Laura Zirbes
Encyclopedia
Laura Zirbes was an American
educator. Zirbes was a vital figure in education and reading instruction
. Zirbes began her teaching career at an elementary school
in Cleveland from 1903 to 1919, and then went on to work at the experimental Lincoln School
at Teachers College, Columbia University
from 1920 until 1926. She finally earned her doctoral degree
from Columbia University
in 1928. In the years leading up to her retirement (1928-1954) she taught at Ohio State University
. In all her teaching years combined, she taught for 61 years, including summer sessions until 1964. During so many years of teaching, Zirbes endured some of the most important issues affecting education in the United States throughout the twentieth century. In Cleveland, she taught a class of fifty-six fourth graders that were all children of immigrants. During her time at Columbia, she listened to Edward L. Thorndike, John Dewey
, and William Bagley discuss the value of testing, and heard Bagley argue with William Heard Kilpatrick
about Kilpatrick’s Project method. Zirbes coauthored many articles with William S. Gray
. Her dissertation made her one of the country’s experts on teaching children to read. She never really considered herself an expert at reading because she did not believe in isolating one subject from other subjects. Zirbes founded the laboratory school at Ohio State, this school continued under her influence for over thirty years. She believed children learned things best when their interest was high. Zirbes supported the child-centered approach only if the teacher had a good understanding of the skills she wanted the children to learn, and carefully lead her class in that direction. The next step in learning was to provide good learning experiences that would enlarge children’s understanding
and their vocabulary
. Zirbes believed that numerous other elements contribute to learning. The first, that the lesson should be meaningful to the child, and second, that learning should be intrinsically motivating. The final two elements of learning, as Zirbes saw it, were that the lesson should stimulate thinking and lastly it should be integrated with other subjects. As Zirbes neared retirement, critics like Arthur Bestor
attacked her beliefs on education. Her answer to this criticism came in the form of a book, Spurs to Creative Teaching (1959). She died on June 9, 1967 in Columbus, Ohio.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator. Zirbes was a vital figure in education and reading instruction
Reading education
Reading education is the process by which individuals are taught to derive meaning from text.Government-funded scientific research on reading and reading instruction began in the U.S. in the 1960s. In the 1970s and 1980s, researchers began publishing findings based on converging evidence from...
. Zirbes began her teaching career at an elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
in Cleveland from 1903 to 1919, and then went on to work at the experimental Lincoln School
Lincoln School
- Places named more or less exactly "Lincoln School" :in Nepal*Lincoln School, Kathmandu, Nepalin the United Kingdom* Lincoln School was a boys' grammar and boarding school on Wragby Road in Lincoln, Lincolnshire which in 1974 became Lincoln Christ's Hospital School, a co-educational comprehensive...
at Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
from 1920 until 1926. She finally earned her doctoral degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1928. In the years leading up to her retirement (1928-1954) she taught at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
. In all her teaching years combined, she taught for 61 years, including summer sessions until 1964. During so many years of teaching, Zirbes endured some of the most important issues affecting education in the United States throughout the twentieth century. In Cleveland, she taught a class of fifty-six fourth graders that were all children of immigrants. During her time at Columbia, she listened to Edward L. Thorndike, John Dewey
John Dewey
John Dewey was an American philosopher, psychologist and educational reformer whose ideas have been influential in education and social reform. Dewey was an important early developer of the philosophy of pragmatism and one of the founders of functional psychology...
, and William Bagley discuss the value of testing, and heard Bagley argue with William Heard Kilpatrick
William Heard Kilpatrick
William Heard Kilpatrick was a US American pedagogue and a pupil, a colleague and a successor of John Dewey. He was a major figure in the progressive education movement of the early 20th century.-Biography:...
about Kilpatrick’s Project method. Zirbes coauthored many articles with William S. Gray
William S. Gray
Dr. William S. Gray was an American educator and literacy advocate.-Life and career:Gray was born in the town of Coatsburg, Illinois on June 5, 1885. He graduated from High School in 1904 and began teaching in a one room school house in Adams County, Illinois...
. Her dissertation made her one of the country’s experts on teaching children to read. She never really considered herself an expert at reading because she did not believe in isolating one subject from other subjects. Zirbes founded the laboratory school at Ohio State, this school continued under her influence for over thirty years. She believed children learned things best when their interest was high. Zirbes supported the child-centered approach only if the teacher had a good understanding of the skills she wanted the children to learn, and carefully lead her class in that direction. The next step in learning was to provide good learning experiences that would enlarge children’s understanding
Understanding
Understanding is a psychological process related to an abstract or physical object, such as a person, situation, or message whereby one is able to think about it and use concepts to deal adequately with that object....
and their vocabulary
Vocabulary
A person's vocabulary is the set of words within a language that are familiar to that person. A vocabulary usually develops with age, and serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge...
. Zirbes believed that numerous other elements contribute to learning. The first, that the lesson should be meaningful to the child, and second, that learning should be intrinsically motivating. The final two elements of learning, as Zirbes saw it, were that the lesson should stimulate thinking and lastly it should be integrated with other subjects. As Zirbes neared retirement, critics like Arthur Bestor
Arthur Bestor
Arthur Eugene Bestor, Jr. was an American historian.Bestor was born in Chautauqua, New York, the eldest son of Arthur E. Bestor and Jeannette Lemon. Arthur E...
attacked her beliefs on education. Her answer to this criticism came in the form of a book, Spurs to Creative Teaching (1959). She died on June 9, 1967 in Columbus, Ohio.