The Recitation Part 7

4. _How to a.s.sign a lesson_

There may, of course, be some lessons that can properly be a.s.signed in a moment by telling the cla.s.s how much to take in advance. This is true of lessons that are only a continuation of matter with which the cla.s.s are already somewhat familiar, which they know how to study, and which contains no special difficulties. For example, spelling lessons presenting no new difficulties or especially hard words; arithmetic lessons containing practice problems intended for drill, but no new topics for study; grammar lessons consisting of applications of principles or rules already mastered. But all lessons that are built upon a logical outline, or contain new or difficult principles, or involve especial difficulties of any kind should be a.s.signed carefully and with sufficient detail to make sure that the cla.s.s know how to go to work in preparing the lesson without loss of time and interest.

It is necessary, however, to observe a caution in this connection.

There is some danger of a.s.signing lessons in such a way as to render too much help, and thus relieve the pupil of the necessity of mastering it for himself. It is difficult to say whether the mistake of helping too much in the a.s.signment, or not helping enough is the more serious. The teacher must know his cla.s.s and his textbook, and then use the best judgment he has in making just such suggestions as will result in the best effort and mastery by the pupils without robbing them of the necessity for work.

5. _Principles governing the a.s.signment_

The following are the chief points to be observed in a.s.signing the lesson:--

1. Go over the lesson with the cla.s.s in such a way as to give them a _bird's-eye view_ of the whole, a general idea of what the entire lesson is about, or what it is meant to teach. Sometimes this can best be done with the books open in the hands of the pupils, the teacher calling attention to the topics treated. Occasionally the teacher may himself state the aim or scope of the lesson without the use of the text. Getting this synthetic view of the lesson enables the pupil to begin study with better intelligence, and also helps him better to understand the relation of the separate parts to the lesson as a whole. In this bird's-eye view of the lesson its relation to the lesson just recited, or other previous lessons, should be brought out so as to unite the separate lessons into a continuous view of the subject.

2. Suggestions should be given as to the a.n.a.lysis of the lesson into its different topics. If the text uses a system of numerals in designating the points, the pupils should form the habit of using these in studying the lesson. For example, finding I, they should look for II, III, etc., thus getting the main heads. Under these main topic numerals will often be found a series of paragraphs numbered 1, 2, 3, etc., indicating the different topics under each head. The system may even extend to sub-topics lettered _a_, _b_, _c_, etc. The pupil should early learn to look for and make use of these helps in the a.n.a.lysis of the lesson. And even when the author does not introduce any such system of numbering he still follows some outline more or less logically arranged. No better training in a.n.a.lysis, and no better method of mastering a lesson can be found than for the pupil himself to make a written outline of the lesson, using such a system of numbering the topics and sub-topics as that suggested above.

3. Children should be taught to make a final summary, or synthesis, of the lesson after they have a.n.a.lyzed it into its separate points. Of course a large proportion of the details learned and recited in any lesson will finally be forgotten. But this does not mean that such details were unnecessary. It rather means that their part was to help in bringing out the few main facts or points and making them clear.

For most lessons can be reduced to a few chief points. These are the ones to be remembered and used in further learning. It is these important points which the pupil should summarize and fix in his memory and understanding as the final act in preparing the lesson. Not to do this is to fail to reap the best results from the work put upon the lesson, for these more important points are lost almost as readily as the less important details unless they are emphasized in some such way as has been suggested.

It is of course not meant that this summary of points should be worked out by the teacher when the lesson is being a.s.signed. That is for the pupils to do as a result of their a.n.a.lysis of the lesson. But the teacher should specifically call attention to the necessity for such a summary until the habit is so fixed that the pupils follow this method of study without further direction. The pupil's summary of the lesson should be tested in the recitation just as much as his a.n.a.lysis of the facts of the lesson. This is done by few teachers.

4. Particularly difficult points, or points of importance as a basis for later work, should be especially emphasized in the a.s.signment of the lesson. This will go far toward saving the fatal weakness on fundamental points which is shown in later work by so many pupils. Not having been over the ground before and therefore not realizing the importance or difficulty of the critical points in a subject, the pupils must of necessity be largely dependent on the teacher for such suggestions.

5. Pupils need to be taught to look up and come to understand the allusions and various references often used in history, reading, or other lessons. The younger pupils will often have to be shown how to do this. Therefore such points should be referred to in making the a.s.signment, and any necessary directions should be given.

6. Not infrequently new or unusual words or phrases are encountered by pupils in preparing their lessons, and they are hampered in their study by failing to understand the new terms. The teacher, knowing his pupils, should be able to antic.i.p.ate any trouble of this kind, and give such explanations or help as may be necessary when a.s.signing the lesson.

7. In case written work is to const.i.tute a part of the preparation, the directions governing what is to be done should be so clear and explicit that there is no possibility of their not being understood, and the teacher's being interrupted next day to explain to members of the cla.s.s. Much time can be saved for both teacher and pupils, and many distractions prevented from disturbing recitations if this simple direction is followed.

8. If the principles suggested above are followed in a.s.signing lessons, there will be little excuse for a pupil's forgetting the a.s.signment. It will therefore be a safe rule not to repeat a.s.signments for the benefit of careless or inattentive pupils. The teacher who will refuse to be interrupted during recitation hours to tell pupils what the lesson is, but who will rea.s.sign the lesson for the pupil at recess-time, or after school, will very soon find all such troubles vanish, and will at the same time be giving his pupils valuable and necessary training in attention and memory.

OUTLINE

I. THE PURPOSES OF THE RECITATION

1. The teacher and the recitation, 2

2. The necessity of having a clear aim, 3

3. Testing as an aim in the recitation, 5 _a._ The preparation of the lesson a.s.signed, 6 _b._ The pupil's knowledge and his methods of study, 7 _c._ The pupil's points of failure and the cause thereof, 10

4. Teaching as an aim in the recitation, 12 _a._ Give the child an opportunity for self-expression, 13 _b._ Give help on difficult points, 15 _c._ Bring in new points supplementing the text, 16 _d._ Inspire the pupils to better efforts and higher ideals, 17 _e._ Lead pupils into good habits of study, 17

5. Drill as an aim in the recitation, 19 _a._ Drill should be employed wherever a high degree of skill is required, 21 _b._ Drill must be upon correct models, and with alert interest and attention, 21 _c._ Drill must not stop short of a reasonable degree of efficiency, or skill, 23 _d._ Drill must be governed by definite aims, 23

6. A desirable balance among the three aims, 25

II. THE METHOD OF THE RECITATION

1. Method varies with aim, 29

2. Fundamental principles of method, 30 _a._ Interest is the first requisite for attention and all mental activity, 30 _b._ The natural mode of learning is to proceed from the known to the related unknown, 31

3. The use of special forms of method, 32

4. The question-and-answer method, 33 _a._ When and where to employ the question-and-answer method, 34 _b._ Dangers of the question-and-answer method, 38

5. The topical method, 40 _a._ Where the topical method is most serviceable, 41 _b._ The question of standards in topical recitations, 44

6. The lecture, or supplemental, method, 45 _a._ How the lecture method is to be used, 46 _b._ Dangers from the lecture method, 47

7. The written recitation, 48 _a._ The use of the written recitation, 48 _b._ Dangers in the use of the written method, 49

III. THE ART OF QUESTIONING

1. The importance of good questioning, 55

2. Need of fundamental principles, 56

3. The principle of freedom from textbooks, 56

4. The principle of unity or continuity in questions, 61

5. The principle of clearness, 64 _a._ Freedom from ambiguity or obscurity of wording, 65 _b._ Adaptation to the age and understanding of the child, 66 _c._ Brevity, 67

6. The principle of definiteness, 68

7. Secondary principles of good questioning, 73

8. The treatment of answers, 76

IV. CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO A GOOD RECITATION

1. Freedom from distractions, 81 _a._ Distractions by the teacher, 82 _b._ Distractions by the cla.s.s, 84 _c._ Distractions by the school, 86 _d._ Physical distractions, 87

2. Interest and enthusiasm, 89 _a._ The teacher's command of the subject-matter of the recitation, 90 _b._ The teacher's att.i.tude toward his work, 91 _c._ The teacher's health, 91 _d._ Experience, 93

3. Well-mastered lessons, 94 _a._ Preparation by the teacher, 94 _b._ Preparation by the cla.s.s, 97

4. High standards in the recitation, 98