Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-23
TEACHING PUPILS
HOW TO STUDY
Superintendent Martin Describes
Workings of Six-Hour-
Day System
BY A. S. MARTIN

since been adopted In many cities.
The real problem Of the new plan was to
! train the teachers to teach the students.
After observation and n frank discussion OF
the subject with the high school teachers
| each teacher was furnished the following
! positive criticisms on directed study and
| the recitation:
Two things are essential in training the
| student in school. lie must gain impress
| SionS and he must acquire the habit to
] express intelligently the impressions gained.
| During the study period the student learns
| how TO gain impressions through his own
| Initiative and acquires the habit of self
| help and direction The recitation offers
/ an opportunity for self-cNprcssion Di-
| rected study will train the student to gain
| habits Of systematic industry and conCen-
| trated self-help with a minimum amount
| OF time and effort ,During this period the
| teacher will devote BIER entire time to the
! quiet direction Of the study of the students
| She will not study her own lessons nor
| will she use the time for marking papers.
Several things are necessary for effective
| study. The physical conditions Of the room
must be conducive to good health ap-
| paratus, books and supplies should be con-
| venlent and I'm orderly arrangement The
! teachers motive ought 10 be to inspire the
4 student with a desire for vigorous study;
| and work after the class has changed
| should begin without delay. There
| should be no spasmodC or trivial announce
I 'N'''.i ''''N '''N '.'N',''
! period. Raising the hand and waiting for
| assistance are waste OF time When
''"''I'1 "eeu# supplies ne ousuI 10 Know
| NnSr' 10 Eet mem ana now 10 get them
| N,'"'"l mISlurplnE Iht teaCh'r or lne
SChooI Ihe Students attitude should be
| active.
| ne STUDENT Snould always ne supplled
! WIN P'h'iI ana paper Tor the purpose or
! Hl"hIlE abstracts OF Importance 10 otter
! 40, " 'oHUlnulI"h IN the frcltauon' rms
| will train the student to difforeutiatp Cs-
semua,S ana nonessentialS in lessons, II
WIN a'So cultivate the power OF organizing
| 'i't e9SeHlld'S mo hrlel lorm'
| To conduct recitation well, the teacher
| must be master Of the subject matter
and must have definite ideas as to the
| essential points of tho lesson He must
| have this mastery not for the purpose Of re-
| citing the lesson, but I'm order that he may
/ direct intclHgentlv and mass Judgment cor
rcctlv on the work of tho students SIN
| dents Ought 70 no ercourogcd 20 dior,,es
| adeuuatoI,. tho a,ssier,cJ e,,Li.,t,. , girolo
| word is no, q disrussior Sentences ~
| definite content .rd ,,o,.,gra,,b, Of roIatod
| ideas gborrd hc tbc aim trtar . st,,dsrt
! M ,,,d, Lis ,a,+,.;t,,,.j,, a. ~ ,,,,
de,,ts oI,st+ 10 .,,,,,,,,o,,,,,t m ,,s t,,1,,,.
| ~, ,bo ,,,,t,,,. ,,..,,,.5 -, 60 ~,
bsrd nc =, ,.,In ,,,.-tt 30. 80 It,r7i,,, ti,o
| ;,li,.id,,,I III lii -. ~ ,...t ~.
,rb, ,,'iII .,,,,,,lt a. 1T,
| ". ~. ''' ," ''" u''''!,' i.''iS
| N'"'' ''"u'''" "O any punt III I'e 'ec''"I'ol''
Fewer Failuras
|
| After the new plan had neen in opera
| tion two years comparison was made Of
| the number of failures under the old plan
| and under the new plan. The investigation
| was known only TO the investigator, In
! order to obtain the greatest possible valid
| ny IN results oniy the records OF teachers
with its short day and home study, and
| the new plan. with it's directed study and
long school day, were examined \ COM
! parison of 5000 grades showed that under
| the new plan the number of failures was
| only 49ts Der cent of the number of fail
ures under the old plan.
| The school discipline has become less of
| a problem Notwithstanding the long day be-
| cause the students are acquiring the habit
| Of correct study and because a half-hour
| Of study followed by a half-hour of recita-
| tiou reduces the fatigues incident to the
! continuous single type of work under the
! old plan. It has a tendency to eliminate
| rritahility Of temper in both students and
| teachers The attitude Of the parents, Citi-
| ZenS and students toward the directed
| study and the long school day has been eX-
| pressed in much favorable criticism. Not
a single teacher has voluntarily withdrawn