Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-01-01

Teachers Institute.

Teachers Institute.
ARITHMETIC.
Never teach the same thing in two
forms. There is always best way of
doing things, teach that A teacher
should never feel Obliged to teach the
book. nothing more nothing less. The
book is but helps made for the
teacher, not the teacher for the book
There is great error here. Most
people have an idea that whatever is
in a school book should be taught, and
just as it stands there. The science is
To be taught. and in the very best man.
ner the teacher is capable of doing it,
whether according TO the book or 9TH
erw!se. As 10 Arithmetic, and other
studies too, children are TO be taught
'cht they will use in life, and us they
will use it. Nothing should ever be
taught which must afterwards be cor
icSt'u vi uNtauSut.
/. In Arithmetic the first is TO teach h
Notation and Enumeration. This need
not be carried 10 a great extent-hun.
dreds Of millions is far enough. In
| deed. if scholar can write hundreds
of thousand, he will probably write
ANYTHING higher as he needs it. Scho
ars should be made familiar with these
rules. In order to teach Notation, do
not use the blackboard much yourself.
but cause the scholar to use it, or the
slate. 1t is no; 50 much the rule that
he needs as it Is practice.
,. After Notation and Numeration
teach the four fundamental rules, Ad.
dltion, Subtraction, Multiplication and
Division. Make them very familiar
with these. Teach Long Division be-
fore Short. Spend much time on them,
especially Addition.
3. Fractions Common and Deci.
mai. Then teach Compound Numbers
and United States Money. Teach
Business Processes, Forms of Bills,
Receipts, Due Bills, Notes, Simple
Forms of Accounts. Every person,
male or female, should know how 10
keep common accounts, and this NAV
very readily and properly be taught in
common schools. Every farmer should
keep an account with his farm and
himself, and thus be able TO know Just
how he stands, and whether this or
that croppays the best. SO mechanics,
and every one. So women should be
able to keep accounts-evcry person
living may find this very important.
4. In teaching Denominate Mum.
bcrs teach the tables as they are actu-
ally used. There is no need of teach.
ing the tables of English Money-it is
all out of use SO in wine and beer
measure We should 60 10 farther than
gallons, for larger measures are never
used in business. So in all, teach those
tables only, which business men use.
>. Teach Percentage before Inter-
est, and teach the Making of Taxes.
A question arises here, Should females
learn to make taxes? When women
become Assessors, they must know how
to make taxes. Girls expect to be-
come teachers, and they will need to
teach this to their pupils.
6. Mensuration should also be
taught. Boys should know how to
measure load or a pile of wood, q
pile Of boards, timber, stone-wall, the
quantity of earth thrown from cellar,
&c.
A teacher was once called on to
measure pile Of wood. He had often
seen it done, but had never done il
himself and did not dare to undertake
it without previous study. He agreed
to do it the next morning. So after
all the neighbors we're in bed be sailed
out In the bright moonshine, square in
hand, and measured the wood. The
next morning according to appoint
ment he met the parties, measured the
wool in their presence with the appar.
ent ease Of an old surveyor, and gave
them the amount. Set the scholars To
measuring wood-pile, to find the yards
Of carpeting it would take to cover the
floor, to find the number Of yards ol
plastering in the school room, and
what Il would cost at . given prics
PEE yard, aud how many yards Of pa
per it would require to paper the room