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Dr. Clyde M. Narramore, graduate of Columbia University, New York City, is a psychologist and Consultant in Research and Guidance with one of the largest school systems in America.
Clyde M. Narramore, Ed.D.
tion. But teachers who haven’t learned how to motivate often resort to marks, credits, graduation, failure, shame or ridicule to get pupils to do what they want them to do. Sunday school teachers as well as public school teachers could well spend more time learning desirable methods of motiva tion. I am sure that we have all had experiences of not wanting to study or learn, simply because adults did not point out how our study would meet an immediate need in our life. Adults who try to present subject matter that is out of step with the child’s needs and interests, are likely to cause children to cheat. If we understood the interests of various age levels, we would be more effective teachers. As a psychologist I have found that the guilt complex which develops as a result of cheating is no worse than the guilt complex which the parent or teacher suffers as he looks back on his life, realizing that he has caused others to practice cheating. Only recently an interesting case came to my attention. An elderly woman told of her regret concerning her many years of teaching school. She had been a very strict, rigid teach er who had placed unusual emphasis on school marks. She made very few allowances for individual differences, and she had taught subject matter without regard for motivation, and without regard for growth and de velopment characteristics of children. As she looks back, she realizes that she forced unfair competition in her classrooms. Now as an elderly per son, she says that she has not been able to find relief from guilt feelings. She is unable to sleep well. She awakens at night thinking of the harm she has done to children who were under her care. These feelings are so real and so deep that they have impaired Her health. She has prayed much about it, but says that she has never been able to feel right about it. This is the story of many adults as they look back over their lives. Surely, young people cannot justify acts of cheating, but neither can adults jus tify practices which foster cheating!
I tig W o r d s What is meant by dementia prae- cox? I believe that we used to hear more about dementia praecox than we do today. The word schizophrenia is probably more popular now. They mean much the same: a psychotic condition, often recognized during or shortly after adolescence but not in frequently in later maturity. Chief characteristics are disorientation, loss of contact with reality, disorganized patterns of thinking and feeling and apathy. Christian Education I was very happy to read about the fellowship for educators which you have organized in Southern Cali fornia. I have talked with a few Christian teachers where I live, and all have expressed their praise for your organi zation and have said that a group of this kind is just what we need here. If possible, can you send us litera ture and suggestions how we can start a similar organization in our area? I am enclosing several copies of a folder which describes our organiza tion of Christian educators. This bro chure gives information about the following: nature of the organization, requirements for membership, organi zational pattern, statement of faith, objectives, schedule of meetings and the scholarship fund. As you may know, the June issue of the K in g ’ s B usin ess has two feature articles regarding the need for edu cators who are consecrated Christians. You might like to send for several copies of that issue, then distribute them to your friends. I would suggest that you carefully select several educators who can meet with you for a few planning sessions before you launch your program. I know of no challenge which is greater than bringing a definite Chris tian influence to the youth of our nation in the public schools. We could all have more confidence in the future of America if our schools were administered and staffed by con secrated Christian educators!
Cheating The other evening I heard a group of high school boys and girls talking about cheating. Frankly, I was shocked to hear some of them agree ing that in certain classes it wasn’t right to cheat, but that in others, they were justified in cheating. I am a public school teacher as well as a Sunday school teacher, and / would like to have your reaction to this subject. In the Scriptures we are taught to “ provide things honest in the sight of all men.” I am sure we agree that it is never right to cheat, even though we seem justified in doing so. However, parents and teachers often place children or other adults in such a position that they are almost forced to cheat. In so doing, we are prob ably just as guilty as the cheaters. One educator made a study of the frequency of cheating in classrooms of various types of teachers. He found that cheating in class has little to do with the honesty or dishonesty of the individual pupil. He found that it has more to do with the kind of class room atmosphere a teacher establishes. He states that less cheating took place in rooms where a friendly, democratic procedure prevailed; and more cheat ing in coldly formal classrooms dom ineered by autocratic teachers. “ Cheat ing,” he says, “ is a symptom of poor class morale.” Another method of encouraging cheating is the use of unfair tests. Good teachers give much thought to the type of examinations they use. They discuss the matter with their students. The right kind of review or test should be a learning device and of course it should not foster cheating. Unsound grading methods also cause students to cheat. In many classes, more emphasis is placed on school “marks” than upon classroom processes or the knowledge gained. Thoughtful parents and teachers can always find excellent ways of giving recognition to individual or group achievement. Skillful teachers know that cheat ing can be a symptom of poor motiva
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