The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-06

thinks Of his tests and applies them in
succession or picks out the one that
he thinks will apply.
This plan makes the proposition a
relatively small matter at hrst but
emphasizes its application. For this
reason the writer has selected a text
with q very great number of simple
exercises following each proposition
and does not require that the. proof or
the proposition be mastered thor
oughly until after many Of the eXer-
Cises have been studied in class.
I'm this class study, at the begin
ming of the year, the instructor draws
the figures on the board and expects
nothing more of the pupils than the
application Of the correct test. Did
you ever consider that we expect
many times as much of the pupil
while in the geometry class as while
he is in any other class? We expect
him to master proofs which puzzled
men for years and to master these In
2, few minutes. We are not reason-
able in this matter. Better give him
no more than he can digest and see
that he does digest It. Before you are
some of the exercises following the
first proposition all Of which were
presented in one recitation of forty
minutes, and reviewed the next day in
ten minutes, after which review he
next proposition, If a. S. a. equals a. s.
a., the triangles are equal,
vas presented. This plan Of
solving the exercises before at
tempting to do more with the
proof of the proposition than to IN
derstand it's several steps is followed
with the distinct certainty that the
proof will be mastered in a compare
lively short time after the application
and with ease. Further; 1t having
beer before the pupil for two Or more
days, the impression on the mind is
sure to be lasting and the tendency
of the pupil to try to memorlze the
proof is nearly gone.
did you notice the use of the color
ed crayons in the drawings? 1t is al
most impossible for a large per cent
of the pupils to perceive the several
figures in a drawing and to keep these
from fusing unless he has some such
aid.
whether a pupil will fail to carry
the years work in geometry is toe
frequently decided during the hrst
two weeks of school by the miserable
plan of presentation through the stu
pidity of, not the pupil, but the teach
er. 1t is a serious reflection upon
somebody other than the student
Wnen 0u per cent OL Lis SLuuCAIS 49,
the state fail in a given subject and
my surprise is that the parents have
not rebelled long ago. The fault lies
| with the teachers or with the school
system. Either the teachers are DO
ing poor teaching or the subject mat
ter is not adapted to the student
mind at the age given. It is u bust
ness to ascertain what is the trouble
and to apply the remedy.
"In recapitulation: At present over
SO per cent of students studying geom-
etry fail to pass the state require.
ment at the first trial, over so per
cent dislike the subject and perhaps
so or 90 per cent see no value in the
study. 1t would seem from inquiry
that the present teachers are we'll pre-
pared academically, have had expert.
ence but have had little pedagogica
training.
ITO one believing that academic
training is not sufficient preparation
for teaching the cause Of the failure is
evident. The teacher falls to adap
the work to the mental ability of the
pupil. This, T believe, is h sourct
of the trouble. This is not sayint
that pedagogic training would remedy
the matter FOR you cannot be assur
that the training would be concret,
and of no value. 1t is the correct ap-
plications of principles Of ~psyeholog.
and mind development h a will help
The few suggestions made above arr
Ito what should be done. as a. drop oi
water to a pale b same. What w
should do As TO prepare p teachers