Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1890-08-14
THOUGHT IN TEACHING.

The geneml line of thought pursued in
an article on the above subject in the last
issue of the Column Is so thoroughly sup.
ported by the following by Prof.Giffiin OF
Cook county Normal School. thRt We
venture to insert il for the benefit OF
those who may wish light on the subject :
We once knew two teachers who had
made study of their profession. They
knew that attention is voluntary act OF
the mind. Therefore, they did net shout
for il they did not scold for it they did
not demand it. They did what al. teach
ers must do who succeed in securing IL.
THEY WON IT. Better yet, when they had
secured it. they did not try to hold it but
for a short period So must il always be
when teaching young children.
But let us follow these teachers little
further, They each had class Of equally
bright young boys and girls. II SO hap
pened one day that both OF these teachers
selected The Famine. from Longfellow's S
"Hiawatha" pronounced. bv the way,
He-a. wa tina as an Autograph letter from
Mr.. Longfellow to the writer, very plainly
states), for language lesson. The story
being cretty one. each thought it would
interest the children, and hence bold their
attention. After being read, each pupil
was asked to reproduce the story in his
own words. Both classes were attentive
from the beginning to the end Both
teachers were satisfied. The stories were
written by the pupils. Those of one class
were WELL told. while those of the other
class were ExcELLENTLY WELL told.
Why this difference
As said before. the classes we're equally
bright. There were good reasons to the
difference so plainly seen as will he shown
One teacher had applied her pedagogy
in general way, while the other had ap-
phed hers scientifically. The first had
chosen the story because she knew it
would WIN the attention OF her pupils. 1t
certainly did, and had the other class not
been heard from herJ would have been
called a COOL exercise. She failed in a
great measure, however, as ~ she gave
her class the exercise Immediately after Il
long recitation in arithmetic. (2) The
Thermometer registered 7Se when she be-
gan 10 read and not one Of the windows
was open, as 1t was very cold day. (3)
She told the pupils before hand that they
were to reproduce the story after she had
finished reading it.
The sec.nd teacher had also been giving
long aid difficult lesson in arithmetic just
prior TO her language lesson. hut before
taking up the language, she had Q) open
ed the window, and had given the pupils
a few light calisthenics 90 They sang
few songs. BY these exercises both the
mental and bodily fatigue were removed ;
the teacher we'll knowing and remember
ing. Iit would be idle to try and enlist the
close attention OF the pupils. while either
minds or bodies were fatigued (3) She
did not divide the atteltion OF the child
ren, by telling them that the story was
TO be REPRODUCED. 1. e., while listening
they were thinking OF the reproduction,
"a Here she made her strongest point.
She not only told the class she had a
pretty story to read, but she gave them
an outline Of it as follows: There was
once wonderful Indian chief. He mar
ried n beautiful Indian girl. We shall
see what her name was. IL wac. you shall
md. an appropriate one She once had
two strange visitors--t,o We none Of us
should case 10 have One day her hus-
band went ON long journey. Before no
returned his beautiful wife died. The