The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-03-20
For the Agis and InteAigencer.
How to Make REGULATIONS Interesting

| HOW W MAKE heCltatlOnS interesting
This is a subject worthy of the considera.
ton of every school teacher, for without il
no school can prosper. While much has
been written upon it, yet it isnot exhausted
so that in presenting this article feel that
am dealing with subject which is still full
of interest, especially to those who are just
beginning the work of teaching 1t is no.
table fact that great many pupils show but
little concern either about punctuality in at
| tendance or of promptness in Rotations. On
| The contrary they are ever ready to frame
trlting excuses for absenting themselves
from the schoolroom, and while pursuing
their studies perform as little labor as posi-
BILE. In consequence, they mostly fail in their
reciations. There are others, however, who
are inclined 10 be industrious and generally
manage to answer the questions of the text
book, yet upon being questioned as to the
real truth of what they have been studying
make as bad failures as those who have given
little attention to the lesson. There are still
| Others who make either total or partial fail
| ures in recitation and so contribute their
share in making the exercises of the school
room unsatisfactory. Yet many of these pu-
pills are bright and lively in their natures and
make fair progress in all their undertakings
| outside of the school. 1t would not b. fair
| to charge all these irregularities to lack of
skill on the part of the teacher, for in most all
| schools there are cases that can not be cured
by any means that the best teacher can de-
wise. Still, we believe that there are a great
many who idle away their time and make
| poor progress that could be interested by iu-
dicious management in conducting recita-
lions.
In the first place the teacher should be
thoroughly acquainted with every subject
Which he attempts to teach, so as always to
be able to render reason, and require the
| same of his pupils. He should aim to i'm
press the Importance of economizing time.
| He should require prompt and decisive an.
| swers Nothing doubtful should be accepted,
| where the truth can be obtained by reference
to the text book or other available sources.
| All doubts should be settled to the entire sat-
| isfaction of each member of the class, if pos
sibe. If not, they should be assigned for fu-
| ture investigation. Make each member re-
sponsble for his own answer, and by this
means you establish habit of certainty
which is indispensable in every department
oflife.
| After the teacher has asked a sufficient
number of questions from the text book to
satisfy himself that the lesson has been prop
erly studied, it is profitable to ask few gen.
eral questions to test the pupils understand
| ing of the subject, and finally to add some
items of information that will furnish new
attractions to the subject. This can be done
with good effect, especially in Geography,
History or Reading exercises. Descriptions
of places as given by travellers, some legend
or some peculiar circumstance relating to
characters mentioned in the lesson are apt to
make impressions and lead to clearer under
standing of the various subjects under con-
sideration than it is reasonable to expect
from the dull process so often employed. A
thorough discussion of this subject would
occupy more space than we intend giving it
in this article. Our purpose is principally
to suggest a few thoughts to young teachers
while no rules can be given to suit all cases !;
thorough preparation and good judgment be-
ing the essential elements to success
| A FRIEND TO EDUCATION.