Intern System For Teachers Gets Approval

The new teaching internship program at the Education School has received unanimous approval from superintendents of six Massachusetts school systems and is already scheduled to expand next year, Associate Dean Judson T. Shaplin announced last night.

Shaplin said that the plan, which this term includes 44 students receiving salaries as intern teachers at public schools, will place 60 graduates in paying teaching positions by next fall. He added that in 1957 he expected a least 80 students to be working in the program.

Under the intern system, students act as practice teachers at a special summer school in Newton, Mass., before taking on a full-time teaching position for one regular school term. During this term of teaching, the interns also continue their studies with three classes at the Education School each week.

Although the six superintendents involved in the plan agreed it had shown no major faults, several intern students yesterday admitted their biggest problem was finding enough time for their schedule of teaching and their own courses.

Joan Holmstrom '55 1Ed. said last night, "I felt very rushed at first between classes and courses, but I'm slowly getting accustomed to it."

System Will Expand

Shaplin said, however, that the complete success of the program cannot be determined until next spring after the transition period, when the second group of 22 student teachers assumes is positions.

He added that the summer school training system, which last summer included 95 students, will also expand to an approximate total of 125 in 1956. The first training program was so satisfactory, he explained, that he did not expect to have trouble in finding extra students for the school.