Dwight Curtis

Before student teaching became a structured, nationally required step of teacher education, Dwight Curtis was not only working to shape the hands-on experience that contributes to aspiring teachers everywhere, but also “wrote the book” on student teaching. 

Co-authored with Leonard O. Andrews of Ohio State University, “Guiding Your Student Teacher” became a key resource in teacher education for mentors and supervisors. It was the first book written for those supervising student teachers:

“We offer a handbook for the busy teacher. Theoretical considerations have been minimized, but the treatment of practical problems is in no sense exhaustive. Rather, we have tried to illustrate the problems which you will face in working with student teachers and to suggest a few ways to go about solving them. We hope that with this manual as a basis, you will develop original ways to stimulate the development of these teachers-to-be.” (page 7)

As head of the Department of Teaching and director of the Malcolm Price Laboratory School from 1945 to 1960, Curtis helped to continue to affirm the Iowa State Teachers College as a leader in teacher preparation. In addition to Price Lab, he expanded off-campus student teaching centers in the Iowa communities of Independence, Fort Dodge and Mason City, later adding Newton and Charles City to broaden access to clinical experiences. 

Curtis was elected national president of the Association for Student Teaching in 1955, a commitment that made him a recognized national leader in the development of student teaching.

“Education for the community” was a driving force for Curtis. In 1961, the National Association of Student Teaching bestowed on him its “Distinguished Service Award.” At the time, he was only the third person to receive this honor since the association's founding in 1920.

Overall, Dwight Curtis is one of the national leaders in the development of student teaching!