American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-11-30
educational 1epartment.
"Sohool Economy" in the District
Institutes.

luSGlGuG6st
| have been inquired of, by so many
teachers, lately, as to the best way of
using the "School Economy, in the Dis
trict Institute, that have come to deem
the subject of sufficient Importance tc JUS
tify the insertion of few suggestions con-
cerningit, in the School Journal. By adop-
ting this course, | can save time for my
self, and also present more full statement
of NV views. than is often convenient in
private letters.
l As to the Leada' Of the E.cercise.-
1t is customary in District Institute, to
select a leader or teacher for each branch
studied. This done, the members of the
Institute resolve themselves into class,
and the leader proceeds to hear therecita-
ton, or to give instruction, much in the
same way as in a school. If the leader is
competent, and has made ample prepara-
ton, the exercise most likely proves val
liable and interesting, but if not, little
good can be accomplished. Much care,
then, is generally required in the selection
of leaders for the Institutes, and this is
especially true in the study of Teaching.
The subject is so difficult in itself, and
so poorly understood, that but few are
found in our Teachers Institutes, who
have mustered its principles sufficiently
well. to teach them with effect. In these
circumstances my advice is, to select the
teacher who is best qualified by reading
and experience, to give instruction Take
one, if possible, who has himself been
instructed at a normal school, or who is
familiar with works on Teaching IF one
can be chosen, who has studied mental
and moral science, the Institute will profit
by it.
2. As to Lessons,-District Institutes
in this State, meet once in Two weeks. IF
the members are industrious, they ought
to prepare, readily, for each meeting Of
the Institute, with their other lessons,
hceaty pages of the book-in some part
of it, more than that number The
length of the lessons, however, must de-
pend upon the circumstances of the class
No difference is required to be made in
the preparation for lesson to be discuss
ed at an Institute, or for one to be recited
at school 1t should be we'll learned
not barely understood, but fully known
s. As to the DjscusSjoa-I cal! the ex-
crcse at the Institute a discussion, rather
than a recitation, and believe that great
er good will be accomplished, if it par
takes more of the character of the former,
than of the latter. The matter of the
"School Economy" is so arranged that it
admits of a close recitation; and at a
Normal School would bring every para
graph and every sentence before the class.
But District Institute is, in several re-
spects, unlike Normal School. Itmeets
but once in two weeks, and the lessons
learned are too long to. be recited in de-
tail. 1t has no regular teacher Its
members cannot be subjected to careful,
systematic training, The result is, that
its exercises must be more loose and pop
ular,-at least, such should be the case
at present, with those on teaching.
In view of these facts, advise the
leader of an Institute, in teaching, to ar
range in his own mind, series OF the
most important points presented in the
book, appertaining to the subject of the
lesson, and submit them for consideration
to the class. He may first state one point,
and ask some member of the class to give
what is said respecting it in the book,
and then call for the opinion of the class
A second point may be submitted, in the
same way, and afterward, third, and so
on, to the end IF the remarks of the
various members of the class are made
brief, and confined to the subject, the ex-
ercise will be full of interest, and produc-
tive of much good. In this way, the
greater part of the book. can be studied
and discussed, in term of six
months.
tits most cheering :hing to see our
teachers beginning to take so much inter-
est in the study of teaching; and these
suggestions are made in the hope that they
may help those who seem so anxious to
help Pennsylvania School
Jownal