Class Master

(klassnyi rukovodite’), a teacher who is also the responsible organizer of a class group in general-education schools. The post was introduced into Soviet schools in the early 1930’s.

The class master’s basic duties are defined by the charter for secondary general-education schools. He works in cooperation with other teachers, the Pioneer leader, and the Komsomol group; he helps maintain unified academic requirements for all pupils as set by the teachers working with the class (including the scope of homework assignments within the bounds of established standards) and the parents; he organizes socially useful labor and extracurricular work for the pupils; and he oversees general mass measures (including health and sanitation). The class master guides the organs of student self-government in the class, helps the Pioneers and members of the Komsomol in their work, organizes tutoring help for students with poor grades, and keeps records for the class.

In evening (or correspondence) general-education secondary schools the class master maintains close ties with the enterprises and institutions where the students work. The post of class master also exists at specialized secondary educational institutions and many vocational-technical educational institutions. The class master is appointed by the director of the educational institution. The journal Vospitanie shkol’nikov (The Upbringing of Schoolchildren) is published for class masters.