Educational screen & audio-visual guide (c1956-1971])

B, Classroom Interview By Telephone by Elizabeth M. Grimes 'ILLS father is president of a machine to company, Marjorie's is a truck driver, Judy's owi a small retail store, Jan's is a lawyer, Dan's is Democratic committeeman, Joe's is on the tow council, Anne's is an importer, Ted's is a banl teller and Jim's, a policeman. What a wealth ( information and experience there is here— far b( yoiid the ken of teachers, textbooks, or scho( library facilities! Yet this is but a fraction of tlknowledge held by the parents of any seiiii class. Too seldom is it tapped for the coursi where such enrichment is appropriate. In Glen Ridge High School our twelfth grac; social studies course consists of five months ( economic theory, together with American cci nomic history. For the rest of the year, we stud United States government. Such a course ncci to be related to reality insofar as possible. Dvices such as the school bank. Junior Achii ment, the Student Council and Court are helpi activities but they are, at best, only facsimili( Even if well developed, they remain a kind ( play-acting far removed from the actual exper ence of a man who spends his whole time at business or profession. All of us try to use this knowledge. "Ask yoij j dad what he thinks. Jack. He'll know from hij work at the bank," is a common way to do i | Having Jack's father come to talk to the clas would be the best way were it not for the diff culty of fitting it in his busy schedule. The tap recorded interview has been used with great sue cess, but it involves getting equipment, student: and interviewer together and will sometimes ki several hours of a man's time. Most parents ar very gracious and willing to help when approacl ; ed by the students, but it seems an imposition 1 1 request a lot of preparation. j "Let's call him on our phone" is our method. ] I has resulted in spontaneity, convenience, and wider use of a classroom telephone, an amplifie which enables the class to hear the convcrsatior two jacks, an office switch which cuts us in t one of the central office telephone lines, a "beep er," and a tape recorder if other classes are t hear the conversation later. The total installation charge was $36.90 an the monthly charge $6.55. The latter figure coulc be reduced to $4.55 if it were possible to mak one of the office phones portable. Toll charge are kept at a minimum. On the whole, the cost i reasonable in relation to results. Whenever possible those interviewed are par ents. A poll of class members on the subject o parent occupations must be taken early in th year. It requires some probing to get useful ans wers. A student may simply say "foreman" and if prodded will add "in the Excel Company. Yet what the company makes, plus other details must be known to make the picture clear. Sometimes there is no parent who meets thi requirements. We had none who were Congress men, or state legislators, or labor leaders. Ye classes wished to phone these men. Letters fron students brought quick response in every case even from strangers, and the dates were set. Usually a specific time is planned in advanct Reprinted from New Jersey Education Association Review. 180 Educational Screen and Audiovisual Guide — April, 196(