The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-02-05
FULTON COUNTY NEWS.
Aptness in TeacIling.


THE following article was sent
US for publication, and is worth
reading by any teacher.-Editor |
Aptness in teaching implies a
natural and developed tendency
and fitness for the work. The
self-importance which is assum.
cd in seeking and displaying titles
and degrees, and the inordinate
eagerness to push self.interest in
the direction of higher position
and salary, do not denote the apt
teacher; nor does the hustle with
which some show their dissatis.
faction with present modes of
making" pupils, or with which
they discuss the modes of treat.
ing insubordination or truancy; or
the questions of the comparative
Importance of principals and as
sistants, or of the relative merits
of divers text books; nor does a
perpetual canting about the ad-
vantagas of teachers associations
and the want of interest mani
tested among a certain class of
teachers; nor yet does an incess-
ant talk about school out of school
hours. They who, in their con-
versation, make these topics of
chief Importance, show that their
hearts are not in the work, that
they are mechanical teachers.
Aptness in teaching denotes a
state of mind which does not in
deed disregard proper self-ad-
vancement, nor yet contemns de-
tails; but which is chiefly occu-
pied with the great question of
pupil-nature and demands Of that
nature what is food for it !;
what ought to be held from it.;
how it may be aroused, drawn
out, trained; how it's affection may
be gained and directed; how it
may be made to grow up in rea-
son, intelligence, humanity, no.
bility, usefulness. He who is apt
to teach come down with the di
rectness of insight and of zest to
the first simple principle of pnpil-
nature; and from knowledge of
this contrlves the machinery
of management. He conforms
the machinery to the pupil-not
the pupil to the machinery. The
tendency to resort to contrivance
for turning the pupil into mere
studying and reciting machine,
and the opinion that success in
teaching is achieved in proper
ton to the degrees of precision
which the human machine is
made to attain, denote a want of
aptness, in the lack of apprecia-
ton of the most essential element
of the work-communication.-
Once when a class in celebrated
institution demonstrated with
their teacher, he replied, 81 don't
come here to tell you anything; l
come to hear you recite." This
is not teaching. The mechanical
method aims singly to employ the
mechincal memory. Should the
pupils understanding operate, it
will be by dint of dependent en-
ergy, and in spite of repressive
influence of the method. The apt
teachery will be ever aiming to
read the pupils understanding
means of communication.
This aptness IN communicating
knowledge depends upon some
thing more than mere crudition,
and will show itself in something
more than a mere appreciation
of this or that method. Erudi-
tion and appreciation alone will
be of little service in the school
room. Some men are great store
houses of knowledge, but are al
ways locked up. Some are ad-
mirable organizers and managers
much, appreciative of the needs
of the school-room, keenly per-
ceptive of the qualities, measures
and adaptedness of others for the
work, and yet are not themselves
apt teachers. The apt teacher
will communicate not only when
questioned, but will anticipate
questions. He has the faculty of
measuring the understanding of
each pupil and of adapting him.
self thereto. He will in reality