Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-08-23

v0uccmcnt. MOI can tney DC known Dy
the teacher to exist, until after the lapse
of some days, and even weeks from the
commencement Of the school. Hence
it would in every case be better iog the
teacher intending to adopt the monitorial
system, to give, by himself, all the in
strnction for the first few weeks, until he
should have become acquainted with his
scholars, their dispositions, manners, and
previous attainment nts; after which he may
as mark Of confidence, allow a class to
be taught an additional lesson under one,
whom by similar mark Of confidence
he may designate for the Office Of super
intending their recitation.
The plan thus commenced may be ex-
tended as numbers and qualifications ad-
NIT; but the authority delegated to the
monitor should at first be very little, ex-
tending to the mere mechanical duty Of
hearing lesson which has been pre-
seribed by the teacher himself, and of
reporting to him the state Of preparation,
and the general intelligence of each
member Of his division in regard to the
performance under examination. If the
same class have been previously examin-
ed on the same lesson by the teacher
himself, the record of the monitor will
show how far the judgment of the latter
can be relied on. AT subsequent exer-
cIses, after having received the report of
a monitor upon the state of prep alton Of
acfassw which he had no, himself previous
ly examined, the teacher may 60 over the
lesson with the monitors notes before
him, and ascertain the degree Of fidelity
with which the report has been made.
The branch with which it seems most
suitable 10 commence monitorial insrruc-
tion is reading, bofk because il is most
easily directed by a monitor, because it
keeps his attention and that of his class
constantly engaged, and because it is
one on which sufficient time cannot gen.
orally be bestowed IN the ordinary rou-
tine Of school duties. Whenever oppor-
tunity will allow, the monitor should read
the whole exercise over to his teacher
mediately before going to his division,
and should be questioned in order to as
certain whether he be master of the
meaning Of words and phrases, and COM
prehend the whole matter Of the piece
He should however have a dictionary
at hand while instructing has class, espe-
cially If the reading be in language that
may require definition, in order to be
furnished with an immediate resource to
satisfy inquiries-to settle doubtful points
Of meaning, as well as of pronunciation.
The class should at first be small, con-
sisting Of not more than seven members.
1t should not, however, be so much re-
duced, as to fail Of creating and sustain
ing the requisise interest and emulation.
1t may be at first formed by taking from
the head of a second or third cMss Of the
school, such number as shall be found
most assiduous in the pnrsuit of that
branch Of study. The monitor should Of
course be taken from higher class
The time allotted to monitors exercise
ought to be no longer than the interest
can be fully sustained without the ap-
pearance oflanguor. From 80 to 45 min
utes will generally be found sufficient.
The next branch to which the neDito-
rial method is applicable, is spelling,
which may be very proftably pursued
under monitor, as an immediate repeti-
ton of what has been done under
the care of the MASTER The class
should, in addition to the operation Of re-
peating the distinct utterance Of every
word proposed by the monitor, and Civ
ing the separate as well as combined
pronunciation Of the syIlables, be allow
ed each to propose in succession, words
selected from the lesson to higher scho-
lar in the class, naming the individual to
whom the question is to be put, and TAX
ing rank Of the respondent when found
defcient.* The headscholar is Of course
precluded from questioning, but liable to
be questioned, by any one below.
Tho class should be furnished with the
means Of writing, if practicable, every
word which they are required to spell,
and even Of writing as exercises in or
biography, such sentences or passages as
their age and attainments will permit. -
When written on slate or paper, the per-
formance Of each scholar may be placed
In the hands Of one Immediately be-
low him for examination, that Of the low
est scholar being carried to the head of
the class. In this way every scholar
will examine another's work. A strict
scrutiny will thus be insured, and if each
be called upon at the close Of his exami-
nation to read aloud all the corrections
which he had found necessary, an effec-
tual check will be provided against un-
fair or trivial corrections. This exercise
may also be followed by mutual ques-
tions, requiring single words, or senten-
ccs from the lesson, to be written and
submitted to the party proposing the
question. Besides embodying the es-
scnce Of daily practice m'life, this meth
cd is recommended by the interest il