Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-29


ton to the natural development of knowledge2'
Object teaching, he said, is a system of using
objects in the processes of instruction. 1t pro-
ceedS, first, to develop ideas relating to the sub
ject by means of objects and kindred ideas al
ready known, and to give the language to sym
bolze the ideas so soon as the mind has been
prepared to receive il. 1t also leads to classif-
cation and association of kindred ideas and
facts. 1t places knowledge of things before
words in the order OF teaching. 1t is the man
ner and purpose Of using objects which chiefly
determines whether the processes may be called
object teaching. The amount of influence
which the mind may acquire from the world
around, depends, to a greater or less extent,
upon the clearness of the ideas derived through
the senses. 1t is therefore evident that material
objects and sensible things should constitute
the chief lessons for intellectual training during
childhood. The knowledge which the child ae-
quires by the exercise of its own senses pene-
trates the intellect more deeply and peryades it
more completely than any other, for it is the
impression which nature herself makes upon
the mind by direct contact, whilst all other
media of instruction are but the representations
OF nature more or less imperfect.
The natural development of mind begins with
its activity through the organs of sense, and
corresponds, in its progress, to the facility
which it attains in acquiring ideas through the
influence of external objects. If these chief
avenues TO knowledge be but partially opened,
the elements of knowledge must pass through
with difficulty and even become ohliterated Inv
&. ,ho no,soouo ~, -, -, $500.
INV Possesses ""t WIN tiicSe uoors ana WINDOWS
70 the mind wide open, the obstacles to knOwl-
edge are readily overcome ms rlearnrss of nor
cent;on Ioo,l, =, -. Wv
FO1 'C"0' ~ '''" Pi''0"e'so' N"o"leuse' We
CANNOT add new power or faculty to the mind
by any process of teaching. nor change the
mode of its devolonn,opt. hut ,ro ,a,, s,,.,,,,,1
:. -. ''' ~ '''' SUI o"ii'A
10 WIN lhnuehces duapueu 10 AWAKEN It's sum-
bcring energies, and thus increase its power of
action.
It 10 n ,,,ou I,,o.,., r..
:" wei N'o"n i"ct lnat proper exercise
ucFeioPS anu strengthens our limbs. The mind
is subject to the same laws of DEVELOPMENT and
rcnnires suitobIo o,,o,o;,o ., ,,;,.o :. =
-. N, " s''o ~ Po"ei Vi
'iaoious actlou' Inc manner OF learning as
well as the facts acquired develop the mind and
discipline its mowers in habits tbot ineno,oo al
tie s,,h,ao,,o.'. .,...1- ''li
80 4uo"' a''aluInenls Ill knowledge 1t
becomes, Therefore, a matter of no small mo-
mcnt what methods of instruction shall be em.
ployed in the processes of education. The great
TACT above all Others in importance in this CON
nectlon is, whether the most suitable methods
OF instruction for developing the minds of chill
dren and leading to the best results in educa-
ton are employed.
1t is now pertinent TO inquire, whether the
true principles of object teaching supply this
TACT and Its methods furnish the conditions for
attaining the desired results in the stages of
elementary education The true principles of
o4lect teaching are derived from the laws of the
minds development, and the methods of true
teaching are based on these principles. There
fore OBJECT teaching does supply the great fact
when teachers need to know, and furnish the
conditions tor attaining the best results in edu-
cation, If anything that is called object teach
ing does not conform to such methods and prin-
cipleS, 1t is the fault of the methods and the
manner OF using objects, and not of these prin-
elples. 1t is no part Of true object teaching to
employ these modes of conducting lessons
winch are most remarkable for the requirements
IN guessing than for requirements in knowledge.
IL is fault OF the teacher and not of the sys-
tenn, II the teachers effort to induce children to
use certain form of language, results in their
learning terms instead of facts. The minds of
children do not lie dormant during all the years
OF infancy and early childhood, awaiting the
power OF the school teacher to call forth their
faculties from torpldlty. The mental condition
OF childhood is not such that given
number OF years may be devoted eX-
clusively to lessons for forming the mind, and
another period to lessons for furnishingit. Those
MODES OF conducting lessons which aim chiefly
at causing pupils to use given form of Ian
guage and thereby prevent spontanity of thought,
are not object teaching. The existence of knowl-
edge IN the mind begins when resemblances, diff
lerences, and relations are observed. Knowledge
increases in proportion to increased ability for dis
unguishing facts and relations, and the capacity
to classify and associate them; all the faculties
OF the mind as well as the powers of the body
are developed and invigorated by proper exer-
else. Education and mental development 90
forward hand in hand. Activity and the desire
to use the respective senses of seeing, hearing,
&c, and the limbs in doing, are prominent
characteristics of childhood, which teachers
should heed in their methods of instruction.
Children generally make great progress in the
use OF their senses, in the development of their
faculties, in learning facts from surrounding OBJ
jects, and in strengthening their physical powers
before they enter school. 1t is the duty of the
teacher tos ascertain to what extent his progress
has been made, then SO to employ the appro-
pirate means as to continue the pupils advance
ment in knowledge in accordance with the laws
of development. The child should be led to use
its powers for perceiving, trained to know from
observing, and to accumulate. knowledge by
classifying like objects, facts and experiences,
ana by assoclatlng them with things to which
they chiefly relate.
In acquiring language, the child first learns
the word as the sign OF an object, quality, ac-
ton, &C., by hearing and speaking it. In the
elementary steps of learning to read children
should be taught the whole word as a symbol
both of the object and of the spoken word; next
the analysis Of the spoken word by its sounds;
then the analysis of the printed word by its let
tiers; and the printed word should become asso-
ciated with both the spoken word and the object
which it symbolizes. The order of teaching
should commence at the known and proceed to
the kindred unknown, first considering the
family known, then that which relates
most directly to it, The years of school life
should be devoted chiefly to training the powers
of mind to such habits of observing, thinking
and doing, as will lead to completely developed
men and women. The right acquisition of
knowledge is the chief means whereby this i'm
portant end may be attained. All correct meth