THE VOCATION OF TEACHING.
“The power of any life lies in its expectancy.”--PHILLIPS BROOKS.
“Usefulness is the rent we pay for room upon the earth.”--DOROTHEA
BEALE.
It is only thirteen years since Dorothea Beale passed over to the other
side to enter on the greater service which we believe is granted to all
who toil here in singleness of heart. In her theories of education, in
her outlook on life, she was of our day. Her methods of teaching are
still employed in our best schools, and the teacher can still find her
essays on teaching suggestive and helpful.
Yet we live in another world. Since August 1914, we have passed through
experiences that have changed for ever the values of things. Nothing
can ever be the same again. We of our generation are faced not with
one little difficulty or another but with the building of a new world.
The old civilisation lies in dust at our feet. With it have gone many
things that were very dear to us, our security, our comfort, our
national serenity, our happy-go-lucky individualism. With it, too, have
gone the best of our young manhood, those on whom much of the work of
the immediate future was to rest.
Nor is it without significance that to women at this hour have come for
the first time direct power in politics and opportunity to do any work
of which they are capable. On them must fall the work that the dead and
disabled would have done. To the men of England and of other countries
came the call to give their lives: to the women no less comes the same
call.
Perhaps the greatest need of the world just now is work: not only
for the production of material necessities, but for its steadying,
sanity-restoring power. After four years of the passions and sorrows of
war, mankind has not yet regained its mental balance; and in honest,
steady work, it will perhaps most surely win again the gift it has lost.
In the building of a new world there is no force so great as that of
education in its many aspects, the most important of which is that of
the home. Teachers realise that what is done at school is as nothing
compared with the enormous power of home education, composed as it is
of all the influences of early childhood. Parents must always be the
chief educators, and for this reason parenthood must be one of the most
sacred of human relationships and one of the highest callings. It is
at home a child learns to look at the great things of life from the
right or the wrong angle: it is at home he learns to reverence the good
and the true or to hold them in contempt. Parenthood requires a great
preparation of heart and soul, for it brings with it the greatest
of all responsibilities, that of guiding human souls into the right
pathway.
Of late years the need for teachers has been great, the supply being
less than the demand. Many teachers are still needed, and to the girl
of intellectual interests and power who is seeking a profession, the
question may well arise, whether she should adopt that of a teacher.
There are many matters to be faced in considering this.
Teaching brings with it few of the rewards for which the ordinary
person craves. Financially, its prizes are few: for the most part
it is a badly-paid profession, especially considering the years of
training it involves. It brings with it little renown. Even the
greatest teachers are known in a comparatively narrow circle, at any
rate during their lives. Praise and appreciation are almost unknown,
whilst criticism is given, as was the medicine of last century, in
large doses and at frequent intervals. If it is properly done, the work
is hard. Real teaching implies ceaseless learning. It is imperative
to keep a mind open to all new thought and new ideas, not only in the
educational work but in the world at large. It is necessary, too, to
acquire the wisdom to deal with what is new, so that to some extent
the true may be separated from the false, the lofty from the base. It
is a work, moreover, that is a perpetual test of character, worth, and
spirit. There are no teachers worthy of the name, who do not frequently
shrink from the magnitude of their task and tremble at their own lack
of power. The teacher is called to incessant mental and spiritual work.
Only as he or she lives an active life in mind and soul can he hope to
have any success in training the young for life.
But the chief question after all is that of personal fitness. There are
two essentials; the first is a love of children; the second is some
love of study and of teaching. There can be no good work done without
love of the children we teach: a teacher who does not love children
would probably be serving God better if she were breaking stones by the
roadside. The love of the work itself increases as time goes on. As a
rule the desire to teach indicates some aptitude for the work; though
between the eager expectancy of the untried student and the quiet joy
of the skilled teacher, lie many dark valleys which must perforce be
passed. This, however, is not peculiar to teaching. It is common to all
work of a personal nature, in fact is inherent in all high living.
For those who wish to teach, the great problem arises: “What kind of
teaching shall I undertake?” It is a difficult one to solve.
In England the different kinds of teaching for girls are very clearly
defined. Socially, educational establishments are pretty clearly
differentiated. There is the elementary school for the children of
those whom, for want of a better name, we call the people. Next, the
high school or secondary school, largely for the children of the middle
classes. Lastly, the public school for the boys and the public or
private school for the girls of the wealthy and the aristocracy. These
all usually have their kindergarten or preparatory departments which
offer attractive work to those gifted in dealing with little children.
There is a great need to-day of real peace. International war, hardly
ended, has been succeeded by internal strife of a very serious nature:
at the root of this lies much deep bitterness, the result of the
failure of the different classes of the community to understand one
another. If a number of girls of the middle and upper classes, who feel
that they are called to the work of teaching, would take up work in the
Elementary Schools or the new Continuation Schools, it would do much, I
believe, to bring about a better understanding between class and class.
In this way each would get to know something of the other and the
ideals and knowledge of those who have had greater advantages would
begin to permeate our national life.
Dorothea Beale tried at one time of her work to establish a school of
training for such teachers, but the difficulties put in her way by the
Government of that day made the continuation of the work impossible.
With an educationalist at the Board of Education many difficulties have
been and will be removed, and elementary teaching with smaller classes,
higher pay, and better buildings, is made more possible for those who
wish to embark on it. It is useless, however, to take up this work
unless one has in one’s heart a great love for little children, whether
dirty or clean, ragged or well-cared for. The elementary schools have
not yet adopted the high school system of morning lessons and afternoon
preparation, and this makes the hours of teaching long. The corrections
and necessary preparation are usually less than in a high school: the
holidays are shorter, but are gradually being lengthened.
Some, however, are quite incapable of understanding those outside
their own social class: and such would be foolish to attempt work in
the elementary schools. They would do better in high, secondary, or
boarding schools. The last are not popular amongst present day girl
teachers, largely because of the restrictions. Yet in a boarding school
a true teacher has opportunities which never come into a day-school
teacher’s life. In many ways it is a much more satisfactory sphere,
provided the Head realises that no teacher can do good work without
ample leisure and opportunity for a life of her own apart from the
school. More and more are our generation realising that outside
interests are absolutely essential for a teacher if he or she is going
to be a person of real power and influence. Apart from the knowledge
of one’s own subject there is nothing so necessary in a teacher as a
knowledge of life; not simply the life of the schoolroom, but of life
in its many branches. It is often said that unmarried women teachers
never grow up. They pass from school to college, and from college back
to school, and never quite lose the schoolgirl point of view. It is
often the greatest boon to a teacher to be obliged to give up her own
work for a year or two at some period of her life and to live in a
world where people do not measure time by terms or mark out the day by
bells. But in any case a teacher can always have some interest that has
nothing to do with teaching and has no direct bearing on her work. Such
interests do much to prevent overstrain.
The training for teaching is very thorough and long. That for secondary
or high school work is usually expensive; but the cost of training for
elementary school teaching is much less, as the Government have their
own training colleges. After January, 1921, all teachers registered
by the Government will have to be trained not only educationally but
in the art of teaching. Degrees, now, are almost a _sine quâ non_, or
are at any rate very desirable. All universities admit women to their
degree examinations, though Oxford and Cambridge do not yet grant
degrees.
It is a profession where a good standard of health is desirable, though
people of a sensitive, nervous temperament are often the best teachers.
A tired teacher is, _ipso facto_, a failure: it is, therefore, work in
which the preservation of freshness of mind and body becomes a special
duty. In the best schools the hours of teaching are short, and long
holidays, wisely spent, ought to keep the health vigorous. The right
use of holidays is frequently overlooked, especially by young teachers,
who often spend them in the fulfilment of claims as strenuous as their
work, and return to school used-up and unfit for their duties--a form
of dishonesty not always recognised as such.
In considering teaching as a possible calling the advantages of the
long holidays are worthy of consideration. They give opportunities of
friendship, life with one’s own family, travel, study, and pleasures of
many kinds. It is good, too, in these busy days that a few people have
intervals of leisure in which they have time to sympathise with others,
and to think of the little things of life that are in reality the great
things. Holidays may be the greatest boon not only to oneself, but to
all the people one meets.
Particulars about the training for teaching are to be found in many
books. Two which come readily to my mind are “The Teacher’s Year Book”
and “The Englishwoman’s Year Book”. The registrars of the different
universities are always glad to supply particulars if asked. The Board
of Education will give details about elementary school teaching: these
change somewhat every few years. There are many helps for those who
intend to be teachers, the chief being the scholarships offered by the
different colleges to those who could not without aid afford the fees.
This is especially true of some of the newer universities. Many large
schools also offer help to their pupils who have the ability and desire
to go on to the universities.
To the girl who feels in her the desire to teach, and has the power
necessary for the task, I should say, “Accept your work, and I am sure
you will have no reason to regret your decision.” For with all its
hardships, all its endless striving after impossible ideals, it is a
work which can really be one’s life: and surely such work is always the
happiest.
It has many joys. There are few in life greater than that of seeing
gradually awaken in a child interest and keenness where before there
has been apathy and dullness. To be able to give life to dry bones of
knowledge, to rouse from its torpor the still sleeping mind, to turn
the faces of the children we teach towards the light is surely well
worth doing.
It has many opportunities. The teacher’s task is not to teach
opinions, but to lay the foundations of sound moral standards on which
all true opinion must rest.
The world needs teachers: not the perfunctory worker who takes up
one of the most sacred of callings as a means of livelihood, but the
teacher who is willing to consecrate herself for the work.
At the end of that powerful novel of Robert Herrick’s, “The Healer,”
is a vivid scene. The old doctor, whose gift had been lost through the
exacting claims of an unsuitable marriage, is walking arm-in-arm with a
young student. The older man has recognised in the younger the power he
himself once had, the gift of healing. Very affectionately he lays his
hand on the lad’s shoulder.
“Remember,” he says--I quote from memory--“this gift of yours will
demand whole-hearted devotion and will be satisfied with nothing less
than your life.”
So with the work of teaching. It is a profession that demands
whole-hearted devotion. To those who give to it their lives it brings
many joys, great opportunities, and the satisfaction that constant
giving alone bestows. It has many dangers and many temptations, but
these lose much of their power over the teacher who tries to realise in
practice as well as in theory:--
“That the influence of personal character has been from the first the
great means of bearing truth into men’s hearts.”
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
Raikes. “Dorothea Beale of Cheltenham.” Constable.
Beale. “Addresses to Teachers.” Longmans.
Beale. “Studies in Literature, New and Old.” Longmans.
Beale, Soulsby, and Dove. “Work and Play in Girls’ Schools.” Longmans.
“Reports issued by the Schools’ Inquiry Commission on the Education
of Girls. Reprinted with extracts from the evidence and a paper by D.
Beale.” 1864.
Beale. “On the Education of Girls.” (Paper read at Social Science
Congress, 1865.)
_The Times._ November, 1906. January, 1907.
_Cheltenham Ladies’ College Magazine._ 1880 and onwards.
A SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY OF EDUCATIONAL WORKS.
Basil Matthews (Editor). “Essays in Vocation.” Humphrey Milford. 3s.
(A second and third series are in course of preparation.)
Thring. “The Theory and Practice of Teaching.”
Thring. “Education and School.” Macmillan. 6s.
Thring. “Teaching, Learning, and Life.” Allenson. 1s.
James. “Talks to Teachers.”
Paget. “The Hallowing of Work.” Rivington. 2s.
Clutton Brock. “The Ultimate Belief.” Constable. 2s.
Kidd. “The Science of Power.” Methuen. 6s.
Holmes. “What is and What might be.” Constable. 4s. 6d.
Holmes. “In Defence of What is and What might be.” Constable. 4s. 6d.
Montessori. “The Montessori Method.” Heinemann. 7s. 6d.
Mumford. “The Dawn of Religion in the Mind of the Child.” Longmans. 1s.
Macmillan. “The Camp School.” Allen & Unwin. 3s. 6d. Also “The Child
and the State.” Nat. Labour Press.
Eileen Power, M.A. “A Bibliography for Teachers of History.” Women’s
International League. 2s.
Pollard. “Educational Value of the Study of History.” Leaflet 36. 6d.
(Historical Association, 22 Russell Square.)
Dewey. “Schools of To-morrow.” Dent. 5s.
Hughes. “Citizens to be.” Constable. 4s. 6d.
Paton. “The Child and the Nation.” S.C.M. 1s.
Richmond. “Education for Liberty.” Collins, 6s.
Simpson. “An Adventure in Education.” Sidgwick & Jackson, 3s. 6d.
A. C. Benson (and others). “Cambridge Essays on Education.” Camb. Univ.
Press. 8s.
Welton. “The Psychology of Education.” MacMillan & Co.
Welton. “What do we mean by Education?” MacMillan & Co. 7s. 6d.
Paul. “Some Christian Ideals in the Teaching Profession.” Student
Christian Movement. 3s.
Hayward & Freeman. “The Spiritual Foundations of Reconstruction.” P.
S. King & Sons. 10s. 6d.
Nunn. “Education, its Data and First Principles.” Arnold. 6s.
Richmond. “The Curriculum.” Constable. 5s.
ABERDEEN: THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.