Heart-talks with teachers

Foreword

^^HE aim of this book is to aid teachers in ^^ the preparation of their school work.

Young teachers will find many devices and helps which Mrs. Bullard has tried out for several years in the Summer School for Teachers at Tuskegee Institute. They have grown out of practical school experience and are intended to give not only added interest to the work of teaching, but to secure greater results from the pupils taught ; a nearer approach to perfection in their physical, mental and moral development. The present day aim of education, acting through all the environment, touches the child, home, school and community in general, and fosters the development of well trained minds and bodies, and self-reliant characters. Used with these ideals in mind this book cannot fail to be a valuable help to those who follow its principles.

Preface

As teacher of Primary Methods at Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, I have had the pleasure of instructing hundreds of teachers from the cities and rural disricts of most of the Southern States.

Each year they were given in the course, the helps which they most needed, and were permitted to pass in slips stating just what work they wished to have explained.

I have kept track of the things most generally needed and have taken into account the helps for which they have written me requests during the school year. Solutions of these problems I have endeavored to write in a simple, definite, practical way. I present these to the teaching public as methods which are true and tried, and which have proven of great value to me and also to those who have been under my instructions.

The general rules and the program of handwork will be valuable to teachers of any grade. I have made actual and practical use of them in many kinds of work, ranging from kindergarten through all the grades, and some have been applied even in normal school classes.

I am greatly indebted to Miss Brown, of Columbia University, for several directions used in the Handwork Program. Also to various teachers of handwork and authors of ''Handwork Books," from whom ideas have been learned.

Comiteinits

PART I Chapter Page

I Discipline 6-11

II Character Traiuing 13-13

III Community Life — Phiy 14-16

IV Home Work — Examinations 16-20

V . Corporal Punishment — EfEective Punishment . 21-23

VI .... Detaining at Eecess and After School 24-25

PAET II

VII Silent Eeading 26-28

VIII Writing 28-32

IX Arithmetic — First Grade Project 32-38

X Spelling 39-41

XI Suggestions— Late Methods 42-44

XII Project for Eight Grades 45-50

PART I— CHAPTER I Discipline

Discipline — One of the first questions a young teacher (and indeed many an old teacher) asks is, ''How can 1 become a good disciplinarian?" In answer I give seven general rules:

1. Know your subject.

2. Know how to present.

3. Know your children.

4. Be sympathetic.

5. Love your children.

6. Study yourself and create an "ideal atmosphere" in your school-room and community.

7. Keep your children busy.

Know Your Subject — Why? Children are great character-readers. If a teacher does not know her subject, the children find it out the moment she steps into the room, for she cannot walk with a sure step or be "monarch" of all she surveys, if way down in her heart she knows she is not absolutely sure of what she is about to teach. The realization of her lack of preparation makes the teacher nervous, irritable and easily vexed. The children catch her spirit and immediately become restless and irritable.

When it is time to teach a subject, such a teacher takes up her book and she is so absorbed in trying to get the next question to ask and also the answer to that question, that all kinds of happenings occur and thereby destroy the good order of the room. The children soon find that they have time for various kinds of mischief while teacher is studying the lesson.

Very soon these children form the habit of thinking slowly, for such a teacher can never mould quick thinkers, nor can she look over her class to see who should be called upon at a particular time — she is too busy prepariiig the lesson. The result is, a class of dull, mischievous, irritable children who have plenty of time for tricks. Know How to Pnesent — Why! It is not enough for the teacher to know her subject, for her main object should be to see that her children know the subject. This most certainly cannot be, unless a clear, concise, interesting presentation is made.

When I say children or class, I refer to each and every normal child in the class, and no teacher can say that she has presented a lesson successfully unless each and every normal child in her class grasps the meaning. The inexperienced teacher is likely to be misguided because a few brilliant children may grasp the lesson, even though it is poorly presented, but I hope no teacher who reads this booklet will be satisfied with less than a one hundred per cent understanding from her class.

Speaking of presentation, generally, I recommend:

1. Explain each step or topic clearly and ask questions to see if it is understood.

2. Grive little advance and much review work.

3. Let children give back, in their own words, the thought which you or the author has expressed.

But the subject of presentation is one which must be treated specifically as regards each subject, so I am leaving that for another chapter. Only let me impress upon you the importance of making a presentation which reaches and enlightens every pupil in your class.

Know Your Children — Why? Is it worth anything for you to know why Mary finds it hard to sit still, or why Johnny seems so lazy and drowsy, or why one child shows such a decided dislike for another child wihout any apparent cause, or the thousand and one other wonders a teacher sometimes has about her children?

Do you not sometimes find yourself murmuring, ''I wonder what makes that child so?" How can you know?

Here are a few ways of finding reasons and knowing each child more intimately:

1. Visit the child's home.

2. Organize Parent-Teacher Clubs.

3. Encourage a Free-talk Period before school. Now I hear you think it is impossible to visit each

child's, home. I know it is hard to find the time, and in the case of some rural teachers it is almost impossible to visit, after holding school late and performing other Saturday and Sunday duties. But, I also know that it takes less energy, and in the long run, less time, to visit homes and make suggestions as to diet, ventilation, restperiods, behavior, etc., than it does to stop the whole class every day for such corrections. For these suggestions when wisely carried into the home are effective and beneficial to all the children of that home, as well as to the teacher, a point I shall discuss a little later.

Of course, for fear you may not have time to visit each home, start with the home wliich needs you most. See just what is the trouble with Eddie — find out just why he behaves worse than any other child in your class. Use at all times great diplomacy. Sometimes you need not ask a single question about the child — simply "drop in," and observe, and perhaps lend a word of cheer or consolation, or whatever is needed, to the mother and she will unfold all her troubles to you. Why! Because she feels that you are interested in her child and in her — you have taken your valuable time to call on her and in nine oases out of ten it is highly appreciated.

Or, if at some time you chance to take your class out for a walk to observe nature, for instance, you may pass near some child's house. It is a good plan to ring the bell and speak to the mother. She will appreciate your interest and your influence in the community will be strengthened.

It is not necessary to dwell on the benefits of Parent- Teacher clubs, since most teachers are so familiar with these. But I will suggest that you procure experts to deliver lectures on diet, hygiene, health, teeth and other topics of importance — it is more effective than suggestions from the teacher and is an incentive to parents to attend. Another feature beneficial to many mothers is the decoration of the room for different festivals which occur almost every month, and in some instances it is good training for the mothers, to have a purely social gathering and serve properly, light refreshments. Parents look to the teacher for suggestions along all lines and they imitate you and follow your advice more closely than you sometimes imagine. Help them all that you possibly can. You will find real joy in so doing, and your school room work will become easier and more pleasant because the parents admire you and take greater interest in having their children please you. From time to time you will find that parents will visit the school, or seek you at a gathering to ask about their children. Why! Because you have manifested an interest aside from signing the pay-roll.

The Free-talk Period — Is a great help to the teacher. It should come at the time when the children are gathering for school. Instead of standing around chatting with other teachers, try sitting in your room, or going on the playground, as the case may be, and "chum" with your children. Get interested in their childish likes and dislikes, in their joys and sorrows, and exchange ideas and views with them. You will find that you get volumes of valuable information which will help you in your child-study problems. Just try it for a week and see.

There is no reason why you should not know each child intimately, if you visit as many homes as practicable, hold interesting Parent-Teacher meetings and encourage your children to discuss their childish affairs with you. You will notice that parents will look after your discipline almost unconsciously.

10 Peimary Methods

Be Sympathetic; Love Your Children — How? During the Free-Talk period the teacher should talk simply and understandingly, just as an older child would talk with younger children. There are so many things your children want you to know about their childish interests. Many times their mothers are so busy that they simply say to them, ''Hush! Go away. I have no time to listen to you now." So the children are just hungry for the sympathy of some one whom they trust, and if the teacher will only manifest her interest she will soon find out how tragic it was for the little child's balloon to burst or her favorite dolly to get broken, or just how badly she felt when she was scolded and sent to bed. Dozens of other happenings which to us grown-ups seem trivial are just as terrible to the child as the loss of our purse on the first of the month would be to us.

Then why not lend an ear? Give a word of sympathy here and there, or in some way express that sympathy — by a grasp of the hand, or a pat on the head, or the laying of the hand on a shoulder. The child will catch your meaning and love you, and you will love him, for sympathy is very closely related to love — and love is the most powerful force on earth below or in Heaven above. Maybe if you listen sympathetically to "old bad John" you can get his point of view and help him, and love him too.

Love Your Children — love them really, for unless you do, they will never love you — and until they love you they will never make special effort to please you. We all strive to please those whom we love, and there is no stronger, purer love than that of pupil toward teacher. It follows the child all through life. Even now, you and I really love some teacher we had, as much today as when we were children. We can remember too how hard we tried to please that particular teacher. Is it not worth while that your children love you? But first, you must love them — and you do not need ever say to them, "I love yon"— just do it, and your many manifestations of sympathy and understanding will demonstrate to tliem, as no words can.

Now, I know we have all seen the ''mean, cross teacher" get obedience and results, but what is the effect upon the child! Fear is bad for his nerves aftects his growth and impairs his development generally; besides, what Teacher wants to be a tyrant, and have dear little children good through fear, which lasts only so long as the teacher stands over them. But how diiferent when the children are good and sweet and truthtui because Miss Jones says it is right and they love and trust her This is real character-buildmg, which should be the chief aim of education. The parents soon notice the value of such training. This takes us to the next point.

Create An Ideal Atmosphere— Bj this I mean-exert a helpful and exemplary influence over the children placed in your care so that when anyone steps into your room he can, in a moment's time, feel that the right spirit exists there— that you and your pupils are at ease, are happy, sweet and interested— and busy.

Have you not gone into school-rooms where although on the surface, everything went on fairly well Y^n tel that the teacher was all out of sorts and just able to hold you could just see discontent and concern written on her the children's attention because of your presence-and face and observe latent restlessness all over the roomaiid then just as soon as you were outside the door there was a bustle, and a scold, etc., etc.? Well, that is what I call failure to have created an ideal school-room atmosphere. There is a lack of harmonious working m such a room.

Be not guilty of such failure. Conscientiously strive to acquire the six points just discussed, and last but not least,

Keep Children Busy — Crowd in so much work and wholesome recreation that there will be no time left for mischief-making. Go naturally and quickly from one subject to the next and you will never, never have to think of discipline as such. Only now and then will you have occasion to reprove or punish a child, for they will all be too busy and too anxious to please, to find time for things v/hich are not in keeping with good order. Remember too, that children love to keep busy.

Now I know there are some teachera who have placed so much stress on discipline as such, and mth such poor results, that they will doubt that it can be so easily attained — but actual experience has shown me that discipline is the easiest part of real teaching. Be a real teacher, and discipline takes care of itself.

CHAPTER II Character Training

Habits — As aforesaid, the chief business of education is character-building. This is accomplished through the formation of right habits in the children, thereby making them well-balanced, intelligent people, and ideal citizens of our great republic.

The teacher is always looked upon as a loader in any community, and is imitated and consulted by parents and children. Have you made a self-examination to see if you are worthy? Are you fit to instill into these young people right habits along all lines?

Remember, their development must be threefold^ physical, mental, moral — and habits greatly affect this development.

Have you yourself formed habits of: gentleness, kindness, politeness, generosity, punctuality, cleanliness, neatness, accuracy, self-reliance, self-control, prompt opedience to authority, honesty in little things, temperance in food and drink, correct carriage, co-operation?

Having acquired these habits, do you know how to impress them upon children in any way other than by example ? Let me suggest a few ways :

Require every day practice of each and all of them in the room, on the play-ground and on the way to and from school. This may be accomplished —

1. By giving short talks on the right way to conduct one's self. ; v t?i

2. By telling stories which emphasize one or more of these points.

3. By calling attention to the brave and noble men of our country in the past and present and relating bits of history which stress the strong points in their characters.

4. By playing games or singing songs which stress any of these habits.

5. By relating, in childlike language, such Bible stories as will emphasize any of the habits — or quoting appropriate verses, explaining them and having the children learn them.

There must be no loosing of tension along this line, for no act will become a habit unless repeated so often that it becomes a part of the child.

I earnestly hope all teachers will stress the idea of co-operation — co-operation in work and in play. Encourage group work and let the children gain the power to work and play without friction. Think how much better the w^hole world would be if everyone could really co-operate in all things and respect one another's rights.

Just here, permit me to speak of another important point — one which has been brought to my attention by principals and supervisors — that of failure of teachers to co-operate fully in certain matters pertaining to work of the school as a whole. Not only that, but failure of teachers to feel a personal responsibility in the making of reports. Some are negligent or careless about having them neat and accurate, and getting them in on time. Be especially careful to do nothing whch hinders the orderly working of your whole school. Cheerfully obey authority, to the letter. Send in accurate reports, at the proper time. Be not too proud to ask for help along any line where the need for it is felt. Remember, you should not expect neatness, accuracy and obedience from children, if you yourself have not acquired the habit.

Constant work on the suggestions mentioned, concerning habit-formation, will do much toward mental and moral development, and something toward physical development, but let me stress the importance of looking after the physical side of the child. We do not want a race of weaklings, so at all times you should look toward the things which will keep the child well. Pay attention to ventilation, light, physical exercise and relaxation during school hours ; the child's sight, hearing, breathing, teeth, use of hands and feet, posture. Give short but pointed talks along these lines w^hen needed and if any abnormal condition is discovered report to parents at once and advise medical treatment.

CHAPTER III Community Life — Play

Community Life — Talks with many teachers have disclosed the fact that there are some who are having trouble with parents who are unkind toward them and whose children are hard to manage.

I have advised that such teachers broaden their work and make themselves useful to the communit)^, and have received letters from those teachers stating that they have risen in the estimation of the parents and the troublesome children have ceased to be a reality. There are four forms of community work which are easily done and which exert a wonderful influence over teacher, school and community:

1. Sunday School work.

2. Charitable work.

3. Various kinds of club work.

4. Purely social functions for the community as a whole.

The first named is very generally understood. Under charitable work, the teacher may form clubs to meet monthly and sew, making gaiTuents for some orphanage or for certain children in the community, the gaiments to be given out at a specified time. Or the club may take on a literary aspect and each member pay dues with which necessities may be bought for poor families, at a specified time.

Children's clubs may also be formed and profitable work done. In many localities the industrial clubs arrest the interest of both boys and girls. If these clubs meet only once a month, they are a great help to all concerned and require very little time.

In communities where the people have several small social groups, interesting affairs (a concert or extra fine party) of some kind may be given for the whole community, so that they all come together and pass the time pleasantly. It might be well to charge a small admission fee which may be used to help toward materials for handwork or some phase of club work.

An Appeal for Play — Encourage at all times the play-spirit. Encourage it among older people, children and teachers. Play has been defined as real child life — that is the plays of children interpret to them the outer world. They see the various workmen and observe them — then they play carpenter, fireman, postman or mother and thus begin to understand, love, be in sympathy with and have respect for the workers.

They listen to myths, folk stories or work songs, then put themselves into the places of certain characters which appeal to them and act out the impressions thus gained. They play certain games adapted to the season too, as marbles, in the spring, flying kites in windy weather, snow-balling in season and many others. And thus to them, play is a reality. A boy who is playing store is just as real a storekeeper as your own grocer. The play interprets life to him.

There is another activity called play which at first is mainly just skipping, hopping, running, etc., and which eventually the children organize into games such as Tag, Hopscotch, etc. Finally we have the organized social game and the folk-game.

The teacher should be the play-fellow of her pupils and guide and direct their play when necessary. iShe should know games and teach them. Many a cross, indifferent, backward or dull child may be easily and effectively reached through games, for during the game he begins to understand the teacher and see her in a different light. The teacher sees the child in a different light also, and very soon the effect is realized inside the school-room.

When parents realize how much their children enjoy having the teacher play with them, they begin to ask how to play certain games so that they may help with them at home, and thus all become interested in the games, and soon we have the ideal condition of mother, teacher and child working together for the common good of all three.

Some rural teachers have complained that trustees and patrons at first say it makes the teacher lose control of the children if she plays with them. To these I should carefully explain the situation and give illustrations of the benefits derived from play, for both teacher and pupil. Exercise diplomacy but convince them that modern educational methods are taking the place of old methods and old ideas. Also try out playing with the children and see if you do not gain in control of them — then you can say positively to trustee or patron that vou know playing games helps and strengthens your conlroi instead of lessening it.

CHAPTER IV Home Workk — Examinations Home Work — Should a teacher assign home worK? Some mothers whom I know have wondered just how much a child should play and have been puzzled to know ^vhether to stop a child who is enjoying purposeful play, and have him study his lessons. Thus the question of assigning home work comes up.

Play is educative in that it helps the child to interpret the experiences which he has each day and thus helps fit him for the more serious duties of life as a grown-up. Play is beneficial in that it makes the child observant, alert, quick, thoughtful, and develops him physically. Why, then should he put aside an activity thus beneficial for the sake of "studying" which oft times amounts either to just sitting and pretending to study, or to receiving help from parents or older children of the family.

In my opinion, the teacher should present her work so clearly and interestingly and should drill so thoroughly at school that the pupils would grasp the work and enjoy it — and then she would not feel called upon to require any great amount of home work, which is so often mechanically done.

Of course many times there will be things which the children will want to do, especially in connection with their handwork and written exercises. This kind of home work, I recommend, because the child does it of his own accord and at a time when he is tired of play.

Does it not seem to you that five or six hours of real study at school are sufficient for the growing child? To me, it seems quite sufficient. I favor teaching at school rather than just being a hearer of lessons which have been partly taught at home. Think this over and make your teaching more effective. See that each child learns thoroughly, not for the sake of reciting to you, but because he is going to need this knowledge later in life and therefore must store it away and preserve it for use when the proper time comes.

If you heed this advice there will be a less number of "Not Promoted" children when the term ends. Who is to blame when a normal child who attends school regularly, fails of promotion? Is it a credit to the teacher to have half the class or one-third of the class conditioned in any subject? What, then, is wrong when this condition exists? (And I know that it does exist. I have heard teachers say, "These children do not study at home, or bring in their assignments, so of course their parents cannot expect them to be promoted"). There is one of two thirgs "wrong — either the presentation of work is not clear and the drills not thorough, or the teacher goes too fast for the average pupil in her class. A good teacher goes no faster than the slowest child can be made to understand. By working with the slow children a few months, and giving the brightest children extra work to do (handwork perhaps) the teacher can soon have her whole class doing commendable work. Conscientiously strive to have each and every child put forth his best effort. You may seem to progress very slowly at first, but you gain ground the last few months of the school term and a "not Promoted" normal child is a rarety.

E<joammations — Should be both oral and written. Why? There are, in every class, some children who can best express themselves by writing and others who can best express themselves orally.

One very good method of conducting an oral examhiation in the upper grades is to have each question written on a separate slip — let children choose a slip and recite.

Another method is to have the questions written on one large sheet, and numbered. Then have corresponding numbers written on small strips or squares, and placed in a box. Mix them and let children choose a slip. Then each child may tell his number and the teacher may ask the corresponding question.

A written examination should be carefully prepared, the questions covering the important points which the teacher has striven to impress. Here are a few hints which will make the written examination a success and cause the children to gain most from it:

Write on paper all questions — have them clear, concise and to the point. Write on paper, a corresponding set of answers — just the answers you expect to find on your perfect papers.

After giving the test, correct the papers, making each question (on the basis of 100 is easiest). Mark carefully and neatly, grading each paper according to the marks on different questions.

(If a child, in your estimation, because of carelessness or the use or misuse of some phrase makes a lower mark than you think he should have, taking into consideration his daily recitations, increase his mark when making your average, but never on the examination paper).

Pass back the papers and devote the lesson period to going over the questions — first give pupils a chance to ask about the different parts marked incorrect — then have two or three pupils whose answers to that particular question were perfect, read their answer aloud, and require those who had an incorrect or a not clear answer to compare the two answers and thus find their mistake. This is the best way to make an examination count. It does the child no good to see what mark he made and never know what mistakes he made.

In the upper grades, I usually write the correct answers on the blackboard before passing back the papers, and all become interested, ask questions, and understand errors.

Mistakes in spelling, punctuation, construction and choice of words, should be penciled, and attention called to them in each and every examination, no matter what the subject is — but the grade or mark should not be lowered for such mistakes (simply do it for the children's benefit) unless you have warned that the Geography examination, for intsance, will also serve as a spelling examination or as a Grammar examination, as the case may be. Strive to make the use of gooti English, and good spelling a habit. If this method is carefully pursued, it is interesting to note the improvement in examination papers, after a few months. It will be a real joy to note that you receive each time more ''good" papers and fewer "poor" papers.