Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1872-01-04
The Oral aud she Textbook
BIZ W. T. HARRIS.

BIZ W. T.HARRIs.
What is the difference between the ora
and so-called text-boox method, and whai
are the merits and defects of each? s
In the former, the oral method, the
teacher Is the general source of informa.
ton; in the latter. or textbook method,
the pupil is sent to the book for informa-
ton. In neither of these methods is a
cramming Of the memory with mere
words considered to be good teaching, and
yet It may happen under q poor teacher.
whether the oral or textbook method is
used.
The excellence Of the oral method
should be its freedom from stiffness, and
pndsntry. and its drawing out of the pu-
pill to sclf-activity in a natural manner.-
Its abus. happens when, Ina the hands. of a
poor teacher, the subject is presented in a
confused manner, or scientific precision is
lost by using too familiar language, or By
too much pouring into the pupil without
enough exercising the pupil by making
him do the reciting aud explaining.
The excellence Of the textbook meth
cd consists in getting the pupil to work
instead of working for him ; in teaching
him how to study for himself, and to over
come difficulties by himself, instead of
solving them for him. Unless the teach
er knows this, and directs all his efforts
to achieve this end, very great abuses
creep in. Thus it may happen that the
teacher requires the pupil merely to mem
orize the words of the book, and does not
insist upon any clear understanding of it.
Indolent teachers lean upon the textbook,
and neglect to perform their own part in
the recitation.
But in the hands of the good teacher
the textbook is a powerful instrument to
secure industry, precision, accuracy, and
self-help on the part of the pupil. In
conducting a recitation. the teacher
should
LIST. See that its main point is brought
out, explained. and illustrated again and
again by the different pupils, each using
his own language, and the using of the
language of the book discouraged, in so
far as it tends to verbation or parrot-like
recitations.
2. The teacher should himself c~riticise
and call upon his pupils to c~riticise the de-
fects in the statements made by each po-
pill. SO that they shall acquire a habit of
alertness in noticing i%naccuracv as we'll as
lack Of exhaustiveness in definition. wheth-
er in oral statements or in the textbook
itself.
Sd. The lesson should in all cases be
brought home to the pupils own expert
ence, and his own observation and rcflec-
ton made to verify the statements of the
books
4th. Every recitation should connect
the lesson of to-day to the Lessons already
recited. and the questions awakened in to-
days lesson should be skillfully managed
to arouse interest in the subject of to-
mOrrow's lesson.
9Th. The good teacher always notes by
the recitation of a pupil what are his ha-
bits of study. and the recitation is the
place where bad habits are pointed out.
and the true method of study shown and
illustrated.
think all will agree with me in pro-
nouDcing the recitation conducted in the
manner here described effective in secur-
ing the ends for which you have establish
ed the rules and regulations governing the
teachers in the public schools. | have
now to point out All additional regulation,
which, if adopted by your honorable body,
viii, i think, lead to the correction Of
some of the abuses more or less prevalent
among the teachers of the schools. | re-
fer to the practice of some of our teach
ers of using the textbook during the re-
citation as a source of information from
which to draw a supply for their own use
the occasion. thus making up for their
own lack of preparation. From this prac-
tice results the greater bulk of the evils
complained of by intelligent parents, who
find their children becoming mere cram
ming machines. instead of intelligent in-
vestigators. That the teacher should
know ut loast as much of the lesson as the
pupil, does not need statement. Why,
ben. should the teacher have recourse to
he text while the pupil is debarred from
il? In consideration of the evils arising
from this source, | respectfully suggest
the adoption of a regulation prohibiting
to the teacher the use Of the Textbook in
the recitation whenever the pupil is ex-
to rccitc without the book and
that the teacher be recommended to use a
of topics or questions. either
or printed, in the conduct of such
recita'icns.-From the recent Special Re
Dort tn the School Board IF st. Louis.