Participation of teachers in the determination of school policies

The school administrator in the past was very jealous of his right to participate in the determination of school policies. For many reasons he failed to see the advisability of permitting his teachers to co-operate in the process. But the day of the autocratic superintendent has passed. The administrator today realizes that the classroom teacher has, and should have, a definite place in policy making. He recognizes that the school should profiit by the experience and thought of the entire staff. He recognizes that a member of the teaching group may be able to offer a better concerning a general practice of the school than anyone else. If teachers are to assist in the determination of school policies, then machinery must be set up which will make this type of assistance possible and welcome. The machinery may, however, be very simple. It requires no complex organization, no additional staff members, or no additional expense. Participation of this kind, according to a recent article, is essentially an attitude of mind, not a form of organization.1 The author of the above statement, however, did not wish to leave the impression that participation will come without careful planning, for he says, Each teacher should be guaranteed an easy, officially recognized channel through which he may bring facts and suggestions to the administration for the good of the service.2 What method may be used that will guarantee to teachers in an official way a recognized channel for their suggestions and at the same time let them know that their suggestions will be welcome ? This paper reports the results obtained by a group of school superintendents using a simple suggestion system adapted from a description of its use in industry. The description is as follows

Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Political science · Sociology · Educational Assessment and Improvement · Educational Practices and Policies · Psychology

• The suggestion system

  W W Carpenter•Peabody Journal of Education•1930

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