■■■p^ HINTS AND EXPEDIENTS A POCKET BOOK FOR YOUNG TEACHERS BY DAVID BOYLE. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY J. W. BENGOUGII GRIP PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO. 1892 Entered according- to the Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture, by the Grip Printing and Publishing Company, Toronto, in the year one thousand eig-ht hundred and ninety-two. CONTENTS The First Day in a New School 9 The Register ^7 Reading -^ Writing ^5 Spelling 3^ Grammar 34 Composition 4^ History 4^ Geography ... 49 Arithmetic • 5^ Order and Discipline ^i Public Examinations 73 General 74 Scrap Books 77 School Walls 7^ The Inspector 7^ Cleanliness ^^ Outside Work °^ Applying for Situations . , ^4 TO BE READ (IF YOU PLEASE) pXPEDIEMTS are the -L' offspring of Mother Need. This, at a glance, every one will recognize as but the inversion of a well- worn and time -honored proverb — an inversion which in some sense may be regarded as typical of ^ much that follows in this manual, for many of the '■ ways and means " sugg.^sted are nothmg more than variations of old ones. Other things being equal, the teacher who is fertilo in expedients possesses an immense advantage over one who IS not. The reason for this is not far to seek. There is, as a matter of course, only one right way to teach, and that is the natural way. Systems, methods. p.ans, artifices, expedients-call them what we may can prove successful only in so far as they correspond with the growth and development of intellect. But every observs nt teacher knows that very frequently what appeals to the understanding of one, two, or ten pupils in a class may fail to have any enlightening effect on others in the same class, and sometimes he is at his wit's end to overcom*^ the difficulty. In such cases, impatient and thoughtless teachers (and they are not always young ones either) scold or deride the offending, though guiltless pupils, attribut- ing to stupidity what may actually be the result of thought ifursued along a side track. Teachers of this sort are real truant-makers. Monotonous routine is also blameworthy for much of the non-success that too often characterises the work done in the school-room. Day after day must every subject be taken up in not only the same order, but treated in the same manner. Where this course is pursued the teacher, naturally enough, complains about the drudgery of his calling, but he thinks only of himself, without any regard to how his machine-work affects the children whose exu- berance and vivacity suffer in proportion as these exceed his own. The school room ought to be a place of surprises in every lesson. Each day should have its novelties, and these need not in any degree detract from respect for the time-table, without which confusion is a certain result, although it is unnecessary, as some do, to look upon a time- table as a sort of fetish. It is chiefly in rural and village schools that the teacher possessing individuality and originality can make his in- fluence felt. There he may revel in expedients. There, too, by far the larger number of young teachers begin their career, and it is in these schools that the majority of our people must receive their education.* * It is a complaint that in training schools for teachers the "tra'n- ing " looks almost wholly to the requirements of graded schools in the larger centres of population. Young men and women in assuming charge, whether of a class or of a school, are often at a loss how best to intro- duce agreeable variety into their work without at the same time rendering it any less effective. For them the follow- ing hmts and expedients have been brought together. Every one of the expedients has been tested satisfac- torily either by the writer or by some other teacher of experience. It is neither expected, nor is it to be desired that any reader should regard them otherwise than as suggestions. He should select those which best commend themselves to his predilection or to his judgment. What in the hands of one proves highly successful, may be a total failure when attempted by another. "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. " ^ Many good things are purposely omitted, because, being tamihar to most teachers, they seem to need no repetition here, while no doubt many others are "conspicuous by their absence " on account of the author having no know- ledge of them. Teachers who can make suggestions, or offer additional hints and expedients, will oblige by communicating with the publishers. Should a second edition of this manual be called for the new material will be inserted, and credited to the proper persons. Toronto, February, i8q2. HINTS AND EXPEDIENTS FOR YOUNG TEACHERS. THE FIRST DAY IN A NEW SCHOOL A 4 A/,^ ^^^^^^ (i) There are pro- v^;^ bably no two persons who would begin w^ork in a new school exactly the same w^ay, and this makes it all the more difficult to offer any suggestions. Without a doubt, no teacher should be expected to introduce himself. One or more of the trustees should either be present, or see that somebody else belonging to the section is there. On the supposi- tion, however, that the teacher has to ''face the music " alone, a few hints may be drawn from the following accounts of how some have conducted themselves in such circumstances. One says :— lO (2) " On discovering that none of the trustees would be present on Tuesday morning, I went to the school-house on Monday afternoon and wrote on the blackboard, ' Your new teacher's name is Mary Blackwood. She comes from Jarvisburg She was born on a farm, and knows all about horses cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. She can milk and churn and make bread. She has attended schools of different kinds for about ten years, and is sorry she knows so little yet. She will be glad to teach you all she can, and she hopes you will all help her. If you don't, she can do very little.' I sent a big boy to open the door a few minutes before my ar- rival (that day, exactly at nine o'clock), and as soon as I had taken off my wraps, I tried to look as bright and as firm as I could, and said, ' I see you all know who I am, and as some one has written these lines ou the blackboard, you know my name and other particulars. Now, who could have written this ? Can you guess ? Yes, you are right, I did It myself, because I had no one to come and make me acquainted with you. Don't you think it was a a pretty good plan ? You do ; well, I am glad of that, and now it is your turn to tell me all your names, so I shall take the register and write them down, if you will stand one after the other and give your names in full.' In the course of recording the names we had two or three funny II 1 little blunders to laugh over ; but before I had finished we were all on excellent terms, and man- aged to remain so while I was in charge." (3) Another lady's experience was this :— " Hid- ing my nervousness as well as I could, I said, when all were seated and looking straight at me for the pur- pose of finding out what kind of person I was, and whether they were likely to have an interesting time, 'Good morning, boys and girls.' Nobody replied, and so I continued, * I hope when we get to know one another, we shall all like to meet here and enjoy ourselves as long as school is in, as well as when we are in the play-ground. I believe you were very fond of the last teacher you had, and she told me that only a few of you ever gave her much trouble. I don't know who these were, and I don't want to know, because I would like you all to work hard and then you won't have any time to think about mischief. I am very fond of fun myself, and I shall help you to play now and again, as well as teach you. Now, let us make a bargain. If I promise to do my best for you will you promise to do your best for me and for yourselves— for your- selves, mind you ?' By general acclaim the promise was made, and we got along tolerably well for two years and a half." Following are a few other experiences :— (4) Section ninety-nine in the township of Mala- 12 prop had a bad reputation. The school was numerously attended, and the big boys and girls ap- parently went more for the fun of the thing than for any hankering after knowledge. The new teacher was seized of the facts and took his bearings well the first morning. Describing the situation he says, " I had reason to believe that talk and reason wouldn't count worth a cent in that school, so I resolved to go to work pretty much as if I was an old hand, and meant business. But before calling up a class, I addressed myself to one of the biggest boys, and apparently one of the worst, saying, *Will you be kind enough to tell me your name, my boy?' The reply came with something between a growl and a jeer. * Now,' said I again, calling him by name, * if you were in my place, and I were a boy in this school, and tried to be as bad as I knew how, and gave you all sorts of annoyance, so that you could not teach those who wanted to learn, what would you do with me ?' ' Why,' said he, ^ Td wallop ye.' ^That's right/ I replied, 'you would make a capital teacher for this school.' Then, turning to the junior class, I dismissed them to the play- ground until I could ascertain in some measure the standing of the 'bully' class, as it was called. My walloping friend and two or three more severed their connection with the school that day without bidding me good-bye, and my reign henceforth was absolute," 13 (5) " I said to the pupils, ' We must form a part- nership this morning. I want to conduct the school just as Mr. or Miss So-and-So did, until we get better acquainted. I shall not attempt to do very much beyond trying to find out what yoi/ can do. To-day, therefore, you will be quite as much in charge as I am— you shall help me, and Fll help you.'" (6) '' In all my schools I have found it a good plan to begin by giving the pupils as much work as will keep them busy from the first moment. Per- haps arithmetic is best for this purpose, and, next to that, transcription. Once I tried writing, but it introduced too much confusion." (7) "My belief is that the teacher should first do a little talking in a lively and narrative style, if- only for the purpose of familiarising the pupils with the tones of her voice. Children are unconscious but tolerably acute critics of human nature. If facile with the crayon she may use the black-board to illustrate certain points she purposely introduces, and thus excite the curiosity, if not the admiration of the young people who always put 'great store' by penmanship and drawing." (8) " In my opening speech, as it may be called, I always appeal to the good sense of the advanced pupils ; if you secure their co-operation you need not fear much trouble with the young fry.'* 14 (9) " My first school was a bad one in point of oehaviour, and unfortunately for me, I had been well known as an ordinary farmer's lad in an ad- joining section. The trustees selected me because I was cheap. A lively time was expected. Two members of the board were willing to accompany me the first morning. T preferred to go alone. I was ver> ohaky, but tried to appear dignified. When school was assembled I mentioned some of the foregoing and a few similar facts to the pupils, many of whom were nearly my own age. I said' * Now, boys and girls, shall we try to get along with one another the best way we know how, feeling happy and contented every afternoon when we go , home, and coming cheerfully every morning, or shall we keep each other in hot water ? My ambition is to fool all the people who say I can't manage you. and to have the inspector say at the end of the year that this is one of the best schools in the county.' In less than two weeks that school was in good shape." (lo) ''You remember what they did with my predecessor. Well, I resolved to do or die. I pro- vided myself with a magnificent strap. When school was called I laid it in a sort of business way— not at all ostentatiously— on the desk. I called up the First Book Class. The fellow who gave so much trouble to poor Jephson asked me to ' say it over ^5 again and say it slow.' I was nearly bursting, but I kept down my temper and said, ' Young man, I will give you your choice of three things for your insolence — apologise for your misconduct and promise not to repeat it — come forward until I pun- ish you with this strap^ or, leave the school in dis- grace immediately.' He took, unflinchingly, a very severe dose of punishment and went to his seat smiling. I walked down to the stove, opened the door, and threw in the strap. * Boys,' said I, ^ I never want to use another strap in this school. If I have to, I can easily get one.' The effect was capital, and corporal punishment was not inflicted more than three times afterwards in as many years." (ii) In a large school (or in a small one either for that matter) if any one or more of the older pupils evince a disposition to sky-larking, or to general disagreeableness, ask them to assist you in some way. Get the very worst boy to write on a slate the full names of all the pupils, mcluding those who may be absent. Should he do this well, ask him to enter them on a sheet of paper or in the register. In any event make him feel that- he is helpful to you, and so with any others who are like- nrJnded. (12) Even when there is not likely to be any trouble at all, the new teacher has often a difficulty i6 in making a start. If timid, he does not know how to begin resolutely, and if too resolute he may be devoid of tact, and is apt to cause trouble by being totally regardless of the school traditions. What seems on the whole to be the best way, is to secure the assistance of a few of the advanced pupils, w^ho will state the order in which classes have been taken up under the former teacher. This order should be followed for some days, or until the new teacher feels at home. Pupils resent revolutionary changes on the part of a new comer, especially if they have a kindly feeling towards their former teacher. ^ If there is an old time-table in the school, some aid may be gained by a reference to it. (13) Some teachers at such a time simply request the pupils as a whole to attend to the order of classes, by taking up the recitations at the right time themselves. (14) The teacher may arrange to employ the bell- signals the pupils have been accustomed to, leaving the classes to obey them as they have been in the habit of doing. (15) In any event avoid the extremes of timidity, hesitancy, fussiness, and violence. Don't be too aimlessly talkative. Assume as far as possible an air of calmness, firmness and dignity. Announce few rules. The first day may make or mar the whole term of your engagement. 17 THE REGISTER. (i) Malce a point of keeping your register as neatly as you would expect a pupil to keep his exer- cise book. (2) Enter every pupil's name in full, or with proper abbreviations only. (3) Never write a pupil's pet name either in the register or anywhere else. It is quite as absurd to write Sally and Polly and Kitty, as Dicky and Tom- my and Jack. (4) Reckon and record your totals daily. i8 (5) You will save yourself time, and ensure accu- racy by giving the weekly, monthly and quarterly figures as " sums " to bo totalled by the pupils as class exercises. (6) Some teachers call the roll only once a day, marking the attendance, thus / with a slanting stroke. . . (7) Those who call the roll twice a day make the mark / for the forenoon, and a stroke across it at the opposite angle for the afternoon, thus, X (8) Punctuality, good conduct, perfect recitations, and misconduct may be recorded by dots at the opening of the angles in the order respectively of left, top, right, bottom, .>»(^ (9) Some teachers make no mark to represent attendance, but the slanting lines as above for absence, and place dots to form a square thus '. I for punctuality, good conducl, perfect recitations, and misconduct. (10) Many keep a separate book in which to record everything except attendance. (11) By recording absence and not attendance, the calling of the roll may be obviated. In a large school time will thus be saved. (12) To certain pupils in each class may be assigned the duty of reporting absentees. (13) The daily register should contain as much information as possible regarding the attendance* '9 When a pupil leaves school the letter L should mark the date, followed by a line drawn across the page. Entrants may be marked with an E. If pupils are sick, or working, or truant, the letters S, W, and T will indicate the facts. A line may be drawn after each initial ro show at a glance the period of absence. A child is better unborn than untaught.— 6^aj- coigne. • . Education alone can conduct us to that enjoy- ment which is, at once, best in quality and infinite in quantity. — Mann. Do not then train boys to learning by force and harshness ; but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be the better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of the genius of each.— TY^/^. The best that we can do for one another is to exchange our thoughts freely ; and that, after all, is but little.— Froude. Education commences at the mother's knee, and every word spoken within the hearsay of l.ttle children tends towards the formation of character. — Ballou. 20 READING. Of the alphabetic, phonic, and look-and-say methods of teaching beginners to read, little need be said here. (i) A combina- tion of the two latter has been found to produce excellent re- sults, the phonic be- ing employed as long as suitable words hold out, and the look-and-say method following when these fail. (2) Cultivate the use of a cheerful voice and sprightly manner even when teaching the Primer, in order that child- ren, by your example, may learn to read in the natural tones of talk. (3) In primer teaching use the black-board freely. Copy the lessons, and begin early to familiarize the pupils with the script forms of letters. 21 (4) That you may effectually prevent the un- English pronunciation of the adjective a, like at in daisy, insist on having it always coupled with the following word. '' A man," should be read aman, the vowels having the same value in both cases. (5) The word the should always be taught in connection with the following word. Only in this way will children learn to read it as they speak it. (6) He, his, him and her should seldom be aspi- rated fully, or at all, except for emphasis, or when they introduce sentences. (7) Set apart a considerable portion of each day for the pupils to reproduce the lessons on slates. (8) To stimulate the class, permit the best letterer to put the lesson on the black-board. (9) Aim at being able to put lessons on the black-board yourself neatly as well as leg- ibly. To do is better than to tell. ( I o) Collect from all avail- able sources, and have ready for use in the class, pictures to illustrate even the simplest lesson. The children soon -_ — become tired of seeing the book pictured Colored pictures are to be preferred, and many suitable 22 ones may be cut from show-bills when these can be had. Christmas cards are good. (ii) Have at least one story to tell to junior classes on Friday in connection with the subject of the lesson. Other days need not be exceptional. (12) If you ask primer pupils to spell, con- clude on second thought that you have made a mistake. (13) When you have reason to believe that any child knows the lesson by heart, test the power of word recognition by asking the pupil to read the sen- tences backwards. (14) From Second Book up, vary the reading exercises as much as possible. (15) Call upon each pupil to read until all have read. (16) Begin anywhere in the class, and then let the pupils read con- secutively. (17) Ask one or two pupils to read the whole lesson — boys to-day, girls to-morrow. (18) Read the lesson yourself, committing the errors you have observed the pupils fall into. Ask for pupils' criticism. (19) Read the lesson yourself in your best man- ner. Ask for remarks. 23 (20) Warn against employing false, assumed, or artificial tones. (21) Teach that good reading is simply good speaking. (22) Commas do not always mark stopping- places, and pauses may be necessary where there are no commas. {2^) Colons and semi-colons are not intended to mark longer pauses than commas— they are more for the eye than for the ear, and are less used now than formerly. (24) Emphasis in reading is as neces- sary as accent in pro- nunciation. (25) Introduce as early as may be, read- ing lessons from other text-books besides the so-called Reader. (26) The local, or any good newspaper, should be read in school, and advertisements ought not to be overlooked. Lists of goods and names of articles offered for sale re- quire attention. (27) The teacher should read occasionally, and get pupils to read from interesting books not on '' the list" 24 (28) Any good reader in the section may be invued to g,ve an occasional half hour's reading in abnitv tot' rV''' ^"""^ ^^^^'"S ^^^"''--^ the abduy to be lookmg a good many words ahead onh^e one the reader is pronouncing for the time (30) A very experienced and most successful eac er says : ; The proper order of the work Ja readmg class is somewhat as follows : words" ^''^ ""^'"'"^ ^""^ pronunciation of difficult 2. "The meaning ofany obscure passages. with th J, ''P',^"^^'°" °f ^"y points connected with the lesson that will enable the pupils to have a more vivid conception of its meaning 4. "Silent reading of those parts that you fear the pupils may not understand fully. 5. " Reading aloud, in the course of which vocal exercises may be practiced to correct mistakes that occur in utterance." 25 WRITING. Public school pupils now-a-days write perhaps a hundred times more than was the custom when our fathers and mothers were children. While this practice is an aid to speed, it leads to counter- balancing drawbacks, as, for example, smallness, crampedness, and irregularity. (i) Insist on all slate writing being done with a long pencil— handling the pen will then be an easier transition, or ______ (2) For some two > — Z"~ , ^ or three weeks before introducing pens and ink, have the pupils use long slate pencils, or 26 (s) Make them practice for a week or two on paper with long lead pencils. (4) Have repeated exercises in position and pen- holding without reference to the formation of letters. (5) Writing lessons are usually too long at first. Begin with not more than one line, increasing by a line a week, or even every two weeks, in some cases. • (6) Insist on every ex- ercise, whether performed at home or in school, be- ing written carefully. The exercise book affords a better test of a pupil's writing than the copy-book does. (7) Have the first score or more of writing lessons per- formed simultaneously with numbers announced by the teacher, or by a pupil, accord- ing to any preferred system. (8) Much depends on the teacher's use of the black-board. Badly formed letters should be copied frequently from the pupil's work and compared with correct shapes. 27 (9) Copy whole words on the black-board from the copy-books; write the same words correctly beside these. Draw sloping lines >at the different angles made by the pupil's letters, and if the height is irregular, draw lines along the top y^, , , ,,, r , and bottom of the letters to I^^^^^^. show the varying lengths. Corresponding lines drawn on your own work will be equi-distant and regular. (10) Make the pupils write on the slate, black- board or practice-book, the letters or words they form badly, until you are satisfied with the improve- ment. Time thus spent is a gain in the long run. (i i) To prevent blotting, when ink-wells are used never have the ink more than half an inch deep. (12) Copy-books should not be left in pupils' desks. When the lesson is over each pupil should place his copy-book face up on his desk, the edge projecting an inch or more beyond the end of the desk. The collector walks up the passage, taking the books from both sides. Collected thus, dis- tribution is easy. (13) Writing being mainly mechanical, it is easy to detect improvement or the reverse— marks may therefore be given with some show of justice. (14) The lower half of the first page of the copy- 28 book should be left blank until the last page has been reached ; after which the first page should be completed. There ought to be an obvious differ- ence between the two parts. (15) The last half of the final page should be left unwritten by the pupil, that the teacher may there record his opinion of the work and sign his name. The date of completion, too, should be recorded. Here also the parent's signature ought to be written. (16) To many advanced pupils the monotony of head-lines and business forms becomes intolerable. Such pupils may be permitted to write selections of prose and poetry in a thick and well bound blank- book which may be thought worthy of preservation for a lifetime. (17) Once a month, or oftener, have class tests, thus : The pupils being provided with slips of paper, uniform in size and quality, read, or write on the board, one or more sentences, containing alto- gether from forty to fifty words. When the pupils have written these, collect the slips. Next distrib- ute them among the members of the class, asking each pupil merely to identify the writing of the other. Ask now for the reasons of identification. These may be as follows : Because it is so good ; because it is so bad ; because the height is not uniform ; the spacing is not even ; by the way the i B tar m 29 t's are crossed ; owing to the shape of the y's, etc., etc. Pupils given to employing objectionable pecuharities will generally determine to avoid them if only for the purpose of throwing their fellow- pupils off the scent. (18) Have all the copy-books returned to you for preservation during the session. The feather whence the pen Was shaped that traced the lives of these good men, Dropped from an angel's wing. — Wordsworth. Oh! nature's noblest gift— my gray goose quill! Slave of my thoughts, obedient to my will. Torn from thy parent bird to form a pen, That mighty instrument of little men ! — Byron. f« Walter Raleigh. 49 GEOGRAPHY. (not gography). (i) Though to most children this is an agreeable study, it is one also, regarding which they are liable to form many erroneous conclusions. This is mainly owing to it being taken for granted by the teacher that children know already much that in reality has never cost them a thought, and of which, therefore, they know nothing. (2) When about to begin this subject (as in the case of some others) don't call it by name. Talk about east, west, north and south, and about the position of the school and play-ground, the section or village, and the township. (3) Some teachers keep a tray or board about three feet long and two feet wide, having a strip to form edges two inches high, wnth a supply of clay, common earth or sand, for moulding to represent physical features. Water may be added at plea- sure. For a class of beginners the plan is a good one. Pupils take turns at moulding. (4) Draw a plan of the school-house and grounds on the floor. Have the members of the class stand all around the diagram, and make a special point (without telling why) of showing them that it \? 4 5<5 quite immaterial What their position is, so far as the correctness of the drawing is concerned. (5) Treat the township and county similarly^ marking the position of the school. (6) Draw these now on the black-board and review former work. (7) When you use a map for the first time, take it from the w^all and place it on the floor, north to north. Elicit that this is the natura- position, for many pupils have curiously absurd notions on ac- count of always seeing maps hung.*^ (8) Any map used in this manner should be propped with books, or otherwise, to show how the water flows. (9) It is desirable that every school should have at least one raised map, or map in relief, of the province or of a part of it, but at present these are not procurable. (10) Introduce your treatment of every country with a description of its physical features. (11) Avoid such hackneyed and meaningless phraseology as ** Bound Canada," or *• How is * Even teachers have been known who thought the Niagara River ran south, or, as they said, ** downwards." SI >7r.o»^^ ,»1T0^V Great Britain bounded ? '' Any other form is pre- ferable for a change, even if it should be less concise. (12) The following are suggested by way of variety : Name the physical features that surround Europe ? What form the outline or boundaries of the Dominion ? What bodies of land and water touch the limits of the United States? ^vk^^^>^^ Give the names of the coun tries bordering on Switzerland ? Mention the names of those portions ^^ of the Atlantic Ocean surround- ing Ireland? At best, the required answers are not of much account. (13) Use statistics of population, wealth and commerce to make comparisons, but only in rare instances expect the pupils to remember them. You cannot do so yourself. (14) Make yourself an authority in the pronun- ciation of place names : Vy-enna, Mo-byle, South- hampton and Cray-cow are examples of every day errors. Eye-talian may be mentioned here. 52 (15) A good general rule for all place-names that are not English, is to pronounce a as in far, and t as in pique. ^^ a (1 6) It is poor economy to keep maps rolled up either in a stand or in a corner of the room. Hang them on the walls where they may be always seen, and where they will also give the room a more cheerful appearance. (17) Keep for use in the class a magnetic com- pass—one may be purchased for a few cents. (18) Few lessons are more difficult to teach than those relating to the earth's motions. To explain the daily rotation, place one pupil in a central spot on the floor, and request another pupil to stand at a short distance from him and turn slowly a few times without moving out of his place. Ask the class to suppose that the stationary boy is holdmg a light, or is himself a light, and to tell you which side ot the other boy will be light or dark as he turns. (19) To illustrate yearly revolution, ask the mov- ing pupil to progress around the stationary one still keeping up his rotation. Should no member of the class be able to tell what you have been aiming to explain, it will be necessary to give the information yourself, and to have the motions performed once more, or oftener. (20) Another plan is to suspend an apple, o. 53 an orange, or even a turnip, by a string, and to make the suspended object spin rapidly as it hangs from your hand in front of a light, or of something that represents a light. It may next be carried round the light while spinning. (21) Show that if the world were to rotate as the boy, or as the suspended object does, most of the heat and light would always fall on the middle of it. Now, (unless you have previously prepared some- j^^^^^^\ \ 1 / thing else) push a lead ^^^^ ;^\l (1 ^ pencil or a pen holder through your miniature world — hold this at an ^ angle so that each end of the pencil or pen-holder may alternately face the light, and make it clear that only by revolving in this way can the upper and lower ends be brought into full view of the light, or be turned completely awav from it. This accounts for summer and winter, and why these seasons occur on opposite sides of the world at the same time. Spring and fall as intermediate seasons will not present much diffi- culty when summer and winter are clearly under- stood. (22) The greater heat about the middle of the earth may be explained on the ground that this part is alw^ays facing the sun more directly than 54 the parts lying farther north and south, some of which are. during a portion of the year, turned away 'T,V Any further difficulty on this score may be settled by asking the pupUs whether one will feel a greater amount of heat by standing m.med.a ely m ^ front of a fire-place or to one side of it. (24) Up to this point there should have been no refer- ence to axis, poles, tropics, equator, etc (25) Introduce these gradually, only as you go over the work from a second or a third to a tenth or a twentieth time. (26) It saves much future misapprehension to make plain that the Arctic and Antarctic Circles and the Tropics are merely results of the earth s slanting axis, or of the apparent motion of the sun north and south during the year. (27) This may be illustrated by a reference to a teeter put in motion by a boy who stands m the middle. The position of his feet may be regarded as the tropics, the limits of the plank's motion at the ends, as he places his weight on one foot or the other, corresponding to the circles. (28) Pupils in even advanced classes find it not 1 3 55 very easy to understand why the North Pole always points to the North Star. The following from Sul- livan's Geography Generalized is helpful: ''If a boy were to walk round a circular table ten feet in diameter, a line from his head to the ceiling would thare describe a circle fully as large as the table. Suppose now that all within this circle were painted black, and the portion elevated to such a height that it would appear to be only a speck, the head of the boy walking round the table w^ould now appear to be everywhere exactly in line with this barely visible single point, while truly no more so than when the circle was but a few feet above him.""^ (29) No judicious teacher will attempt to teach the '' seasons '' to other than somewhat advanced pupils. Years may elapse after children understand why we have day and night, before they can com- prehend seasonal phenomena. * As the book in question is not at hand, the quotation is made from memory. The illustration is given as a foot-note in the intro- duction. 56 ARITHMETIC. (NEITHER ARETHMATIC NOR ARITH-MET-IC.) (1) The power to think in, or of, numbers is not one of the earUest in mind development Ail frs^ efforts in numeration are naturally assoaatcd ..h b3ects,and probably the last teacher who ..d begin to teach arithmetic otherw.se, has long smct ceased to exist. (2) Encourage beginners by impressing upon them that although books of anthmct,c seem ,o contam many thmgb ^ hard to do, it is -^ possible to perform « ra»™ «^ TV mi V *w 1« only two things with figures, viz.: to make them stand for more or for less-that addition and subtraction cover the whole ground-that mut- plication and division are but other forms of the e, respectively, that all the other rules are mtendcd for short cuts, that many of them are of no use, and that every pupil may find out short cuts for himself. (i) Always keep on hand an assortment ot marbles, large beads, small wooden blocks, strips o card-board, pebbles or other small articles, to assist ^°(4) Every school should have as part of its pro- 57 perty a foot-rule divided into inches, a two-foot carpenter's square, a yard measure, a set of weights from one ounce to one pound, and sets of measures, liquid and solid. These are as necessary as maps and charts. (5) The school equip- ment should include a light box representing a solid foot, and if it is convenient, the wood box should represent a solid yard. The sides of these should be marked off into square inches and square feet, respectively. (6) Provide yourself with one or more sheets of paper, or of cardboard, each cut to the size of a square foot, and marked off into square mches. (7) Have your pointer exactly six feet long. (8) It is sometimes useful to remember that i Canadian cent is exactly one inch in diameter, and 100 of them weigh a pound. (9) In advancing from the use of objects towards the abstract, in your prim- ary classes, continue for some time to name certain ^^^ :^§^...^t^ things, as five horses and two horses ; seven sheep and four sheep. 58 (lo) Avoid totally the use of a book in the lower classes, and, . , ^ (XI) Construct all your examples w.th reference to things and places familiar to the pupils, such as ^ ^ rails or wires in a fence, boards in a barn, bricks and windows in a house, sheaves in a field, dis- tances in the section, ages of old inhabitants, etc. (12) Teach tables of weights and measures in connection litk weights ^^^J^^^^ ,„, ^..^s, (.3) Make the pupdsdrawj^^nea^^^^^^ andsquarefeetandyardsontheflo-a ^^ (14) Encourage making correct ^^ inches, feet and yards by the unaided eye. (15) In teaching frac- tions use apples, turnips, blocks, strips of paper, string, foot rules, or any- thing else that will illus- trate divisions and sub- divisions. , , (16) Spend, if necessary, the time of several les- sons to make clear beyond remotest doubt the meanings of numerator and denominator, and begin ^ 59 to do this the moment you have written the first fraction on the board. (17) Insist on the proper pronunciation of the word numera- tor from the outset,and take nothing else. (18) As frac- tional prob- lems beyond most others may be made to assume a very confused appearance, aim to secure neatness and logical sequence, with the use of all the proper signs, by the pupils. (19) Encourage independent methods in solving problems of any kind, aside from directions given in the book. (20) Spitting on slates is a filthy practice. Let every pupil be provided with a moist 6o sponge, or have a piece of cloth for cleansing ^"(2 irin teaching arithmetic beyond almost every other subject, in the public school course, the young teacher should be extremely careful not to Llk beyond the comprehension of the class as a whole. What appears to him as too simple to require explanation, may be a profound mystery to therwise apt pupils. There is no teaching until the pupil is brought into the same state or principle in which you are ; a transfusion takes place ; he is you, and you a- he > there is a teaching; and by no unfriendly chance or bad company can he ever quite lose the benefit. — Emerson, . — Learning without thought is labor lost ; thought without learning is perilous. -C^«>^/«^- Learning by study must be won, 'Twas ne'er entailed from son to son.— oay. 6i ORDER AND DISCIPLINE. (i) The sole interest of the state in education is centred in the desire to prepare its youth for citizenship. FaiHng to do this, any kind of edu- cation is valueless, so far as the state is concerned. School introduces the child to public life and teaches him to become amenable to general law. Here he must sacrifice his whims and caprices. If^ \ hitherto he has exercised self-denial as a virtue, now it is a necessity. Prompt obedience and conformity with regulation must govern his conduct. Here, too, he should be con- firmed in his notions, — if they are sound,— regard- ing truth and justice, and if they are not, then he * has all the more to learn. (2) Teachers are excusable if they sometimes for- get the future citizen in dealing with the present child, but the seldomer they do so the better, despite too fond parents and over - officious trustees. 62 (3) Never forget that you .ere once a child. (4) Lay down few rules. (c) A good general rule is " Do Right." (6) Petty rules lead to petty violations, petty ^ punishments and petty views about the teacher. (7) Grant as many privileges as possible. (8) Let every child retire when he pleases, without ask- ing you ungrammatically (or otherwise), whether he "can go out." (9) Permit every child to drink without asking leave. (10) Allow any two to sit together when they can be mutually helpful, and, (11) Allow a reasonable amount of conversation in such cases. , . j i^*- (12) If pupils would rather sit than stand, let them sit, and vice versa. . (13) Require only that all movements made m exercising these privileges be performed as noise- lessly as possible, and at times likely to cause least distraction to the school. (14) Let it be distinctly understood that these pri- vileges are granted by you, and that any abuse of them will lead to their withdrawal. 63 (15) The suspension of a privilege may be made a means of discipline for any offence. (16) Note the date of withdrawal. (17) Leave it with the pupil to ask for re-instate- ment after a certain time, or, (18) Make the suspension indefinite and restore the privilege at your own discretion. (19) It is open to doubt whether impositions, or tasks from the text books are all that some teachers would claim for them. (20) Some teachers WTite on the bLickboard the names of those who misbehave, but this should never be done when visitors are expected, or are likely to drop in. (21) Keeping in, often pun- ishes parents and teacher more than child. (22) Inflict punishment corporally only for seri- ous offences committed wilfully, especially after warnmg. (23) Report particulars of offence to the parents, stating your intention. If you receive no reply, or if they, in their reply, offer no objection, or if they give their consent, you are justified in the infliction of reasonable corporal punishment (24) The pupil, knowing that the case is wholly in your own hands, may now have his better 64 Ltive hiiu another nature worked upon, if you g, chance. (25) If trustees or parents object to corporal punishment, when you deem it imperative, you should resort to suspension or expulsion. (26) Writing to the parents is a good plan under any circumstances— it gives the offence an air of seriousness — it takes the parents into your confi- dence, and it gives you time to think. (27) Writing to parents should not be resorted to when it is known that the boy's home life is a hard one, and that he will probably receive as much punishment at home as at school. Indeed, it is doubtful whether corporal punishment at school is best in such a case. (28) In bad cases of repetition, should the offender promise amendment, agree to give him another chance if he can get one or two well-be- haved pupils to plead for him. (29) Former methods of punishment consisted in compelling the culprit to assume constrained positions, as, holding books or slates overhead. 65 standing on one foot, or placing the finger on the head of a nail in the floor ! No teacher now resorts to such barbarously stupid forms. (30) Have as few forms of punishment, and as few punishments as possible. (31) Appeal constantly to your pupils' sense of honor, and act as if you believe they possess it. (32) During your first week in a new school it may ^^pay'' you to do little else than get your pupils into habits of order. (33) Don't shout for order or be otherwise noisily demonstrative, simply stop your work and look the school in the face. Your cessation and your atti- tude will speedily bring about silence, if that is what you want. Proceed again, speaking in a low, firm tone, and pause suddenly the moment you hear the objectionable noise. Perseverance in this line will have a good effect. ^ (34) For no provocation, or on any account must you lose your temper. You are paid as a properly qualified teacher to manage the school, and it is quite as much your duty to keep your temper as it is to draw your salary. (35) If you are a chronically short-tempered per- son quit teaching at once. Your presence in the school room will only worry the children, and pro- duce much trouble for your successor, unless you resolve to earn your salary honestly. 66 (36) After establishing your authority in a way to rnaintain order and discipline, you will still find the school subject to periodical attacks of "fidgets," which may be attributed to the weather, improper ventilation, or some unknown cause. (37) A few minutes in the play-ground will often restore equanimity to the pupils as well as to yourself, and meanwhile the air in the room will have been purified. (38) Tedium may be relieved by singing something lively if the pupils can all join in the song. (39) You may sing something alone. (40) A pupil may be asked to sing. (41) You may play on any musical instrument. [Some teachers have been known to.keep a violin, flute or accordeon in school for such occasions.] (42) You may tell a short story of some lively adventure. . , (43) You may give the classes a few mmutes exercise in calisthenics. (44) If that is beyond your power, get them to imitate you as you clap your hands in front, at each side, and overhead. Even a little tramping may be permitted. The more noise the more fun. (45) The black-board may be used upon which to sketch some amusing outline. 67 (46) You may perform some simple trick, or sleight of hand. (47) You may explain how to play an interesting parlor game^ or (48) Show how to tie odd or difficult knots on string, or (49) To cut curious forms from paper, or (50) Do anything novel, or interesting, for the pur- pose of giving the thoughts of the pupils a new turn. (51) When you conclude, if you find any one disposed to linger too long over his wonder or his laugh, make him understand that the ''exhibitiop" IS at an end, and that he is not giving you any encouragement to repeat it. (52) Try to make the pupils feel that while you are reasonably vigilant, you will not descend to sneakishness. A tip-toe teacher makes a mean school. {53) Afford opportunities for your scholars to govern themselves during your temporary absence from the room. (54) On your return, sometimes ask those to stand who did anything while you were out that they would not have done in your presence. Do not pry too closely unless you suspect somethinir serious ; admonish quietly and briefly, and let the^ matter drop. Even Dr. Arnold knew when to l>e blind. 68 (55) The more confidence you place in your pupils, the more self-respecting they will become. (56) Do not look for the laximum of good behaviour from every one. (57) During recitations some teachers call classes by tinkle of hand-bell— to get ready— to rise— to step out— to go forward. (58) Numbers may be used in the same way, one, ready ; two, rise ; (f^ l^p^^^^ and so on. U tl ^j^^Klfrnl ^59) ""^ simple way is just to name the class, then say "Rise"; "out"; "place." (60) Some only name the class, the members of which act simultaneously as in the other cases, without any further direction. (61) The best way of all, when it can be done, is to let the scholars remain in their seats, asking them to stand only when called upon to read, or to reply. (62) You will make disorder for yourself if you ask your classes to stand too long. Five to ten minutes is long enough. (63) When " up in the class," benches with backs should be provided for the scholars. (64) Don't ask pupils to sit too long with their arms folded, or their hands behind their back or 69 on their knees, unless you wish to have these posi- tions regarded as mild forms of punishment. (65) Keep your charge busy without allowing the exercises to become monotonous. There is always " mischief for idle hands to do." (66) Unusually restless pupils may be asked to assist you in any way you can devise. Make work for them if there is none ready. (67) A noisy school need not be otherwise a badly conducted one. Some teachers manage to do good work amid sounds and confusion that would drive others to distraction. (68) Where covered slate frames are not in use, much clatter will be avoided by covering the desk with any kind of coarse clotk Green baize is preferable, but any coarse material will do. Com- mon sacking answers very well. (69) There should be no objection to pupils pro- viding cushions for their seats. Additional com- fort tends to order and better work. (70) In many schools it should be thought quite reasonable to lay coarse matting on the floor of the passages. Such provision is required a good deal more in schools than in churches. It would render quiet walking easy. (71) Walking on tip-toe should be forbidden. The complaint has been made that the habitual walking of pupils on tip-toe tends to make them " in-toed." 70. (72) A good clock in every scnool has ceased to be regarded as a luxury. Nothing tends more to system. A clock is a constant monitor. (73) Every school, even in the remotest country section, will benefit by a good bell on the roof. It and the clock should fix the standard of time in the section and thus secure punctuality of attend- ance on the part of the pupils. (74) Rather lose your breakfast than be late yourself. (75) Be sure you have ample hook »accom- modation for hats and coats. (76) Have a press, or at least a shelf, on which to place the pupils' lunches. Never allow them to be in the desks. (77) If there is no drinking w^ater in the yard, alw^ays keep two pails supplied with it in the room —one for the boys and one for the girls. (78) Request the pupils not to stand over the pail wiien they drink, and encourage each to have his ow^n drinking cup. (79) Be careful regarding the sanitary condition of the school w ell and pump. (80) Much vigilance may be necessary for some time to prevent cutting and carving of school furni- 71 ture. Even the plainest desk or seat should be kept absolutely free from intentional markings of any kind. (8i) Make frequent examination of the plaster and wood-work for pen- cillings, and spare no pains to discover the culprit. (82) Visit also, daily, the^ water closets, for the same purpose, as well as to observe their sanitary condition. (83) Let the penalty for cutting be temporary or permanent forfeiture of the knife, and have this clearly understood from the outset. In serious cases the damaged article should be repaired or a new one pumhased. (84) Encourage in your pupils a spirit of pride in keeping the premises in "apple-pie order/' (85) Reason firmly with those who have been discovered to have injured the school property in any way. (86) Should the offender not ..e Known, or, should you, as is sometimes politic, not wish to know him, refer to the practices of writing and 72 carving in such places in the most scornful and withering language you can command. (87) In cold or wet weather allow any amount of fun in school during recesses, short of romping and running. (88) It will secure order to provide for the use of pupils at such times something to amuse themselves with. (89) Recesses during such a day may be em- ployed occasionally to clean out desks, wash black- boards, etc. (90) In schools where but few or none of the children go home at noon, you may arrange with them, when the weather is bad, to shorten all the recesses and dismiss so much earlier in the after- noon. (91) A movable curtain may be used to cover temporarily any work you may put on the black- board before you are ready to begin the class. (92) A backward pupil may be placed under the special care of one who is competent and willing to assist him 73 PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS. (i) Public examinations so-called are a delusion. To many pupils they are acts of cruel to others, mere opportunities for display. (2) As '' Exhibitions " or '' re-unions," yearly or half-yearly gatherings in the school - room serve many social purposes, that may tend to the advancement of education, (3) Neither pupils nor teachers should be re- garded as on trial on such occasions, and pupils tak- ing part should do so as performers and not as scholars. (4) The preparation of certain lessons for the "examinations" is manifest deceit. Pupils who do not so regard it at the time will remember it with unpleasant feelings in after years 74 GENERAL. V (i) Every teacher should keep a speci- men-box to contain objects, either to illus- trate points in lessons, or forspecial exercises at odd times. The specimens should be i lof a kind not easily ' procurable, unless kept on hand, e,g.^ ores of metals, coal— bituminous and anthracite — flint, quartz, marble, cork, bark, cotton pod, flax fibre, a few printing types ; anything, in fact to exemplify raw material and processes of manu- facture. (2) "Sink the shop,'' in company, unless your listeners exhibit a desire that you should talk about your work. Show that your knowledge is not con- 75 fined to the narrow range of school routine and text-books. (3) It is well to have a special subject of study outside of your professional line, but it ought not to absorb too much of your attention. (4) If you have a '' hobby '' in teaching ride it naercifully. That you are especially fond of a particular subject is a probable reason why you should teach it well, in which case it will require less time and trouble than some other subject. (5) Sarcasm is the besetting sin of many teachers. If yours, use it cautioubiy, or not at all. (6) i\sk simple questions when you want simple answers, which are all you need expect in lowest classes. (7) Correct every error in speech on the part of the youngest pupils— this is practical grammar. Those who fail to do so are not true teachers. (8) Speak yourself with as much accuracy to the primer pupils as you would to the Inspector. (9) Be as polite to the httle ones as to their parents. (10) Praise all you can. Reprove only when necessary. Blame as seldom as possible. Nag never. (11) Adapt your language to the age and com- prehension of the children. Some one has said, *'Easy speaking is hard thinking," that is, it re- ^6 quires an effort to make one's self understood to those who are much inferior in point of knowledge. (12) Insist on every primer pupil being provided with slate and pencil from the first day. (13) Teach them to form the digits neatly, and as large as capital letters in common WTiting. (14) Make a card-board clock-face with hands, that the primer pupils may amuse themselves at times. With this they will learn to know the time on the clock, and the value of the Roman numerals from I to XII. (15) Let the little ones out to play as soon as they become listless in school. (16) Get any advanced pupil w^ho has done his work, or whom you may wish to encourage, to take charge of the first-book classes in the play-ground. (17) Dismiss the little ones from fifteen minutes to half-an-hour earlier than the others, unless for any reason they would rather remain. (18) Dismissing only deserving pupils a little earlier, enables you to '^ keep in " others without incommoding the parents or yourself. (19) Keep a few hat-hooks on hand in case of breakage, and get the strongest. (20) Rather do simple repairs yourself, or have them done under your direction by the pupils, than allow the premises to become untidy. (21) Dismiss school as punctually as you open it. 77 Recognize the rights of your pupils in this as in other respects. (22) Keep beside you a few strips of washed linen or cotton, and sticking plaster, in case of acci- dents. SCRAP-BOOKS- (i) One or more scrap-books should belong to the school. Here the teacher and pupils may pre- serve for reference items of local interest, paragraphs relating to lessons in the text-books, accounts of strange or curious occurrences, portraits of distin- guished persons, cuts of celebrated places, and^ generally, anything likely to prove interesting or instructive from a literary, historical, artistic or scientific point of view. (2) Nothing should be inserted in the scrap-book without the teacher's assent. (3) Some one should be appointed to. keep it indexed for reference, and (4) It should always lie where it may be exam- ined by the pupils when they are not otherwise engaged. When you know a thing, to hold that you know it ; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it ; this is knowledge. — Confucius. 78 SCHOOL WALLS. ( 1 ) Cover the walls if possible with maps and charts. (2) A few good engravings in frames have a pleasant efHjct. (3) Pictures may be pasted on the walls, or attached lightly so that they may be removed at the house-cleaning season. (4) Everything that beautifies the room and its surroundings tends to increased regard on the part of the pupils for school and its duties, and con- duces to consequent improvement in manners. THE INSPECTOR. (i) To your Inspector be neither obsequious, nor haughty. Treat him exactly as you would treat any other gentleman. (2) If you found the school in a very bad con- dition, you need not mention that to him. He probably knows all about it, and if you have effected any improvement, he will be among the first to give you credit for it. (3) As he knows that classes are apt to flounder in his presence, you need make no apology for what is not your fault. 79 (4) If you have any professional difficulty, con- fide in him. He ought to be your best monitor, and probably will be, if you approach him frankly. (5) Regarding the difficulty in the neighboring section, it is quite unnecessary that you should say a word to him. (6) Try to find something praise-worthy to tell him connected with the work done by your pre- decessor. (7) Speak as highly as possible of your In- spector, both in and out of the school. (8) If there is any cause of difference between you let it not appear during his visit. Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or, we know where we can find informa- tion upon it. — Samuel Johnson. Biron, — What is the end of study ? Kiftg. — Why, that to know, which else we should not know. — Shakespeare 8o CLEANLINESS. (i) Insist on the walls being whitewashed at least once a year — not because they look dirty, but because they must be dirty. (2) Where the trustees fail to arrange for daily sweeping and dusting, there should be no diffi culty in getting pupils to take turns at such work. (3) When sweeping is done by the pupils, noon is perhaps the best time. Boys and girls should attend to their respective sides of the room. See No. 89 p. 72 on cleaning out desks. (4) In country districts it is as necessary to insist on clean feet as on clean hands. Certainly this is a duty, not a sin. '' Cleanliness is, indeed, next to godhness.'' — Wesley. Sermon xcii. Cleanliness of body was ever esteemed to proceed from a due reverence to God. — Bacon, Si OUTSIDE WORK. (r) You may, and should, make your influence felt in the section, beyond the performance of your strictly professional duties. (2) Organize a few meetings for general enter- tainment during the winter season. These may include readings, speeches and music. (3) Pupils may be trained to take part in some simple dialogues, or in a short play. (4) Deliver an occasional lecture on some inter- esting subject, avoiding matters likely to cause irritation. Country audiences are easily entertained an i practice in public speaking will benefit yourself. (5) If it is convenient or desirable organize a night-school, charging a fee for attendance. {See School Law). (6) Any or all of these may be used for the pur- pose of raising money to buy something you want for the school, and for which you either do not care to ask the trustees, or they refuse to incur the expense. In some such way money has been raised for the purchase of maps, globes, clock, large bell, teacher's desk, organ, fencing, painting, out- houses and repairing. (7) In the management of entertainments care must be exercised to hold perfect control of the 6 82 meeting, while allowing n asonable latitude for mirth. (8) If you are not the right kind of person to manage an audience, don't attempt it. Failure will do more harm than your intentions will do you good. (9) The following are suggested as suitable for a series of meetings : — Pioneer experiences ; each narrator not to occupy more than fifteen minutes, unless with the consent of the audience, or by pre- arrangement ; as a rule, these should be written and read, but this is not always possible. (10) Essays by residents of the neighborhood. (11) Lectures or addresses by yourself, and by teachers of adjacent schools. (i?) Lectures or addresses on secular subjects by ministers. (13) Lectures or addresses by intelligent farmers and others. (14) Debates on non-irritating subjects. (15) Concerts and conversaziones of a purely local character as to performers. (16) Lectures, addresses, and papers should include observations on the geology, topography history, ixndi flora 2S\^ fauna of the district. (17) Arrange your course of meetings in the fall and let it be widely known to what purpose any money raised will be applied. V §3 (i8) Either appoint a chairman by pre-arrange- ment for each meeting yourself, or have one elected for the whole course at your first meeting. (19) Consult with your trustees, and secure the co-operation of your inspector. (20) Write a list of meetings with dates, and post conspicuously in the school-room. Anger wishes that all mankind had only one neck; love, that it had only one heart ; grief, two tear glands ; pride, two bent knees. — Richter. The worst men often give the best advice ; Our deeds are often better than our thoughts. — Bailey, Be always displeased at what thou art, if thou desire to attain to what thou art not ; for where thou hast pleased thyself there thou abidest. — Qiiarles. Who does the best his circumstance allows, Does well, acts nobly; angels could no more. — Yoiuig. As we advance in life we learn the limits of our abilities. — Froude. » " How poor are they that have not patience ! What wound did ever heal but by degrees ?— Shakespeare. 84 APPLYING FOR SITUATIONS. (i) When you want a situation, don't apply for one at hap-hazard. First get all the information you can. (2) Write to the teacher and ask why he is leaving, what salary he received, the average attend- ance, kind of school-house, and such othef particulars as you deem necessary. (3) Ask the same, or a larger salary, but, unless in very excep- tional circumstances, never a lower one. (4) Discourage advertisements asking you to state salary. Adver- tising trustees should invariably state what they will ^''(c) Every country association should possess a record of all the schools within its bounds with details relating to salaries, attendance, condition, character and prospects. (6) Under a proper system such a record would aid applicants individually, and benefit the whole teaching body in a short time.