Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-11

What a Teacher Must do Before He Can
Expect Good Reading From His
Pupils.
The Destruction of Books in the SCHOOL,
Room-What Educators Have to
Say on Current Topics.
Suggestions on Reading.

reading from his pupils he must ascer-
tain their ideas of good reading, and
if they do not clearly understand the
essentials, he should suggest by ques-
lions and illustrations the fundamental
principles. The reading matter must be
within the comprehension of the pupil,
must, in the lower grades, be simply
conversational, and of a type which
will come within the pale of his ex-
perience, or which his Imagination can
easily picture. Otherwise, the ideas
are the authors, and the pupil does
not make his own.
The young pupil knows little about
the art of reading, has the
idea that he is to shout the words at
the ceiling or murmur them to the
floor. He must be led to realize that he
can not give what he does not possess;
that is, he can not express an idea which
he does not clearly understand. Every
pupil knows that he has an idea which
he wishes to talk, knows that he has an
idea which he would like to commune
cate to some one, knows that when
he attempts to communicate to some
one he endeavors to make that person
to whom he speaks understand his idea
as he understands it.
Literature is what an author would
say to us were he here. When we read
an authors thoughts, we are giving
his message to some one. When
pupil realizes that in reading aloud he
is to tell something to the other pupils,
to interest them. give them his con-
ception of the matter, that they are
listening to hear what he thinks and
understands, he will be spurreG to do
his best. Every child should feel
that he can read; he knows that he can
talk, and as reading is simply telling
some ones else thoughts so that
several may know, it follows that he
can read, and, if he is painstaking,
may read well. Every pupil should
be made to feel that his reading is not
to be compared with the reading of
either the best or the poorest reader in
the class. His rendition depends on
his education, his nature, his expert
ence, and the teacher should Judge his
execution from an ideal standpoint,
based on his capacity. Pupils under
stand that in talking every word should
not be emphasized. They can readily
comprehend that the same principle
will hold good in reading.
If word in a sentence is to be en-
phasized, which word shall it beP
Usually the answer is, The important
one. How can we decide which is the
important one? Children alone are
not at fault in this part of the work;
men and women err, and not infre-
quently.
In simple sentence the important
word is the one which can not be
omitted without destroying the sense.
Strike out every word except one; the
one which will convey the idea is
the important one. When the pupil
understands which word is to be en-
phasized, the next query is, how shall
it be emphasized? Nine tenths of the
pupils will answer, BY force or loud
ness. But by illustrating their theories,
they at once perceive lack, and will
probably suggest pitch, time, pause.
emotion, etc. Pupils should be given
extracts to illustrate different methods
of emphasis.
A pupil may Intellectually under
stand the text. and vet fail to give the
sentiment its true coloring. His read
ing may sound cold and hard. Can
pupils read a selection emotionally
and truthfully? Children in the kind
ergarten can, and there is no reason
which the average pupil can not ex-
press what he can feel, after his mind
and voice are under his control. If a
child outside the classroom were to
exclaim. "Oh!' the pupils could readily
LOFT l,n
angry, pleased, surprised, or hurt.
They SEQ that by the sense of hearing
only they can determine the emotional
condition of the unseen child. They
themselves have experienced emotion,
have distinguished it in their own and
comrades voices. If they express
emotion when talking, they can when
reading. if they understand the ideas
clearly and have had similar expert
ence.
They arrive at the point when they
see that each selection has a spirit of
its own, and that if the spirit of the
reading is not given, the ideas and
purposes are not truthfully depicted.
They realize that if general were adj
dressing his troops on the battlefield,
he would not address them in a shy
bashful way, would not speak to them
in a careless, fippant tone. or his
soldiers would not be inspired to fol-
low him.
The reader may give different con-
ception, or may express ideas not war
ranted by the text. In thus reading to
himself. his mind becomes more skill
full in formulation, and when he has the
opportunity TO express the audibly,
mis- expression will have more force and
clearness than if his mind had re-
manned inactive.
Not only is the pupils mind kept
active, but the ear is trained to dis
tinguish any lack, whether mental,
emotional, or physical on the part of
the reader. BY the term mental, |
mean whether the reader comprehends
the idea as whole. together with its
relationship to the other ideas and
himself. or but partially. By emotional,
whether he gives the correct emotion,
or whether he substitutes one emotion
for another, or mixes them. By
PHYSICAL, whether he stammerS, speaks
with a nasal tone, breathv voice, or
keeps his teeth close ogether.-JOur7saL
Of Education.
The Care of Books.
The care of books is a subject con-
corning which pupils should receive
more instruction than is generally