The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-16
THE IDEAL TEACHER
EAST ORANGE MAN PAINTS
HER QUALITIES.
Should Rule Bad Pupils with a Firm
Hand and Always Keep a Pleas
ant Face.

Superintendent of Schools Vernon l.
Davey, of East Orange. addressed a teach
ers' meeting at the East Orange High
School yesterday afternoon, speaking on
what is expected of an instructor today.
'"The EooG teacher can control both her
self and her pupils said Mr.. Davey.
THE ideal teacher does this almost with
out effort and she can hardly tell you how
She il. however. almost without exception,
the teacher of even temper. of cheerful
disposition, of sympathetic attitude toward
children. and yet Of dignifed bearing and
distinct individuality. We cannot perhaps
all reach this high plane, but We can al
least approximate to 1t, and the first
requisite Is the possession or cultivation OF
the proper attitude toward children and
an understanding of the normal child.
THE teacher, wearied and harassed by
the many petty and trying details of the
recitation and the class management, Is
at times prone to consider her pupils as
a collection OF inconsiderate, unruly and
u~nmannerly children. poorly disciplined at
home, resentful of control at school, and
caring for nothing but their own pleasure
and the execution of their personal whims.
The teacher who allows herself to fall
into this attitude is In a dangerous con-
dition and must change her views radi-
cally and promptly. In the same building
are two teachers, one of whom never has
a troublesome class, though there may be
one or two pupils requiring a supervision
that is so constant as to become weari-
some, or even an occasional reprlmand or
punishment. Her classes are always, she
tells you. good classes The children are
we'll disposed and obedient and generally
good workers, and we know they like their
teacher The other teacher always has a
roor class of troublesome pupils. She dis
trusts them and they know 1t and give
her cause for her distrust. Her path Is
thorny, her temper short and the salary
check hardly -compensates for the wear
and tear of the nervous system. And yet
they are the very children of whom the
other teacher expected and (she says) re-
ceived respectful treatment and fair work.
Either the ideals of these two teachers are
different or they affect children differ
emily.
MY friends, suspicion engenders 6uspic-
ion. Contempt and dislike cannot be con-
cealed. The teachers atmosphere and
general attitude toward the class are
open books to the minds of the pupils.
She must have faith in them and a liking
for them. 1t is useless to say they are
not likable. If she know them well In
their homes and among their associates
she would be surprised by the number and
extent of the charming traits and lovable
Qu0llIleS Oh nlne-ltnlIlS Oh lIltli.
The teacher who has many days on
which she thinks of her class as generally
or largely a troublesome or disagreeable
or impudent lot of children cannot be
successful. Her attitude is fundamentally
wrong. She does not understand or appre,
ciate child nature, and by that term
mean to include the nature of all below
college grade. She must have a heart tina
warns to the life and exuberance ant
confidence OF the young; eyes that SCI
through Informed features and frowni
and sulks and discern the soul within
ears that are able to hear not only tn
whining and insolence, but that distin
guish without effort the tones that RIM
true through the discord and the turmoil.
Ssh must frown on wrong-doing an
whining and Incidence and Sinking, an
strive to eliminate them from the schoo
room and from the habits of the pupils, bu
her face must wear more smiles tina
frowns; her voice must have more of en-
enlargement and praise than of reproof
and her hand must give pats of approva
and confidence, rather than only gesture
Of d~ispleasure and disgust"