Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-02-12
HOW TEACHER
WASTES MUCH time
Paper Read AT Recent Teachers
Meeting Suggests Some Re
forms That Should be Inau-
gurated in School Room.

(Read before the teachers meeting).
When l learned that this subject
had been assigned me, i thought it a
very unusual one; in fact, l didn't
think it applied to us as body, and
L said to our most highly esteemed
principal, what shall say?" He
said, There are many things you
could say" After further consid-
GRAFTON, l found that they were more
numerous than time would permit.
That teachers waste much valuable
time in school cannot be denied. That
quite Il large percent of our teachers
are guilty is lamentably true.
School time is so precious that the
proper use of each minute is essential
to successful term.
Sometimes we lose time in so many
ways that the critical observer comes
to think that they purposely waste
time. In order that time may be
economical teacher and pupil must
be interested. The work must not be
only interesting, but educative.
We shall consider only few of the
most common ways.
First Teachers lose much time
when they fail to have we'll arrang-
ed program. In the absence of this
is more danger of letting things drag,
and pupils will be more inclined to
cultivate lazy habits.
Second: Much time is wasted when
ever they fail to make definite plans
for their daily work. Not infrequent-
ly we find teachers ignorant of what
is expected of their grade or grades
in Il term. The teacher should know
this in the beginning, and then decide
the amount of work required for the
term by the number of months in the
school term and connect with it the
necessary supplementary work. AT
The beginning of each month she
should arrange for that months work
by weeks, then work out each days
program for the first week; then it
will take but few minutes to review
and revise lesson plans for the fol-
lowing day.
Neglect of such plans not only cause
waste of time, but worry, and ex-
hausts energy.
Third: Time is wasted in the up
per grades, because the teachers in the
first four grades have not properly
drilled in fundamental processes.
Snap, vim, hustle, accuracy and ra-
pidity do not become part of the
boy or girl, and from five to fifteen
hours a week are lost in later school
years on this account.
Fourth: Time is wasted because the
machinery of the school is not kept
in working order, passing to and
from classes, distributing wraps, col
lecting manuscripts and by failure to
appoint monitors for the performance
of many needed services.
Fifth: Quite frequently there is
great waste in grinding over in me-
chanical way that which is already
known. There should be drill work
which will result in efficiency and
but time is wasted when
the teacher fails to discriminate be-
tween thoroughness and mechanical
repetition.
Sixth: Much time is wasted by an
swering useless questions, repeating
questions, requests or lesson assign
ments.
If the pupils discover a weakness
in the teacher, there will be marked
tendency to annoy her with useless
questions. She should speak distinct
ly, then each pupil should be held re-
sponsible for the hearing of questions
asked and lessons assigned.
Seventh: Many teachers waste time
by having the children closed up in a
tight room, where the air is contami-
mated, poorly heated and poorly VEN
tilated rooms, with the windows and
doors all closed.
Eighth: Again, time is wasted by
teachers assiging lessons of which
they themselves are ignorant of the
contents. More is assigned than the
class can do-the result is that they
do not get over the lesson. This hab-
it being formed, feeling confident that
they will never get to the last of it.
Ninth: We often waste time in as
signing tasks which the pupils do not
understand how to prepare, and do
not teach them how to study. The
greatest service we could render pu-
pills is to teach them how to study,
and this will develop into effective
thinking-teach them to get the
thought, hold it and be able to give it
Tenth: A lack of knowledge on the
part of the teacher, a narrow vision,
poor judgment as to what is most es-
sential leads to lack of interest, great
of true teaching will be lacking.
Eleventh: teachers too often be-
come stagnant pools, instead Of run
iiihS oftSNiho' 1hOJ 4hil "
deeply fi"m the fountain of educa-
tional literature and have nothing.
fresh and inspiring to quench tn.
thirst of the pupils.
Twelfth: We do too much talking.
Repeat over and over again, scold
again and again. Then explain and
explain. How deadening TO mental
growth. The teacher should watca
the pupil and catch the CLEAN of rec.
ognition in his eye, then say no more
till drill and test time arrive.
Better far that the pupil express
himself and the teacher be more 81
lent.
Finally: The teacher who fails to
teach her pupils to acquire, to as
simulate, to express, to appreciate
and to aspire, has wasted time.
l suspect some of you can be best
illustrated in one of Burns most fa-
miliar poems, that your heart is not
there.
Richmond Sfork Yorda CIooad