OPINIONS ON TEACHER PROFICIENCY

TEACHERS' APPRAISAL OF THEIR OWN PROFICIENCY

Importance Rated Higher Than Proficiency

Proficiency Rated Higher Than Importance

DIRECTORS AND SUPERVISORS' APPRAISAL OF RECENTLY PRE

PARED TEACHERS

DISCUSSION of ProficieNCY EVALUATIONS

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

TEACHERS' OPINIONS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
STUDENT TEaching of MENTALLY Retarded PupilS
VALUE OF REGULAR CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE
GENERAL PATTERN OF PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
SUMMARY

SUMMARY AND IMPLICATIONS

Page

42

42

43

45

47

51

52

52

54

57

59

61

62

AREAS FOR FURTHER STUDY

68

APPENDIX A.-THE PLAN AND PROCEDURES USED IN THE

STUDY QUALIFICATION AND PREPARATION
OF TEACHERS OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

APPENDIX B.-150 TEACHERS OF MENTALLY RETARDED
CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN THE STUDY

APPENDIX C.-STATISTICAL PROCEDURES AND RESULTS

APPENDIX D.-EXCERPTS FROM INQUIRY FORMS

TABLES

1. Relative Ratings of Importance (and Proficiency) Which
Teachers of Mentally Retarded Children Placed on Com-
petencies

2. Competencies in Which Self-Ratings of Proficiency Were
Lower Than Ratings of Importance (From table 1)
3. Competencies in Which Ratings of Proficiency Were Higher
Than Ratings of Importance (From table 1)

44

46

4. Evaluation of the Professional Preparation of Recently
Prepared Teachers of the Mentally Retarded

48

Page

5. Relative Importance Which Teachers of Mentally Retarded
Children Placed on Specific Experiences in Specilized
Preparation

6. Amount of Teaching of Normal Children Rated as Minimal,
Desirable, and Ideal by Teachers, State, Local and College
Personnel

APPENDIX TABLE

GRAPHS

53

58

Percent of Special Education Personnel Indicating Number of
Clock Hours of Student Teaching With Mentally Retarded
Children Needed by Those Preparing to Teach in This Area__ 81

1. Percent of Supervisory Personnel Satisfied With the Prepara-
tion of Recently Graduated Teachers of Mentally Retarded
Children

2. Amount of Student Teaching With Retarded Children
Needed by Those Preparing to Teach in This Area

50

56

Foreword

TH

HIS PUBLICATION is one of a series reporting on the nationwide study, "Qualification and Preparation of Teachers of Exceptional Children," which since 1952 has been one of the major projects of the Office of Education. The manner in which this activity has been conducted is an example of cooperative action among persons from many organizations, school systems, colleges and universities, and the Office of Education. The information was supplied, for the most part, by persons whose main responsibility is for the education of exceptional children. It was recognized by those planning the study that opinions from general educators, from parents, and from lay groups would also have been valuable. It was, however, decided to delimit this study which is an extensive one--to special educators. In all, approximately 2,000 persons have contributed to the project.

This publication reports that part of the information from the broad study which has bearing on the qualification and preparation of teachers of children who are mentally retarded. The Office hopes that it may be helpful to teachers preparing for this type of service, to directors and supervisors, to local school administrators, and to instructors in colleges and universities offering professional preparation to potential leaders in the education of handicapped and gifted children.

WAYNE O. REED,
Assistant Commissioner,
Division of State

and Local School Systems.

J. DAN HULL,

Director,

Instruction, Organization, and Services Branch.