Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1921-11-25
was exhibited a fine type of thinkin,

one of the best lessons in srithmeti
l had ever seen-and not ! fgue'
made. If we would teach children
how to think in arithmetic, and hav'
them manipulate figures Just enougl
to make sure that they can handl'
the operations accurately, thef'
would no longer be q demand tha
arithmetic shall be continued al
through the high school, the seventh
grade children would have no trouble
with the problems that the business
world needs and uses.
I saw this lesson in reading in Al
elementary grade. The children read
the lesson through silently with thu
teacher looking on. The teacher hat
written on the blackboard some fif
teen topics which included everything
Of value contained in the material
read. She asked the pupils to locate
these topics in the lesson and a,
them in mind. Then she had the
pupils discuss the topics, which they
did in way Ast proved that they
had read the lesson understandingly,
She said that her next step would
be to give a written test Of = few
minutes on the lesson to make sure
that all members of the class knew
the lesson. This; teacher was doing
more than teaching children to read
she was teaching them how to study
and how to express theif thoughts
orally and 1on paper.
/ wish you would, contrast that
lesson with this one which I heard
in the adjoining room. The recitation
in reading was announced. A child was
asked to read orally . sentence. or
short paragraph. He was required b
read a selection With witch the mem
bers Of the elaig ysre amiliar and.
Of course. Il 3Sli<ySd TIT even Il tie
child had been IN excellent declaimer,
he would have found it difficult 10
entertain the class. As = matter ef
fact, the class felt no interest in the
procedure at all except the duty to
catch the reader n - many errors ~
possible. The childrsnl in this reci-
tation were not lesrning, not even
good posture and manners.
shal not burden you with more
illustrations. The point / am attempt
ing to make is that lessons should be
definitely 4, assigned, the children
should be taught how to study the
lessons, using the recitation period
for that purpose, and the oral and
written test should Se given after
the teacher knows that the children
have had the opportunity to learn
the assignment.
(2) A good method Of teaching II
through demonstration, and am
impressed that the members Of TIE
State Department, the parish; super
intendent and his assistants, and the
principals Of various schools should
give demonstration lessons in - the
different elementary and high school
subjects with the view Of showing
teachers and children how to get good
results in = rssiteepns period. Thia
is an excellent. way. TO- improve in
struction, and supervisory officers
should make larger use of this method
to aid pupils and teachers.
(S) The principal Of. . school oc;
cupies resporsibk position. [ia
duty has NOT ended when II has teen
that the records are properly kept,
the house and yard kept clean, ques-
tions Of parents ansveyeds apd ~
own classes taught. a moM Mt6{k.
ant duty than any of'aA scf these d
to help the teachers do good work.
He must advise with the teachers q
to the materials te use in TIA -sph.
jects they are teaching. AfitKmstiS
for instance. Is full Of Me 0gd II.
terest if the children are taken 10
homes, farms, banks, public Offices
for materialAthe type Of material
that is used in transacting the busi.
ness Of the world. What q said Of
arithmetic can be said Of other sub.
jects. Z
Then, it seems I'd ma, III principal
should discuss with teachers the de.
tails of how to assign . particular
lesson, how 70 iesd pnpih TO study
their lessons to the best advantage
how to conduct an ora};rvcitstien and
written examinations. Such natter
should be explained tq. the, pppilp, and
if the principal Is 4 good teaeker
he can drive his doctrines home
through demonstration lessons. 1 =
If the classroom instruction faili
to secure good resultA the school b
failure, and it should be the pur.
pose of all Of US to- pnsvsatzsWashl
and lost motion in every class, and u
(Continued On last pagsl