The Duty of American Women to Their CountryBeecher, Catharine Esther
History
The Duty of American Women to Their Country
Beecher, Catharine Esther
Education; Education -- United States; Women teachers -- United States
For example, if a child gives up some gratification in order to relieve
some poor companion, or furnish a destitute schoolmate with clothes or
books; if a child has aided or defended a companion when laughed at, or
ill-treated; if another has found some tempting article, and, instead of
secreting it, has sought out the owner and returned it; if, when insulted
and provoked, another has refrained from angry words and all retaliation;
if another has refused to believe evil of a companion, and endeavoured
to stop an injurious report; if another has taken care to preserve his
own premises from filth and disorder, and protected the schoolhouse and
play-ground from abuse; let all such actions be presented to the school
as good, and worthy of imitation. Commendation not only encourages and
animates those who do well, but inspires the desire to imitate in others.
In cases where a teacher assumes the care of a school where there are
many children who have formed bad habits, it is very important that he
should imitate Christ in his feelings and deportment towards sinners. In
such a case, it is very important to convince his pupils that, however
bad they are, he is still their friend, and ever ready to do them good.
He should state to them that he is aware that they have formed bad
habits, and that the labour of curing them is great and difficult. He
should carefully notice all _attempts_ to do better, and where there are
efforts made to improve, occasional failures should be spoken of with
words of kindness, sympathy, and encouragement.
And all teachers need to be careful not to be so frequent in finding
fault, and so severe in manner as to produce the feeling of hopelessness
in efforts to please and satisfy. When a child feels that, however
earnestly he may try to do right, he has such bad habits already formed
that he shall not succeed so as to please his teacher, all motive for
exertion ceases, and he becomes reckless and hardened.
The great art of curing faults is, so to secure the affection and
confidence of a child, that he shall be a cheerful co-worker with his
teacher, assured of approbation in success, and of forbearance and
sympathy in any failure.
In cases where the morals of a school are very bad, it will be wise for a
teacher to let many things pass unnoticed that in a better community he
would reprove.
Some one, two, or three rules of duty can be presented at a time, and
diligent efforts be made to remedy habits which violate these rules.
When some gain has been made on these points, then one or two more can
be added, and thus a _gradual_ advance will secure far more success than
attempting everything at once.
There are many ways of rendering the Bible interesting to children,
which should, if possible, be introduced into common schools. Some of
these will be mentioned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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