Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-06

MI X VN\ -" fully understood boys, seemed
W K0h Y to have knack for understanding
T+Moh/ boys ways and needs and to have
~ the proper regard for the feelings of
his pupils, - had been boy once
himself, and therefore knows just
what YOU need etc. etc
Teachers Don't Understand Them
THE great complaint. especially the part of the
L boys, is that their teachers do not understand
them Over and over again appear such sentences
as, Few if any teachers really understand boys =
Few teachers able willing to read pupils
Alright, = Many teachers try to understand us, but
few succeed. THE ma orty never think they
ever boys, and view everything as old men ; and
quite number declared that teacher in the
school ever understood them, though most of them
thought they did.
A girl wrote What we get from the high school
depends on the teachers we have. There
teacher in particular who seemed to understand her
pupils thoroughly. l was always glad when it
time to recite to her. She made me feel at home
that | was not afraid to speak out all felt She
trusted me and believed in and to her at least,
| not hopeless idiot. l had another teacher.
however, who had quite the opposite effect He was
a splendid teacher, and l learned something from
him; but the process SO painful that shall al
ways shudder when look back to it. The man was
naturally nervous | never remember having seen
him when he was not in motion His laugh was the
most unpleasant laugh l ever heard. He trusted
nobody and sympat hzed with none and it seemed
to give him pleasure when our marks registered low.
Yet | believe the meant we'll; the trouble all
lay in the fact that he did not understand boys and
girls.
these continue hold the opinions of his pupils
in contempt be blind the fact that he is always
sized up and weighed in the balance by the young
experts that sit at his feet.
The ideal teacher must also be energetic enthuSi-
astic and young. in spirit at least if not in years
boy wrote of his favorlte teacher, " He was young
and in group of boys stranger could not tell the
teacher from the pupils: but. notwithstanding, he
commanded great attention and respect In fact
during the year | in his class l never heard him
have to call the class to order once. Another boy
wrote of his best teacher. He of but
felt more respect for him than for those teachers who
relied on their vigorous efforts to keep order
Os1erism Among Pupils
0F old teachers one girl wrote, / think old
~ teacher should not be allowed to teach. because
she cranky and does not inspire herpupS young
teacher does. I'VE must all grow old, observed
another girl; but l do think teachers have
grown too old to teach. This may seem hard on
them but it is the old teacher that find it hard to
get along with. They have taught for years and
they get all out of patience with anyone who cannot
answer right up. And boy chlmed IN, Il think
that when teachers get old and grabbed their places
should be filled by younger ones. They have had
their turn and ought to give UP their places to a
Younger person who can sympathze with young
people and does not look their natural fun
childish or as an insult against themselves. Still
another lad observed, Older teachers do not seem
realize that methods of teaching we'll as times
have changed and SO keep on teaching in the same
old after year. 1t is needless to say that
the pupils suffer by this
1t is not old age that the pupils complain against,
for aged teacher who is not cranky. cross, I'M
patient set in her ways and out OF touch and SYM
pathy with the young is more likely to be favorlte
with them than young teacher. w hat the child
from his teacher is what we all Want,-and
few of get,-namely, sympathy. that sort OF