The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-07-08
s. 1uCati01ldi.
9uestiOn5ng tEse Art OF Teach
ing.
(Pa5'isdsI b. Re2uest.)

In rightly questioning consists the art
ostaacmng. Therefore. ii We would teach
successfully we must question properly.
This subject presents itself for con>id
Grafton IN two parts lst, what docs tie
pupil wish to obtain and Pad, how shah
lie obtain it?
lst, then, what is the pupils desire a.
ne commences study? Is it to make the
mind a store-housc Of facts until it is full
to oyerfowing? Is ii to hi the mind to
its utalost capacity with circumstances
and details; with chapters on every sci@n e
pursued with sunIry remarks and ob.ct-
vation by authors; all Of which for tie
lIck OF the Development OF ceItala uonta
faculties remains in the mind an undgest-
ed and therefore useless host OF matter!
1t IS true a fact must be learned as a
fact, but II when merely known, it is.
without thought or reflection, laid away
IN the Aiihd, it will DO very little to enricn
Is po>Sessor, and will probably be OF ser
y.c4 no longer than tillanotherilaa chance.
- attract the attention Indeed, il this
course were pursued, each person would
want tablet or idea frame on which to
arrange the riches Of his mind in such
manner as to have It at olce visible, and
then when he wished tn know ii he had
any knowledge on any subject, lac would
resort to this as business man w,l,'I to
his account-books to learn now his account
stood with particular individual.
All this comes far shcrt Of the object to
be gained, this would only make parrot
men, whereas We wish to pursue a course
that will make the mind d sELF-ACrlNG
and sELF-ADJCsTING machine
The powers Of the mind should be 50 de-
veloped and trained to action. that when
a subject is presented to it, it can r3ce.v.
and comprehend it, can consider and &c,
upon It by It's own strength; and while it
IN this way forms an enduring mpres>iou
Oh the meMory, it i, at the same time.
accomplishing still greater object BY IN
creasing Its own power; By increasing It's
ability to act. to receive, comprehend ana
rvtain subjects by an oifJrt Of It's Uwn.
The great thing to b. done-the great OBJ
jcct t. BE- accomplished is to CULTIVATE
and DISCIPLINE TUE MIND 10 ACT. Any
one who viii observe cannot fail to see
thai many who have studied have faikd
to accomplish the real object Of their la
Dor, and that while some are radiators.
others are but reflcctors.
2ud. How shall this thing be accom-
plishcd What course shall we pursue to
give to the members Of our common schools
that discipline Of mind when is best cal
Guided ior thcir Improvement?
y teacher who possesses all the requi-
site knowiedge-has full understanding
OF every principle he attempts to teach
IN his zeai for the advancement Of his pu
plis, may pour in upon them host Of
facts and Instruction, and perhaps fault
less explanations, all of winch they Will
hear and, at the time, appear to under
stand, vet he will find, to his sorrow and
perpiexity, that the princi Piles he intend
ed to teach We're but little more lasting in
their minds than were the sounds of his
words i'll their ears. The fault in this
kind OF teaching Is that it is all telling; it
is upon the principle tIat the mind is a
passive recipient; it does not, and it can
not call forth the exercise fits own powers
BEWAREoF TELLNG; butlnstead cues
ton. Better, by far, spend the allotted
time for recitation in questioning in such
4 manner Sa to call forth from the menbers
Of class even a partial explanation of
their task. than to explain it to them, even
though the explanation were given in far