The Newtown bee., 1909-05-21
The NewtoWn Bee
Newtown. Friday. May 2i, 1909.
Bethlehem.
EDUCATIONAL SUGGESTIONS.


 Some of the important questions
 a superintendent can ask himself
 when judging q recitation are:
 Do the children make their state
 ments clearly and thoughtfully?
 Are they such that he can under stand the subject under discussion
 without effort and a book? Too many reeitations fail right here. There are school rooms where 70 en- ter is to listen with pleasure. There are others where the best of listen CTS must go away with no idea of what has been attempted. In order to secure reeitations that will stand this test day after day and week aft CT week 1t is necessary to work with great care along several lines, a few Of which are here mentioned.
 lst. The pupils must be interest ed. A new teacher always has the undivided attention of her scholars the first day and until they have sized her up. They are interested in teacher who is new. They won der what she will do. If she keeps them wondering what will come next, keeps them occupied she wins out with ease.
 End. To do this she has but to use a second point, which is plan the work carefully, know the lessons, its relations to yesterdays and to-mor- rows lessons, its chief point. Plan carefully the method of presenting new matter to the class. Work from the known to the unknown. Elan to catch the difficult boy, plan some slight task within the power of that
 outraged girl, so that she may take hold again with confidence. Be sure to plan no more than can be covered in the time allowed for the recitation and make it interesting. If the teacher is failing tC get he results she expected from a pupil, let her ask herself What did eX- pect him to get when I planned that lessor?" Many superintendents re- qure that 9 daily plan book be kept. 1 In Watertown they require that summary of the mark be made week ly.
 3rd. Have a program and follow it. Begin and stop each recitation on time. This is one of the hard things | to learn but it pays. It has been one l of the tasks of Watertown teachers. Many objections have been made. Some thought it impossible but have tried nd succeeded ard are now en- thusiastic over results. What ren- ders it hard to follow program? Usually the lack of careful prepara- tion for the days work and lack of a definite plan. No programs in schools indicate insufficient prepara- tion or an attempt to do too much.
 It is sometimes claimed that the ecita;ion should be prolonged till the psychological moment, till the time when the pupil is in the right attitude of mind to receive the thought. A teacher is not fitted for her calling if she cannot produce that moment at will. Her plan ,hould do it for her. What business ,an be carried on successfully with put a program? Pupils like to know just when a lesson is to come. The uncer+ai' itv causes uneasiness md distraction. The teacher in pro- onging one recitation must cut 'hort another, readjust his classes md lessons and give directions the whole day through as to what ,omes next an! when. Ly all means lave a program and save mental year. One cannot follow a program , however, without first making ,lan for each recitation. (
 4th. In nearly every recitation he pupil should be tested thorough y as to his preparation of the mat Z CT assigned for the day and he , hould invariably be held responsi- f lie for it. Many teachers fail here. Z hey hunt the class through tC find f ne who does know or can guess, f citing those who fail lapse into ha- f its of indifference. By not requir- q ng what was assigned the class Y oon fails to understand their ad- T. aEce lesson and the superintendent f marks the recitation a failure. The i est way to enable the teachers to r uard against this is to keep daily ( ecord of each pupils progress. If T he cannot decide what mark to g'e "