The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-01-03
EDUCATIONAL.
Some Timely Suggestions and Opinions on
the Subject Of Written Examinations
It's Methods and Limitations.
Public Opinion on Educational subjects
Gathered From Various Sources
Oyer-Prcosure In the High
Schools.
WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS.

aye opinion Oh inc tutnOlltlcS may Dc
obtained. The writer is no authority
in matters pedagogical, although he
would not for great price part with
his experience, however yaluelesS it
might be to others. The examination,
its methods and limitations, deserves
careful study and discussion, especially
at time when there is quite general
movement against this element Of
school Allow me to throw out
few suggestions;
|. Whatever form of examination is
used, it should be left wholly to the
superintendent and teachers. They
should personally conduct the exami-
nation. Whatever may be said for or
against the examination, it should be
labeled Hands off, not to be triiled
with by any board or committee, as no
authority outside of the school-room
is proper" or competent 10 handle it.
2. If the examination is good thing.
it certainly is not improved by great
frequency, or great length, nor by per-
iodical recurrence.
). An examination thirty minutes
long, given when least expected, is the
best examination test have ever found
of a pupils ready, available, mastered
knowledge of a subject,
4. A fixed time for examination is an
occasion for which pupils cram, and
which teachers dread.
5. Examinations, frequent or lengthy
necessitatc, either dismissal of classes
for the examination of papers, or the
teacher must mark papers at night. In
the former case valuable time is lost by
pupils; in the latter, the vital energies
of teachers are wasted in doing the
most rksome and wearisome work in
the world; consequently she reappears
before her classes weary in body and
mind; pupils thus in either case are
manifest losers.
6. Much examination keeps down
the tone of instruction, not only on
account of the enervating effects upon
the teacher, but for the seriou, reason
that the responsibility of seeing that
each pupil does his work well and I'M
derstandingly will be shifted upon the
examination when he gets marked
down for inattention and inability.
True instruction eorrects both evils.
Observation leads me TO conclude
that pupils will, as rule, work as hard
and as thoroughly when there is to be
no examination as when the monster
of frghtfui mien" inundated them
5. When it seems that certain val
liable results might be secured by an
examination, papers can be marked on
the basis OF the general effect !, e..
mark the papers as unit 'high.
good" fair or low. Pupils
take as much pride in being marked
high and avoid Glow" as carefully
as though the absolute number to the
ultimate fraction were given.
o Careful, invigorating, vital in
structon is the main affair in school,
and that is wholly dependent upon the
teacher and entirely independent of ex-
animation.
TO- The true theory of instruction is
always to keep fundamental principles
before the mind, aud thus make every
recitation a review.
H. The recitation, day by day, is
the true test of scholarship, what
pupil kno,Os, can use, can apply, has
well in hand. IL tests. builds up, ex-
pands real scholarship. The examina-
ton proposes certain questions, the
answering of which is mainly done by
memory.
u. To base promotions on the re-
suits of an examination and to deny
promotion to those who do not reach
an arbitrary standard, places prem
ium upon memory and expression, and.
withal, rewards success; while real
knowledge of principles
and the place whence facts can be OBJ
tained and application go unrecog-
nized.
-. ! promote wholly upon the
teachers judgment, corroborated by
my own. Each pupils case is consid-
cred separately and specifically. The
teachers response to these interroga-
tories settles each case: What is his
His industry? His abil-
ity? His ambition? His health? His
attendance? Results: Less commotion
and bitterness among pupils; less COM
plant by parents; equal pride over the
promotion; equal respect for and con-
tidence in the impartiality of teacher
and superintendent + b, GQaH IN
IOllrndi of Education.