Our college students in the "Secondary munity.

It represents a program which

Principles" course considered tlie visit clearly demonstrates how ample oppor
by Sunvillc's Town Manager and Mr. tunity for interchange of values and
Morse one of the high spots ol their concepts held by various age groups in
semester's work. There is much thai is the community is possible. In this
contagious about the kind ol learning learning experience, not only have the
I hat goes on in Sunville. young people been working with stu
One should note in this description dents of various other grade levels, but
ol (he situation at Ashland, that here is with adults representing various age
a process ol curriculum change coming levels of the community as well. It is
about mainly through the initiative of this kind of work in education which
,i single teacher. This program is is developing a program in our schools
meeting with success because of the which will meet more effectively the
willing cooperation of students, other imperative needs of our youth. Let's
si a II members, and people in the com have more of such educational planning.

What Are the Issues

In Secondary Education?
THEODORE D. RICE

Reporting for the ASCD Committee oil Improvement of the See-

omlary School Curriculum, this author comments on riirrciit issues
in secondary education. He also outlines the committee";- plans for
further action.

I II IF. I!).').'! ASCD meeting in meeting'^ thev- identified the followingo as

A Cleveland, about one hundred and areas ol need and also suggested some
lilteen people Irom all parts of the possible procedures lot meeting these
(niinii \ gathered in an open meeting needs. I hese arc 1 not listed in order
ol the Committee on Improvement ol ol lrc(.|iicnc\ ol mention, but rather in
the Secondary School Curriculum. Two order ol rclau-dncss. They give, in
ihiids ol these persons were from sec part, some clues as to issues in second
ondary schools. The remainder were ary education.
Itoin community groups, colleges, state f nij>n(l of tlic ilnld-rentercd cin-
departments and the I 1 . S. Office ol j>liiisi.\ on ilic M-i o>i(Inr\ curriculum:
I- due ation. They were asked to advise How can we deal more effectively
the committee regarding what they with the wide range of differences be
thought sue h a group could do, through tween pupils in present secondary
the ASCD, to help improve the cur- schools? What should we do about
i ic ulum. Dining the hour of the pupils whose needs are not met by the

MAY 1953 473

present program? How can we let Theodore D. Rice is professor of education,
our practice better reflect what we New York University, Washington Square,
know about adolescent growth and New York City. He is also chairman of
ASCD's Committee on Improvement of the
development? Can we have a child- Secondary School Curriculum.
centered emphasis rather than an em
phasis on subject matter?
suggestions were also made, for ex
Interaction between the school
ample: "How can we improve vocation
and the community:
al education, physical fitness?" and
What is the role of the high school
"Why not make direct progress on
in the community? How can we better
economic education?"
integrate youth into life of the com
R ole of colleges in relation to the
munity? How can the school and com
secondary school curriculum:
munity cooperate more effectively in
How can further progress be made
making changes? How can school and
with regard to modification in college
youth-serving agencies be more closely
entrance requirements? Could this be
related so as to achieve a youth educa
achieved through working with colleges
tion program in the community?
on the effects of their requirements on
Problem of broadening and im
the secondary school curriculum? What
proving the curriculum:
steps can we take further to clarify
How can the high school contribute
what the high school diploma actually
to more complete and all-round de
stands for?
velopment? How can we achieve better
Evaluation as a means of taking
coordination between the various areas
stock and making changes:
of the present curriculum? How can
How can we determine when needs
we minimize the repetitious nature of
of youth are being effectively met? Can
current curriculum experiences and im
we make better progress in knowing
prove on their organization and selec
what changes in attitudes are desirable
tion? Would a broader curriculum
and how such changes may be made?
result if teachers, in their writings, were
Can we encourage all secondary teach
to report more extensively on existing
ers to evaluate their programs and
classroom practices?
identify what is essential and what is
How can we make more effective
not? What can we learn about our
progress in core curriculum develop
program through holding power
ment, in life adjustment education, and
studies? What can we learn about our
in preparation of teachers for such
program through studies of the "prod
work? How can a better bridge be effect
ucts" of secondary schools, especially
ed from the elementary to the second
with reference to vocational compe
ary school? Should the curriculum be
tence, citizenship and scholarship?
envisioned as a kindergarten-through- Program improvement through
grade-twelve program? What is the sharing practices and ideas:
place of the junior high school? How How can we start i mproving cur
can we achieve greater flexibility in our riculum? How can teachers be helped
scheduling techniques and in our cur in recognizing a need for curriculum
riculum planning? Other more specific revision? Can some means be devised

474 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

for schools in regions and local areas, Plan for Committee Action
for example, to share their practices, In the main, however, the specific
ideas and problems? Can schools learn suggestions and the omissions are in
from each other how methods and cur known areas of concern. The issues
riculum are keeping pace with all appear to be in effecting what we know,
pupils? in establishing new practice or in modi
Pre-scmice teacher education as a fying practice amid conventional or
route to program improvement: traditional procedures. The issues as
Might some studies be initiated to revealed by the ASCD group meeting
determine the basic social skills that in Cleveland are those of initiating and
contribute to successful teaching and bringing about change, of the improv
use of best learning procedures? ing of human relationships in schools
Use of research findings to bring and communities while change is under
about curriculum change: way. The consideration has led the
How can research be more effective Committee on Improvement of the
ly pointed up and translated into ac Secondary School Curriculum to pro
tion? Would not a bulletin on research ceed with planning as follows:
at the secondary level be useful? Could (1) To affirm the position that the
we not find value in studying school individual school or the local school
situations in which research is actually system can solve its problems, can get
being carried on to see what difference started on program improvement, can
it makes? establish ways of working together and
It should not be concluded that these of using community and other re
represent all the most important con sources.
cerns regarding secondary education (2) To recommend to the Executive
felt by those attending the meeting.
Committee of ASCD that the Com
For example, the listing omits reference
mittee on Improvement of the Second
to materials an area many teachers
ary School Curriculum be constituted
woidd place high on a list of important
as a clearinghouse for such schools as
issues in secondary education, since so
much of existing materials apparently may wish to use its auspices for the ex
leads to conformity to present programs. change of information regarding specific
Likewise, there is omission of such steps in program improvement being
areas of concern as consumer and con taken by other schools.
servation education, family life educa (3) To publicize through this ar
tion, education for moral and spiritual ticle and by other means a report of
values and for recreation. Also the questions and suggestions raised at the
pressures of our times would seem to Cleveland meeting, and to inquire
have led to reference to the teaching whether the list includes the specific
of controversial issues and the develop problems of- those who are interested
ment of critical thinking. Competen in participating in this approach to
cies in these areas on the part of our program improvement.
youth could almost certainly be of (4) To request that interested per
major importance in years to come. sons spend six months or more on the

MAY 1953 475

problem of program improvement of Principals regarding the efforts of this
most concern to them. (\Ve reali/e group.
that some se liools may spend many more It would be shortsighted to stop with
monllis than tins.) II a number of an assumption that reports and written
sc liools do this, they would provide, exchange of experience alone will pro
lor elaboration by the committee, some vide aclecjiiate communication. The
data on ways of making change and on committee suggests that regional or
the changes that result therefrom. local area groups get together to talk
These data can then be .shared by the through their problem analyses, their
participating schools and others con clues for action, the blocks encoun
cerned with similar problems. 1 he tered and the ways of working devel
committee would welcome analyses oped. It is quite likely that such inter
which include descriptions covering action, already well established in many
the following items: situations, will bring about greater
(a) What is the major problem in mutual support than could be1 provided
your school? through written means.
(b) Des< ribe the problem in ns much Such efforts are most encouraging. Re
detail as is necessary lo make clear its assuring, too, are the existence of tin-
nnic|iie aspec is. many effective services and organi/a-
(c) How was the problem discov tions available as resources to schools.
ered or encountered? What symptoms Total enrollment in secondary educa
led to its discovers? tion is expected to be increased by one
(el) (lan probable causes ol the or two million in the next decade 1 .
problem be ascertained? Such an increase will make almost un
(e) What are the effects ol the prob bearable the already tangible pressure's
lem? for increased teaching personnel, for
(f) What attempts arc being made more and better rooms, for improved
to solve it? administrative organi/ation and fi
Cg) What blocks impede its solution? nance. It is imperative, nevertheless,
(h) What related issues or problems that we make progress in program im
have arisen? provement in spite of these present and
(~>) To recommend to the Publica impending pressures. Xot only must
tions Committee that, publications be we make further headwav in improving
planned pertaining to persistent prob procedures of bringing about change,
lems or to promising developments sug but we must also seek out evidence of
gested in reports of participating further changes needed. Our explor
schools and groups. ation in secondary education must show
(()) To refer to the Committee on our concern for effect ins; such needed
Preparation of (lore Teachers such j>ains as those indicated in the ques
problems and data as are most pertinent tions and suggestions inade during the
to their work. time of the Cleveland meeting. It must
(7) To maintain contact with the also reveal on our part a search for ways
P. S. Office of Keltic ation and the Na and means of identifying new issues
tional Association of Secondary-School and encouraging further change.

176 EDUCATIONAL LKADERSHIP

Copyright © 1953 by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development. All rights reserved.