Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-11-19
Qualifications OF Teachers.

Qualifications of Teachers.
In comparison to good teacher, one who
teaches partly, at least, from choice, the
functions of all other officers are of little
moment aud could we be sure Of such teach
ers, superintendents would become superflu-
Gus, as indeed in many cases they already
are, and school committees would be useful
only in furnishing supplies for the school
an occupation which would consume but a
very limited portion of their leisure.
Among the most important qualifications
is real love for teaching, and genuine enthu-
siasm for the work. For the child comes
into our schools with natural inquisitive-
ness and thirst for knowledge, and we have
but to study his instincts and lead him as
nature intended he should be led, to kindle a
desire for learning that shall end only with
his days. So far from doing this, many
times the teachers and methods employed
during the first years of schooling succeed,
TO great extent, in checking this inquisi-
tiveness and crushing out this enthusiasm
till child dislikes school and its associa-
tions with an intensity that all after efforts
can never fully overcome.
Routine of exercises does much to bring
about such a result. A teacher who, with
book in hand, does nothing more than ask
the questions contained in the text, demand.
ing of each pupil an exact answer, even 60
ing so far as to hunt up the answer and
mark around it with pencil, saying To each
one, Learn from there to there" is little
better than machine. A child is emil
nently an observer, hence he should be
taught to recognize and know by name
everything he sees about him-plant, tree,
animal, insect, stone; he may as well know
something of these, if his attention is prop.
erly directed, as to know the persons and
| things in his own home. A thousand stories
from history, biography, travel are con-
stantly recurring to the perceptive teacher
with which he can relieve the monotony OF
an otherwise dull recitation, or the dry re-
cital of facts.
Schools "kept" by teachers whose idea
is that their duty is done when they have
asked the printed questions contained in a
given subject are, to put it mildly, uninterest
ing and uninviting Every school resembles
every other school, and every pupil, no mat
ter what his needs, is ground out at the
same hopper. 1t matters little who turns
at such mill.
There is no greater opportunity for indi
viduality in the wide world than in teaching
district school, and every teacher insteat
of attempting to follow some dry author, ol
trying to initiate some one else, should work
with the methods by which he can best sue
ceed. Books should be followed only so fal
as they fit the case in hand and used only a!
a general guide. Books teach theories
Teachers should reduce these to practice
1t is easy, if one has good degree of anima
endurance, to sit and hear class read il
the conventional school drawl the sam,
selections day after day, term after term
with little of correction, suggestion or com
ment; but to break up this elevated mono
tone, to explain each hidden thought to Sc
each lesson with gems of history, TO infus
into the class the spirit of the author, +
; make good readers of the class" hoe opo'
hic labor est." Under such teacher clas
will "cipher through measurements, stock
and taxes but once out of the school-rooI
ask them how long to make sled body tha
it may hold cord of wood, how many yard
of carpeting for the front hall, how man
shingles for the house, what your money wi
: yield if you buy " elevated railroad stocl
as quoted in the newspaper, to insure yo'
buildings, or make out tax-bill, and tbs
are usually as ignorant of the methods
procedure as though these were include
among the lost arts. Eight times nine q
seventy-two, but nine times eight "wan't
my book" "Teach children in school VIII
they will use in after years is a maxim
true as it is old, but instead of doing tn
it is oftener the case that although a puI
4 may have mastered to his teachers satisfa
} ton the essentials of business educatio
yet on stepping from the school.room to t
stage of actual life, he needs must unlea
many of the rules and processes he has spe
years in acquiring, and supply their plac
with the simpler and more common-sen
methods practiced by business men.
This great evil can only be remedied
securing teachers who have sufficient jut
., ment to Gull from textbooks, newspape
Y magazines or any other source, such inf
" nation as the pupil needs before he can
business for himself. Listless teachers, "
spend barely six hours in the school-ro'
~ and think their school duties done, and W
f. perhaps, spend the intervening time danci
and present themselves at school the N
20 morning to drag through fretful, we
some day TO make it count one, will ne
accomplish these results, and money pait
such is bread cast upon the waters-its fri
will return after many days, but in fc
T., which is the opposite from beneficial.
~ But committees say-and their voices
, echoed by large class of would-be ecC
- mists-" We can't afford these high-pri
teachers" ave are giving our childrel
good an education as we received, and
is good enough"
No truth is more applicable to this G
than that which is purchased because
I cheap is always most dear in the end"
few consecutive terms, taught b.
~ thoroughly wide-awake and earnest teac
will convince them Of this fact.
Schools will continue to 60 on in the
ruts and committees will continue TO
>. ploy teachers who barely answer the
-, cent required by law in their examina'
who are wanting in all those general q
6cations so Indispensable in every sue
full teacher, and who work for mere notl
thus forcing the better class out of
ranks, till a change is demanded by Sc
III.