Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-10

kind out of door is worth ten in the
school room.
Method in Lessons.
Outdoor. arithmetic Is not compre-
hended so easily by one to whom the
idea is new. The lessons are conduct
ed something like this: When they
are out on their excursions-and
Loint of these is that they shall be
made as individual as possible, with
one teacher in charge of not more
than three or four pupils-the teacher
will say, 81 wonder how far 1t Is
from here to that tree over there.
How far do you suppose it ISL" OF
course, everybody has an estimate,
and usually they vary. John thinks
ii is mile and Dorothy that 1t might
be three yards. Then the teacher
produces surveyors tape or q yard
stick and the correct measurement
is taken. This is compared with the
estimates. Immediately the boys or
girls want to try the experiment In
an other direction and they keep it
up for some time with growing &C.
curacy on the part of the pupils. Com
paratively few people can tell how
much an acre is or how far mile,
but there is no reason why they
should be unable to do so. Learning
in this way, they form accurate, in
dependent judgments that are not
merely reflection of the teachers's
Suppose we did not have anything
to measure with. How could We do
it, them" asks the teacher. She
shows them how to measure their
steps. Perhaps the teacher will pace
a given distance. In 20 feet she has
taken nine steps. How long are her
steps? Then the children try it. Hav-
ing found their measure they pace
the distances with their eyes closed,
counting their steps, then pace I'M
tried distances, estimating their
length. At the very last they measure
these to get the correct answer. Adj
dition, subtraction, division, multiple
cation and fractions are brought in
by these operations, and every little
one works vigorously in trying to
do" the arithmetic. 1t is a definite,
tangible proposition that is before
them. appealing much more strongly
to the thought than abstract cures,
suppositional apples or cords of wood. :
Start Made in Classroom.
Before such a lesson is undertaken
it is worked out with the normal stu
dents, the juniors, in the classroom.
Then each prospective teacher writes
her name at the top Of small blank
card, and the lot are sent to the reg
ular teachers whose pupils are to have
the lesson. The children of the
fourth, fifth and sixth grades are Sc
lected for this work. Three children !;
usually are assigned to one teacher. !
They are permitted to form their own
little groups, the room teacher manag- !
ing that as she sees fit, only taking
care that the children shall choose ,
their own companions. One of the |
children writes the names of the lit
tie party on the card below the teach
er's name, and then all assemble on
the sidewalk outside the normal
school on the given afternoon at the
given hour. This fostera self-reli-
ance, and to encourage this the chill
dren find their own teacher. Then on /
they start to study arithmetic or wa
ter forms in the park of geography at
Winthrop beach.
Going in this way it seems like a
family party going out for an after
noon frolic. 1t is an intimate, per
sonal affair, and allows the teacher
to come into close touch with her
pupil, very desirable thing but not
often attainable. Many things in ad-
dition to the lesson of the day are
learned, and former lessons are re-
viewed. On the return, the teacher
is instructed to bring out the facts
covered, in an easy, conversational
way, not at all didactic or school
marmy." Each child has been pro-
Rnl