Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1882-10-19
HOW MAY QUE SCHOOLS BE
MADE MORE EFFZCLENT9
BY L. K. BILLINGsLEY.

| Importance than Is usually attached
to it by the average common-schooI
teacher. Upon the careful study of
this proposition largely depends the
success of every teacher. The best re-
suits in any kind of labor can only
be attained by following some we'll
conceived and well-executed plan of
work. And it is almost needless to say
that in this particular there is woe
full Lack on the part of the teaching
fraternity. Too many persons keep
schoop' Instead of "teach school !"
No teacher will ever teach 81 eessful
school who fails to make daily a~epar-
atoms for his work six hours each
day with the pupils is not enough to
make successful school. You insist
that your pupils do much of the work
of preparing lessons at home, but .vou
need give them no thought.
It is a political maxim, ''that the
strength of nation depends upon the
intelligence of it's citizens" Our boys
and girls of to-day are to be the active,
influential citizens of the future. Their
enlightenment and intelligence de-
pend largely, mainly upon the teacher.
1t is the teachers work to bring out
and develop every faculty of the mind
and heart.
For many years the common schools
of our land have been doing an excel
lent work. They are also becoming
more efficient, year by year. There
are teachers who seem to have risen
to the topmost round of the profession,
but the masses seem content to remain
at the bottom. The better teacher one
becomes the more earnest is his search
for still better methods of teaching.
No wonder such a teacher is in de-
mand he is deserving, fit to be the
! guide and instructor of children.
If, then, the work of the teacher is
| of so great importance, ought not every
teacher to study to answer the ques-
ton: 'How can make ma school
more eff1cient?n In discussing this
| question, have chosen rather to no
| tice some Ofthe more serious objections
to our present methods of teaching
than to indicate the plan of work that
should be pursued.
LIZ AAOOg " L41u03 UAO IuOSG
serious objection, is "a lack of regular
| system" A teacher enters a school
for term of to 8 months, without
knowing what is expected of him, or
what course he shall pursue in the
| government, management and CLASH
hcation of the school. AS result DAYS
and weeks are often required before
satisfactory results can be obtained.
| This IS not always the fault of the in
| going teacher The last teacher has
| left no record of the classification and
standing of his pupils, which, had he
| done, his successor would have had
but little difficulty in arranging and
classifying his school. First impress
ions are usually lasting The percep-
tive faculties of children as a rule are
much more acute than those of older
| persons. How necessary then that
the teacher prove himself master of
the situation. Nothing will aid a
teacher more in this direction than a
written outline of what he proposes to
do on the first day of school. Having
this plan before you follow it closely.
But there is but one first day of
school. On this day such information
should be obtained by the teacher as
will enable him to arrange a pro-
gramme for the following days work.
| Desirable information for this pur-
pose would be the various branches to
be taught, the number of classes in
each branch, and the advancement OF
each class. This programme would / g.
| of course temporary. But as soon as
| possible a permanent programme
| er fail to show the time of recitation, as
| well as the order in which the recita-
lions are to be heard. Having drawn
up programme, live up to it to the
very minute, no matter how much
! you may feel inclined to continue
recitation longer. You may begin
we'll, have well arranged programme
and yet not accomplish much-just as
a carpenter may rise early, have his
tools in perfect order, and yet fail to
construct anything of value, without
plan, You mast have system if you
| expect to succeed as teacher.
There are. certain steps to be taken
in attaining an education, before other
certain steps can be taken. A we'll
arranged "COurse-of-Study" shows
| these various steps in the natural ord
er of development Then each teach
er should secure for himself some good
cOurse-Of-study whice he will closely
| follow in his work of teaching. If
| you have no course-of-study, there is
nothing you can do that will so much
dlO SOO do QIdIIlIiS OuS lOE yourself
| You Will thus be brought to see things
of which you have never thought.
The course-of-study adopted for the
schools of this county, at the last Insti-
tute, is very good one, yet it will
require teacher with no small degree
of skill to fill out the missing parts /
mean by the missing parts, just the
work each grade is expected to do in
each branch, in any given term. If a
course-Of-study be adopted in any dis
trict, it should be followed by each
subsequent teacher. This course should
be the same throughout the county,
state and nation. Such a course we
have not and we are left to do the best
we can. Certain it is that each teach
er should have a well-defined plan of
work, and then follow it. Our State
Superintendent II. G. Speer is work
ing earnestly for this end, and verify
believe that ere he leaves his ofnce
each school in this State will have a
regular Course-of7Study.