The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1901-12-06
For Teachers
And Students
County Superintendent Mixes
Some Timely and Practical
Observations.

The superintendent has noticed in
many Of the schools visited that the
teachers seem TO take no notice what
e,er regarding, the manner in which
lpils come into or 90 out OF the
house II is the duty of each and
every teacher to see that perfect order
is observed in this matter. Adopt a
plan by which you may be able to dis
miss your school in an orderly and
quiet way.
We have noticed also In too many
places, that teachers when hearing a
class reclte, or are otherwise engaged,
permit pupils TO snap their fingers,
call aloud to them or come 10 them
with word to be'pronounced. Men ]
we think this bad policy for several
reasons.
Your time belongs to the
recitation you are hearing. Second,
the child is being taught a very
naughty habit, that Of interrupting
Others when engaged. Third, and
most important such privileges soon
become a habit ana cause you no end
of trouble. Many pupils will take ad-
vantage Of these privileges simply be-
cause they are fashionable. Teach
your pupils to r, s2ecL you when you
q e at work, and tnat they must NJ t,
can not interrupt you. Every time
you permit disorder, tritling or wand
erlng, you are helping to lower and
vitiate the mental character of your
pupils. You are encouraging them in
bad habit. You are doing, in fact,
that which will prevent them from
ever becoming thoughtful reader.
dipleut Observers, and earnest llsLeu
ers US long as they live.
The matter of assigning lessons is
another very important subject, too
little studied by many teachers. To
give a rule by which all might be
guided would be impossible. But is it
not the duty of the teacher to study
the pupil until he knows just about
the ability OF his class. He is the
wisest teacher who keeps fresh in his
memory the knowledge Of what he
once was, what his ability was. In
other words think of the child as
child, and as having child's mind
andability.
/ mention one lesson, the spelling
lesson, Frequently hear little fell
lows spell from ten to thirty words at
lesson. The teacher pronouncing
each word and the child in mechan-
lcal way repeating them. Is not such
work almost time lost Why not
teach tae CHI Id Two or three words, as
many times each day, so that it will
know them anywhere the words may
occur 2 To simply spell word once,
and without calling any particular
attention to the word means but very
little, except to waste time. "There
can be no teaching without attention.
There is no distinct thinking, no
vivid feeling, and no deliberate action
without attention"
Too many teachersglVe more weight
to the number Of pages than they do
to what there is in a lesson. No lesson
should be assigned without some def
mite end In view. You as a teacher
should first know what there is in the
coming lessons or pages and assign
them accordingly, To map out acer-
tain number of pages for each lesson
Is sod mistake. Some one page may
q n enough for half dozen lessons
some half dozen pages may not
contain one lesson. Know your work
before it is assigned.
In some schools l find the whisper
ing very annoying. do not mean to
say here just what would do about
the matter Of whispering, but do
say, and most emphatically too, that /
would have less OF it than / find in
some schools,
Teachers, do you ever think that we
as human beings need more or less
pun air From the condition In
winch l lind many OF the school rooms
Fear that you and your pupils do not
get your share OF 1t.
TEACHERS MEETING Al BRIsToL.
The meeting at Bristol Friday No
vember S9thw treat TO MI who