Studies in the Selection of Students for a Teachers College

Abstract

Numerous studies have shown the relationships between college grades and data on high school scholarship, interests, intelligence, and other factors available at the time of entrance into college.1 Other investigations have similarly shown there is some relation between all of these factors and teaching success.23 In the case of scholastic or intellectual factors, how ever, the relationship found is usually not sufficiently high to warrant selec tion of students for teaching on this basis alone. There are too many in stances where brilliant students with superior scholarship do not become effective teachers. Hence, it is generally agreed that personality is probably as important for teaching success as are the factors of intelligence and scholarship. But it is proving very difficult to successfully select students for teacher training on the basis of personality. Not only is there little agree ment as to the personal qualities essential for teaching effectiveness, but also it is almost impossible to get an adequate measure of those qualities agreed upon. After summarizing recent literature on selection and on the prediction of teaching success Barr4 concludes as follows: