The Supervision of Teaching in Geography

Abstract

How shall we proceed to plan an intelligent supervision tech nique in geography ? It is easy to state the answer to this trouble some question, but very difficult to make our answer function. In order to supervise any subject well we must observe the prin ciples of supervision, and we must know something concerning the subject-matter. In this paper it is assumed that the follow ing principles of supervision are valid. Then supervision should ( 1 ) help the teacher to meet the difficulties ; (2) help her to place major emphasis on that which is most important and minor emphasis on that which is less important; (3) encourage and stimulate her by continually pointing out the value of the subject matter to life values in general; (4) suit the character of the subject-matter to the needs and capacities of the children. These principles are easy to state but they are difficult to exe cute so far as geography is concerned. What are the difficul ties in the learning and teaching of geography? What are the major and minor elements of the subject? Just what shall we expect of geography as contributing to the general values of life? How should the subject be graded? The purpose of the investigation to be described here was to attempt to obtain a more definite and intelligent answer to some of these questions. The method used was that of a survey of what teachers and supervisors expect pupils to know about geography as evidenced by the questions they ask. Three hun dred and sixty-eight test and examination papers were studied. The papers included those used in thirty-nine eighth-grade diploma examinations and those used in grades four to seven in thirty-seven village and twenty city systems.