Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-07-21

make sur, ,-a .r cam handle the
operations accurately ,.ce.g would no
longer be- d demand that arithmetic
shall be continued all through high
school, for seventh grade children
#aB.6 ha-e ra trouble with the pro
hlemS tina. the BUSINESS world needs
md uses,
Il saw tu.> lesson in reading IN an
elementary sl.Jt: me 1ht,urru read
lne lesson through SuenJly WI,A the
teacher luoNM. OH. The teacher mad
written on the blackboard some tlt-
teen topics which included everything
OF value contained in tee material
read. She asked the pupils to locate
these topics IN the lesson and fix
them in mind Then she had the pupils
discuss the topics. which they did
in a way that proved that they had
| read the lesson Understandings. She
said that her next step would be to
give a written test of a few minutes on
the lesson to mike sure that all
members of the class knew the les
son. This teacher was doing more
than teaching children to read-She
vas teaching them how tC study ard
how to express their thoughts orally
and on paper.
Il wish you would contrast that les,
,son with this one which | heard in
the adjoining room. The recitation in
reading was announced. A child was
asked to read orally a sentence OF
short paragraph. He was required
TO read a selection with which the mem
bers of the class were familiar ard OF
course it followed that even if the
child had been an excellent declalm,
er, he would have found it difficult tC
entertain the class. AS a matter of
fact, the class felt no interest in the
procedure Al all except the duty tC
catch the reader in as many errors as
possible. The children in this recita.
ton were not learning anything no.
even good posture and manrers.
"The point | am attempting to make
is that lessons should he assigned def
jnitely, the children should be tauEh.
how to study the lessons, using tn.
recitation period for the purpose. arD
the oral and written test should b,
given after the teacher knows tina.
the children have had the opportuni
ty to learn the assignment.
"A good method Of teaching j.
through demonstration, ana i am i'm
pressed that the members Of the stat.
Departments, the parish supcrintend
. ent and his assistants, and the princl
= pals of the various schools Shout
give demonstration lessons in the diff
= ferent elementary and nigh school sub
e. jcCtS with the view Of showing teaC
9 ers and children now to get result
Y in a recitation period, This is an ex
e. celient way to improve instructor
! and supervisory officers should max
d larger use of this method to aid pupil
e and teachers .
+ The principal of a school occupje
o a responsible position. His duty Ia
{ not ended when he has seen that II
5. records are kept properly, the nous
: and yard KEEP, clean, questions
n parents answered, and his own class,
w tdt5hI' ~ lHNiN AHl pDi ldul dtAN VIC
l. any or all Of these is to help Il
t. teachers do good work. He must a
S wise with the teachers as to the m,
terials to use in the subjects they a.
d teaching. Arithmetic, for instance,
If full of life and interest if the ch.
dren are taken to homes, form
= stores, banks, public offices for m
j. terial-the type Of material that
le used in transaating the business
Sc the world. What is said Of arithmct
Y can be said Of other subjects.
n "'phen, it seems to me, the prime
" pal should discuss with teachers {
m details of how to assign a particul
g lesson. how to lead pupils to stut
IS their lessons to the best advantag
how to conduct an oral recitatir
and written examinations. Such ma
Ill ters should be explained to the pup
at and if the principal is a good teach
he can drive his doctrines hor
ID through demonstration lessons
e. "lf the classroom instruction ia
to obtain good results the school is
X failure. and it should be the purpo
Of all of us to prevent waste a
ne lost motion in every class, and to he
children make proper proeresl
lie. their studies. If we will do this me
to of the pupils will be interested
m their work and few Of them will Fl
to to master their subjects"