Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-11-27
TEACHING,

|
We often wonder why one
man makes such phenomenal
success in teaching and others,
apparently as well qualified,
make failures. A letter pub
lished in last weeks issue from
Prof. Noah Cisco to Walter Sc
bastian, to one who will stop to
think, explains it. Cisco's heart
is in the work, and he has an in
dividual interest in each of his
pupils. An interest not only in
the work in the school room, but
an interest in the future of the
boy or girl, and he manages to
impress that fact upon the pupil.
There are more misfits in the
profession of teaching than in
any other vocation preachers
not excepted. In the profession,
that of all others, ought to have
men and women whose souls are
in the work, we have the care
less, the INDECENT, the incompe-
tent, and, worst of all, the tran
sient, The transient" is the
fellow who keeps" school a few
years just to get money to fit
him for something else, or the
girl who draws state pay for a
term or so to buy a trousseau.
Brains, energy, a love of the
work and love of the boys and
girls are necessary to successful
teaching.
TeachsfSs as q class, are less
fitted for their work than any
other class. They are narrower,
more dogmatic and pedantic,
lack information about current
events. and are less progressive
than even the preachers. ]
speak of them as a class, and, OF
course, do not include the big
souls who have adopted the pro-
fession as a life work-the men
who feel the nobility of a real
teacher, and who studies the
child earnestly to see to what
end he can shape his life for
good.
The much mooted question of
discipline in schools is not one of
brute force or of inspiring fear.
The boy who is proof against an
appeal to his better nature is rare.
The greatest incentive to a child
that can be given is to be made
feel that someone is interested
, in his efforts. Not interested as
, a censor, but genuinely and hui
namely interested in his personal
welfare and progress. Could
any one make our young friend,
Walter Sebastian, believe that
! Noah Cisco is not genuinely in
terested in his success or failure
in school? No. Why? Because
: Walter KNOWS that he is inter.
ested in him. Did Cisco have 8
: pupil that did not feel that he
D was not genuinely interested ir
r him? Not one. ! am only using
: this illustration because the let
ter gives us food for thought
There is more between than il
the lines of that letter.
Y There ought to be such ;
t period of preparation for teach
: ing that no one who does not in
tend to follow it as a life pro
0 fession will attempt it. Their,
: ought to be some way provided
to prevent those who have n,
love and fitness for the work at
: tempting it. And there ough
q, to be a trying out plan for be
r ginners without trying them gu
d on the impressionable minds o
t the children. It requires mel
e and women who are consecrate,
v to the work and whose soul i
: filled with love for humanity +
e be successful teachers, and tn
: kind who say that they do no
: love the work ought to be de
r barred from trying to teach
Il Such a statement is an admis
s sion of their incompetency.
S The successful teacher Is tn