The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-09-01
TEACHERS AND PATRONS.

TEACHERS AND PATRONS.
Now that school is about to open,
we should all as teachers and patrons
think about how we can make our
school the most successful of any pre-
cediDg year, and, after determining
what we intend to do for the good of
the school and the teacher let us at
once set about with will and de-
termination to make it just what we
would have it be.
There are two important factors of
every school-the teacher and the pu
pil-and very justly we might claim
the parent as a third factor and no
lese important than the other two.
If there is one day of greater i'm
portance than any other of the term
it is the first day. To the inexper-
fenced teacher it is quite apt to be a
day of jumbled up excitement and fret
and worry mingled with embarrass-
ment, all of which will have its effect
on future days upon the conduct of
the school. To the older teacher it is
not SO pulling and troublesome but
unless he is one of the most consider
ate and jUdiciOus of persons he will
betray some characteristic of his ma
ture-not always the best-that will
very materially affect the school.
Although the first day is necessari-
ly taken up largely with the arrange
ment of the regular school work such
as the schedule of recitatiOns, classifi-
cation of pupils, assigning lessons,
etc. Yet i'll the meantime another
very important work is in progress,
viz: The teacher and pupils are
forming each others acquaintance.
The teacher is learning the names of
his pupils and trying to associate
them with their respective faces. And
the true teacher is doing more than
this. He is making himself familiar
with the various dispositions of the
different pupils, and the character of
the school as whole. This last men,
toned is of more importance, perhaps,
than any other. and requires acute
mental perception such as but a linn
tied number of our young teachers
possess and il is probable that some |
never acquire it.
The first day is perhaps the most |
interesting to the pupil of any in the |
term. The cause of the interest can |
hardly be attributed to the lesson he |
has to learn or to the meeting of old |
acquaintance. But the highest in |
terest is felt in the new teacher
whether he is kind or cross, decisive |
or indecisive, strict or loose in dIsci-
pline. In fact they are all interested |
in knowing what kind of a teacher he
is.
The average teacher at the end of
the first day will flatter himself that
he has taken the measure of every
pupil in the school but the fact is that
while the teacher was busy with
other things the pupils have not been
idle but have taken his measure, and
are practically certain just how far
he is going to let them go before
restraining them and will not hest
tate to speak of it among themselves,
and consequently inform those of
their number who were less scrutiniZ-
ing. Therefore it is essential that
every teacher realize the Importance
of the first day of school and prepare
himself accordingly.
1 will suggest that you follow close
ly a program that has previously
been prepared and placed upon the
board for the first day. The teacher
should then proceed without hesita-
ton or indecision. IndecisiOn at
critical moment is quite liable to re-
suit in defeat Every moment of the
first day of school is critical moment,
hence the teacher should know what
ne is going to do, how he is going to
do it, and be fully prepared to do it
well.
Begin your first days work with a
pleasant but short address. Pleasant
words are tanners for the widest dis
position and if uttered in pleasant
tones seldom fail to win the hearts of /
all the pupils. While il is the teach
er's office to be the master of his
school. yet it is very seldom necessary
to state that fact 10 the pupils. The
teacher that walks into the school
room and announces to his school that
he is going to rule them, will in
variably repeI them. But if he shows ..
a willingness to lead them and direct
them he will be sure to draw them to {
him.
There are few parents who stop to
think how much their actions affect
the character of the school. IAN
earnest child aided by an earnest pa
rent may make progress with an in j
different teacher. An earnest child
aided by an earnest teacher may
make progress even though the parent .
may be somewhat Indifferent" But !,
an earnest child aided by both an /,
parent and an earnest teacher
will make rapid progress.
If the parents will give the teacher
a hearty reception and manifest a
deep interest in the school and espec-
tally their own childrens' progress, it !
will make the teacher feel at home. u
1t will cfeate an interest ia the entire {
school that lac would not otherwise n
feel Parents should council often d
with the the teacher in regard to what \
is best for their children and be pa \
tient with his efforts. Children,
through lack of experience, often go K
home and complain because the teach S
ar's plans do not suit them. The pa n
-ent's duty is to reason with them. tt
times out of one-hundred v
hey are wrong, and if encouraged by s.
heir parents they will develop a t:
petulant. peeyish dispO-
ition so unnecessary in our natures. r