The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-03-22
effect of having pupil come to the
recitation unprepared.

tIcCb VI having " pup >o
recitation unprepared.
When you, while assigning lesson
consult the pupils rs to how much they
are willing to undertake to learn for
the next lesson, be sure to assign CON
siderably less than they are willing to
undertake; for most pupils are prone TO
overestimate their own ability. But
do not allow an advanced pupil to get
the better Of you on the ostensible plea
that he cannot learn so long lesson,
when you have accurately gauged his
capacity and know that he is simply
lazy, shiftless fellow, who is not willing
to improve his time.
OF course, occasionally the pupil Will
come to the recitation unprepared from
unforeseen and unavoidable circum'
stances. Whenever the pupil has
valid, reasonable excuse, accept 1t; but
frown upon all ostensible reasons or
pleas for coming to class unprepared.
Frequently it will be necessary to give
ne.fourth or even onethird OF the
recitation time TO assigning the next
lesson. Do not demand impossibiltles.
Be definite. The young mind needs def
mite directions. Point out the difficult
points of the lesson, and give sufficient
light in advance to enable the pupil to
conquer them, and to feel that he has,
essentially, learned the lesson by his
own activity. This will give him plea
sure and power; it will contribute to his
intellectual and moral development. Do
not, therefore, tell the pupil too much
about the lesson Do not rob him of the
pleasure of learning it himself. Point
out historical literary, and geographic
al illusions Direct the pupil to the
proper sources of information, giving
book, chapter, page, etc. Be definite
and demand results Point out the
words to be looked up in the dictionary
Insist upon full and accurate definitions
Without exactness Of definition real ad-
vancement is utterly impossible; for our
knowledge is absolutely limited by our
power of discrimination and assimila-
ton. Insist upon accurate definitions,
or your teaching will be weak in spite
of other virtues. Thousands call our
attention to the necessity of having ex-
preston keep pace with acquisition, and
then we see them accept such definitions
as an attribute is 10 attribute, or m,dtiplicd-
ton is 10 ntuitjply numbers. Such defni-
tions are stultifylng and, when accepted
by the teacher, preclude real progress.
Teach the pupil to learn the substance
of the lesson in his own language But
let him give the substance and not the
shadow. When you are indifferent as
to the pupils expression, the pupil will
tell you almost anything except the
truth about the lesson. His statements
will be loose and slipshod. He will
not even give the shadow. He will
simply give you the "penumbra of the
lesson"
Require the pupils to learn principles
and definitions verbatim AS to an
other lesson, require the pupil to learn
it, If he asks whether he is to learn the
lesson by heart, say, "NO; learn it in
your own language, but learn it com.
pletely and accurately" If he can not
at once do this with ont getting the
language of the book, let him get this.
1t will improve his language and in
crease his power and soon teach him to
learn the lesson in an easier way
But the writer does not wish to imply
that one-fourth of the recitation time
should necessarily be given to the assign.
ment of the next lesson. The lesson may
frequently be assigned in half IA
minute in the case of advanced pupils.
For instance, lesson in geometry may
be assigned by simply asking the pupils
to learn the next theorem or page, when
the teacher knows that it is not above
the capacity Of the student to do this,
and when the student is already expect
ed to have developed critical habit in
studying a lesson and knows what will
be demanded of him.