Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-08-10

WHAT'S TEACHING?- Teaching is one of the
most transitive acts in the whole list of verbs,
so much so that it must always be accompanied
by the act of learning. Both the subject and
the object must be active
There can be no teaching without the act of
learning. Unless the pupil learns the instructor
does not properly teach Teaching, then, is
causing pupils to learn. As learning is mental
growth, and is caused by mental exercise and
intellectual nourshmcnt so teaching is doing
all those things that cause the pupil to put forth
this mental exercise and to partake of this u-
tellectual food BY this definition it will be
seen that all the conditions of successful teach.
Ing must exist in the teacher True there
must be the native gifts in the laarncrs, but
this is understood.
| First condition. The teacher must not only
| thoroughly understand the text books, but must
have all the knowledge to be communicated at
each lesson, collected nicely packed, and label
ed, ready for conveyance; but, there must be
Il we'll defined and well tried method of con
vcyancc, 50 that the packages may he sure to
reach each pupil, and their receipt Of them ac-
know!edged. This can only he done where
there Is daily preparation on the part Of the
teacher for each class exercise
| Second condition. 1t will not do to 90 before
the class and tumble these bundles OF knowledge
down at their feet and leave it to their choice
whether they lartakc of it or not That would
| be like an express agent tossing his packages
4 into the cars as they pass on without getting
any vouchers or receipts. Nor will it do to lay
hold of each pupil, one at a time, and stuff the
mental food down their sluggish mental threats
without any cooperation on their parts. No;
the tcachcr must come before each class well
prepared to cause each pupil to eat He must
be well provided with appetiZers condiments,
&c This will be secured by going to each re.
citation all on fire with the intelligence and zeal
OF the preparation just alluded to. This tamil
lar knn"ledgc, ready method. sparkling eyes,
and blazing tongue. will make the teacher self
possessed and inspire an interest in each pupil
Third condition. The teacher must have dis
crc!lOn. What Is meat 10 one may be poison
to another. What is clear to one may be very
obscure to another Some pupils have to be
gently led back to familiar ground, such as
first rules in the use aud combinations of the
simplest numbers or the plaineSt words in the
easiest sentences, before they become so reaS-
Surcd as to grasp the new truths presented.
The teacher must have the discretion to know
this and the skill to do it. Between the mind
and heart Of such teacher and the pupils there
is a living rapport, along whose wires flashes
of teaching and responses Of learning travel
with Geographic speed Let teachers present
the right sort and proper quantity of food in
the proper way, and pupils will eat, exercise,
aud grow. This is teaching. In such hands
| books become TEST books instead of text books.
Neither the highest degree of scholarship, nor
the most extended, or Skiful experience can
render this daily class room preparation un.
necessary Where this kind Of teaching exists
there will be but little necessity for punishment
as means Of di>clplin j. LITTLE.
THE END OF TIE EARTH - Professor Planta-
mour 5 prediction that "a great comet is to hit
the earth at midday on Monday next and smash
it into smthcrecns has been the subject ola
good deal Of fun, but it is not without its bust.
ness aspect, though it must be confessed the
time is rather short for business in that connec-
ZION now. \ German lager beer vender New
York has led off in time by placing on his bar,
for public inspection fragments Of "a meteorte,'
about ten pounds in weight, which he says
''fell right down in front of his house when he
was standing in the door" OF course this is
one Of the avant courers nf Pantamour's comet
and large quantity of beer has been absorbed
around the fragments There is yet time brief
thought it be. for the occurrence of any number
of these lucky finds and no doubt We will hear
of them all over the United States Baltimore
Sun.
| ! j