Evening star., 1941-10-15
Teach Child .
Right Way
To Study
May Be Numerous
Causes for Lack
Of Attention
Bv Letfice Lee Street,

Some children are by nature more
StudiouS than others, and they prefer
any sort of mental stimulation that
involves reading, writing the solving
of problems and all subjects that re-
quire active thinking. Such serious
minded small people generally de-
velop into industrious scholars who
like school for itself, and as a result
they stand high in their classes
Then there are children who do
not own these natural inclinations,
but prefer more active interests.
The amount of knowledge that a
young student absorbs depends
largely upon his attitude toward
his work and his habits of study.
AS his mind opens to the everwiden-
ing horizon of knowledge that is
before him, these factors become
more fixed and more efficient.
OF course, child who does not
appear to be applying himself to his
lessons may in reality be quick
thinking student who is learning the
required amount from whatever he is
reading or from the talk or lecture
that is being delivered by the in
Structor. So appearances are some
times deceiving in judging whether
or not a child is an interested pupil.
Generally speaking. however, it
NAV be determined whether or not a
child is a good student by checking
the following characteristics, found
in the average youngster who def
nitely is:
The studious child will voluntarily
finish page he is reading. paper
ne is writing, a problem he is solving
and so on after the study period has
ended he Is interested in, curious
about and welcomes new subjects
without fear; he is anxious to finish
his work within the time allotted,
he is ambitious for high marks: he
tries to correct his own mistakes on
paper and in recitation; he seeks
answers he does not know: he is on
the alert to correct errors of his
classmates; he enjoys school and
turns eagerly to his books. This de-
scribes the exceptionally willing
pupil.
But to return to the child who
does not display these attitudes and
habits, it is very important for his
sake that he be taught how to study.
This is true not so much for the
knowledge he gains but for the
benefit it will bring him in later
years to have trained his mind to
the orderly, organized ability to
concentrate.
The child who is loath to study
must learn, like all the rest OF us
have to, that he cannot do what
he pleases during the entire day.
It is his duty to society to be edu-
Gated and to thus make of himself
useful citizen. OF course, this
is too deep q thought to present to
youngster, but it is true, never
theless, and parents should remind
themselves of it 50 that they will
be all the more conscious Of the
Importance Of their children'S
schooling.
When a child's work Is inferior
to his intelligence or he Is notice
ably -studious, the parents and
teacher may often successfully find
the cause if they will cooperate
with each other in seeking 1t. Rea-
sons for non-attention at school
may be many, and among them are:
Work that is too hard or too easy,
a harsh teacher, an unpopular
| teacher, a teacher who frightenS the
child, fear in the child's mind that
is associated with going to school,
physical disability such as anemia,
approaching illness, malnutrition,
fatigue, impaired hearing or vision,
or mismanagement at home by over
solicitous or neglectful parents.
A persuasive point, in trying to
bring q reluctant child to proper
study habits, is to explain to him II
he concentrates he can be finished
with the same lesson in less than q
half an hour that will take him over
an hour to learn If he fritters away
the time in lazy day dreaming and
thinking of the game of ball he
wishes he could be playing. There
fore, If he really gets down to 1T
and studies hard, he will have more
hours left in which to enjoy the
sports or other activities he so much
prefers.