Page:State manual and course of study.djvu/22

 2. Call attention to direction, distance, location, color, form, size, and weight, leaving the pupil to form his own conclusions.

For the Ear,

1. Call upon the class to listen to the ticking of the clock.

2. Make very light strokes upon the desk and see who can detect the sound.

2. Procure several different kinds of metal and wood, attach a string to them, hang them u])on pegs and with a piece of dry wood tap them, letting the pupils detect the different kinds of wood or metal.

4. Give short sentences for the pupils to repeat.

5. Give directions as to movement; right hand up, left hand up; turning face to the left, face to the right; marching forward, backward, etc.

For the Hand,

Handling objects to determine texture, temperature, and whether they are rough or smooth, hard or soft, rigid or flexible. This might be followed by the use of build- ing-blocks, paper-folding, clay-modeling, etc.

Sagyestion. — In connection with this work, the teacher should note very care- fully and systematically each pupil’s peculiarities or weaknesses. Note dullness of hearing or seeing, etc. Seat pupils in class and in the room with reference to this. Be sure that defective pupils always hear what you say, and see the work upon the blackboards. Test by asking them to repeat what you say or to tell what you have before them. Many a bright pupil has been called “ dull ” because he could not see or hear all that was given by the teacher.

Class AVork:—

When the child is free from the embarrassment of new surroundings, he should be taught words, and the following plan is suggested: ^ ^

Suppose you wish to teach the word orange. Take one to school, or better, one for each pupil in the class, at first keeping them out of sight. Place very carefully upon the black-boards a number of different words, among which is the word orange in several places. You are now ready to call the class and teach the word.'" Excite the curiosity of pupils to know what you have for them. Let them see the shape of object through the sack, feel, and even smell them. The more mysterious"' you can b the more interest you can excite, the better. When the pupils have guess^ what you have, let them handle the oranges and talk about them. With their attention at a white heat, tell them you have the word orange upon the board, pointing it out.

Now begins the “hunt” for the other “oranges.” They will^ if you have made the lesson impressive, find every one. When this is done, excuse the class at once, but call their attention to the word several times before they are allowed to leave the room. Also have the word carefully written or printed upon aboard to hand to each pupil. These cards might be mixed with cards containing other^ words, very dissimi- lar in appearance, and the pupils be required to find the “oranges.” If you have never put printed cards into the hands of your pupils, you have missed one of the greatest helps both to them and yourself. The words put upon the board should be as nearly perfect as possible. With poor writing or printing the pupils will make slow progress.

Teach in this way two or three common name-words. When they are learned well, the articles a and the should be prefixed, as an apple, an orange, a boy, a cat, the