Oral Histories

Interview of Madeline Hunter

Principal of the UCLA University Elementary School (UES) and UCLA professor of education.
Subtitle:
Master Teacher: Applying Science to the Art of Teaching
Series:
Z: Orphan Interviews pre 1999
Topic:
UCLA and University of California History
UCLA University Elementary School
Biographical Note:
Principal of the UCLA University Elementary School (UES) and UCLA professor of education.
Interviewer:
Galm, Bernard
Interviewee:
Hunter, Madeline
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.
Abstract:
Family background; first interest in psychology at Lincoln Junior High School; ballet as possible profession; majoring in psychology at UCLA; jobs at Children's Hospital and Juvenile Hall; summer job at UCLA Clinic School; psychologist for Rosemead school district; marriage and staying home with preschool children; principalship in Inglewood school district; translating psychological theory for teacher use; assigned to central office; teaching transfer and reinforcement theory at staff meetings; personal dedication of Corinne Seeds; Seeds's philosophical limitations; John Cage and the rhythms program; Grace Fernald's educational program; various jobs for Inglewood district; leadership of Superintendent Robert Cralle; teaching assignment at Bellagio Road School; introducing psychology of human learning to UCLA student-teachers; Superintendent Ralph Lanz; incident at Bellagio Road School; first black teacher at University Elementary School (UES); dealing with parents at Warner and Fairburn schools; teaching cause/effect relationships between teaching and learning; accepting an inner-city principalship; Sixty-eighth Street School; teachers' education; involving parents in school; improving behavior of children; school's decline under next administration; sabbatical to do doctorate at UCLA; study of programmed instruction; contact between UES and Dean Howard Wilson; state of UES upon appointment as principal; winning over UES parents; training teachers through weekly in-service staff meetings; Director John Goodlad; introducing changes in UES teaching and enrollment policies; recruitment efforts; service to Long Beach school district; Project Linkage and Alta Loma Elementary School; Principal James Tisdale and Alta Loma School; uses of videotaping; Project Linkage funding cutoff; spurred by bilingual education zealots; bilingual programs; training student-teachers at UES; Teacher Education Laboratory; accommodating researchers at UES; annual research report; promoting interest in UES by Graduate School of Education; UES as research-based school; filming children in classroom; dissemination of teaching materials; monthly visiting day at UES; summer sessions for administrators and supervisors; UES staff members as consultants; work for federal government; schism between laboratory schools and schools of education; workday as UES principal; UES staff; decision to resign; concern about present direction of UES; teaching in UCLA School of Education; present involvements.