Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1848-01-06
BEST MODE OF CONDUCTING
REGULATIONS.

REGULATIONS.
II IS to ask the question general,
TO he whole class, without giving III,
slightest indication, either by look, ges-
ture, OF position, who viii be called up
on to answer; or on what portion of the
class the duty of answering will fall
This idea is very important. If the
teacher, by position, gives any clew
either as to the person or the neishbor
hood where his question will ultimate
ly be fastened; OF if, from day TO day,
or from lesson To lesson, he has an or
der which may be discovered, he fails
TO comply with one Of the essential
conditions Of this method, and defeats
the plan he should PRACTICE So, too,
if the scholars adopt the belief that
they can recognise any fixed rule ly-
ing underneath varying circumstances,
they will soon begin 10 practice the art
of diyination. What We insist upon is,
that, after the question is put and until
The individual is named whose duty it is
to announce the answer, il should be
as uncertain who that individual will be,
rs it is during thunder shower where
the lightning will strike the next time.
In the former case, as well as in the
latter, absolute uncertainty should reign
over the event, until it comes; and
when it comes, Franklin himself should
not be able to invent a conductor that
will turn il aside.
After the question is propounded, let
sufficient time elapse, in entire sllene
and without motion, for each pupil in
the class, or for all the pupils of ordi-
nary intellect in the class, to prepare
mentally the answer which he would
give should it be his fortune to be called
upon. No show ofhands or other signal
should be allowed, save that signal
which no mortal power can SUPPRESS
the illumination of the countenance,
when a new truth, like new sun, is
is created in the soul. The teacher
must exercise his discretion as to the
proper time for waiting. He must be
governed by a rule made up of two
elements the difficulty of the question
and the capacity of,he class. A pro-
per time having passed, let the hither-
to unknown pupil, who is to announce
the answer, be now made known. If
the answer is incorrect, or if the one
called upon should make no reply, let
another be named. Should an errona-
GUS answer be received from the Sec
ond, let third be called upon. Should
the third fail, perhaps this will be as
far as it will be expedient to proceed
in this method. Let the question be
then thrown open to the whole class
and, if i! has been framed with judg-
men,, some one in the class, in forty.
nine cases out Of fifty, will be able to
answer it. Should i: often happen that
no one in the class is able to answer
the question put, it will prove the tea
cher to have been in fault for it will
show that he has Inexperienced the
capacity of the class. Another ques-
ton viii then be given, and so on un-
til the recitation is finished.
Now, is it not clear that the method
described tends to secure, and if con-
Quoted with ordinary skill, will secure,
the attention Of the whole Glass; Each
mind will act upon each question. In
a class of twenty, twenty minds will be
at work. AS mere means of acqui-
sition, then, to say nothing of intellec-
iual habits, this method is nineteen
times better that that generally pursued
We verify believe that, if a change on
ly IN this one particular could be intro.
duced into all the schools in the coun-
try, it would forthwith give them four
fold efficiency, as means Of improve
ment.
The above views 90 not apply with
equal force to all studies. There are
some branches, where othe: means of
securing the action of each mind may
be resorted to. In arithmetic, for in
stance, different questions may be assig-
ned to different members of the class,
to 5e wrought out simultaneously
But we need not go into detail. Every
competen, teacher, in applying gen.
eral rule to a variety or a diversity of
circumstances, will be able TO make the
proper allowances and notifications.
.Mann's Com School Jour.
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CORRECT PRINCIPLES.
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