A study to discover how selected Northern Illinois University home economics student teachers and beginning teachers feel about the adequacy of their preparation to teach home economics at the secondary school level

Includes bibliographical references (pages 108-110)The purpose of the study was to discover how Northern Illinois University Home Economics student teachers and beginning teachers feel about the adequacy of their preparation to teach home economies at the secondary school level. The subjects were twenty-one student teachers of Spring semester, 1962, and Fall semester, 1963, and eleven beginning teachers who had one year of teaching experience and were on the job. The data were collected by means of a questionnaire. The findings of the study were: 1. The subjects had a variety of responsibilities in the areas of interpersonal relations, lesson planning, subject matter, teaching techniques, teaching aids, evaluation, and discipline. 2. These responsibilities presented very few problems that the subjects could not handle. 3. The student teachers had more responsibilities with no problems than responsibilities with problems that could be handled. 4. The beginning teachers had more responsibilities that involved problems that they were able to cope with, than responsibilities where no problems were involved. 5. All were able to participate in a few extra-curricular activities. 6. All carried out various extra-class activities such as guiding FHA groups, helping with special meals, et cetera, for which a majority of them were adequately prepared. 7. As a result of their teaching experience, they broadened their interests and improved their abilities and skills which are helpful in teaching. A majority of them considered their student teaching adequate under the guidance of their cooperating teachers in a new community where they had varied experiences. Some suggestions were made regarding the opportunities the subjects would have liked to have, to better prepare them as home economics secondary school teachers. hey were mostly concerning extensive lesson planning and a variety of student teaching experiences. On the whole, a majority of them felt adequately prepared to teach home economics at the secondary school level.M.S. (Master of Science