The record-union., 1897-12-12
THE KINDERGARTEN WORK.
VIEWS OF A TEACHER ON THE
SUBJECT.
She Holds That Kindergarten
Training Aids the Pupils IN
Their Primary Work.


lately been going on relative to the
value of kindergarten training for
very young children, Mrs. Clara +.
Parsons, Principal of the Capital Pri-
mary School, in an interview with d
Record Union reporter" said
From my personal observation or
the work in the kindergarten, it seems
to me. if children are kept in the KIN
dergarten for sufficient length ol
time to receive a thorough training un-
der good instructors, it must greauy
aid the primary teacher.
THE children who have handled op-
iects, observed them and talked ABOUT
them, ought to have stored up vast
number of concepts which lays the
very foundation of reading.
Il feel that children trained IN the
kindergarten should take to reading
with lauch less effort on the part
of he teacher than those not so
trained.
They should observe differences and
similarities in words much more read
lily, grasp the association OF words
with their corresponding objects, ana
express their thoughts in much clearer,
better language than those not having
had the training.
"As to the aid in number which the
training gives. 1 should think the pre-
vious work with objects in which they
have incidentally become acquainted
with number would pave the way for
the primary teacher.
Writing, at its best, is a difficult
branch to deal with. Why? Because
the child fails first to see form. Sec
ond, his hand, without having been pre-
vousIy trained, fails to produce the
form which he may have in mind.
Now these two principal difficulties
ought to be partially overcome with
children previously trained in the
kindergarten.
In my visits to the kindergarten
room I have noticed they have been
taught to observe form, and their hands
have been trained in various ways to
reproduce form.
Il have heard teachers say that the
children from the kindergarten were
inclined to be more restless and diff
cult to govern than the children who
come directly from home.
IF this be true, then there is some
thing wrong somewhere. Either the
too much liberty or the primary teach
ers' discipline is arbitrary.
IT do not believe that we primary
teachers understand the true spirit of
the kindergarten.
The kindergarten certainly recog-
nizes that the child has threefold ma
ture and strives to educate it.
Tile body is developed by happy
wholesome play, marching, singing,
etc.
THE mind is developed by the gifts
and occupations.
THE soul is developed by constant
exercise in right doing. thereby max
ing them helpful, kind, considerate and
unselfsh.
The best educators, ancient and
modern, agree that the forming Of
character is the end and aim Of true
education, and I believe some Of our
teachers to-day are beginning to put
this thought in daily use.
In the ideal school, and the new ed
ucation demands it, the child works
with his hands and with his head, not
for the sake of what hands can do and
heads can know, but for the sake of the
character developed by these means.
IF character is the end of education,
if it can be developed, formed and built
up by right education, there is a good
reason for beginning at the beginning
and sanding a child to the kindergar-
ten. where such training is the rule.
"All teachers will admit the use
lessness of culture without character,
hence the primary school that does not
make the forming of character it's Grief
aim is not what it ought to be, not
what il can be, not what it will be,
when the kindergarten spirit and prin-
ciple enters into it universally; for, as
I said before, the forming and devel-
oping of character is the chief aim of
the kindergarten.
THE kidergarten cares much more
about making a child helpful. kind and
| mats he weaves. though, as I under
stand it, the weaving Of mats is one
means toward the end.
II feel we will hail the day when all
! primary teachers and kindergarten
teach rs shall be more closely connect
ed in their work and shall be work
ing more in unison.
II am fully convinced with the little
knowledge / have of the work done in
| this department that our primary
teachers must go down to kindergarten
principles and build our work upon
them"
Harriet A. Quinley,s Estate