Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-01-29

Teachers Institute.

CLASSIFICATION.
In order to do the best work, to &C.
complish the most, schools should be
well classified. In most studies class
of 10 or IL needs no more time. or
certainly re,y little more, than a class
of half that number. If the move.
ment be made in the best manner, it
takes no more time to move large
class than to move a small one. By
reducing the number of classes then,
a very great saving OF time may be
made. Most schools have far too
many classes. Often there are not
less than 33 daily recitations. One
teacher reported AZ recitations tor II
scholars. The average in the country
may be "a daily exercises. This will
give ID minutes to each exercise
about enough TO begin with, but far too
little time to do thorough work. In
common schools there should not be
more than 20 daily exercises. We
must cut down the number of lessons,
TO give more time to each one. Here
the teacher often meets with opposi-
ton. The school has always been
classed in certain manner, and pub
lie opinion says it must be 50. The
teacher must, 10 q great extent, 90 with
public opinion, yet he may do much to
lead it in n better way.
Small scholars depend very much on
the personal effort Of the teacher, on
oral instruction. They can study but
little, if at all. Their attention can
be held not more than or $ minutes,
and it is useless to gice instruction when
the attention cannot be held. Their
lessons must be short. Give the adj
vanced reading classes one exercise
per day-the younger will need or t.
Hearing the lesson in most cases is
all there is to = recitation-it really
should be only the preliminary. When
the lesson is heard, the teacher knows
what he needs 10 explain 10 the class.
TO give them knowledge.of the sub
ject. IL Is not enough 10 teach the
text book-more than that IL usually
needed. The teacher indeed snpu!d
teach by topics, using the text book
only as help.
The teacher should make the small
est possible number oi classes. The
number NAV be cut down bv combina-
tiol. Should there he different Arith.
metics in school, they may be used in
one class by teaching by topics. 50
OF different Biographies. SO in SPELL
ing-two classes may often be com
bined. BY topical teaching the mum.
Der of classes may be much reduced.
Arrange the classes SO that each may
have time for preparing the lesson.
Two or more class containing several
Of the same pupils should not recite
in immediate succession.
Group kindred classes in some regu.
lar order. The class in Primary Arith-
metic should be succeeded by the next
higher, then by the next-and SO of
other classes.
Make programme-tix the time,
order and length of each exercise, and
stick to il
Ques.-llaving made your pro-
gramme. and finding when TIL time for
any lesson has expired, that the r.cita-
tion is not completed, would YOU stop
short, or would you take little more
time aud finish:
Ans.-Should l unwisely get into
that difficulty l would take little ex.
ira time, for once, but l would tako
care not to get into that position again.
The programme can be carried out,
and it should be. Many teachers say i,
and think, they cannot do this or that,
because they have never tried, and are
not willing to make the needful effort.
If might here give my private
opinion in reference to this one point,
and to the whole of Mr.. Luces teach.
ing at the Institute, would say that
his principles can be carried out in
common schools, if the teacher deter
mines to do so, and is permitted to have
his own way. Parents often object to
any change from what they consider
the good old scay and the only way.l