The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-16
HOW TO BECOME A TEACHER.
Lecture of DIR. j. NJ. Rice. Eminent Au-
thOrity on Educational Matters.

DR. ]. NJ Rice, lectured before the teach
ers of the city yesterday afternoon at the
auditorium of the Manual Training and
Industrial School. Mr.. Rice took for his
subject, How to Become Teacher" In
part he said
There is an old saying that a teacher is
born, not made and, consequently, il has
been generally believed that teaching can
not be learned. 1 believe that this is all
erroneous. and that a teacher may be made
with the proper training. Experience is the
fundamental principle, and is to teaching
what oxygen and air are to the plant. Some
ter teachers than others. We frequently
make the mistake of confounding skill and
talent. Talent for teaching must be culti-
waited or 1t will be wasted. Seine teachers
have the skill to make all the lessons APP
pear interesting to the pupils. and they
to the interest than to the instruction. The
fundamental principle of teaching Is instruc-
ton. not interest. 1 recognize two forms of
interest. the false, or superficial form, and
the true interest. The true form of interest
t. that gr9wing out b Of rove We Tor the subject
the subjects with which they are brought in
contact, and then the true interest viii be
aroused. Skill in teaching may be obtained
only by practice.
THE lessons given to children should be
both interesting and instructive. / have
divided lessons into four groups. The first
and lowest is that which has neither inter-
est nor instruction, but is merely me-
chanical work. This sort of a lesson re-
sembles the organ grinder among musicians
anyone can perform the act of grinding
out the. result wanted. The second class IS
tached. This kind of lesson is very weak
and the result IS entirely superficial. as the
work is done by imitation mainly. The
third class is thoroughly instructive but
wholly lacking in interest. The work of
this class resembles that done by musicians
who have been entirely devoid of musical
ability but who have mastered music by
persistent practice. The fourth class. which
contains interest and instruction equally, is,
of course, the only truly proper lesson TO
place before the child. 1t is now becom-
ing recognized fact that there must be
work cannot be successful The teacher
must set task for herself each day and
then work to that end. A teacher should
essential matters and then Analysing the
best mode of carrying out the plans made.
is trying to teach a child too much. This Is
not the case in the German schools. The
motto of the German educator is: Never
gest.' The progress in the American school
is going forward and back, forward and
which goes steadily forward. In our schools
the child is pushed forward as fast as pos
sible and then the work is all reviewed
consequence, little is permanently remem-
bered. The German scholar is only given
what he can learn in one day and although
twice in the same manner. The American
teacher is more sympathetic, and puts more
interest into the lesson. but the German is
the superior in instruction and science One
cause for the superiority of the German
study, while the American only uses teach
Ing as q stepping stone to something else.
Another cause Is that America has no
school system. while Germany II organized.
There are as many school systems in Amer
lea as there are cities of 5000 Inhabitants.
When ono system IS adopted and the Amer
lean teachers learn to combine interest and
instruction, America viii have the best
schools in the world.