A manual of elementary instruction, for ... schools and normal classes;

Front matter

GIT TOT'S

SLATED MAP DRAWING CARDS,

DRAWN BY E. SANDOZ, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF

Preface

For many years there has been a growing conviction in the minds of the thinking men of this country, that our methods of primary instruction are very defective, because they are not properly adapted either to the mental, moral, or physical conditions of childhood. But little reference has hitherto been had to any natural order in the development of the faculties, or to the many peculiar characteristics of children. Memory, by no means the most important of the infant faculties, and reason, at this age but faintly developed, have been severely taxed, while but little direct systematic effort has been made to awaken and quicken the perceptive faculties, which are the first to develop themselves, and upon the proper cultivation of which we must depend for success in ail our future educational processes. Even in schools where better views have prevailed, the want of some systematic exercises, with proper apparatus and facilities for putting them into practice, has been strongly felt.

The design of this work is to meet this demand : to present a definite course of elementary instruction adapted to philosophic views of the " laws of childhood."

We do not claim for it originality, either in thought or method. It is now a full half century since that distinguished educational reformer, Pestalozzi, to a great

PREFACE.

extent gave expression and embodiment to the principles and methods herein contained.

Important modifications have however been made ; many errors both in principles and practice have been eradicated, and we are now able to bring to bear the suggestions of some of the most distinguished educators in Europe, based upon many years of careful study and experiment.

The work upon which this is founded, and from which, with the kind consent of its authoress, Miss Elizabeth Mayo, we have largely drawn, is, as stated in her preface, " A Manual, in two volumes, containing the essential portions of the five in which alone such help has hitherto been attainable ; and this, too, with the addition of much valuable matter which is now published for the first time."

This work, entitled " Manual of Elementary Instruction," has been compiled within the past year, and brings down to us the light and experience of the best schools of Europe, where these methods have been longest and most thoroughly tested.

She further says, " The whole work has been carefully reconstructed on a plan which presents principles and practice in immediate connection, in order to illustrate their mutual dependence ; all details of practice being exhibited as flowing naturally from the first truths on which they are founded."

While the general plan of this work has been followed, and some of the lessons adopted with slight changes, a large proportion of original matter has been added, and the whole arranged with special reference to the wants of our American schools.

The Lessons on Objects, Color, Moral Instruction, Lessons on Animals, and the Introduction have been made up from the original manuscripts of Miss M. E.

TOEFACE. 7

M. Jones, with such exceptions as are indicated, and the whole arranged by her. For more than fifteen years this lady was engaged in training teachers in these methods in the Home and Colonial Training Institution, London, and has been connected with the schools of this country sufficiently long to understand something of their wants.

Prof. Hermann Krusi* is the author of the Lessons on Form and Inventive Drawing. He has also rewritten the fifth and sixth steps in Number. His suggestions on many other points have been very valuable. We can but congratulate ourselves and those engaged in primary instruction for this timely aid from one so eminently fitted for the work.f

Of the remaining subjects, Heading has been entirely rewritten. The Lessons on Place or Geography have been slightly changed, introducing two or three original sketches of lessons in the first step, and so changing the third step as to adapt it to our American locality. Some changes have also been made in the Lessons on Sound, Size, and Weight ; new matter added, and, in two or three instances, substituted for that contained in the old volumes.

While these lessons are prepared for primary schools, they are also arranged with special reference to use in

* At present teacher in the Oswego Training School.

\ Prof. K. was born, as it were, in the very school of Pestalozzi, in which Lis father was for twenty years a leading and active teacher. For ten years lie was engaged with his father in teaching a government school for the training of teachers in Pestalozzian principles, in one of the cantons of Switzerland, his native country. After this, he was for six years engaged in the Home and Colonial Institution, working out and adapting these methods to the English schools ; and it was here that he first brought out the Inventive Drawing. In this country he has been for several years engaged in teaching normal schools and teachers' institutes. He has studied carefully the characteristics of our schools and people ; and is, in every way, abundantly qualified to adapt this system to our peculiarities and wants.

8 PKEFACE.

ISTormal and Training classes. Model lessons are given, and then subjects suggested on which similar lessons may be drawn up. The models should be carefully examined and analyzed, and, in the case of classes in training, the original sketches should in every instance be submitted to the criticism of the teacher. By individual teachers, these sketches may be written out and used as lessons in their schools. In some of the lessons, general directions only are given ; in others, these directions are more particular ; while many are drawn out at full length, including both questions and answers. In any case, they are only designed as suggestions and models to guide teachers in working out their own plans and methods. Teachers who confine themselves simply to the lessons presented in this book, and to their exact minutiae, can but fail in their work. To be truly successful, they must catch the spirit and philosophy of the system, and work it out somewhat in their own way / of course, always conforming to the principles upon which it is based : these we believe to be sound and philosophical, and they should never be violated.

The lessons that have been taken with no alteration, other than an occasional verbal expression, have been indicated either in the index, or in the body of the work where they occur, by the letter If.

It is now more than two years since these methods were practically and thoroughly introduced into the Oswego schools, and from a constant and careful observation of their working, we feel that we are in some degree prepared to judge as to what is wanted in a book of this kind for our teachers and schools ; and we trust we may not be disappointed in the hope that it will meet these wants.

The subjects are arranged into steps, simply with reference to the order of time in which it is thought various

PREFACE.

portions of the work may be accomplished. All first-step lessons are designed for children from four to five years of age, or during the first year of their school life. In the same way the second step is designed for the second year, and the third step for the third year ; thus covering the time usually allotted to our primary departments in towns where the schools are graded. In some instances a fourth step is added, which is designed for the next grade. The order of succession in which the various subjects are arranged, has no reference to any order in which it may be supposed they should be taken up. While it is the design that the lessons of each step, in every subject, shall be taken up at the same stage of the child's development, it is not expected that they will all be treated simultaneously. From three to five only are taken at once, and these are carried on until the interest of the children begins to flag, when they are changed for other subjects, which in their turn are to be changed, as the children weary, for others still, until we again return to the first course, to resume it, after a rapid review, where we left it. This necessity for change with little children cannot be too carefully observed ; for no matter how interesting the subject is at first, they will in time tire of it ; and a lively interest can only be maintained by change. Reading, spelling, and number are the only subjects that are constant. With the youngest children the programme should change fortnightly, and with the older ones monthly. In the Appendix may be seen some programmes of the Oswego schools, which will give a very good idea of the way in which these may be arranged.

In the country schools, where no such gradation and classification are possible, where the teachers find it impracticable to take up all the topics, as they usually will, they must confine themselves to those which seem to them of the most practical importance ; as, for instance, Moral 1*

10 PREFACE.

Instruction, Eeading, Geography, Number, Language, Form, Color, and Size.

Others might make a different selection of subjects : we only call attention to this, by way of expressing our view of the importance of doing well and thoroughly whatever is undertaken. It may seem difficult to make a selection of subjects where all are important ; but it is better to leave half of them untouched than to undertake to do all, and do nothing as it should be done. Whatever is taught, let it be taught with reference to correct principles.

E. A. Sheldon.

Contents

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Necessity of Training, ....