The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-03-17
METHODS.

awake young teacher 10 another not long
sgo. when we get away from home and
they begin to talk Of methods" we do not
know Whist they mean
Well, fellow teachers Of Union county,
suppose we take the hint and, rubbing
our eyes preparatory to waking up, think a
little about "methods." "Why, .methed
is only q ~dy of doing thing" do you say =!
So it is, and there are as many ways of
doing as there are person, to do; aud, in
the hands Of poor teacher, good method
10 worse than poor one in the grasp Of an
earnest capable worker.
After ali the important thing i, the work
man. Put q real 1.-Two, wide-awake laborer
in . tight corner, give him poor tools and,
in some way or other, he will manage 10
turn out good work, aud without doubt
the opposite is true.
Just here turn aside to whisper . word
to tho teachers. Other people will please
pass over to the next paragraph. l nm an
old teacher, and have been in school, as
pupil and teacher, all my life. kno~ that
the most depends upon the pupil. Even
good workman must have the right material |
to turn out a first class article. Tho world
has grown very ileyer sharp enough in
deed to do a grert any wonderful things !;
but 1t is still pondering that old, old qucs-
ton, "How shall We make bricks without
straw ?" and do not think the school
teachers will fnd the answer for it.
But, going back TO "methods' wide :
awake teacher will find good method. 1t
may not be the particular one used at Quin-
ey, Mass f, but being made especially for him.
it will certainly fit him better than one
made for another man. Methods are apt
to be like clothes. If you take one that
belongs to somebody else, yau must satisfy
yourself rs to the NJ before you 30 into
company.
A great stir has been made about the
best wny Of teaching this, that or the other
Everybody zesmL TO feel like r4shiug to the
front with "Plsn" for making royal
road" up the steep o.. w.. @ q. learning
Sometimes it seems like going out among q
host Of friends with your arm doue up in
sling, and geitipg remedy for your sprain
from every one you meet. You feel $, con-
fused by conflicting advices that you ara
-is- let the arm take care Of itself,
Y ettniniy be in a sad condition
ifYou a,oo,..ftt to try all the various methods
whose praises are sung by their ingenious
originators.
Those who were at the estate Teachers
Association" last Summer, may remember
"The Synthetic System of teaching Read
ing" so tastily illustrated in colored chaiks
upon the portable blackboards.
"We ars only agitaing, not advocating it,
by any means" said n bright progressive
teacher. in answer to my inquiries.
Meeting tho "agiator" some months
later, aud asking the result Of tho agitation,
was told "Ths system will not do at all
1t is complete failure; at least it was with
me-"
And this is to be the result OF many an
experiment with methods that come highly
recommended.
The "Phonic Method of teaching read
ing has been greatly in favor with many
good teachers. Some contend vehemently
for the Word Method, while many, look
ing back upon their childhood. pronounce
the A. b. Z. method quite good enough for
them.
have known one who bodily announces
decided prefer eucc for the three plans
judciously mixed The proportions,
however, like those in the recipes of many
n good hcusckccper, seem 10 depend upon
circumstances
Notwithstanding all these have been
proGonnced satisfactory the Assistant Super
intendent Of the BrookIyn school reports,
refinement of the Phonetic and Word
methods, not yet fullo developed, but full
of achievement even in its infancy"
This new ije, is teo big for this issue,
but will be presented in full next week.
Meanwhile we can draw a good long
breath as we re,lizc that the commotion
over methods is largely confined to Primary
and Grammar grades. When we reach the
deeper waters Of the college course We find
. restful calm aud profound quiet. Stu
dents are there bending over the pages Of
their text books and cleaning knowledge
ard bu'liing character in very much the
same way that their fathers did