Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-01-01


Association
HOW TO TEACH
have been teacher for many years. and
| think it is important to know how to
teach as what to teach.
/. 1t is important to get the pupil to love
ylu. You can do but little without it. The
fault of many teachers is they do not get
their scholars near them, and foster a kind of
awful respect This they call dignity Be
fore you can teach children you must get the
silver key of kindness to unlock their hearts,
and get their attention. Say Come, We
children There are some good men who
are objects of adherence in children You
have read the story of two little boys who
were asked if they would like to 60 to Heav-
En-, and who, to their teacher astonishment,
said they should not When they were ask
cd "Why not" one of them said, 81 should
not like to go to Heaven, because grandpa
would be there, and would be sure to say
Get along boys get along | should not
Ike to be along with grandpa For SINH
llr reason many children do not like to be at
school. If teacher always wears a sour
l)ok; if, with the least provocation, he flies
into passion, boxes the child's ears, or uses
harsh language; or if he is scoding or fret
ting, more or less, every day, he will soon
drive his pupils from him, and make it i'm
possible 20 do them any good. II is OF no
avail to attempt to teach those who do not
love you. The sooner the teacher leaves the
school room the better, if he cannot command
the love of his pupils When children love
the teacher they will learn anything from him.
2. 1t is necessary to get the scholars at
tention. Nothing is more important. The
teacher should make it his study to get the
undivided attention Of every pupil at each
recitation. Come, ye children, hearken unto
me- is the language of David, appropriate for
the teacher to his classes, as they seat them
selves to recite what they have previously
thoroughly studied. If they do not hearken,
you may talk to illustrate or make plain, but
it will be TO no purpose whatever. II they
do not give attention, your labors will be ar
unmeaning drudgery to yourself and YOU
scholars too You can do nothing ,0iti,om Sc
curing their attention. "rhat is Just what
cannot do" says one. That depends upor
yourself Some always do it, and every teach
er who knows how to teach does it. If tn,
teacher gives his pupils something worth at
tending to, they will be sure to attend
his illustrations and explanations are natura
and adapted to the SUBJECT in hand, fresh, Wig
orous, energetic, plain and simple, the pupil
will hearken. This rule may not be univor
sal, but it is nearly so. Scraps of history
anecdotes and simple illustrations from ever
day life may all contribute to fix the scholar
attention. The teacher should have fun,
of them from which to draw at sight. Their
is distinguished lawyer Of this State, VIII
always commands attention, as much from hi
inexpressible, well-tmed fund of anecdotc
as from his severe logic and beautiful rhetor
ic Now, if you are good teacher, whercv
err you go you will always find something /
make into a talk to tell your pupils, and there
by fix their attention. 7. d. z.
Pass,mpsie, Noe. 25, 1857.
PRIMARY STUDIES.
Are these appreciated as they should be
Do not pupils pass too soon from the studio
required to be taught in our common schoo
TO branches more--snrsopriate for the hight
institutions There is every reason to belieN
that il is not even yet thoroughly appreciate
that Reading, Writing and Spelling arc necei
sary parts of good education. Hon. o. l
-. Smith, in the Indiana State Journal, says :
"a fine looking young man called on me OF
day, desiring to study law with me. | il
quired Of him as TO his education. II am
graduate of an Eastern College unde
stand Latin, Greek and Hebrew ! stood nun
Der two in large class of graduates" 81
you spell WELL" 81 presume so, but | new
thought much of that" "Spell balance
"Ballance." "Thot will not do" "Do yC
read well :" Certainly" Read this. -
"'My name is Noryal on the Grampii
Hills" "What was his name off the Gran
plan Hills 7" "Do you write well :" IN
| never could write much indeed | new
tried TO learn our great men East can hard
write their names so that they can be read
"Let me see you write" He scratched G
some carricatures, looking like Greek or tn
key tracks. THAT is sufficient; your educ
ton is too imperfect for lawyer the de,
languages may be dispensed with, but Spel
ing, Reading and Writing cannot be-" a
vised him to 90 to one of our common schoo
aud begin his education over again, and
might yet qualify himself for the study of II
law" This deficiency everywhere prevail
Would it not be well for the hundreds
youth who have attended our Vermont Aca
emies, this autumn, who think they undo
stand the branches taught in our CONNIE
schools, to avail themselves Of an opportun
ty TO attend the district school and look owe
nay, study, for three months, Spelling, Rea
ing, Writing, Geography, and practical a
counts. SHOULD they do so, doubt not
would prepare the way for them to be mo
useful in the business or profession viii
they may choose. A. II. II,