Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-01-16
TELLS TEACHERS THEIR WORK
Is TO GROIN CHILDREN

Is TO GROW CHILDREN
a large number of elementary teach
ers from Wilimantio, Norwich and New
London gathered at the Saltonstall
school in New London on Friday after
noon, for the January meeting Of the
Eastern Connecticut Kindergarten-Pri-
mary association The president. Miss
Jennie l.. Congdon. presided and after
short business session, introduced Miss
Lucy Gage of Peabody college, Nash
vile, Tenn. the speaker Of the after
noon. Miss Cages topic, What Con-
sttutes Growth in the Child of Elemen-
tsry Age. covered the period in the life |
of the school child from four to eight |
years of age.
Miss Cages comparison of the type Of |
class, where the teacher pulls the string |
and the children respond like puppets
with the class in which childre mare hsv-
| Ing real life experiences made plain the
| woodenness of the one and the real
| growth of the other, and brought botn
| amendment and convsction to the audi
ence. Quoting from the Greatest Teach
| er of all who said: II came that We
might have life" she emphasized that
the teachers business was to bring life
| to the pupils. to grow children, The ad-
vantage of proper equipment to insure
constant growth was made plain but far
| worse than screwed down equipment is
the screwed down teacher!'
Two vital questions to be considered
| in planning for work are these, where
have we come frem?" Where are We
going7" Courses OF study have always
been planned from the top down. We
have had the idea of getting the child
ready for lsemething to come later. Our
business should be to see that growth
proceeds from the bottom up. True
growth is living out the experiences
! that are peculiar to the stage now be-
Ing passed through This does not mean
divorcing the three RS from the curri-
culum but rather utilizing those eNper-
fences that will hold the subject matter.
The child is not to be turned loose. The
two easiest but not the wisest. things
in connection with child culture are 20
do everything or to do nothing for the
child. The teacher must always be in
the chids experiences, ready to nelP.
TO guide, to interpret and to insure
growth. She must stop some practices
but supply others, providing situations
that challenge the child's best efforts. 1t
is just as essential to have the upper
: third of the class encounter difficulties
as for the slower third; usually the
teacher is apt to let the good pupils ran
their own pace without providing prob
lens for them while giving attention TO
!, the slower group
! The biggest piece Of work on earth is
to grow human beings; that means
~ bringing life to them and is the purpose
> for which schools were set apart
! Checking children's growth is most i'm
= portant. Teachers have thought theii
: work satisfactory when the child pass
% ed tests in the three Rs but what Of
the habit formation that should TAXI
:. place in the early years? Every kinder
:. gartener ought to be able to show a lis
T. of habits and attitudes that have beer
"a formed during the year in kindergarten
= making for control that will function
1 through life. Teachers have studied
10 books, manuals and subject matter the
"a must study children's experiences am
in grow with them. The value of study OF
"a the teachers part after a period o
"A practice was emphasized by the speaker
"a Touching upon the subject of reading
Miss Gage asserted that most of the aid
II and props heretofore used (such a
co | phonics etc) were unnecessary whel
ia the right type of material was provided
n The time to use such aids is when tn
A child signifies he needs help. With tn
"a old type of books (some unfortunatel
TO now in use fall into this category tn
teacher has to use any and all mean
., and devices to pull the child alon:
m Giving children experiences that max
f. them need and want to read. write an
he count. plus good reading material, wi
as make better and far happier student
at and teachers.
All teachers of children from four I
bv eight years of age ought to have tn
o. same normal training, and It Is an e1
~ eellent plan for the kjndergartener I
ut take her class along one year in primar
e. work and for the first grade teacher I
in do kindergarten work on alternat
ed years.
i'll The address was most inspiring, al
at pealng to the best in every serious
minded teacher. Many will go back
their rooms with new resolves and
wider vision of what their work real
means and what it may accomplish.
Ks At the close of the meeting many
ut the teachers stayed to greet Miss Gag
la and to inspect the attractive kinderga
n. ten room and the exhibit of seat wor
he planned and arranged by Miss Brow
by principal of the Saltonstau school.