The Principles and Practice of Teaching and Class Management

Front matter

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Preface

The following pages are the outcome of nearly a quarter of a century's experience as lecturer on School Management in a Training College, and of still longer experience as a teacher, as well as of a considerable amount of reading, and of numerous observations and experiments in teaching carried out at various times and in various ways.

The book is intended to meet the wants of students in Training Colleges, of teachers generally, and of any who are interested in the practical work of education. The attempt has been made to present in a direct and intelligible way the broader outlines and essential characteristics of the teacher's work ; more especially the theory of oral teaching, the preparation of lessons, the use of the teaching devices, class management, and the various methods of carrying on instruction in those branches of knowledge which are commonly taught in schools.

The subject is treated from the art side rather than from the scientific, so that it may be of as thoroughly practical and useful a character as possible ; but the underlying science of education has been carefully kept in mind, and it is believed that the teacher will have nothing to unlearn in. the further prosecution of his studies for the purpose of associating his practice more fully with the laws which govern the development of the child's mind and the modes of mental action.

The views expressed are sometimes out of harmony with current opinion, and still more frequently opposed to common practice ; but it is hoped that they will be found neither intolerant nor unreasonable. They have not been ^o^\ie^

Vi PREFACE

lightly, and in some cases are the result of an attempt to fin a scientific foundation for practical rules and requirements — It has been my endeavour not to avoid any difficulty, and have made an honest e£Port to place some disputed points o a rational basis.

I have tried throughout to make the subject suggestive, and, while laying stress upon principles and essentials, to leave room for that originality of treatment by the teacher himself, and for that elasticity and. expansiveness in practice, which characterise all good method. Mere unintelligent imitation of the detailed plans of others is not what is required in school work, and should not be the aim of any true teacher.

One never knows how much one owes to one's friends and teachers, be they men or books. I am deeply indebted to both; but to acknowledge every point in detail would have been as impossible to me as it would have been wearisome to the reader.

It is with a lively sense of gratitude that I offer my thanks to those kind friends who have aided me in the revision of the proof sheets, and by their wise advice have enabled me to remove many defects. One, to whom I owe much for useful suggestions and friendly criticism, has passed away before the work was completed.

Some apology is due for the delay which has occurred in the issue of the book. The leisure at my command has not been great ; the task proved to be a much heavier one than I anticipated ; and during the progress of the work I found that many points had to be carefully re-examined if they were to be left in a state which would be at all satisfactory to me.

J. L.

Saltlby, January 4, 1894.

CHAPTER I. Education — the Teacher — Method — Study

Various views of education,

The Science and the Art of education,

Qualifications of the teacher.

Method in education.

General laws of metbod,

Limits of special methods,

The advantages of a good method,

Suggestions respecting study, .

PAGE

1 2 2 5 6 8 10 12

CHAPTER II. Genebal View op Oral Teaching

What is meant by teaching, Order of development of the child's faculties, .

Qualities of good teaching.

Influence of the personal element in teaching.

Too much done by the teacher.

Temptation to indulge in mere talk, Want of background, ....

Speed in teaching, ....

Summary of the more important characteristics of good teaching, .......

25 26 27 29 31 33 33 34

Chapter III

What is meant by a Lesson — Typical Methods of Procedure in Teaching.

General characteristics oi a, lesson from an art point oi \\e^,

VIU

Defects — looseness, etc., ....

Purpose in teaching, .....

The form in which the information should be presented, Typical Methods of procedure. ....

(1) The Conversational method, .

(2) Empirical methods, ....

(3) The Developing method,

(4) The Comparative method,

(5) Inductive and Deductive methods — Analysis and

Synthesis, .....

Talnilar yiew of the logical methods, The natural order in teaching,

CHAPTER IV. Notes of Lessons

Varieties of Lessons,

(1) Instructive or information lessons,

(2) Training lessons,

(3) Drill lessons, .

(4) Review lessons.

Need for preparation of lessons, What is meant by ' notes of lessons,' The teacher must prepare his own notes.

Two types of lessons, Preparation of the subject matter,

(1) Acquisition, .

(2) Selection,

(3) Arrangement and connection

(4) Grouping, Preparation of the method, ' Outlines ' of lessons.

Series of related lessons, Specimen notes of a lesson on StraigM Shots, Specimen notes of a lesson on the Comparison and Contrast of

the Butterfly and the Beetle, ....

CHAPTER V. The Teachiko and Cbiticism of a Lesson

Ittmitntion from liuidscape photography,

PAGE

39 .39 39 40 42 44 45 45

47 50 50

52 52

Attention to small things,

The facing of difficulties,

■^ng introductions, ....

^He part the child is called upon to play,

^e over-teaching of a point, .

^^actial blnte respectincr the teaching of a leeson,

^ticism lessons, ....

The nature of criticism, ....

Clumsy teaching and ignorant teaching,

Common faults in teaching.

Types of faulty lessons.

PAGE

CHAPTER VI. The Teaching Devices

Influence of fashion in teaching.

No one device applicable in all cases,

91 92

I. QUESTIONS.

Questioning, an old device.

Conditions of skilful questioning, Good questioning.

Kinds of Questions,

(1) Testing questions,

(2) Training questions, .

Socratic questioning.

Comparison of testing and training questions, Chief purposes for which questions may be employed, Forms and qualities of questions—Modes of use, The qualities and treatment of answers, Simultaneous answering, Common mistakes in dealing with answers,

II. ELUPSES.

Definition and function of ellipses, Advantages of ellipses.

Suggestions and cautions as to their use.

Defects in their employment, ,

131 132 133

III. ILLUSTRATIONS.

The office of illustrations,

Advantages of their use,

niuBtratlons which appeal to the senses,

Oral illustrations by comparison or analogy,

Suggestions as to the use of illustrations,

Illustrations on the black-board,

IV. LECTUBB.

Nature of lecture as a teaching device,

Suitability to the age and power of the pupils.

Influence of a definite purpose.

Simplicity and directness of statement,

Connection of ideas.

Deliberation and emphasis,

Vividness and interest,

Explanation,

Common errors in explaining.

V. FIXING DEVICES.

Repetition, .....

Recapitulation, .....

Black-board heads or summaries.

Review, ......

PAGE

135 136 137 142 144 150

162 163 163 164

Chapter VII. Class Management

Influences conditioning class management,

I. CLASS UANAQEMENT AS DETERMINED BT ORGANISATION.

General conditions as directly affecting the scholars, 166

(2) The lighting, 168

(3) The warming and ventilation, . 1C9

(4) Change of posture and place, . . 170 Fnmltnre as affeotinff Bcliool work, . 171

(1) Theganeriea, 171

(2) The desks, ...

Proper arrangement of scholars and work,

(1) Classification,

(2) Proper officering of the classes,

(3) Arrangement of time and subjects.

The l>earlng of apparatus and books, .

XI PAOC

173 176 176 177 178 180

II. CLASS MANAGEMENT FROM THE DISOIPLINART SIDE.

Nature and difficulty of the work, .... 186

Creneral disciplinary qualifications of the teacher, . . 186

Disciplinary training and class control, 188

(2) The exercise of authority, .... 191

(3) The exercise of tact, . . . 193

(4) Obedience and uniformity of pressure, . . 196

(5) Class movements, etc., .... 197

(6) Reproof and punishment, .... 198 Snnmiary of important points respecting iflass-diseipline, . 206 in. CLASS MANAGEMENT FBOM THE SIDE OF TEACHING.

General treatment of children during teaddng, 208

(2) Praise and encouragement, .... 210

(3) Treatment of forward children, . . . 210

(4) Corrections during teaching, . . . 211

(5) Some points concerning the teacher, . . 212 The securing of interest and attention, . . . 213

Chapter VIII. The Teaching Of The Pbimahy, Fundamental, Or Instrumental

SUBJECTS OF SCHOOL INSTRUCTION.

I. BEADING.

Crommon causes of the defective teaching of reading, Importance of correct and successful teaching of the subject, General principles and considerationB, Metbods of associating sound and symbol,

(1) The Alphabetic or Name method, .

Xll

(2) The Phonic method,

(3) The Phonetic or Phonotypic method,

(4) The ' Look and Say ' method,

(5) The Syllabic method,

(6) The Phono-Analytic metliod,

(7) Word-building plans,

Tabular view of the so-called reading methods, Nature and elements of good reading,

(1) Pronunciation, enunciation, and articulation,

(2) Accent, emphasis, and stress,

(3) Tone, pitch, and intensity,

(4) Pace and fluency, ....

(5) Pauses and phrasing,

(6) Modulation, intelligence, and expression, .

Position of class and teacher, ....

Explanations in the reading lesson,

Correction of errors, .....

The teacher's model reading, ....

The use of simultaneous utterance, Spelling in the reading lesson, ....

Word saying and style, ....

Miscellaneous suggestions, ....

Various modes of teaching the Alphabet, Lessons introductory to reading.

First series of reading lessons without the Alphabet, . Second series — Licidental mode of teaching the Alphabet, Jacotot's reading method, ....

The primer stage, .....

Easy narrative stage, .....

Lower intellectual stage, ....

Higher intellectual or literary stage,

PAGE

Uniformity of spelling a matter of modem growth, Principles and considerations, .

The learning of spelling through reading, Transcription as a means of teaching spelling, Mode of conducting dictation, Formal leaaona in spelling,

278 279 281 283 284 291

• •• XIU

Spelling Roles,

Miscellaneous list of difficult words,

Incidental aids to spelling,

PAOX

293 297 298

IIL WRITING.

Tlie kind of writing required.

General considerations in teaching writing,

Tlie so-called writing methods,

(1) Copying plans,

Jacotot's method.

Sentence method,

(2) The tracing plan,

(3) Constructive plans, .

Pestalozzi's method, MTtlhaiiser's method, .

Method of teaching writing, .

(1) Introductory lessons,

(2) Pencil writing,

(3) Early lessons in writing with the pen^

(4) The withdrawal of mechanical aids,

(5) Introduction of the capital letters, .

(6) Small hand, ....

(7) The passage from exact imitation to freedom,

Scope and object of arithmetical teaching, . . . 320

General considerations respecting the conduct of the work, . 325

(1) The relation of mental to written arithmetic, . 325

(2) Explanatory work, ..... 326

(3) Conduct of practice work, nature of examples, etc. , 329

(4) Good habits of calculation, .... 332

(5) The learning of tables, .... 333

(6) Shortened processes, approximations, etc. , . 334

Natnre of the teaching in the early stages, 336

(1) First ideas of number, .... 336

(2) Realisation of simple abstract numbers, . . 337

(3) First notiona of oral addition aud aubtractioiv, , ^^

XIV

(4) Representation of numbers by written symbols,

(5) Principles of the decimal notation, .

(6) Gradual withdrawal of objective demonstration,

The teaching of the rnles, ....

(1) Notation and numeration,

(3) Methods of working subtraction, .

(4) Multiplication, ....

(6) The compound rules,

(7) Vulgar fractions, ....

(9) The ' unity method ' and proportion,

(10) Higher rules, ....

PAGE

338 339 339 340

V, DBAWmo.

Instrumental value of drawing, Training of hand and eye, Creneral nature of the work, Early exercises,

366 368 369 370