Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-12-14
NEW METHOD OF TEACHING.
Arithmetic by Indirect System New
Development in Education.

,(Greenfeld Cor. Springfield Republican,
There has been recent criticism of the
method adopted in one of the school
buildings in Greenfield with relation to
the teaching of arithmetic. Statements
have appeared which lead to the con-
cluS!on that this one of the three RS"
Of education has been showed too far
into the background in the new Federal
street school building where an expert
ment has beer tried. so far as the teach
ing of the subject is concerned, which
is entirely new to Greenfield schools and
which IS a very recent development
among the teaching circles of the coun-
try.
The superintendent Of schools in
Greenfield Is much interested in the new
method which has been applied to the
six grades In the new building, and Is
endeavorinC. with the assistance of tNc
teachers in the building, to determine
the value of the theory Of !nstruvtiug in
arithmetic by indirect methols. rath,r
than by the methods which have been it,
use for a e-honored period. The new
plan eliminates the studyof this partcu-
lar branch separate subject and
there IL devoted to its study no definite
period each day when principles are ex-
planned and examples given of the vari-
Gus processes which need to be learned.
Instead Of this an effort is made to in
troduce, incidentally with other studies,
problems of a mathematical sort which
relate to the particular subjects taken
up. AS other subjects are dealt with the
teachers call for the continual applica-
ton Of mathematical calculations TO
them. and It is hoped by this method to
,,y,ttC
needed acquaintance with the science
which has heretofore been taught by the
employment of the pupils with numerous
exercises and examples.
In support of the method which Is be
ing tried for the present year. the SUI
perintendent states that the system has
been carefully prepared by number OF
the teachers in the schools. and as the
teachers have been selected for the Fed
eral street building the ones who have
given particular study to the new theory
and method have been employed. In or
der TO increase the efficiency OF the
method the teachers are giving the sub
ject OF instruction in arithmetic by indl-
rect methods special study. and ways OF
Introducing calculations upon subjects
which interest the pupils are constantly
1 u.
method It is his hope to eliminate the
tedious and embarrassing process OF pre-
pairing examples. and instead TO attach TO
the questions relating to number study
live interest which makes the acquire
ment of mathematical knowledge a mas
/ ter of interest rather than drudgery.
An example of the way in which the
matter is applied IS given in the follow
,Ia n
in connection with their nature study
/ that NTH part of the atmosphere was
composed of certain gases and the pu-
pills were set about determining what
part of the air in the school room they
were occupying would be occupied by
such gases Calculations were under
taken upon lines suggested by the pupils,
who were given suggestive assistance by
the teacher, and an appreciation Of the
method of determining the matter of
cubic contents and fractional division
was in this manner impressed upon the
minds of the pupils at an earlier stage
than such matters are ordinarily taken
up In the public schools. The problem
thus dealt with is one of great number
which the teachers have found in the
everyday school work along ordinary
school branches, and it is the steadfast
belief of the teachers who have observed
the method that the principles le2ned in
such a manner will be of greater inter-
es' to the pupils than the same principles
taught in the orthodox way
The objection made to the customary
method of instruction in arithmetic s
that II employs much time in the repeti-
ton of mechanical methods which call
more for the exercise of patience and
time than of initiative. In many instances
the pupil is left to find out the way to
acquire information concerning subjects
of interest to him rather than to be told
the way in which such calculations may
be made and then set about making re-
peated calculations to impress the meth
DDS taught.