A Guide to Methods and Observation in History Part 8

21. Can she tell a tale simply and pleasingly?

22. Is she interested in current events?

23. Does she possess a clear insight into character and life?

24. Has she traveled?

XIII. _The Pupil's Preparation and Equipment._

1. Have the pupils evidently had a good elementary school training?

2. Do the pupils give evidence of having had previous historical training in the high school? What is the basis of your conclusion?

3. Have the pupils thoroughly prepared for the day's recitation?

4. Have they apparently confined themselves to the text, or have they gone outside this for material?

5. Have they "studied the lesson together"? Do you approve of such study?

6. If pupils show they have not sought to prepare the lesson well, what procedure does the teacher follow? Do you approve?

7. Have the pupils "outlined the lesson"? Is it well that they should do so?

8. Apparently, have the pupils been shown _how_ to study, i.e., how to prepare the work most advantageously? What was the mode of doing this?

9. Have the pupils attacked the lesson because it was made to appear vital to the solution of some really interesting problem?

10. Have the pupils really gotten behind the facts to the spirit of the movement?

11. Have the pupils apparently attempted to correlate geography with the history? What evidences have you of this?

12. Have the pupils acquainted themselves with all unusual words and phrases used in the text?

XIV. _The Cla.s.sroom._

1. Is there anything distinctive about the cla.s.srooms you have observed that suggests their special uses?

2. Are sittings arranged in fixed and regular forms, or is it possible for the cla.s.s to gather about the teacher's chair in a "social" group?

3. Are there good wall maps in the room?

4. Are there atlases, globes, and geographical dictionaries at hand?

5. Are there reference books of common use?

6. Does the teacher's desk contain copies of textbooks other than the text in chief?

7. Are there sufficient good blackboards?

8. Is there a stereopticon?

9. Does the school provide an adequate number of stereopticon slides?

10. Are the walls adorned with historical pictures or other historical materials? Is there a "museum of history" in the room?

11. Are pupils encouraged to beautify the room with significant objects of historical interest?

XV. _The a.s.signment of the Lesson._

1. Is the a.s.signment given sufficient attention by the teacher?

2. Is it made at the beginning of the recitation period or near the close? What advantages and disadvantages does each practice offer?

3. Does the a.s.signment take into consideration the character of the work to be studied? In what ways is this true?

4. Does the a.s.signment vary with the stage of advancement of the students? How?

5. Does it "blaze a way," so to speak, through the ma.s.s of facts so that the pupils really glimpse the significance of the material before them, and are stimulated to attack it?

6. Does it raise real problems for the students to solve?

7. Does it suggest too much or too little?

8. Does it take individual differences sufficiently into account?

9. Does it include material outside the textbook?

10. If so, is the material well chosen and clearly indicated?

11. Does the a.s.signment correlate the textbook material with contemporary life and with the experiences of the pupils?

12. Is the a.s.signment made so clearly and definitely that _all_ pupils thoroughly understand what it is? What evidences have you that such is the case?

13. Is the a.s.signment too long for adequate preparation?

14. Does it contemplate that the pupils will devote "home study" to it?