Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-06-05
School Teaching.

pursuit Ass sss, rsse!e..eni.ca
and plans brought into uso by uhioh time aud
slabor5nre saved, except school teaohing. While
long and rapid strides are being made toward
improvement by our best teachers, soae OF
whom have elready reached the highest degree
ofperfeotion attainable In this most difficult
aud Important branohyof human undertakings,
yet some of ourtbest educated teachers are still
in the background, from the simple reason that
they fntl to realize the magnitude of their
duties and profit by experience and tho we'll
timed obseryationslof their moro practical fell
low laborore, seeming to ignore the fact that o
school could be conducted on my plan better
than their own duh, slow and monotonous style
10 such would say open your eyes aud Mt tho
same time be liberal enough not to condemn
what you have never seen tried. There aro
several ways. of doing things,i c., lfast qnd
slow, w,-easy, hard, &c., and various ways to cx-
pedito rcoitations and Lessen the duties of the
school room, as regards both cachor and pupils
and this saving Of time on tho one hand and
lessening duties on the other, on tho part of
those concerned, is Of untold advantage. Tho
question, is this to bo accomplish edg" is
to be answered. II is eYidcntto n thinking mind
that studcntgenerally knows when o question
is asked him whether or not no oan give O
corract answer, and when word is given out
whether lie can spell it correctly. For instance,
ask tho boy ut tho head Of tho class question
which he cannot answer correctly, neither tho
threc boys next below him, oil Of whom know
In on instant that they cannot, while the fifth
boy knows II and can give n correct answer,
but tho teacher not knowing this fact repeats the
question 10 each boy in turn, all Of whom, oft or
considerable hesitation, stammer out an unihtcl-
lgiblc answer, which disturbs the nerves Of the
teacher and makes inroads upon his time.
Although the fifth boy can give correct answer,
but tho teacher, not having his attention, is
obliged TO repeat the question before nc can get
him even 10 bclch forth. So let The recitation
continue until finally il will end, and leave tho
teacher in n splendid frame Of mind for making
hostile threats, unless hc is blessed with an cx
traordinary amount of patience. Now could
not considerable time have been sayed by tho
teacher allowing that fifth boy to havo indicated
his knowledge of the answer by raioing his
hand OF. otherwise, thus obyiating the necessity
OF tho teacher having to repeat tho question so
often and listen to the objectionable blunders of
could tell all who missed the question by obsery.
ing thoso failing to indicate their ability TO
answer All know that school hours appear
long and tho reoitnlions dull, monotonous and
lacking in interest, even 10 the hest Of students.
10 incrcnso the interest taken BY the teacher
and students in their daily reciations lightcns
tho cares and difficulties Of tho tcncher and pro-
mofes The advancement Of students in The same
proportion. 10 effect this institute II plan of
criticism by which cach student will be allowed
10 criicisc thc other. When n stanza has been
read, question asked, or a sentence analyzed.
or problem solved on the blacktoa and in tho
analysis or solution IN cl ror has been committed
let the teacher call on the class for criticisms
ana allow each member TO offer whatever crti-
csm he thinks fit, but many Of them may be
unjust aud not Sustained by the teacher, in
which case the student will bo dcmeritcd The
sand rs it hc had missed his own question, as
we'll as frowncd upon by the criticised, oil Of
Which will make him more cautious aftcrward
get better acquainted with his next lesson TINT
he may the better discriminate between truth
ana error. When the class is through and there
yet remains somo error uncorrcctcd, let the
teacher then call the attention of the clnss TO il
and dcmcrit each member. a student is
always taken down more from correction from
n fellow student than by his teacher, and for
mat reason students will take great delight
"heh 'hey can offer just one on their fellows.
The result of all this will be that the students
Will study harder, take greater pains to prevent
making errors, the duties of The teacher lcsscned
and the degree Of scholarship of students in
crcacd in like proportion. These suggestions
are thrown out merely for tho benefit of those
who think they could profit by them, not from
self vanity. 1t is of the Inst Importance that
teachers should look we'll 10 the selection of
text books, for more depends on that than one at
first thought would suppose. Those selected by
inc Statc Board, with the exception Of tho
grammar, arc as good rs could be desired
There is, too, slight deficiency in tho arithmc-
TIC, but than cannot be supplied by Davies or
any other work as tc.dated. have heard
teachers sny they prefer 10 teach these antc.daed
and obsolete text books, rather than put parents
TO the expense Of buying new oncs Now that
excuse with me is not we'll taken by any means
because cannot imagine among the list of my
ac4uaintances parent whose interests are not
so mingled with those of his children as not TO
desire their advancement TO knowledge to be rs
rapid MS the most improved text books and in
sruction from first class teacher would permit.
What parent will stand on the cost of a book
when months and perhaps years of study by his
childrcn will be saved by having it? In those
old books they will lcnrn things that they will
be compelled to nnlearn when they como to study
tho new have spoken TINT which do know.
which is truth, and will, like the sun shining on
some polished surface, reflect its own imnge.