Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1890-11-06
The Thought Side Of Arithmetic.

And now let us take this average pupil
and put him TO the test for the purpose Of
determining the real power. the real ac-
QUESTION, that his school training Las
gwen hlm. In the arithmetic field for in
in the result of this test stands or falls
the truth of the statements haye made
regarding the character of the work beiL x
done, in the class Irooms of the land, in
arithmetic. Ii the pupil under the fire
of this test does not show that the mathe-
mutical training hs has in school, has
given hun the power of quickly and read
ily concentrating his attention, using with
facility the reasoning faculty, opening the
door Of the unknown with the key of the
known, aptness in thh detection of fall
lacy, readiness in locating the boundary
line between that which in true aud that
which is false, and with I'll these given
him, the skill in the use OF. The materials
through which this power finds express
sion, then the cause OF these failures lies
in one element OF my original statement
either there has not been time enough
given to work 80 large field, or else the
field has been poorly titled.
Now the result of our t,st shows:
l. That the average pupil is q wor-
SHIPPER of figures. Try hun and see il this
Is not so. mean by this that the aver
age pupil is led III his school experience
to give to the sign position in import
snce of estimation superior to that which
he gives to that for which tho sign stands.
The pnpil is not trained picture maker.
giving TO the problem he solves founda-
tion even in possibility. Ipstsad OF using
the figures to make more istelligiLle the
picture lie builds, he reverscs the natural
order, ana expending his energy on the
manipulation OF the husk fails TO taste
the sweets Ut the ksinal that the husk
covers
To the question. Where have you
seen fraction ?" variety of responses
is elected. ''0n my slate" "on the
blackboard" ION paper" are sGoug the
frequent answers return ed. "Of what
was 1t made?" 'of figures" "of num-
bers, OF numerator and a deaominstor,
with line between" come among the
many answers.
The thing itself called for does not
come to the child's mind at all. Notice
also bis indiscriminats use of the terms
figure, number" etc. Test him with
actuaIities; let HIM demonstrate With dia-
gram upon the board his ability to think
in things; or better yet let him use actual
objects in the demonstration OF his prob.
lens. You will soon see the weakness
that makes his work in arithmetic re-
lapse into the darkness OF figure manipu-
lation.
2. Our test shows the pupil TO be "a
poor estimator of results. So little action
Is given 10 the judgement OF the pupil
that he can not tell at q glance the ap-
proximate result to the work under iu-
vestigation. And to estimate results with
reasonable accuraSs and rapidity, Is one Of
the most important and useful Of the
powers that school training should give
to the child. We see this faiing con-
stantly cropping ont Ia tha Wild returns
that ara coming to Teachers from the pu.
pills under their charge. I, is not un-
common for pupil to return as a product
OF his effort an answer to agiven problem
that is so far ont Of the realms OF possi-
bility even. that we are shocked at the re-
sult-and yet were the pupil to reason for
a nom mt he could euess q thousand fold
nearer the answer.
3. Again our test shows the inabiI-
ity TO readily interpret the language Of
sTl,hmstt,, The pupils work In arlth.