner School
I consider it a great privilege that I had the opportunity of teaching in the Joyner School, a typical three teacher rural school. I feel now that because of that experience I shall know more about what is required of me as a teacher, more about managing the grades, and most of all, how to plan work for the day when there are many classes and few fellow teachers, if it falls my lot to teach in a small country school. Heretofore there has been no observation or practice teaching in rural schools by the Senior class, because there had not been any means of managing transportation for the student teachers. This year arrangements were made for the use of an automobile but only seven girls could go at a time. Those who preferred rural schoolwork had the privilege of signing up for practice teaching in the Joyner School. There were a number on the list but only seven could be selected, because there was not room for any more in the automobile. Practice teaching could not begin earlier because the Joyner School did not open until the first of November.That made it necessary for those chosen to teach in the Joyner School to do the first half of practice teaching in the Model School.The seven fortunate girls to do a part of their practice teaching in the Joyner School were Harriet Thomasson, Marguerite Hensly, Fannie Jackson, Nonie Johnson, Rubie Daughtridge, Virginia Pigford and I. Care had to be taken in the selection of a group with one who could act as chauffer. Ruby, though the shortest one of us, knew how to run a Willys-Knight car and soon learned to be an expert chauffer after a few days with President Wright instructing her. (Didn't the lucky seven feel important to have the President as chauffer those few days?) Going to and from the country in the automobile made the other Seniors envy us very much. The regular teachers in the Joyner School became our critic teachers. That meant two conferences a week with them.We went there on Wednesday afternoon, but on Saturday the teachers came to us. Although all seven of us wanted very much to teach at the Joyner School, I must admit that we did not like it so well at first, because rural school work had been idealized in our minds. Even though a little dissapointment at first, we learned to like our work and it became our preference. My first day of observation gave me an entirely new idea of teaching. My observation previous to this had been in rooms with only one grade in each. I soon saw very plainly that it required different planning on the part of the teacher to have three grades in one room.
My practice in teaching was in the primary grades, reading the third and drawing in all three of the grades. Fannie Jackson had charge of the first grade the larger part of the morning, and Harriet Thomasson had arithmetic in the third grade. In the grammar grades Ruby Daughtridge had reading and English in the sixth grade, and Marguerite Hensley had history and geography in the fourth grade. Nonie Johnson and Virginia Pigford taught in the seventh grade.Nonie taught history and Virginia had arithmetic.Because I had work in all three of the grades it kept me busy planning "busy work" in addition to my teaching. Primary teachers object to the term "busy work" and prefer seat work.But I soon found that seat work had to be planned so as to keep the children busy or discipline would be a problem.Of course I had heard the expression "busy work" often, but I did not have a true conception of what it really was before or how to plan it.Teachers in the upper grades did not have to plan seat work as those in the primary grades because the children could study without direction from the teacher. I observed that the children were glad when they had anything to do, and they were eager to do any or everything I planned. The work that I planned for their seat work consisted of paper cutting, tracing, tracing and cutting, drawing on the blackboard and making one large poster. I had each child contribute something to the poster and when finished they were all pleased with it.
The thing that impressed me most was the way the teachers in all the rooms managed three grades in one room.Each teacher had her work planned so as to keep the other grades on work that was worth while and counted while one was reciting. The children went about the preparation of their lessons while one class was reciting and did not seem to be interrupted. Each group of us thought that we had the best room of children. At Christmas the children gave each group of us a large size box of candy.We appreciated it very much and were sorry when our work was finished. Christmas the school gave an entertainment and as we were teachers and interested in the children we wished to attend it. We were also hoping to meet other folks and have a good time.
I look back now on my practice teaching in the Joyner School with a pleasant remembrance.
Texie Dale, '20
Getting Out to Joyner's
January 6, 1920, was a day filled with thrilling experiences for those seven of us who were selected to teach the second term at the Joyner School. The girls in our group were Ollie Moore, Irma Fuqua, Janie Tyson, Mildren McGowan, Ruby Mercer, Edith Matthews and I.
To begin with, our day started wrong. One of the girls did not hear the bell and as a result we had to sit in the car (a seven passenger Willys-Knight) and wait, trembling with both excitement and cold.
Once all safe inside, Ollie Moore, who acted as chauffer attempted to start the car, but all in vain it seemed for a few minutes, but finally it started and we were off.
Smoothly we glided along rejoicing until we came to Five Points. Here we had to turn to go for Mrs. Meadows, who went with us every Tuesday and Friday to teach music. Again we were confronted with serious trouble. Our chauffer found it utterly imposible to change to high gear from low. It was here that we saw a real psychological principle fail. Our problem had been presented and we had recalled all our related past experiences. Then we applied the principle of "trial and success," but to us it proved "trial and error." We finally managed to get from Five Points to Eighth Street on low gear. We then learned that the next thing would be a garage. So we speeded around from Eighth Street to Greenville Motor Company, every minute expecting to be pulled for speeding. We were going at the rate of five miles an hour!
At the garage our troubles were soon ended and at last we were off. So after overcoming our many difficulties we at last reached Joyner School.
None of us knew where to go but after wandering around for a while we found the principal's room. We were glad enough to stand and warm our fingers for a while. We were then asked to have seats, but where were the seats? There were plenty of seats on the stage, but how were we to get to them? The stage was only three feet high and there were no steps in sight. Sad was the news reported that night when some of the girls found their new dresses split.
Soon we were shown to our respective rooms to observe. Ruby Mercer taught history in the seventh grade and I taught arithmetic.
Ollie Moore and Edith Matthews found a regiment of soldiers being drilled in the primary grades. As their teacher was giving orders as to the position of their feet, every eye was turned on Miss Moore's and Miss Matthew's feet which were all out of place. Oh, what a time they did have keeping up with their feet.
The other three girls, Irma Fuqua, Mildred McGowan and Janie Tyson taught in the intemediate grades.
Then came recess. What games were to be played? Sling the biscuit seemed to be the most popular, so we joined in. I know some of the girls were not sorry when the bell rang. It was really hard running around on the end of the line with narrow skirts and high heels.
Dinner time soon came and we began to think our Joyner School experiences for that were nearing an end, but we were sadly mistaken for when we decided to go it seemed that our Willys-Knight decided to stay a while longer. We decided the push and pull method was the best to use. This had little effect at first, so some one got the crank. But it also proved of no use, so we put it on the fender. Again we pushed and pulled, the whole school helping. This time it started and we bade farewell to Joyner's for that day.
Everything was running smoothly until we got about two miles from Joyner's and somebody thought of the crank, which had been left on the fender. It was gone. Back we had to go for it. We found it lying in the middle of the road. Then we again set out, Training School bound. We reached the Training School just as everybody was going to lunch. Ever after that, things seemed to go smoothly.
We had always understood getting to and from Joyner's was the chief problem connected with practice teaching in the rural school and we well understand why.
Thelma Elliot, '20.
