The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-05-01
MISTAKES IN TEACHING

1t is q mistake to try to teach a0itz
out h0ri7ag good order. No teache
should think of teaching at all unit
he has established between himsel
and his class q perfect understandin,
regarding this matter; until he ha
clearly shown his pupils that it wa
necessary that one person should b.
absolutely master, and that he was tn,
person entitled to that position b,
virtue of his Office, his superior intel
ligence, experience, and force Of char
acter. Without order. in his business
and among his employees. no business
man can hope to be successful. With
out the perfect order which we cal
discipline in an army, it is disorgan
lied mob, incapable, unmanageable
and at the mercy Of it's foes Without
order in a school, at least one. half of q
teachers power is wasted. partly
through the inattention of the schol-
ars, and partly in reducing the disor-
der to what some teachers regard as
endurable limits. Experience has
proved this, and therefore every good
teacher insists on having good order
before attempting to teach. "The hus-
band who starts in his matrimonial
career as lieutenant never gets promo,
ton. A teacher is rarely promoted
in school in which he has not earn
ed his position by the close of the first
day. There is lamentable weakness
about teacher who allows his schol-
ars to form the public opinion of his
school, and establish it's character in
dependent of him.
1t is q mistake to suppose that chill
dte1o IiEe TO haze their oaO21 aOdy at
school, No greater mistake could be
made Children like order better than
disorder. So would all grown people,
if they had been properly trained ut
school. Children are most joyous and
happy, and therefore most thoroughly
educated, in those schools where disci-
pline is strict without being severe
There is no quicker way for teacher
to lose the respect of his pupils than
by over-indulging them. They will
not chafe long under just restraint.
Control develops reverence.
1t is q mistake to THINKS that order
means perfect quiet or stiffness. Many
classes are quiet through sheer list
lessness or dullneSs What is needed
i'll a school is the order of life, not the
order of death Order means having
every child in a school attending to
his own duty, and to that alone, and
attending to it, Of course, in the quiet
est possible manner So long as no in
diVidual in q school is attending to
anothers business, OF doing anything
to attract the attention of any person
else, | would not sacrifice efficiency
for the sake of silence. A good stiff
breeze is better than dead calm. The
breeze is all right if it does not come
in squalls. Perfect order may be quite
in harmony with considerable
amount of noise. In factory for in
stance, although the noise of machinery
may be deafening and the bustling OF
the WOrkmen may appear quite CON
fuSing to an outsider, everything is
usually in the most perfect order. Or
der does not necessarily mean repres-
sion The order needed in school is
work systematized. This is genuine
order, and the only kind that will last
1t is O mistake to t7V to StartIe q
class int0obei71g orderly. Some teach
ers strike the desk; stamp on the floor
call ORDER" or ring bell to cause
Quietness. A thunder clap startles us
into stiffness for few moments, but
even thunder would soon lose it's effect
if controlled by some teachers. Disor
der should be subdued, not terrified
1t would be a poor way to calm a ner
vOus child by firing cannons near it. A
teacher must be deliberate, not impul
sive and explosive. If he wishes tx
secure good order he must be orderly
himself. Even the occasional ringing
of the bell for order is mistake. Il
disturbs every pupil, while perhaps on
ly two or three are offending, and after
a time loses it's effect, because it speaks
directly to no one. and gives in gener
al terms to whole class, what should
be given particularly to certain indi
yiduals. The bell is valuable aid II
securing discipline. 1t may be useC
with great profit instead of the teach
er's voice, as a signal for commencing
changing or closing exercises; or fo
oCCtuulIlS up oACCAAAS NeOWu CtooOulO1IIlS
dismissing, etc, but it never should b.
used to give direct command for or
der. 1t should never convey demant
that does not apply with equal force t.
each member of the school.
1t is a mistake for the teacher to IL.
to droa0n the noise Of his pupils b
making a greater noise himself. Som
teachers attempt to force out dlsorde
by talking in loud tone and and on
high key. They may avoid hearin
any noise but that made by themselve
in this way, but they are certain to in
crease the noise made by their pupils
The pupils will have to speak loude
In order to hear each other. A loy
tone is much more certain to produc
quietness than q high tone. There ar
certain noises which render childre.
nervous and irritable. The noise mad
in filing saw, and that made by
teacher talking in high key, are tw
of them.