The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1885-08-26

be causes we 90 cot understand, and
do not let Us discourage them sill
more hy scolding and pointing them
to some brighter child fer a model
but sit down by them occasionally
when no others are near and talk OF
other matters. Get them TO talk
freely to us-to have confidence in
our friendship TO them. Then draw
them gra dua.!y to the point they do
not understand. and it may be very
probable that dull pupil will far out
strip the bright one before the end
of the year. One mistake | have
heard OF teachers making-though |
may say with truth that II IS perhaps
the only error l have escaped COM
nitt.ng-,S making 4 pet or model
OF one boy or girl in school brighter
than others ami holding Inn. or her
up for 4 pi;ter,: 90 the others. |
shall touch but lightly upon that. for
we all see at a glance what an un-
pardonable cruelty the teacher would
be committing. 1t IS not natural for
a child to take another child tor a
model, and particularly il he is
| sighted to thc model by the teacher
or parent. 1t only eXciteS envy and
I jealousy. 1t is not the model pupil
that child Will initiate, but the
| teacher. II is very natur al for chill
dren to ImItute the teacher they love
III almost every ACT. They initiate
/ teachers tones OF voice, his manner
of walking, talking, laughing and
! the manner OF expressing himself.
| So that we tremble almost when we
think how responsible we are for
those children's habits. To be Il
real conscientious, careful, thorough
teacher, one that children are safe in
! initiating. one should be almost a
perfect man or woman. He can not
be too careful in his habits, too gen
! teel IN his manners, and he should
not act a part either. He must be
sincere and natural in all this. Chill
dren are very quick to detect shams,
and If they once find that the teacher
Is assuming to be what is not natural
l., l. IL,
does not feel all the kindness and
politeness that he assumes, their
confidence and respect IN that teach
er IS gone and he can never restore
himself. They will always be sus-
piclous of him. Besides beng a
model for pupils IN the way of morals
and manners, it seems necessary tor
the teacher TO possess unlimited
range OF information. He must be
familiar with the best. safest, and
quickest methods. He must be able
to simplify and condense-bring q
large subject into very small space.
/ The average number of years tha
pupils attend school in the cities is
no greater than S ana in the country
much less. Of the pupils w.-o enter
the primary grades of public schools,
CITY or country.a very small per cent
ever reach the high school, and IL
this age, where so much is to bt
learned in that short space OF time
it behooves us 10 be prepared with
the most effective methods. and pre-
sent cur subjects TO pupils SO th1
the Impression may be lasting; have
them study their subjects and be abb
to explain them 50 completely tina
It becomes thoroughly fixed in thei
minds. It certainly is great par
OF teachers business to study tn
order in which to develop ideas il
! accordance with the development o
the chld's mind. Then the method
of best presenting the idea we wisl
the pupil to grasp. If we do TIL
conscientiously and carefully. look
ing at our subjects through the mind
of the children. putting ourselves i
the chlldren's places, and a>kin
ourselves, would | understand iha
now If I were a child: we >ureI
cannot fail in the manner of present
. no subjects. How VII We do 4