Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-06
Watch the Weather.

Before teaching a child something
new, and therefore difficult. the teacher
must first select the right time, place
and mood. If that be wrong in any
particular, the teaching goes for naught
One of the chief elements in the sit
uation is the weather. There are GER
tain days when school work is very
poor The discipline of the school is
| very difficult on certain days. Boys and
girls do things they never think of do
ing when the weather is right. and the
teachers are distracted. One must watch
the weather.
It is not wise to start teaching a new
rule in mathematics when 1t has begun
to snow. A snowstorm wakens certain
emotions in boys and girls that set them
all aquiver. 1t Is not possible for them
to concentrate on new work. Any at
tempt at it will surely result in trouble
Just what 1t Is that is awakened in
| children by the first snowfall do not
know, but I am certain that 1t Is not
conducive to study.
Very warm days are not good for
problem work. The higher the tempera-
ture the worse the conduct of the class
The wise teacher knows that and Gre
ates within himself the right mood for
the occasion. The dress, the manner
the tone of the teacher Is cool. The
lesson is tuned to restful, easy rhyth-
mic work. No excitement, no irritation
no sharp commands, no quick response
will serve. Cool, gentle, suave, must be
the mood or friction will arise and
trouble worse confounded.
Dark days, with fog and drizzling
rain, are poor days for accurate work
No wise teacher will set an examina-
ton on such q day Wait for the sun
shine and the light atmosphere before
giving an examination.
Nor is 1t wise to set task that re-
ouires concentration on a windy day
There are certain winds that set the
nerves on edge and drive sensitive chill
dren to the point~of hysteria. Combat
work as far as possible. Let the chill
dren move about bit and let them sing
CHEEKY, hearty tunes.
OF course, It will not do to mention
the weather to the class. ignore 1t out
wardly. Discourage remarks about the
heat or the cold or the wet. Smile
cheerfully and set the complaining child
to doing some work about the room. Do
not openly consult the thermometer or
fuss about the ventilation. Set the room
right as possible before the class arrives
and then ignore the weather, as far as
they can see.
Keep all umbrellas and raincoats and
| rubbers in the wardrobe where they be-
long There is nothing so depressing to
child as the sight Of wet coats drying
on the radiators, raincoats spread on
charts. rubberS being kicked across the
aisles. There must be no suggestion Of
poor weather about the classroom.
When the weather is good, when the
sun shines and the air is easy to
breathe, when the children step lightly
and move freely, get in your new work
| Get the weather on your side and work
with it. not against 1t, and things will
be easier
Work Positively.
When the children are little, it Is easy
to teach them. Comparatively easy, I
ought to say, for child training is never
easy. But when adolescence sets in
! things are more complicated. Our meth
DDS must be changed.
The adoleScent boy and girl crave to
be recognized as persons. They long to
be treated as adults and they ought to
be. We should loosen the rules and ad-
| just the programs as the children evolve