Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1889-04-17
EDUCATIONAL,
C. D. BELDEN, EDITOR.
NOTES ON ARITHMETIC,
From prof ShonorA'o Inot,tuto to1l

From Prof. Shepards Institute talks.
(taken by one of the teachers)
Parents send children to school, ex-
cept in very rare cases without giving
any hint as to.what they expect US to
teach them. Just here begins our re-
sponsibility-what shall we teach them?
Numbers? Yes. But why? Right at
this point we are in danger of making
a grave mistake. Too many will fail to
ask themselves why they should teach
that or any subject. Too many would
teach it simply because it is part of
course, or because not to teach it would
be an innovation. We are apt to assign
work in that. study with reference to
habit rather than to a purpose. No
teacher should assign lesson or ask
question without thinking whv he does
so, what end he desires, and how this
question or lesson will help to attain
that end.
For the first year it is best to teach
numbers only as means OF mental disci-
pline. In teaching the idea should pre-
cede the symbol; therefore it is not adj
visable to use figures with pupils begin
ing the study of numbers.
If you ask child to add three marks
and five marks, his mind picture should
not be 3 and 5, but III and It'll.
How do children's notions of numbers
comeD
Special attention should be given to
the small numbers to secure rapidity and
accuracy. Addition, multiplication etc.
Of the small numbers should be practised
until these operations are performed
without thought, or at least with as
little mental effort as musician makes
in playing a familiar piece of music.
| Teachers are apt to be over ofhcious
in teaching arithmetic. This is grave
fault. You have no right to do that for
your pupils which they should do them,
selves The moment you do so you have
done them an injury. You have robbed
them of the exquisite pleasure they
should feel in surrounding difficulties
|
would get through the book much sooner
with your help than without 1t, but il
that the object to be attained? If yor
think so you would better resign at once
Be concise in what you say to YOU
class. We often bury our ideas 50 deer
in words that the learner cannot find it.
! A pupil should have conception of g
rule or principle before he attempts tt
, use it. Do not permit pupils to worl
an example for the answer only, tt
consider their work done when It i
obtained. 1 prefer book withou
i. answers. No definition should be givel
. until the pupil feels need of it. and il
giving definition be sure that it is
q true one. Many teachers use terms IN
:, definitely, without considering the fine
v shades of meaning. Teach pupils t.
e look deeper than the work on their states
d to see the actual operation whic
y their work sYmbolizes. Have them Sc
Z that all reduction is the same in effect
that the terms divls0r and dividend ar
j applicable to the terms of fraction, tha
1T the principles of division may be apple
a. to fractions, since numerator and demon
~ 1nator are dividend and divisor, that
10 divlsor is measure. In fact the associ.
,e ton OF ideas is of the greatest importance
re Remember that telling is not teaching
and do nothing without having def1nit
u y, and desirable object in view.
- How many of you can tell what col
k stltutes knowledge of any numbe
ps say the number eight?
US