There are three principal means suggested to help teachers to obtain this connected view of a child's education: 1. The exchange of visits to the classrooms between kindergartners and primary teachers and the holding of conferences together will bring about not only a better understanding of the developing child, but also a better comprehension of those phases of education which should present a continuously developing character. The following extract suggests what these phases might be: I. Selection and arrangement of subject matter in the curriculum of the elementary school, including the kindergarten. 1. Wider and less intensive treatment of all phases of a child's experience in the kindergarten curriculum. 2. More intensive treatment of special phases of home and community life, anticipating divisions into subjects of study in development of curriculum in higher grades. II. Selection of materials for handwork with the thought that principles of industrial and fine arts begin in the kindergarten. 1. Materials should be suited to the child's technic, so that he may express his own ideas more and more adequately, because the material offers possibility of development. 2. Materials should be more suited to the needs and problems of the elementary school, as in woodwork, which demands more technical control and presents problems for measurement. III. Relation between kindergarten and subjects taught by special teachers in elementary school. 1. An understanding of kindergarten methods and standards by special teachers in drawing, physical education, music, etc., through observation in the kindergarten, and if possible some actual teaching of kindergarten children. 2. An understanding by the kindergartner, through observation of lessons in elementary school and conference with special teachers, of art principles and standards in technic to guide her in the work in the kindergarten which is to be carried into the elementary school. 2. A further aid in making the child's life from 4 to 8 years one of unbroken progress would be to place under one supervisor all the grades which cover this psychological period. This adjustment has already been made successfully in several large cities. 3. For the teachers of the future there are possible such changes in the normal-school curriculum that the word "adjustment" will be forgotten. From one normal school which has introduced these changes comes the following explanation: The means by which we have improved the organic relations in our school may be classified under two heads, viz: I. Preparation for teaching. (1) The kindergarten theory work has been organized as a part of the work in education. We still regard it as constituting a department, but as a department of kindergarten education rather than as a kindergarten department. (2) Our normal-school course of study has been so organized that all students have their first term of junior work in common. That is, prospective teachers of kindergarten and primary work take the term's work that we call constant before being required to elect the course leading especially to kindergarten or primary grades. The main foundational course that all take during this term is elementary educational psychology (mainly child study). This course culminates in a study of the dominant native tendencies and interests of children during their successive periods of development. Something of the trend of this work is indicated by leafiet summaries, copies of which are provided for each junior. As one of the main results of this work, teachers and students come to realize that there is no justification for a sharp break in the school life and school work of the kindergarten and Grade I. (3) During the second junior term, prospective kindergarten and prospective primary teachers have the following courses together: Educational psychology; sociology (if elected); primary methods; music; juvenile literature and songs; games and folk dances. (4) During the second junior term the kindergarten students have directed observation in both kindergarten and primary grades. (5) During their senior year these sets of students have the following in common: Principles of education, history of education, industrial occupations, primary methods, and seminary. II. Administrative means. The chief administrative means which we have found valuable for increasing profitable relationships between kindergarten and primary work are: (1) Including the kindergarten as a part of the elementary school rather than regarding it as a department by itself. (2) Locating the kindergarten rooms close to the primary rooms. (3) Beginning a class of kindergarten children at mid year in primary reading, but continuing with kindergarten work. (4) Kindergarten and Grade I supervisors (critics) have interchange of work, e. g., the kindergarten supervisor helps supervise the industrial occupations of Grade I; and some years the grade I supervisor helps supervise the reading of the class that remains in the kindergarten. (5) The assistant to the kindergarten supervisor is also assistant to the Grade I supervisor. (6) Grade I children join the kindergarten children for part of their physical education. (7) The kindergarten student teachers do half their teaching in the primary grades and the primary student teachers do much observation in the kindergarten grades. (8) The teachers of kindergarten education occasionally teach a class in some other field of education, e. g., educational psychology, history of education, etc. (9) A copy of the inclosed list of qualities of excellence in student teachers is placed in the hands of each prospective student teacher as a means of helping her to choose her course. In this they see that we believe that teachers of kindergarten and primary children need similar personal qualities. The leaflets to which reference is made are entitled "Dominant Native Tendencies of the Various Periods of Child Life." (Kindergarten, primary, intermediate, etc.) "Centers of Interest." (Kindergarten, Grade I, etc.) "Qualities of Excellence in Student Teachers" (qualities equally essential for teaching pupils of all ages, qualities especially essential for teaching kindergarten and primary grades, etc.). Teachers trained where such a view is taken of education will have no difficulty in bridging any imaginary gap between kindergarten and primary. England shows by her infant schools that she understands better than America that the period from 4 to 8 years is marked by no sudden psychological change. A right adjustment of the school to the growing mind and body of the child will make the discussion of the adjustment between kindergarten and primary grades a topic of the past. DOUBLE SESSIONS IN THE KINDERGARTEN. The question of double sessions would seem to belong entirely to the realm of school administration; but since the accepted unit of kindergarten organization has until recently been one group of children, one morning session, and one set of teachers, the extension of kindergartens by means of adding another group of children and holding an afternoon session has carried the discussion well outside the limits of an administrative problem. The nature and range of the discussion are indicated in the accompanying tables and comments. Of the 867 cities reporting for the school year 1911-12, to the Bureau of Education, 546 have morning and afternoon kindergartens. In order to learn the opinions of those who know most intimately the values and effects of double sessions, the following question form was sent to a selected group of 92 cities in various parts of the country. The 112 answers represent 45 cities. DEAR MADAM: The Bureau is frequently asked for an opinion on the advisability of double sessions in kindergartens. Before issuing a statement the Bureau wishes to hear from the teachers themselves. Will you therefore kindly answer the following questions and return them to the Bureau as promptly as possible? Your courtesy in this matter will be much appreciated. Sincerely, yours, P. P. CLAXTON, 1. Date of establishment of kindergarten in public-school system? a. Of the morning session in the kindergarten? d. Of the afternoon session in the first grade? Commissioner. 4. Does the same group of children attend both sessions in the kindergarten? a. If so, do the older or younger children attend in the afternoon? Reasons for this arrangement? b. Is the afternoon group smaller than the morning group? 5. Are there a. Two kindergartners of equal rank? If so, how are the work and responsibility divided? b. A director and an assistant? If so, how are the work and responsibility divided? c. Is there only one kindergartner? 6. State frankly your opinion with regard to the effects upon the teachers as to a. Physical health? b. Mental attitude (buoyancy, optimism, etc.)? c. Quality of work done? d. Amount of visiting in the homes of the children? e. Frequency of mothers' meetings? f. Professional study, etc.? 7. What are the advantages (not indicated above) of two sessions a day— a. To children? b. To teachers? 8. Do the advantages, everything considered, outweigh the disadvantages? 9. Do you consider the conditions under which you work and the work required of you to be more difficult than is the case with the primary teachers of your school? For what reasons? 10. How might the school board use your afternoon school hours to better advantage than by requiring a second session? The answers to these questions should indicate whether cities, both large and small, have found it necessary or expedient to introduce the double session; whether it has demanded harder work from the kindergartner than the primary teacher; whether there is a preference for a particular session, and why; whether all kindergarten teachers are ranked on the same basis; whether the double session has an injurious effect upon the children, the kindergartner, or the social work of the school; and, lastly, whether the kindergartners have thought out any plans to improve present conditions. Establishment of double sessions.-In larger cities it seems to have been found imperative to organize double sessions almost immediately after the introduction of the kindergarten into the publicschool system. The dates for double sessions begin with St. Louis in 1875. Between 1902 and 1906 the rapid growth of the kindergarten idea made it necessary to have afternoon sessions in nearly all cities where the kindergarten had been previously established. The reports from 7 cities show that the same children attend both sessions, but of these, 2 say that only the older children return for the afternoon. One city gives as its reason for having the children come back that "the mothers are Polish and work out all day, and it is better to keep the children where they will learn English and right conduct." Thirty-eight of the cities from which replies came have two different classes of children in the same room, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Hours and work of kindergartners and primary teachers.-Twentytwo of the cities report shorter hours for kindergartners than primary teachers. The kindergarten sessions average 2 to 24 hours, while the primary classes are from one-fourth to one-half longer. In three instances the two sessions of the kindergarten taken together last 4 hours, while the primary class is in session but 4 hours. In 15 of the 45 cities the total teaching time for kindergartners and primary teachers is the same, although the kindergarten children have but one session a day. A large majority of the kindergartners (77 out of 109) consider the work of the primary teachers as difficult as their own. One says |