The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-01-07
EDUCATIONAL.
Some Pertinent Suggestions by a Practical
Teacher ON School Government

The end of school government !,
self-government How Shall we ooverr
our schools that our pupils NAV learn
to govern themselves?
L. The pupil mast not be fettered bz
too ndny rules.
When God created man He gave him
put one law-the law of perfect ODE
d!ence. After the fall, ten command.
ments and restrictions, many and vari.
Gus, We're given. Man had made them
necessary. Give To the pupil one rule
DO right! Allow him to Judge fol-
himself and choose Il course of action.
II his course is right and is commend.
ell, the child gathers confidence in his
own moral perceptions.
Character is formed by reiterated
choices. How can the child who is fet-
tered by rules and restrictions at every
turn be anything but an automatonp
But suppose that the child chooses
wrong instead OF right? Then he must
learn by experience that right is better
than wrong. If the teacher can enforce
this lesson without hurting the child's
self-respect, or discouraging him in the
effort to govern himself, she has great
reasons to be thankful.
How shall we treat offenders so that
they may be led voluntarily to avoid
onense? There are a few principles
which must be sharply defined in the
teachers mind if she would secure the
best results.
1. The good of the child demands
that he shall have clear understand
ing OF the distinction between right
and wrong. Therefore, when he is at
fault, make sure that he sees, before
you leave the subject, lust where he
hrst went wrong. 1t will do him GOOD
to learn as child what he will learn
later on, that right and wrong are rela-
i've terms. lie can readily see that
taking an apple from his mothers side
board, when the apples are put there
Tor family use, is quite different thing
from taking an apple at the grocery
store where the apples are for sale.
Teach the child to discern right and
wrong under varying circumstances.
z. Never lower child's estimate of
wrong doing by tvacfIing finr that IT is
matter of Indifference whether he
does right or wrong. What is that
teacher doing for the soul of the pupil
who said, with a despairing tone. 1T
doesn't make any difference whether |
do right or wrong. If am bad, teacher
scolds; and, if I am good, she scolds, or
else looks as if she didn't believe it
would last?" Why should il last under
such circumstances?
3. Be very careful to have your MI
pills learn that nothing bit sin can sep
drdte from lore. If you have taught
your pupils this one lesson so that il
remains with them through life, and
lnterprets to them their own relation to
God, your teaching is a grand success.
1t is the lesson God has been irving to
teach the world from creation till now.
and our faulty ideas of home and school
government have kept many souls from
understanding it. How can we under
stand what we have never experienced?
The fatherhood which we have seen and
known is our only guide to the interpre-
tation of the fatherhood of God.
4. Increase the child's idea of the
majesty of law by invariably infiicting
some penalty for its violation. Suit the
penalty to the offense. If suffering in
'ariably follows wrong-doing, the child
Will learn for himself that it is better to
10 right. Half the evils of this world
would be avoided if the wrong-doers,
instead of their victims, bore the pen
Ilty of the offense.
5. Never shield a child from the
of his own act. Sympa
hize with his suffering, but do not nit
gate it. In no other way will the child |
earn SO quickly or so well the lesson of |
'ersonal responsibility. The best GOOD |
# the child must stand as the one prom-
nent thought before the teachers mind. |
which all things must be made SUBJ |
ervient. This brings lis to-
Ii. Lei the loss OF pricilege, or a ne.o
restriction. come as the result of the |
PufFS OlCR actions.
: This does away with the idea that |
Teacher makes us mind just because
he wants to be hateful" Let the max
m be clearly understood-"Yous shall |
AVE all the freedom which YOU can use
without abusing, and the "antagon-
sm existing between teacher and pu-
'ils' will soon vanish. How can it
asst when the teacher says, and keeps |
Ter word, "You shall have only |
uch rules as you render necessary"
Ill. Let the children see the meaning of |
y01tr ruteS.
Take, for instance, the rule against |
and communication. Do |
ou see the moral side of this rule, |
Is whispering to be forbidden |
imply on the plea that it disturbs 9TH
rs who desire to study, or interrupts
he order of the room? By no means.
The real value of such rules is that they |
i've the pupil the opportunity to exer-
|
from all departments of life |
he need of self-control. Show that it
must be learned by its constant practice
rom childhood. Let the child see |
hat it is real regard for his welfare
or years after he leaves you, that
'rompts you to help him to the utmost |
f your power to make man of him
elf. My scholars know that 1 care
Iothing about communication in itself,
or it is never carried far enough to dis
nrb the order of the room. 1 do not
orbid it. explain why wish it avoid
d and leave it to the pupils. More than
nee when have approached pupils
esk, saying in a grave voice, ''You
allied in controlling yourself Just now,"
have found the pupil with tears in her
yes as she said penitently. Il know
i, and am so sorry! See, wrote this
0 keep me from forgetting again" and
sheet Of paper, laid in conspicuous
lace on her desk, bore the legend,
Bewarei!r'
Twenty years of experience with pu-
ills of all grades and classes have
aught me that the pupils who are treat
d as co-workers with the teacher learn
0 govern themselves more rapidly than
hose who are held to simple, blind
N, Gdrdner ia Journal
+ Education.