Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-01-03
EDUCATIONAL.
me Conditions in the Relation of Teacher
to Pupils that are Necessary to
Good Teaching.
Rare Thoughts for those Interested il
educational Work-Points on Read
ing-The Eye in Teaching.
condition of Good Teaching.

The teacHeI HceuS SOou Heallll. I1eF
work is seldom light, and any proper
,,erformance of her duties will ordinar-
+, reouire abundant strength and pow
a aIs of endurance. But besides this
oi consideration which renders
Constant good health SO valuable in any
onn]oyment, the relation of the teacher
IN fine pupil absolutely requires vigor
nf body and buoyancy of spirits. More
90 serious than the physical limitations
;mnosed by imperfect health. are the
doprrssion of feeling and the peculiar
hin b;as of thought which usually accom-
nany the bodily weakness.
The mental state of the teacher forms
az atmosphere in which the pupils live.
II is as important that this pervasive
In, unconscious influence of the teacher
should be wholesome and invigorating
&C that the material atmosphere which
thoy breathe should be pure and brac-
; ; The feelings of the teacher are
nnIt,oious. III she is bright and buoy
e0t NE pupils will catch the same
an;,;,: if She is gloomy and depressed,
they will be fretful and irritable.
vie sometimes see teachers work on
bravely, beautifully, when heavily
Weighted by ill health. Every one
would be glad to extend to them SYM
nathy and a helping hand. But in
some cases the odds are too great, and
tho welfare of the children cannot be
d dI Not infrcquently the
teacher struggles against conditions
,yh;ch.are unnatural and unnecessary.
Every teacher owes it to herself and to
hor nupi]s to secure those conditions of
,,bvical comfort which will contribute
r. TO- mental and bodily vigor, whether
they relate to the temperature and ven
+;l,t'ou of her schoolroom, the arrange
,,,e.n,s Of her home or boarding-place,
ITO those more difficult problems of
dnt,, and affection which disturb her
peace of mind
The teacher needs to be in sympathy
with children No spirit of fidelity, no
panstaking devotion. can make up for
the lack of this quality. A subtle mag
netism enables the teacher who is in
hearty sympathy with her pupils, not
only to draw them to herself in loyal
Affection but also to attract them to
those things in which she is interested.
They delight to render a service to
such teacher, and find it easy to do
the work which she prescribcs. Incited
by this motive, they make progress and
improvement which would be impos.
sible to them without it. Moreover,
the teacher is herself stimulated and
encouraged. Work cannot long re-
main distasteful when one is heartily
in sympathy with its object. Duties
otherwise heavy become light.
There is cllra no OrnvpOtiva nj
worn and irritated nerves like a spirit
in ready sympathy with childhood.
Such a teacher sees something besides
the humdrum and monotonous in her
work. Her voice, her language, her
wit, are to her pupils like the play OF
fountains in sultry day. She knows
how to give them a laugh when they
need it; how to make the atmosphere
hsymonize with their youthful spirits.
Without loss of womanly dignity and
self-control, she should be perpetual
source of cheerfulness to her pupils.
A vigorous personality is absolutely
indispensable to the teacher. If there
is a place anywhere for the mere COPY
ist it is not in the schoolroom. Tie
idea once prevailed that any one who
could read and write and cipher, and
who possessed sufficient physical
strength to govern, could teach
school; more recently the impression
has gained favor that any one who had
taken Il course in methods was qualified
to teach, 1t is difficult to tell which OF
these absurdities is worst. Independ-
eEce originality, mental grasp come to
most people only after long and thor.
ough training.
1t would often be convenient and
gratifying if persons who have received
but slender education could find re-
munerative employment in the work
OF teaching. But their inability quick
y becomes apparent. A thin veneer
ing OF normal training with no thor
ough preparation to receive it, is gener-
any distrusted. The lack of intellectu-
a. discipline, true refinement, or pro.
tesslonal training should be bar to
appointment as teacher. The teachers
ability to awaken thought power in the
Young. and to wisely mold the charac-
t tei, must be Judged, among other
silnss' by her ability to think will,
slsor. depth, and breadth, and by her
iah'liiarlty with the best pedagogic
principles which the wisdom and ex-
peflence OF the ablest thinkers have
vowed. She must be student before
she can be a teacher.
another condition of success in
eeaachlng is sef-control. Deficiency in
s San will speedily unsettle the
very foundations of school discipline
"a single lapse in temper will often SO
meaNen teachers self-respect as to
make quiet self-assertion impossible
fol a long time thereafter; will so for
ni,,, the confidence of pupils as to ex-
,n obedience from any higher mo-
s sme IMAM fear. No one can safely as
s sulie lhe office of teacher who is not so
,oi'lneo IN sclf-control as to be able to
wee ,Meet sudden and repeated annoyances
m m.'n cicar-headed composure. Too
many children are abused and mis-
s sh1 at home; the hours of school
S"9 Th be filled with happy occupation.
.. Inc teacher should remember that
n ..l'l school is best governed which is
au' least; that childish outbreaks
ana lsfltability should be forestalled
ia'.;. prevented by constant interest in
Sillmate EMPLOYMENT: that Kindness