Norwich bulletin., 1921-02-28
CITIZENSHIP TRAINING CAN
BEGIN IN KINDEEGARTEN

BEGIN IN KINDEEGAKTES
There was good sized audience OF
teachers at the quarterly meeting CT the
Eastern Connecticut kindergarten ~
sociation which met Saturday morning al
the Community House.
After 4 business meeting at ten ocioch'
during which reports were read aHu va
rious matters of interest to the teachers
discussed Miss Jennie L. Corsdoh, pres
ident of the, association, in:roducs1 Ss
the speaker of the morning, MISS Ella "
Dobbs of Columbia, Missouri, WHO gave
a most interesting address on present cay
tendencies in early education. MISS
Dobbs who is in the east 20 attend tne
National Educational Association meeting
at Atlantic City this. week. IS an author
ity on primary and early education ana
her address contained many valuable
hints and helps drawn from her own
long experience with work among emil
dren, laying particular stress on the Iace
that modern education means also, eou-
cation for citizenship, or the develop
ment of the child into the cilzen.
The training fer citizenship must be
the development of the iuiiE!duai; me
old idea of bringing each pupil up GER
tain standard, to meet the same require
msnts is obsolete One Of the most i'm
portant tendencies. in teaching nowadays
is this very determination to enanclp2te
| little children from the former idea that
| they are all alike; child must be TAX
| en- as he is so that every talent he pos
sesses may be aided to its fullest capac-
| ity.
| One way of helping along this new
| idea is to take the public into commence,
| Things are constantly changing. and the
r1ost Important work is yet TO I've done
4 49, accirTy f,e r
public into confidence comes in; teachers
must learn not to conffne themselves to
| little scaool room groups; get into
touch with the parents, make the public
| realize schools are factor for good
search and bring into prominence the
opinions Of the townspeople. Try to
grasp the idea that the pubic under
stands and appreciates what is being
| done.
/ Do not try to crowd out all the fun
and buSbling activities IF childhood,
but rather bring into the acn7ol room
the things which naturally ~ .iong to a
chi!ds life; childish activity AMI origin
atty are the greatest assets We have-the
very assurance that they are going to do
something interesting is invaluable. You
may make child sit still and look at
his books, but you can not force him to
read and think modern education has
|
work attractive.
In the subject of hand work this IS
especially evident; the activities of
project work must all have a compelling
interest, and a direct bearing upon some
point to be illustrated in the general
school program. If proper subject matter
is presented in the proper way, the sub
iect will take care of itself. There is
. always contagion in an interesting idae
One trouble has been That the teachei
consistently has tried to save child
. from thinking. has practically done i
herself and given her pupils no chance
The. psychology of the whole thing i.
! summed up in this: Develop in a c'1iit
a teachable frame of mind. and make his
, lessons attractive!y interesting, coupled
.. ; with something vital and full of mean
|. ing this is possible in any schoolroom
no matter how poorly equipped.
Bound up in the heart of a little DO!
! or girl is all that is needed to make
fine true citizen of the United States, |
we will only give it time to lavelop. r
+ train carefully this wonderful thing, tn
soul of a child, to develop it in its owl
y way, to guard and protect it from DANCE
through it inmaturity is one of tn
greatest responsibilities and privileges 0
| the present day, with which a teacAe
| and nobody else, is entrusted.
During her delightfully."- informal tall
:, Miss Dobbs. brought out to Illustrate re
y points of developing child interest an
: | dizziness, the most droll and uniqu
!, toys, specimens of which have been bull
:. under her instruction by kindergarte
" and primary children. There were see
! saws made of blocks and sticks Of WOOD
. wonderful bird with a wiggl!ng tai
!. pigs and ducks made of carl board
: solemn dancing bear. and vicious mis-
u souri, mule" who not only kicked, but V
V olently switched his tail, besides man
"a other clever things which were very IA.
>. cInating to her grown-up audience, Sue
q toys, Miss Dobbs argued. all mad.
= materials to be found in the family WOO
. box or work toy were useful in awakin
: a childs curiosity first, and then, h
creative faculties, thereby making hil
accomplish for himself, and In his ow
:, owy. projects which would tend toward
. individual activity.
rising vote of thanks was teniere
the speaker for ner Interesting address
= after which the meeting adjourned fl
lunch The officers of the asscciati7
!, Are: President Miss Jennie /. Con,
!. don: vice president, Miss Marian Beebt
\ recording secretary. Miss Touriee; corr
y spending secretary, Mss Gertrui
= Browning; treasurer, Miss Cora Neila