Semi-weekly independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-22

NOTES ABOUT SCHOOLS AND
THEIR MANAGEMENT.
How a Great Amount of annoyance
May BE Preventative Sc~hooIhouse
as Teachcr-Country Schools Should
Have Scrap Books.
Assigning LeSSOuS.

cache and pupil may be prevented by
using great care in the matter of as
signing lessons. The work given to
young pupils to prepare for recitation
should be simply Il reproduction OF
the work done by the class while the
teacher was assigning the lesson
or in other words, studying with her
pupils. For more advanced pupils it
should be memOriZing that which they
already understand, or working out
problems which VIII put into opera
ton the principles and rules already
learned. "As the tWig is bent the tree
Is inclined" is surely true in school
life. \ definition learned before it is
understood may cause an almost per-
manent bend iii the wrong direction.
| have seen Il boy, who had been alb
sen when the lesson WAS assigned to
the class, told to commit 10 memory
such and such things. and then cen
sured because he did not remember
the order of the words in the answer
which meant nothing To him. Take,
Tor example. the first definitions in the
ordinary ACCOMPLISHMENTS Manual,
for instance. Tell pupils to memcriZe
them without any previous talk upon
them, and see what Il miserable result
will follow, if YOU try TO ave them
tell you what is meant by chat which
you have compelled some of them TO
learn. and also notice how few will
have assigned, i. C., give you the word
as it really is.
l do not forget hat it is thought we
are after and therefore thought should
he the body; but, teachers, don't neg
lect to ciothc it in the best raiment pcs
Sihle. 1t is quite right, in fact it is
very desirable. to have the student
give YOU the thought in his W words.
but then / would ave you impress
upon him the idea that writer's who
have spent years Of study upon the
subject are better prepared to express
the thought than any student can be,
and. therefore. it is very desirable that
they commit to memory the better eN-
preston prepared for them. Don't
be discouraged if you find parents com
ing to you and trying to impress upon
you that their children knew the def
initions. only they could not give it
just rs it was in the book" If YOU are
sure that the pupil understands what
he has to memoriZc. insist upon ii. Ev-
cry thought we'll expressed paves the
way for the next and in rc~citations in
sist that the expression be well form
ed.
Are YOU assigning Il lesson i'm spell
INC? That Is merely memory work
with the greater part of the class; hut
try to teach them To train the eyes as
well ~ the mind. | found that having
the words written by the pupil WIS Il
great nclp. and with poor speller, |
nave requested that they brin" to the
next recitation cacl, word written five
times. This | have found TO be an
excellent home task for the Door spell
or, rs in this way he is compelled to
give proper attention 10 the lesson.
and in a few months | have always
noticed Il decided Improvement. IL
member, this applies only to the pupil
who usually has Il poor spelling les
son. Have him bring in the paper for
Two weeks. then try him for Il time.
and rs soon rs he shows signs of neg
lcct IN preparing renew the demand for
written work. Say to him pleasantly:
well, John. perhaps You cannot mem
orize. but you can write" He will see
the justice. and that he may avoid
writing. he will mcmorizc.
In mathematics always be reason
ably sure they can do the work as
signed. Let them do addition one
Nay more for task work, unless you
are certain they n do subtraction.
A few moments taken at the close of
the school for giving n example sim
liar to the work assigned Will often
help in home or task work. Don't
assign heavy tasks. for by SO doing you
only multiply work for yourself.
Would space permit, i might mention
many devices for making home task
interesting. but each teacher can find
plenty of her own, if she will Occa-
sionally assign herself the task.-Nor-
nal Instructor.