The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-06-02
THE TEACHERS AIM IN THE SCHOOL
ROOM.

first time as teacher, has, perhaps, only
vague ideas as to what his duty is. If,
however, be determines to perform faith.
fully whatsoever his hands and mind
find to do, he has already taken step
in the right direction.
.Of course there must be no cast.iron
rules, still there are some aims which all
teachers should have in common.
First of all, teacher, aim at self knowl.
edge. Aualyze your motives. Aak
yourself whether you are teacher from
principle, or merely school-keeper. If
your heart is not in the work, if you find
that you have no interest beyond obtain.
ing livelihood, give it up and 60 at
something else-do anything rather than
inaict yourself on the children who are
our future men and women. These chill.
dren come to US not merely to be taught
such things as may be found in text
books, but to be trained for the duties Of
after life. And in order to train them
properly we must be in sympathy with
them and know them Individually This
is not 80 very difficult after all thor
oughly in earnest, wide.awake teacher
will, in few days, have pretty correct
knowledge of the character and capabil-
tiles of each child under his tuition.
This study of the child is an, interest
ing one, and not nearly so difficult as
knowing what treatment is needed after
a diagnosis of each case has been made.
It requires much time, thought and la.
Dor, plentifully seasoned with patience
to take forty or fifty different dispositions
and characters and so mold them as to
make up one harmonious whole. But
much can be accomplished in compar-
atively short time. The weak, men,
tally and morally, may be strengthened
by coming in contact with the stronger
element in school, while the preternat-
urally bright will only be benefited by
waiting reasonable time for the plodder
to reach the heighth to which he has as
oended.
Knowing what TO teach and how to
teach is the next thing to be considered.
One must not. be only perfectly familiar
with the subject to be taught, but must
also know the best ways of presenting
that subject to the minds of her pupils.
gometimes it is necessary to present
lesson in almost as many different ways
rs there are pupils; therefore every les
son must be carefully prepared by the
teacher, however simple it may appear
to them.
Moral training in our public schools is
a serious subject. One great difficulty Is
that frequently we must fight against
home influences. It requires all the
tact teacher can command to deal sue
csssfally with pupil whose home. train
ing is contrary to everything that is good
and true. Not by long lectures on truth
and honesty, but more by example can
ne hope to accomplish anything in this
line. We must help them to feel the
difference between right and wrong.
Some one truly said, character is the
outgrowth of ones DESIRES" therefore we
should endeavor to first implant and then
cultivate in the child's mind and heart
desires for better things. And we must
not be impatient of results, or We will
fail just where we hoped to succeed. We
must not attempt to force, but We may
lead the child step By step to see
"How much more doth beauty, beauteous
seem,
By the sweet ornament which truth doth
give"
It is hardly necessary to say anything
of the teachers aim to preserve good or.
der in the school room. If ne are self
reliant and exercise self-control; and if
our object is to obtain the best possible
results in everything else, good order
will naturally follow.
Lou A. CARPENTER.