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A proposed home room guidance program for a junior high school

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A proposed home room guidance program for a junior high school

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Content A PROPOSED HOME ROOM GUIDANCE PROGRAM
FOR A JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
A Project
Presented to
the Faculty of the School of Education
University of Southern California
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Science in Education
t o y
Fanny Kyriax
June 19^9
UMI Number: EP45503
All rights reserved
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Dissertation Publishing
UMI EP45503
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This project report, written under the direction
of the candidate's adviser and approved by him,
has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty
of the School of Education in partial fulfillm ent of
the requirements fo r the degree of M aster of
Science in Education.
Adviser
Dean
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. INTRODUCTION .................. 1
The importance of the Home Room Plan . . . 1
The purpose of the project............... 2
The organization of the project........... 2
II. THE HOME ROOM PLAN ...................... 4-
Definition of the home room................ 4 -
The objective of the home r o o m ........... 5
The home room sponsor..................... 9
Administration of the Home Room.......... 14-
Scheduling the home room period........... 17
Home room membership..................... 19
III. THE GUIDANCE PROGRAM IN USE AT A LOS ANGELES
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL......................... 23
The school and the administration........... 23
The guidance program ....................... 23
Orientation................................ 24-
Program planning..................... . . 24-
The testing program and cumulative records 25
The home room program..................... 25
Group counseling ................. 27
Individual counseling ..................... 27
Conclusion................................ 28
II
CHAPTER PAGE
IV. A PROPOSED HOME ROOM GUIDANCE PROGRAM FOR A
LOS ANGELES JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ....... 29
Introduction ...... ..... 29
Administration and supervision ....... 29
Organization ........ ............... 30
Length of period, frequency of meeting, and
place in the day’s schedule............. 30
Home room member s h i p ................ 30
Home room organization................... 31
Home room guidance programs................. 32
Introduction .............................. 32
Guidance program for B7 home rooms .... 34
Guidance program for A? home rooms .... 42
Guidance program for B8 home rooms .... 49
Guidance program for A8 home rooms .... 57
Guidance program for B9 home rooms .... 64
Guidance program for A9 home rooms .... 72
Evaluation of the home room guidance program 79
Evaluation by individual members ..... 79
Evaluation by the home room sponsor .... 79
The home room record card................... 81
The need for a record c a r d ............... 81
Characteristics of the record card .... 81
Sample home room record c a r d ............. 83
BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................ 84
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
The Importance of the Home Room Plan. In recent years,
a renewed interest has been exhibited in the importance and
potentialities of the home room at the junior high school
level. Statements by authorities in the field of education,
similar to the following by H. R. Harrington, show the
tremendous Influence which they believe the home room can
have on the student:
Of all the social influences that are brought to bear
upon the Junior high school student, those which center
about his membership in a home room may be the most
significant
The following statement by Harry C. McKown Illustrates the
high esteem in which the home room is now being held by the
modern educators:
The home room is a primary unit in educational organ
ization. It corresponds to the family in a social
structure. The creation of school consciousness,
wholesome attitudes and relations, a definite concept of
socialization and a full realization of individual
responsibility can be best fostered and promoted through
the home room plan. It offers many opportunities and
activities that find difficulty of expression and inter
pretation anywhere else.2
J. C. Wright and Donna S. Wright, Home Room Programs
for Junior High Schools (Keouk: The Extra Curricular
Publishing Company, 1935)» P* 1*
2 Harry C. McKown, Home Room Guidance (New York:
McGraw Hill Book Company, 19k6), p. 25.
2
Despite the Importance and value accorded to the home
room as a guidance agency, there are many administrators and
teachers who have not been convinced of its merits. They
consider the home room an unsound idee, and a waste of time.
The purpose of the pro.lect. The purpose of this
project is to propose a home room organization and program
for use in the home rooms which would be a vital asset to
the junior high school guidance program. The writer is
firmly convinced that the home room, with proper organization
and with a program that gives the student what he needs, can
be one of the most vital factors in guiding the adolescent
student.
The organization of the project. In chapter II of
the project, a definition and short history of the home room
movement is presented. The aims and purposes of the home
room as a guidance agency are explained, and due emphasis is
placed on the responsibilities and qualifications of the home
room sponsor. Since this project was undertaken with the
thought of its possible use in a Junior high school of the
Los Angeles City School System, Chapter III is devoted to
the analysis of the program now in use at that school. The
information was secured by visits to the school, interviews
with the principal and head counselor, as well as with
several members of the faculty. Chapter IV of the project
3
is the writer's proposed home room organization and guidance
program to he used in the home rooms of the aforementioned
school.
CHAPTER II
THE HOME ROOM PLAN
Definition of the home room. The home room has been
defined as a means of providing pupil teacher contacts In a
large school. To be more specific, the home room is a
regular school period in which the teacher or sponsor meets
with an organized group of students for the purpose of
becoming acquainted with the members, and through individual
contacts, programs, and activities, promotes the development
of certain ideals, knowledges and habits not provided for in
the traditional school subjects.
The home room with its main emphasis upon the educa
tion of the student rather than the passing along of a
body of subject matter, epitomizes the very soul of the
modern conception of education: that the pupil himself
is far more important and sacred than any mass of
information he may ever accumulate.3 -
It is not exactly known when the first home room
originated. Two of the earliest were introduced between
1875 and 1879» and from 1915 on, the growth was rapid, reach
ing the period of greatest development from 1920-1930. At
the present time, a great majority of the larger high schools
and nearly all the Junior high schools have a home room
organization of some type. In general it can be stated that
1 Ibid., p. 23-
the home room has been recognized as an important part of
the educational plan of the American secondary schools.^
The objective of the home room. There are a great
many objectives, alms, and purposes which could justifiably
be allocated to the home room, but the following seem to be
the more Important ones:
1. To make suitable and continuous provision for the
school adjustment of all students.
2. To develop and maintain desirable student-teacher
relat ionshlps.
3. To provide training and practice in the democratic
principles.
4. To develop desirable ideals and habits of citizen
ship including the development of worthy and
intelligent leadership and followership.
5. To expedite the handling of administrative
routine.
6. To guide the student.
Although these statements seem almost self-explanatory, a
small elaboration on each will bring to light the true
meanings and possibilities inherent in these objectives.
One of the purposes of the home room is to make
2 I M d ., p. 24.
6
suitable and continuous provision for the school adjustment
of all students. The most common manifestation of this
objective is foimd in the various orientation programs which
can be sponsored through the home room. A group of students
just arriving to a new school might be a little overwhelmed
with the routine and strangeness of surroundings, not to
mention the numerous student activities to which they are
exposed. The home room seems to be the ideal place from
which to organize discussions, school tours, and other pro
grams to acquaint the student with the school routine,
physical plant, and extra curricular activities in which he
will probably be expected to participate in one form or
another. As the student progresses academically, the home
room is the agency which can best see whether he needs help
in adjusting himself to studies, or to other activities in
which he may be participating.
Another purpose of the home room is that of developing
and maintaining a desirable student teacher relationship.
This statement carries in reality a dual purpose; that of
acquainting the teacher with the student, meaning not only
the acquaintance with the student's record in his formal
subjects, but also the recognition of his successes and
failures in the activities of his whole life, and the
acquaintance of the student with the teacher, where he can
come into contact with the teacher as a person whose fine
7
qualities may have a tremendous Influence on his life.
The home room offers a real opportunity for providing
training and practice in our democratic principles and for
developing good citizenship and leadership training. The
organization of the room with officers and committees
provides leadership responsibility for all the students.
Frequently the home room can be used as the "home base" for
operations in student body government and activities. Here
in a simplified community, the students can develop atti
tudes toward new students, practice care of personal and
school property, plan and present financial, recreational
and social programs, and otherwise prepare themselves for
membership in an adult society.
Many administrators put too much emphasis on the
administrative value of the home room. Although this
administrative function is important in maintaining school
morale, for successful school drives and campaigns, and
although the home room is the logical place for handling
attendance, reports, etc., this function should not over
shadow the objectives heretofore mentioned.
The fifth objective, that of guiding the student, is
often considered one of the most important that the home
room can fulfill. True guidance Involves discovery of the
Individual capacities and Interests, and adaptations of
school facilities so that these capacities and interests may
8
be developed to the advantage of the individual and of
society.3 The home room can serve as a correlator of many
fields of guidance. In educational guidance, the home room
can acquaint the student with opportunities of his own school,
with the establishment of proper attitudes toward teachers
and study, and the possibilities of further education in
colleges, adult schools, commercial, schools and in any branch
of formal education where interest may lie.
In the field of personal guidance, the home room can
emphasize phases of thrift, spending, and investing which
the student encounters in his every day living, and which
phases are simply not covered in any of the formal subjects.
In addition, personal, grooming and appearance,, a subject
which meets the interest of every student, but which is
rarely encountered except by the relatively few who chance
to take art or home economics courses, might be offered
through the home room program. Although the physical
guidance programs are usually handled through the physical
education courses and the school nurses, the home room can
often supplement the work of these two agencies.
In the complex society of today, there seems to be a
definite need for social and moral guidance. The schools
more and more, are finding themselves in a position where
3 Ibid., p. 35.
9
they are called upon by society to develop within the youth,
social responsibility, proper relationships with other
members of society, and character traits which are taught,
not by the superficial means of memorization of creeds or
laws, but by learning through doing. The home room through
a diversified program can work toward the realization of
these objectives.
Vocational guidance can perhaps lend Itself more
easily to the home room as a guidance agency because it is
almost impossible for one counselor or advisor to handle the
amount of work which the field entails. The home room
sponsor, through personal contact, can probably know her
students better, and answer their inquiries concerning
choices and actions. The home room teacher of course should
not be a final authority by any means, but she can offer
supplementary material, as well as disseminate information,
for the guidance officer.
The enumeration of the possibilities toward which an
effective home room program can be directed, and the value
which it may hold for the students, should lead educators
and administrators to consider seriously the objectives of
the home room programs in their schools, and if need be, to
reorganize and vitalize the program being used.
The home room sponsor. The importance of having a
qualified teacher for a successful home room program cannot
10
be minimized, for on the home room teacher can rest the
success or failure of the program. The sponsorship of a
home room should not be considered simply an added burden,
but an added opportunity to fulfill the obligations which a
real teacher assumes.
One of the most interesting and challenging roles of
the teacher is the sponsorship of the home room. In the
guidance sense, the home room occupies much the same
relation to the student in the school as the home does
in the community. The boys and girls in the group
become the school brothers and sisters and the home room
sponsor is the school parent of the students, assigned
to his home room. In this sense, he is expected to
serve as a trusted friend, to whom the students may come
for help and advice.**
If the home room sponsor is to cultivate this rapport
with the students obviously the teacher must possess certain
necessary qualifications. Not all teachers are competent to
sponsor home rooms, and where it is possible, selection of
the teachers should be made. The faculty members should be
considered on the basis of ideals, personality, leadership,
patience, judgment, enthusiasm, responsibility, experience,
initiative, originality, sympathy and tact. Dunsmoor and
Miller make the following recommendations for a good home
room sponsor:
1. A personality which is interesting, stimulating,
challenging.
^ Clarence C. Dunsmoor and Leonard M. Miller, Guidance
Methods for Teachers in Homeroom Classroom, Core Program.
(Scranton: International Textbook Company, l^^,~p7U^7
11
2. Optimism— he must think life is really worth
while and not a regrettable incident on one of
the minor planets.
3. Enthusiasm and a sense of humor.
k. Keen insight and ability to sense and diagnose
students’ difficulties and problems.
5. Initiative and originality— students differ in
many ways and there is no one answer to their
problems.
6. Democracy in speech and actions.
7. A liking for the activities and interests of
students which makes it easy for him to partici
pate in them with satisfaction.
8. A sympathetic approach, based upon a sincere
liking for and understanding of children.
9. Impartiality— is willing to see all sides of any
question.
10. Above all, the teacher should be one who is
living and has lived a worth while and well bal
anced life, rich in experience, achievements and
friendships.^
These statements should give some idea of the desired
qualifications for a successful home room sponsor.
5 Ibid., p. 25.
12
Consideration should also be given to the responsibil
ities which the home room sponsor must assume. One of the
first responsibilities of the home room sponsor is to convey
the objectives and spirit of the home room to the students.
Emphasis should be placed on how the purposes of the home
room differ from a regular class. The student must be made
to feel that the teacher is deeply interested in him and his
welfare, and that the teacher is willing to help the student.
If the teacher is to realize one of her most valuable respon
sibilities, that of pupil guidance, she must recognize that
the development of a desirable personal relation with the
student is mainly her responsibility. A cheery greeting or
smile, and an interest in the activities of her pupils will
help make the sponsor acceptable to the group. She must
however be willing to go further, and with the help of
available records and personal conferences, she must study
the individual needs and interest of her students and help
them to plan their lives.
Coordinating the services of the school for the
benefit of the individuals is another of the major responsi
bilities of the home room sponsor. The sponsor should act
as a liaison person for helping a group of teachers discover
why a pupil may act as he does.^ The home room teacher
6 Barbara H. Wright, Practical Handbook for Croup
Guidance (Chicago: Science Research Associates Inc., 19^6),
p. 205*
13
should maintain desirable contacts with the administrative
officers, guidance and activity directors, and the home of
the student, in order to be of more help to the student and
to profit from the cooperation of these agencies.
The home room itself should be a miniature democratic
society and the sponsor should see that all students partici
pate in, and undertake activities in the organization.
Through her maturity and experience she can encourage the
development of programs and activities which will be of
value to her group. The home room sponsor will recognize
those who need encouragement for participation and those who
should be discouraged for overparticipation, and by careful
guidance, she should advise her students to strike a happy
medium.
The sponsor is also responsible for the supervision
of all routine which is handled in the home room. Records
should be kept efficiently, reports made promptly, and
student help used when these activities are of a learning
nature. Within the home room, many materials are essential
and desirable for all types of activities. The home room
sponsor should be responsible for seeing that magazines,
pamphlets, books and other needed materials are accessible
to the room.
Whenever a school wide drive or campaign is being
promoted, the sponsor of the home room is responsible for
14
seeing that the particular activity is duly explained and
justified to her group, and then as an energetic and enthu
siastic supporter, she should work with her students in the
organization of their drive. She must create a “we feeling"
to get the true support of her group and to develop the
spirit and morale of her home room. By being an enthusiastic
member and a sensible supervisor, she can develop a close
knit working unit, a harmonious group and a successful
campaign in her room. Lastly, the home room sponsor is the
representative of her group before the school. She should
be proud of its activities and records and feel that it is
a part of her, and demand for her group any recognition and
rights which belong to it.
Administration of the Home Room. A successful home
room plan must be carefully constructed and administered if
it is to fulfill its purposes. When the organization of the
home room as a guidance agency arises in any school, the
question also arises as to who is responsible for its
administration. In smaller schools, the guidance or activity
director is usually the one who also handles the program,
while in larger schools, the principal may be responsible.
The principle of responsibility lying in one person has been
argued pro and con for many years. Some of the arguments
for centering the responsibility in one individual are that:
15
(1) the individual is an expert in the home room affairs,
and can give competent and wise discretion; (2) he can visit
the home rooms, collecting materials and ideas and pass them
on to others; (3) he will he able to evaluate the program
and since he is individually responsible, he will strive for
a more successful program.
A different type of organization is the one which
places the responsibility in the hands of a faculty committee
instead of a single individual. The arguments for this type
of organization revolve around the ideas that: (l) the
teachers who have had home rooms are acquainted with the
problems involved and have a closer understanding of them
than the administrator; (2) the sponsor will have a closer
contact and be more cooperative with fellow faculty members
than with superiors. The question as to whether the single
officer or faculty committee organization is superior is
still one of debate. According to McKown, however, the
recent studies show that about half the schools tend to use
the faculty committees, and that this type of an organiza
tion with a guidance director as chairmen is the more
desirable plan.? In some schools, students are used on the
committees since their ideas are helpful, and because a
desirable student teacher attitude can be created.
7
McKown, op. clt., p. 50.
16
The duties of this faculty committee are to develop a
positive attitude on the part of pupils and teachers toward
the home room plan, to suggest materials and activities to
the home rooms, and to evaluate activities, methods and
materials. The materials which the committee finds should
be carefully collected and classified to be kept for refer
ence in the library or other accessible place. The committee
should be responsible for the suggestion of programs to be
worked out in the home rooms. However, the committee should
not specify exactly what shall be represented in the home
room except in the case of school wide drives, etc. Wright
says, "Groups with their advisers should be left free to
plan their own activities and to work out their own programs
to the extent that they are able to do so."® Some freedom
should be given to the home room sponsor to plan for the
needs of her pupils, but a manual with suggested activities
and programs Is helpful.
A good home room plan should fit the school situation
for which it is intended. Many programs have failed because
they have been imitations of other programs without altera
tions to fit local situations. Facilities, equipment,
background of students and teachers, traditions, and
educational experience are a few of the factors that should
8
Barbara H. Wright, op. cit., p. 136.
17
be taken into consideration. Care must be taken in choosing
an appropriate name for the plan. Some schools have used
the terms "assembly room," "report room," "activities room,"
"social living room," etc., but somehow these terms do not
represent the true purpose of the room. The term "home room"
is the most appropriate because it suggests a pleasant
situation and is accurate because it has no other school
meaning.
Scheduling the home room period. The time alloted to
the home room period as well as its occurrence in the school
schedule is quite important. There is a difference of
opinion as to how long a home room period should be, but the
majority of authorities recognize thirty minutes as a
minimum length of time. This allows five to ten minutes for
school routine and at least twenty minutes for the planned
activity.
A study of guidance in 131 Pennsylvania high schools
showed that &3% of the high schools of more than five
hundred pupils had periods thirty or more minutes in
length. We may assume that schools with home room
periods less than thirty minutes are not doing superior
group home room work.9
Scheduling of the home room period has also been a
point of contention among educators. It is, however, agreed
9 Frank G. Davis, editor, Pupil Personnel Service
(Scranton: International Textbook Company, 19^8), p. ^45.
18
that the home room should not be scheduled before or after
school hours simply because it will not meet the interest or
enthusiasm of the students or the teachers. What are the
"good" periods for scheduling the home room? Dunsmoor says
that the first period is best, but this idea is refuted by
McKown who believes that the first period is one which will
be characterized by tardiness and other Interruptions.
Second and third periods are considered suitable because the
school is organized and under way. All writers feel that
the last period is too poor since students are tired, or
leave school early at parents' requests. Wright summarizes
the situation by saying that the home room period should be
long enough to accomplish whatever the teachers are expected
to accomplish, and that it should be scheduled at a definite
time so that pupils do not run hither and yon during that
period.3-0 As for the frequency of the home room, it depends
on the school situation. Some schools can arrange for a
meeting daily. Other schools believe that this is too often
and the students tire of the home room. Therefore a two-
meeting or three-meeting a week program is used. The most
commonly used arrangement is the one meeting a week which
allows time for the preparation and arrangement of a worth
while program.
Barbara H. Wright, op. clt., p. 19^.
19
In order to promote the importance of the home room
plan, sponsors should not use the home room period as an
opportunity to send students on errands or perform other
office duties. The program should he so vital that the
student would not want to miss the class. Each home room
should he allowed freedom of individuality in the planning
of its program. The programs should he exchanged among
rooms and perhaps the hest of these can he presented to the
student hody in assembly. Regular reports of the activities
should he reported to the administrator or director of
guidance.
Home room membership. The ideal home room group
should have at least twenty students and not more than
thirty-five. If the home room groups are made too small,
there is a lack of variety of interests and in most schools,
a lack of meeting places. If, on the other hand, the group
Is too large, it becomes unwieldy. There is a considerable
variety of ways of assigning pupils to home rooms. Some of
the most common are: (l) alphabetically, by class, (2) by
curriculum, (3) by Interests in extra curricular* activities,
(Jf-) by intelligence quotients and marks received, (5) by
sex, (6) by vertical sectioning, (?) by first period or
other class, (8) by grade levels. All these methods have
their advantages as well as their disadvantages, but the
20
best plan is the one that is the simplest, most adaptable,
and democratic for the school in which it is to be used.
However,'the method of assigning pupils by grades, and
heterogeneously within the grades, has in many cases proved
to be the most workable. Under this organization, all
pupils in the home room are interested in the same class
announcements, parties and clubs. It puts pupils of nearly
the same age together. In addition, since there is a group
of both boys and girls, the class is a more natural setting
for the students. There are both leaders and followers,
talented and untalented students. One disadvantage of this
method is that the sponsor may not always have his home room
students in his subject classes, and thus get to know the
academic achievement of the pupils, but this can usually be
offset by having the sponsor and home room remain together
for a number of years.H
It Is most important to consider the basis on which a
sponsor Is selected for a home room. The importance of
selecting good home-room sponsors has already been discussed,
but mention should be made concerning the length of time for
which the home room groups are organized and assigned to a
home room sponsor. Davis says:
The most common assignment of teachers to home rooms
11 Ibid., p. 193-
21
is for comparatively short periods such as a year, but
if guidance is to be an important function of the home
room, the teacher and the pupil should become well
acquainted. It is desirable for a home room teacher to
work with a group of pupils for several years.,12
If students and home room sponsors are temporarily thrown
together, there is not sufficient opportunity for the spon
sor and the members to become really well acquainted. If a
teacher Is allowed to keep a group for six or more semesters,
she can learn to know them, establish contact with their
parents, and watch her students grow through a period of
three or four years. In addition, the sponsor can avoid any
duplications, and plan a well balanced program for her group.
Of course provision should be made for shifting individual
pupils whenever their Interests can be served better in
another group or with another sponsor. In a comparative
study of the temporary and permanent plans of home room
membership, forty Pennsylvania teachers, rated as superior
by the public schools, overwhelmingly favored the permanent
plan. These teachers also favored the class or horizontal
rather than the vertical plan.^3 Careful and exhaustive
examination of iiterature on home room organization and
administration shows a decided trend away from the temporary
12 Davis, op. clt., p. kh3.
13 McKown, o£. clt., p. 79*
22
plan of home room membership, and toward the permanent or
semipermanent plans.
1Zf Ibid.. p. 80.
CHAPTER III
THE GUIDANCE PROGRAM IN USE AT A LOS ANGELES
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
THE SCHOOL AND THE ADMINISTRATION
The school herewith being considered is a three year
junior high school in the Los Angeles City School System.
It was erected in 192k and has had recent additions to the
original building. It is located in a “middle class"
community and the majority of the 1,L50 students come from
families of moderate incomes. The administrative officers
of the school include the principal, two vice-principals,
one full time counselor, an attendance officer, and the
visiting nurse and doctor.
THE GUIDANCE PROGRAM
The past history of the school revealed that the
guidance program was originally administered through the
home rooms. After it was found that the program was ineffec
tive and was not accomplishing its purpose, the home room
program was abandoned. Since that time, very little has been
done to reorganize the home room plan or to organize any
other effective guidance program. Guidance has become a very
insignificant part of the school picture. The following
2k
description explains the program now being used by the
school:
Orientation. The new students are introduced to the
school campus and to the junior high school routine while
they are yet members of the elementary school, by means of
an Orientation Day held each semester. The sixth grade
classes of the neighboring elementary schools spend a day on
the campus, participating in student led tours, and climax
ing the day with a question answer assembly in the auditorium.
When they actually arrive as new students, it is presumed
that they are familiar with their surroundings and with the
school routine. No allowance is made for any outside
students who may come from different parts of the city or
sta.te.
Program planning. Very little individual help and
guidance is given the student in selecting his courses.
Program pla.nning is carried on through the English classes,
. . and whether the student receives any worthwhile help or
information often depends on the initiative of the pupil and
the willingness of the teacher to respond. There are,
however, in addition to the one full time counselor, three
faculty grade counselors who devote part of their time to
program planning. Students are free to seek assistance but
usually are hesitant to take advantage of this service. The
25
English classes are in no way segregated, and it is rather
difficult to carry on effective group counseling. The
counselor has no time to visit the classrooms to assist
individual pupils, so that all information must be communi
cated through printed forms and through the interpretation
of the classroom teacher.
The testing program and cumulative records. The
testing program has been carried out fa.lthfully, but use of
the results has been rather doubtful. The tests are
administered once yearly, by the English teachers. The
cumulative record cards have been neglected, and in many
eases are useless because they do not contain any information
which would make them useful. Teachers have almost entirely
given up using this system which can be a valuable source of
information. Measures are now being taken to improve the
cumulative record file, to provide more useful information.
The home room program. Since the home room now in
use is only a vestige of the former home room organization,
it is appropriate to present first, the former program with
some of the reasons for its failure and consequent abandon
ment, and secondly, the program which has taken its place
and which is now being used.
The home room consisted of a segregated group of
approximately thirty-five girls or boys. There was no
organized program of guidance— educational, vocational, or
any other type. The main purpose of the home room was to
take care of the administrative routine, and to organize
student participation in noontime games or in the school
paper drives, etc. To add to the disorganization, the home
room met immediately prior to the lunch period, which also
was a disturbing factor. The faculty became dissatisfied
with the home room plan, because without any recognized aims,
the home room teacher*s duty was merely the task of enter
taining the students during the period. Because of the
failure of this program, the idea of a home room period was
abandoned, and in its place, the second period class was
lengthened ten minutes daily. This is the substitute for
the home room now in existence. During these few minutes,
the official roll is taken and the other administrative
responsibilities such as the writing of report cards, the
reading of the bulletins, etc., are carried out. Student
activities are also brought to the attention of the students
during this time. There are approximately forty students in
this so-called home room, and since the student usually
changes his second period class each semester, there is no
feeling of belonging to a real home room group. This limits
the opportunity for close student and faeulty relations.
The purpose of this lengthened period is one of administra
tive convenience, and there is little or no conscious effort
made for guidance of the students.
27
Group counseling. The only formal group counseling
carried on is in regard to the ninth grade students near the
time of their graduation. At this time, the high school
counselor is invited to attend an assembly where students
are given some program planning directions and are allowed
to ask questions. This event has also been conducted in the
evenings in order to permit parents to attend the session.
Some of the specialized departments conduct informal group
counseling. The shop and art teachers are relied upon to
disseminate any information of the vocational nature, which
the students might desire. The physical education department
is held responsible for the health information which the
students should receive. They arrange for physical examina
tion and health instruction during their classes.
Individual counseling. The counselor of the school,
having only recently assumed her position and realizing that
great improvements in.the guidance program are necessary, is
beginning to work out a program for more thorough individual
counseling. One of the features of this program centers
around the investigation of pupil failures in the school. A
list of students receiving five unsatisfactory character
marks or one failure has been compiled. The students are to
be called in for special interviews with the counselor.
28
Prior to this plan, the students were allowed to progress
haphazardly with only a slight chance of receiving any
individual attention from the classroom teachers.
Conclusion. The case history of this school illus
trates the results that a badly organized home room program
can bring. Great resentment against the home room plan
resulted, and it will be only through careful, painstaking
work, that a better organized home room program will again
be accepted.
CHAPTER IV
A PROPOSED HOME ROOM GUIDANCE PROGRAM FOR A
LOS ANGELES JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
INTRODUCTION
With due consideration of the different types of home
room organizations and administrations found In the litera
ture, and heretofore discussed, and with the idea of
presenting a guidance program to be used in the three year
Junior high school, whose description and present program
has been considered in Chapter III, the following guidance
program is proposed:
ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION
The home room program in this particular situation
would work well under the administration of a faculty
committee, with the head counselor as chairman. This type
of organization is suggested since the failure of the
previous program was in some measure due to the lack of
faculty assistance in administration. This committee would
encourage the program, collect and classify materials to be
used in the program, and suggest and coordinate activities
and programs for the home rooms. This committee should be
receptive to ideas and suggestions of the school faculty
members.
ORGANIZATION
30
Length of period, frequency of meeting, and place in
the day1s schedule. The home room period should be sched
uled once each week, with possibly more frequent meetings
during the first and last weeks of school to provide time
for the added administrative work which accrues at this time.
The extra ten minutes which are now added to the second
period class in place of the home room period, could still
be scheduled, so that this period could be used four times
per week as the official roll call period and for bulletin
announcements. It is proposed that the length of the home
room period be about thirty minutes and that this home room
period be scheduled to follow the second period class. This
would allow the latecomers to attend, and would still be
early enough in the day for announcements and roll.
Home room membership. The home room should consist
of about thirty-five students of the same grade, and with an
approximately equal number of boys and girls. This set up
would aJLlow for a more uniform program which can be articu
lated year to year. The students should not be segregated,
but selected at random, thus providing a more representative
and democratic group. The students would be assigned to a
home room sponsor who would be their sponsor throughout
their three year sta.y. This would give both pupil and
31
teacher a chance to know each other and to work together,
provide moral and group spirit, and certainly would give the
sponsor the satisfaction of watching her group grow and
develop.
Home room organization. Each home room should he
given freedom for its own organization hut the following
suggestions which could he worked out in more detail or he
substituted hy other ideas, are made:
The home room should he democratically organized and
he administered with a student cabinet under the sponsor's
guidance. The officers on the cabinet might consist of the
president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, representa
tive to the student council. Other minor officers might he
the song leader, sergeant at arms, and attendance officer.
Officers should he elected once per semester so that more
students could he given a chance to participate. In
addition, the students holding offices should he required to
have satisfactory scholarship and citizenship. A great many
more students can he made to feel a part of their home room
if they are assigned to various committees which could he
organized. Some of the suggested committees are: activity,
which would he in charge of boosting the different school
drives; art, which would he responsible for room decorations
or exhibits; citizenship, which would set up the room
32
standards and promote good citizenship; scholarship, which
would stress the importance of good scholarship; and social,
which would arrange social events for the group.
HOME ROOM GUIDANCE PROGRAMS
Introduction. On the following pages, a guidance
program for use in the homerooms of a Los Angeles Junior
High School is presented. The program is divided into six
grade levels, with each grade being responsible for the
study of ten topics during the semester. The topics are
arranged in an order designed to be of interest to students
of a particular grade and age level. Along with each topic,
the objectives of the study are enumerated. Each sponsor
may have her own way of presentation or explanation of the
subject matter, but some suggested activities for use with
each topic are listed. If the teacher finds that a particu
lar activity works well with her group, she should make note
of it in her evaluation report to the faculty committee. It
is only through suggestions and constructive criticism that
a truly effective program can be constructed.
Although the home room will meet at least twenty
times during the semester, only ten topics are suggested
beca.use it is felt that some of the subjects require more
than one or two periods of discussion. In addition, time is
allotted for school drives, special holiday programs,
33
■ <
individual conferences between students and sponsor on grades
and program planning, and discussions on other topics of
current interest to the students which' might arise.
It might also be added tha.t in order to promote feel
ings of group spirit, athletic events, scholastic, and
attendance competitions between home rooms of the same gra.de,
could be arranged.
3^
Guidance Program for B7 Home Rooms
Purpose: To orient the students to the school.
Topic 1. Your Home Room
Objectives:
1. To explain the ideals and purposes of
the home room.
2. To review the topics of discussion for
the semester.
3. To organize the home room, elect
officers, and appoint committees.
Suggested Activities:
1. Class discussion on values of the home
room.
2. Consideration of necessary qualiflcatlons
and duties of elected officers.
3. Class suggestions for additional topics
of study.
Topic 2. Know Your School
Objectives:
1. To familiarize students with the admini
strative officers of the school and the
location of their offices.
2. To acquaint students with school facili
ties. (library, student store, etc.)
35
t
3* To present school rules and regulations
To explain the history, school.tradi
tions, a.nd songs of the' school to the
students.
Suggested Activities:
1. The Horae Room sponsor can present names
of the administrative staff.
2. Students can make maps of school showing
the location of offices, library,
student store, etc.
3. Class discussion on rules of the school
and reasons for their enforcement.
4-. Study of student handbook for history,
traditions and songs.
5. Scheduled visit to the counselor's
office, library, or other places on the
campus.
Topic 3• Know Your Order
Objectives:
1. To explain parliamentary procedure and
terminology.
2. To practice correct parliamentary
procedure in the home room situation.
Suggested Activities:
1. Explanation by sponsor of meanings of
36
parliamentary terminology.
2. Student practice on conducting home
room business.
3. Each student can demonstre.te proper way
of mailing a motion, withdrawing motion,
nomination, etc.
Topic 4. Where Do You Belong?
Objectives:
1. To explain the organization and function
of the student council.
2. To introduce various honor groups.
3. To stimulate interest in extracurricular
activities, and membership in school
clubs.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students compile a list of clubs %\rith
which they are f am illar,'along with
emblems, sweaters, and pins of the groups.
2. Visits by student body officers to the
rooms to explain the work of the council.
3. Explanation of requirements for member
ship in honor-service groups.
k. Explanation of activities offered by
various interest groups, such as science,
art, music, athletic, etc.
37
Topic 5» Use Your Library
Objectives;
1. To acquaint students with proper conduct
in the library.
2. To inform students of rules on use of
library books.
3. To explain the use of the card catalogue
and Dewey Decimal system.
To stimulate students to do more reading.
Suggested Activities;
1. Use of illustrated floor plan of library
for explanations.
2. Explain samples of various types of
index cards.
3* Bulletin boards can be decorated with
colorful book jackets.
Topic 6. What About Scholarship?
Objectives;
1. To explain the grading system on the
report cards.
2. To explain the purpose of unsatisfactory
notices.
3. To emphasize the importance of absence
and tardiness on scholarship.
38
Suggested Activities:
1. Glass discussion on the advantages of
good scholarship.
2. Sponsor can explain the recording of
permanent grades on cumulative cards.
3. Individual conferences with students
receiving low grades and unsatisfactory
notes.
Topic 7* Be Healthy.
Objectives:
1. To emphasize the importance of good
health for success in school.
2. To review the basic health rules.
3. To familiarize students with health
facilities available through the school.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students can prepare a stimulating
bulletin board and room display on
health.
2. Discussion and review of fundamental
health rules.
3. List health facilities available to
students.
Topic 8. Study Yourself
Ob.j ectives:
1. To help each child view himself criti
cally and discover some of his own faults.
2. Stimula.te self-improvement in the child.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students write criticisms of themselves.
These are compared with desirable Quali
ties read by the sponsor.
2. After discussion, students write sugges
tions for self improvement.
Topic 9» Which Do You Choose?
Objectives:
1. To explain differences between elective
and required subjects.
2. To acquaint pupils with different fields
of study.
3. To familiarize students with graduation
requirements.
4. To stimulate pupils to think of future
courses of study.
Suggested Activities:
1. Make chart showing required subjects for
all students.
2s Brief descriptions by teacher on elec
tive subjects for commercial, academic,
industrial arts, and home economics
courses.
3. Students can plan tentative list of
courses in which they are most inter
ested.
Topic 10. Summary and Recognition
Objectives;
1. To evaluate the semester home room
program.
2. To recognize home room students who have
been outstanding in scholarship, leader
ship, school service, and attendance.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students discuss home room topics and
select those most valuable to them.
2. A compiled home room list of outstanding
members of the group in various school
activities can be posted:
1. Scholarship— students receiving
four Are.
2. Attendance— students have perfect
attendance.
kl
3. Leadership— home room officers;
students elected to
council; class officers.
k. Members of other school clubs.
k2
Guidance Program for A? Home Rooms
Purpose: To Impress students with the Importance of social,
ethical and moral values.
Topic 1. Organization of the Home Room
Objectives:
1. To review the topics for the semester.
2. To practice parliamentary procedure.
3. To elect officers and reorganize the
home room.
Suggested Activities:
1. Class review on rules of parliamentary
procedure.
2. Sponsor can give preview of semester
studies.
3. Election of officers and appointment of
committees.
A. Class suggestions for additional topics
to be studied.
Topic 2. Take Care1
Objectives:
1. To encourage students to observe the
simple rules of safety.
2. To make students conscious of fire
hazards in the home and community.
^3
Suggested Activities:
1. Class discussions on subjects of 1 1 Safety
on the Road>" "Safety at Home," "Safety
at School."
2. Use available films on se,fety and fire
prevention.
3. Students can prepare list of fire hazards
found in their homes.
* ■ Post bulletin displays illustrating
common fire hazards.
Topic 3* IjL Pays to Save
Objectives:
1. To point out to pupils common examples
of waste and thrift.
2. To make students aware of the importance
of thrift habits.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students collect and post quotations on
examples illustrating thrift in time,
energy, materials, money, etc.
2. Students make"weekly budgets showing
money spent daily.
3. Class discussion on wise spending.
Topic You as a School Citizen
U r U r
Objectives:
1. To make students aware of the responsibi
lities involved in good citizenship.
2. To stimulate students to improve their
citizenship.
Suggested Activities:
1. Class discussion on elements of good and
bad citizenship.
2. Sponsor presentation of cases of student
conduct with class judging good and poor
citizenship.
3. Class can compile list of characteristics
of good citizenship. Students then can
rate themselves on each trait.
Topic 5* You and Your Community
Objectives:
1. To Interest students in their community
activities.
2. To encourage students to take advantage
of the services of their community.
3. To acquaint students with their duties
and obligations as citizens of their
community.
Suggested Activities:
1. Review of local neighborhood papers for
45
community activities.
2. Class discussions for use of leisure
time in the community.
3. List local organizations offering leisure
activities for junior high school
students.
4. Class suggestions for community improve
ments such as clean streets, clean
buildings, elimination of eyesores, etc.
Topic 6. Be_ A Good Sport
Objectives:
1. To impress students with the importance
of good sportsmanship and fair play.
2. To illustrate sportsmanship in all phases
of living as well as in athletics.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students can hold a discussion on the
elements of good sportsmanship.
2. Students can give examples of sportsman
ship in the classroom, in the halls, in
the assemblies.
3. Students can write a code of good
sportsmanship.
Topic 7. Your Manners are Showing
46
0 1 3 . 1 ect Ives:
1. To encourage students to practice good
manners at school, at home, and in
publie places.
2. To show the advantages in cultivating
good manners.
Suggested Activities:
1. Use films illustrating table manners,
introductions, courtesies to adults, etc.
2. Glass practice on correct introductions.
3. Discuss correct manners in church,
stores, public conveyances.
4. Student skits illustrating "do’s" and
“dont's" in public places.
Topic 8. How Do You Rate?
Objectives:
1. To make students conscious of the impor
tance of good personality development
for success in the present as well as
the future.
2. To help students develop desirable
qualities.
Suggested Activities:
1. Class discussions on meaning of person
ality.
2. Students and sponsor compile list for
desirable personal traits such as
cheerfulness, kindness, consideration,
helpfulness, courtesy, and tact. These
can be discussed and illustrated by
stories and examples.
3. Students can rate each other high or low
on various personality traits.
Topic 9» Your Character Counts 1
Objectives:
1. To explain the difference between person
ality and character.
2. To impress upon students the value of
developing desirable character traits.
Suggested Activities:
1. Discuss lives of famous men and show
their outstanding character traits.
2. Explain that personality is outward
appearance, while character is what the
person really is.
3. Discussion on the following character
traits: Honesty, reliability, loyalty,
obedience, courage, unselfishness, etc.
Topic 10. Summary and Recognition
48
Objectives:
1, To review and evaluate the high spots of
the semester’s study.
2. To recognize leadership, scholarship,
service activities of the home room
members.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students present panels on the most out
standing facts from each topic of study.
2. Home room lists for recognition can be
posted. (See Topic 10, page 40)
k9
Guidance Program for B8 Home Rooms
Purpose: To stress the importance of using leisure time
advantageously.
To cultivate student appreciation for everyday
culture
Topic 1. Organization of the Home Room
Objectives:
1. To preview topics of study for the
semester.
2. To review and practice parliamentary
procedure.
3. To elect officers and organize the home
room.
Suggested Activities:
1. Class review of rules of parliamentary
procedure.
2. Sponsor can give preview of semester
studies.
3. Election of officers and appointment of
committees.
A. Suggestions for additional topics to be
studied.
Topic 2. How Do You Study?
Objectives:
1. To emphasize the importance of good study
habits.
2. To encourage students to study effect
ively.
Suggested Activities:
1. Bulletin boards arranged by pupils on
"How to Study."
2. Students relate their methods of study.
Glass discussions follow.
3. Panel by home room members on the most
effective means of study.
if. Students make schedules showing the
amount of study time devoted to each
subject.
Topic 3* It* s Fun To Participate
Objectives:
1. To encourage students to participate in
extra curricular activities.
2. To show vaJ.ues and opportunities offered
in out of class activities.
Suggested Activities:
1. Student discussion on the values derived
from participation in extracurricular
activities: citizenship training, self
51
confidence and expression, discovery of
talent or ability, public speaking
experience, new friends.
2. Students and sponsor list extracurricu
lar activities offered by the school:
Student council, clubs, safety squad,,
athletic clubs, drama and speech clubs,
orchestra, and glee clubs.
Topic 4. Have A Hobby I
Objectives:
1. To encourage students to become inter
ested in hobbies.
2. To acquaint students with Interests and
activities arising from hobbles.
3. To discuss merits of individual hobbies.
Suggested Activities:
1. Student reports on individual hobbies.
2. Glass can list worthwhile hobbies and
their merits.
3. Displays of student hobbies brought to
the home room.
k. Show how hobbies can be an advantageous
use of leisure time.
Topic 5« Know Your City
52
Ob,i eotlves:
1. To make students aiirare of historic and
current importance of their city.
2. To encourage students to visit worth
while places of interest in Los Angeles.
Suggested Activities:
1. Discussion on historic landmarks of Los
Angeles.
2. Student reports on visits of exceptional
interest.
3. Students and sponsor can plan an imagin
ary tour of the city to include Olvera
Street, County Museum, Hancock Park,
Huntington Library and other worthwhile
sights.
Topic 6. Know Your State and Country
Objectives:
1. To stimulate interest in travel.
2. To get students to recognize cultural,
values gained by travel.
3. To acquaint students with modes of
travel and geographical barriers of the
country.
Suggested Activities:
53
1. Discussion on cultural value of travel.
2. Motion pictures on interesting spots in
California.
3. Student reports on famous places they
have visited.
4. Discuss the advantages of various modes
of travel throughout the United States.
Topic ?• Literature For You
Objectives:
1. To encourage students to read well
chosen books.
2. To show values of reading selected
literature.
3. To help students to improve their read
ing habits.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students can report on good books which
they have read.
2. Class discussions on “real1 1 people in
literature.
3. Students given reading quiz to analyze
their reading habits.
4. Lists of enjoyable books for junior high
school students can be posted.
54
5. Discuss, 1 1 How to Read, the Newspaper" or
"How to Read, a Magazine."
Topic 8. Music For You
Objectives:
1. To stimulate an interest in the apprecia
tion of fine music.
2. To encourage development of musical
talent.
3. To show the practical and esthetical
values of music.
Suggested Activities:
1. What are the social, financis.1, vocation
al and cultural advantages of
understanding music?
2. Discuss the Importance of musical effects
in motion pictures, radio, and other
fields.
3. Play recordings and practice recognition
of the classics.
4. Student reports on historical backgrounds
of famous pieces of music.
Topic 9. Art For You
Objectives;
1. To awaken with students an appreciation
55
for true beauty.
2. To acquaint pupils with vocational
possibilities of art.
3. To acquaint students with the value of
art in everyday life.
Suggested Activities:
1. Explain and discuss art in drama, poetry,
dance, architecture, sculpture, painting.
2. Student contributions on following
subjects: Art in the Home, Art in the
Community, Art in Dress, etc.
3. Students can observe and report on’ dif
ferent types of architecture of
buildings in the community.
Students and sponsor can enumerate
vocations in which art is a major
requirement.
Topic 10. Summary and Recognition
Objectives:
1. To review the most important facts dis
cussed in the semester’s study.
2. To recognize leadership, scholarship,
service activities of home room members.
Suggested Activities:
Students and sponsor review the most
outstanding facts from each topic of
study.
Home room lists for recognition can he
posted. (See Topic 10, page h-0)
5?
Guidance Program for A8 Home Rooms
Purpose: ,To acquaint the students with the educational
opportunities offered in their community, and to
guide students towa.rd wiser choices in future
courses.
Topic 1. Organization of the Home Room
Objectives:
1. To preview topics of study for the
semester.
2. To elect officers and organize the home
room.
Suggested Activities:
1. Sponsor can give a preview of material,
to be covered.
2. Students can make added suggestions for
study.
3. Election of officers and appointment of
committees.
Topic 2. You and Your Responsibilities
Objectives:
1. To help students to understand that as
more mature persons, they will be accept
ing greater responsibilities.
2. To help students develop the proper
58
attitudes toward various responsibilities.
Suggested Activities:
1. Discuss differences between child and
adult habits in relation to property,
conduct, pther persons, one's self.
2. Analyze responsibilities toward parents,
i
school, teachers, other students, the
community.
3. Discuss— Do my actions show my acceptance
of responsibilities?
Topic 3* Your Presence Is Needed
Objectives:
1. To point out the importance of regular
attendance for success in school or in
any field.
2. To impress upon the student the impor
tance of puctuality.
3. To acquaint students with the disadvan
tages of absence.
Suggested Activities:
1. Discuss— What is the value of regular
attendance in school? In any occupation?
2. What are the disadvantage of absence from
school?
3. How is attendance related to responsible
citizenship?
■ k. Visit by the school attendance officer.
Topic k. The School System
Objectives:
1. To familiarize the students with the
place of their school within the public
school system.
2. To make the student aware of the cost of
his education to the general public.
Suggested Activities:
1. A diagram of the Los Angeles City School
System showing the Board of Education,
the various levels of schools, and the
services offered by the school system
can be explained.
2. Presentation of figures of cost of
education in past years and cost of
education per capita,.
3. How is the school money spent? Students
can calculate how much their education
will cost.
L. What is the individual^ responsibility
to society in return for public educa,-
tion?
Topic 5* Why Choose School?
Qb.1 ectlves:
1. To point out the advantages of education.
2. To stimulate students to continue their
schooling.
3. To encourage poor students to improve
their school work.
Suggested Activities:
1. Discuss— What is the purpose of educa
tion? How is school related to education
2. What are the social, economic, and
cultural advantages of an education?
3- Review the lives of great men, showing
the influences of education on their
achievement.
Topic 6. Further Your Education
Qb.1 ectlves:
1. To acquaint the students with educational
opportunities available in local institu
tions .
Suggested Activities:
1. Review and discuss bulletins and
pamphlets describing Colleges and
Universities, Music and Art Schools,
61
Commercial Schools, Trade Schools, and
Evening Schools.
Zt Pictures of local school campuses can be
posted on the bulletin board.
Topic ?. You and Your Job
Obj ect ives:
1. To show the limited occupational opportu
nities open to students, leaving school
at the junior high school level.
2. To encourage students to finish senior
high school as a requirement for many
occupations.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students can make a list of available
occupations for students stopping their
formal education at junior high school.
Compare to occupations for senior high
graduates.
2. Discuss the activities Involved in these
occupations, pointing out the routine of
the work and the average money earned,
compared to more advanced occupations.
Topic 8. Plan Your Future
Objectives:
1. To help students to consider both inter
ests and capabilities in planning their
high school programs.
2. To help students to analyze their
interests and abilities.
Suggested Activities:
1. Discuss the importance of making plans
for the future in order to choose the
right curricular subjects.
2. Ask students to fill out interest ques
tionnaires and discuss interpretations
of their answers.
3. Students may list subjects taken and
grade received, or indicate subjects
best liked.
k. Discuss various fields or occupations
which require ability in particular1
subjects, e.g. physicist, statistician,
banker, require proficiency in ma,themat-
ics.
Topic 9« Your Ninth Grade Course
Objectives:
1. To emphasize the importance of selecting
courses wisely.
2. To inform students that ninth grade
courses will count toward high school
graduation.
Suggested Activities:
1. Use printed forms from counselor's office,
listing elective subjects for various
fields.
2. The head or grade counselor can be sched
uled to speak to the home room.
3. The sponsor can give brief description of
activities in various elective subjects.
Individual counseling is especially
important at this time.
Topic 10. Summary and Recognition
Objectives:
1. To review the most important facts dis
cussed in the semester's study.
2. To recognize leadership, scholarship,
service activities of home room members.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students and sponsor review the most
outstanding facts from each topic of
study.
2. Home room lists for recognition can be
posted. (See Topic 10, page ko)
6k
G-uldance Program for B9 Home Rooms
Purpose: To give students vocational guidance.
To present to the students a general survey of
many occupations.
Topic 1. Organization of the Home Room
Ob.1 ect ives:
1. To preview topics of study for the semes
ter.
2. To elect officers and organize the home
room.
Suggested Activities:
1. Sponsor can give a preview of material
to he covered.
2. Students can make added suggestions for
study.
3. Election of officers and appointment of
committees.
Topic 2. Your Vocational Planning
Ob.1 ect ives:
1. To show the advantage of early planning
toward a career as opposed to waiting to
drift into it.
Suggested Activities:
1. Since junior high students are not
65
positive about the line of work they will
follow, it is advisable to show them many
types of work. Committees can be appoin
ted to investigate certain types of
occupations.
2. Discuss— "How does the choice of a
vocation affect happiness, friends,
recreation, security, and standard of
living?"
3. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages
of choosing one's vocation in junior
high school, senior high school, during
college, after college.
k. Pupils can indicate vocational preferen
ces and what requirements they think
their vocation entails. There can be
discussion with the sponsor for clarifi
cation.
Topic 3. Vocational Failure
Objectives:
1. To point out causes for failure in a
vocation.
2. To stress the importance of adequate
training for success.
66
3. To urge students to make the most of
their school opportunities.
Suggested Activities:
1. Discuss the traits which can cause fail
ure in a vocational field— incompetence,
lack of cooperation, unrelability,
irregularity.
2. What are the effects of technological
changes on various occupations?
3. Enumerate occupations which are over
crowded and those in which there is a
scarcity of workers.
k. Students can cite cases of failures in
business or professional life and reasons
for failures.
5. Suggest ways in which school can help
one to be successful in his vocation.
Topic k. Analyze Yourself
Objectives:
1. To point out the importance of self
analysis in choosing one's vocation.
2. To help students to analyze themselves.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students can take interest and vocationa.1
67
inventories.
2. Students can be given personality tests.
These can be interpreted to some extent
by the sponsor or counselor.
3. Discuss the physical, mental, and
emotional requirements for various
occupations.
Topic 5* §0. You1re Interested in Commerce?
Ob.j ectlves:
1. To give students a brief study on the
main facts concerning some of the
occupations in the field of commerce.
Suggested Activities:
1. Name the various types of business
organizations in commerce and the oppor
tunities each offers.
2. Secure printed forms from the counselor
listing occupations in commerce on the
professional, skilled, and unskilled
levels. These can be discussed and kept
for future reference.
3. Discuss the responsibilities and duties
involved in various occupations.
4. Show films available on various commer
cial occupations.
68
Topic 6. The Professional and Public Service Fields
Ob.1 ect ives:
1. To acquaint students with the various
occupations in these fields.
2. To show students where the professions
differ from other types of work.
Suggested Activit ies:
1. Committees can be appointed to study
occupations in various professional
fields, (architecture, medicine, teaching,
law, etc.)
2. Enumerate and discuss the various occupa
tions in the public service field.
3. Discuss the Civil Service method of
selecting government employees.
A. Discuss qualifications and training
requirements for various occupations.
Topic ?. Occupations in Industry
Ob.1 ectlves:
1. To introduce students to vocational
possibilities in industry.
2. To acquaint students with the advantages
and disadvantages of various industrial
occupations. .
Suggested Activities:
1. Compile a list of the various industries
within the city. Discuss their impor
tance.
2. Students may investigate and interview
persons engaged in industry and discuss
educational requirements and duties.
3. Discuss mental, physical qualifications
required by various industrial occupa
tions .
k. Use films showing various industries at
work.
Topic 8. Homemaking and Personal Service Fields
Qb,i ect ives:
1. To acquaint students with vocational
opportunities in these fields.
2. To discuss duties and requirements of
some of the occupations.
Suggested Activities:
1. List some of the institutions which
render personal service. (Hotels,
restaurants, schools, etc.)
2. List the various vocations in these
fields, (dietitian, beauty operator,
interior decorator, etc.)
70
3. Study the possible duties and educational
requirements needed.
Topic 9. Applying; for a Job
Ob.1 ect ives:
1. To acquaint students with important
points in making applications for a jobs.
2. To review points to be included and left
out in writing letters of application.
Suggested Activities:
1. Discuss methods of locating jobs, (class
ified ads, employment agencies, etc.)
2. Sponsor reviews good form for writing
applications for jobs.
3. List information to be included in a
written application.
A. Discuss the precautions to be taken when
making personal interviews.
5. Explain the social security Act require
ments.
Topic 10. Summary and Recognition
Objectives:
1. To review the most important facts
discussed in the semester’s study.
2. To recognize leadership, scholarship,
71
service activities of home room members.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students and sponsor review the most
outstanding facts from each topic of
study.
2. Home room lists for recognition can be
posted. (See Topic 10, page 40)
72
Cuidanoe Program for A9 Home Rooms
Purpose: To help students arrange their educational programs
according to their interests and abilities.
To review bs„sic rules of good grooming and good
etiquette.
The A9 semester is usually crowded with many extra
curricular activities such as A9 Class meetings, the Senior
Play, Class Day, A9 Party, and graduation exercises. Many
of the class members devote extra time for the preparation
of these functions. Much time is also needed for individual
counseling in making out the High School programs. For these
reasons, fewer topics of study are suggested for the A9
semester.
Topic 1. Organization of the Home Room
Objectives:
1. To preview topics of study for the
semester.
-2. To elect officers and organize the home
room.
Suggested Activities:
1. Sponsor can give a preview of material
to be covered.
2. Students can make added suggestions for
73
study.
3. Election of officers and committees.
Topic 2. Your Appearance
Objectives:
1. To review the basic fundamentals of good
personal grooming.
2. To help students to improve their appear
ance .
Suggested Activities:
1. Students can list unattractive habits of
boys and girls and discuss these.
2. Discuss correct and incorrect dress for
various occasions.
3. Students can post pictures of correct
and incorrect positions in standing,
walking, sitting, to make the class
conscious of good posture.
4. Study the effect of good health habits
on personal appea.ra.nce.
Topic 3* Etiauettely Speaking
Objectives':
1. To review correct etiquette for various
occasions.
2. To help students develop an ability to
converse with ease.
3. To review proper etiquette in girl-boy
relationships.
Suggested Activities:
1. Give quiz based on rules of etiquette.
Discuss the correct answers, with their
implications.
2. Students can practice the correct proced
ure in introducing people— boys, girls,
older people.
3. Discuss proper ways of making dates, and
proper conduct while on dates.
Show available films on table manners,
dating, etc.
$. Discuss basic rules in developing good
conversation.
Topic k. Colleges and Universities
Objectives:
1. To show students advantages of higher
education.
2. To explain various types of colleges and
universities. -
Suggested Activities:
1. Students can bring year books, catalogues,
pictures, etc., of various colleges.
These can be posted or circulated.
2. Discussion and explanation of Liberal
Arts Colleges, Technical Colleges,
Universities, Professional Colleges,
Junior Colleges.
3. Lost reasons for and against going to
college.
k. Catalogues of various colleges can be
obtained from the counselor for review,
and various activities of college life
can be discussed.
5. Students should be made aware that some
scholarships are available for qualified
students wishing to study in various
institutions.
Topic 5. Meet Your Senior High School
Objectives:
1. To familiarize students with some of the
procedures of their future senior high
school.
Suggested Activities:
1. Sponsors may obtain bulletins giving
high school Information from the counsel
or's office. These can be discussed with
the students.
76
2. Histories, traditions and activities of
local high schools which students will
attend can "be presented.
3. A9 home rooms can meet as a group to
hear representatives from the various
high schools.
Topic 6. Requirements for Senior High School
Graduation
Objectives:
1. To familiarize pupils with graduation
requirements of various local high
schools.
2. To inform students who plan to attend
college of college entrance requirements
in planning high school programs.
Suggested Activities:
1. Forms supplied to the counselor by
various high schools in the vicinity
showing high school requirements can be
passed to students.
2. The high school major, unit or credit,
required subjects, and electives, should
be defined and explained to the students.
3. College entrance requirements should be
77
related to high school requirements to
show courses needed.
Topic 7. Planning the High School Program
Objectives:
1. This study is one of the most important
of the A9 semester and each student
deserves individual attention from the
sponsor or counselor.
2. To help students plan their schedule for
the coming semester, and tentative sched
ule for their high school years.
Suggested Activities:
1. Students should receive programs of study
from the counselor's office for the high
school which they plan to attend.
2. Students should select the courses
required for their major field. These
programs should be approved by the home
room sponsor and counselor.
3. Sponsor can make sample programs on the
board for various majors and explain
procedure for selecting the right subjects.
Topic 8. Summary and Recognition
Obj ectives:
78
1. To review the semester's work.
2. To recognize each student for his parti
cipation in school affairs.
Suggested Activities:
1. Review the outstanding facts in each
topic.
2. The name of each home room member can he
listed followed by all clubs and activi
ties he participated in, offices he held,
scholastic achievement, outstanding
attendance record, or other merit which
he received.
3. The social committee can plan some sort
of farewell program.
79
EVALUATION OF THE HOME ROOM GUIDANCE'PROGRAM
Evaluation by individual members. There are several
ways of evaluating the home room guidance program, but. one
of the most important is to secure the opinion of the indi
vidual students. Students could be asked to fill out home
room rating scales, which would be constructed to point out
what parts of the home room program benefited them the most,
and which features could be improved. If the students were
not required to sign their names, they would probably be
quite frank with their opinions. These sheets would be of
interest to the home room sponsor, for she in turn could see
which features of the program were the weakest, and strive
to improve them.
Evaluation by the Home Room sponsor. Although rating
home room activity is more difficult than rating classroom
work because of the indefiniteness of the items rated, it is
necessary and valuable. The sponsor might be called upon
to fill out evaluation sheets which would reflect her own
attitudes and reactions as well as those of her pupils. If
her answers are frank, they will assist the faculty committee
and counselor in improving or readjusting the home room
program.
It must be remembered, however, that evaluation of
itself is not an end, but a means to an end— and that end is
80
improvement. An evaluation merely shows the strengths and
weaknesses of the program, and may call for readjustment,
reorganization, or replacement. Following the readjustment
comes another evaluation. For best results., this should be
a constant and never ending process.
THE HOME ROOM RECORD CARD
81
The need for a record card. Since it is advisable
for the home room.sponsor:to know as much about each of her
pupils as possible, she should be a frequent user of the
cumulative record cards in the counselor's office. However,
as an added convenience, each home room sponsor might find
it advisable to keep a small pupil record card in her own
room. This card, filled out by the pupil yearly, would give
current information about the pupil. The sponsor would not
always have to refer to the counselor's office for the
pupil's cumulative records except when more detailed or
confidential material is needed. The back of the card could
be used for Information derived from sponsor-pupil conferen
ces .
Characteristics of the record card. Before the form
for a record card can be drawn up, there are certain criteria
that must be considered.
1. Since the card is to be used by the home room
sponsor and must be kept in the sponsor's room, the card
should measure about Sir1 1 x 8|-" in size.
2. Since the home room sponsor often has many records
to fill and much clerical work for which she is responsible,
these record cards are designed to be filled out by the
students.
82
3. The card is to he filled in by students yearly so
that a current record can be kept. The questions to be
answered, therefore, should be ones for which the pupil will
have adequate information and will be able to answer. If
confidentisd data, test scores, etc., are desired, the
official cumulative card should be consulted.
4. These cards should be used in sponsor-pupil confer
ences. Any useful information which the students may
furnish can be noted on the back of the card, which will be
marked for sponsor's notes.
5* The cards may be used for the comparison of a
pupil from year to year. Changes in the family, home
situation or educational plans can be noted by comparison of
the answers to the questions.
6. Since the cards are not to be formal cumulative
record cards, they need not be as complete or require as
much information as the counselor's cards.
The following page illustrates the home room record
card suggested.
83
Home Room Record Card
To be filled in by the pupil;
1. Name . Date
2. Address Telephone
3. Age Date of Birth Place of Birth
4. Home Room Sponsor H. R.
5. Name of parent or guardian
6. Are both parents living? Living 'together?
7. Father’s occupation
8. Mother's o c c u p a t i o n _______________________________
9. Number of oldpr brothers____ Number of older sisters
10. Numer of younger brothers___ Number of younger sisters
11. Do you speak any foreign languages? Name them______
12. What is the condition of your health^ (circle one)
excellent good poor.
13* What serious illnesses or operations have you had?____
14. Do you work before or after school? What kind of work
do you do?________________________________________________
15. What school organizations do you belong to?_______________
16. Do you belong to any organizations outside of school?
Name them. _____________________________________________ _
17. Do you plan to go to college?_______________
18. What special interests or hobbies do you have?___________
Back of Card
Pupll-Sponsor Conferences
Date. Notes
BIBLIOGRAPHY
8 * 4 -
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Davis, Frank G. , editor, Pupil Personnel Service. Scranton:
International Textbook Company, 19*4-8. 638 pp.
Detjen, Mary E. , and Ervin ¥. Detjen, Home Room Guidance
Programs for the Junior High School Years. Cambridge:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 19*4-0. 509 pp.
Dunsmoor, Clarence C., and Leonard M. Miller, Guidance
Methods for Teachers in Homeroom, Classroom, Core
Program. Scranton: International Textbook Company, 19*4-2.
380 pp.
Ericson, Clifford E., and Marion C. Happ, Guidance Practices
at Work. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. , 19"*5 - 6 •
325 pp.
Handy, Martha Pauline, "Function of Home Rooms in Junior
High Schools," (unpublished Master’s thesis, The
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 1935),
130 pp.
McKown, Harry C., Home Room Guidance. New York: McGraw-Hill
Book Company, Inc., 19*4-6. 510 pp.
Traxler, Arthur E., How to Use Cumulative Records. Chicago:
Science Research Associates, 19*4-?. * 4 - 0 pp.
_______ , Techniques of Guidance. New York: Harper and
Brothers, 19*4-5. 39*4- pp.
Wright, Barbara H., Practical Handbook for Group Guidance.
Chicago: Science Research Associates, Inc., 19*4-8.
225 pp.
Wright, J. C., and Donna S. Wright, Home Room Programs- for
Junior High Schools. Keouk: Extra Curricular Publishing
Company, 1935^ 2®9 pp.
o '

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Asset Metadata

Creator Kyriax, Fanny (author)

Core Title A proposed home room guidance program for a junior high school

Contributor Digitized by ProQuest (provenance)

Degree Master of Science

Degree Program Education

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag education, guidance and counseling,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Advisor Wagner, Elmer E. (committee chair)

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c20-510221

Unique identifier UC11267146

Identifier EP45503.pdf (filename),usctheses-c20-510221 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier EP45503.pdf

Dmrecord 510221

Document Type Thesis

Rights Kyriax, Fanny

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the au...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA