The Educational Writings of Richard MulcasterMulcaster, Richard
History
The Educational Writings of Richard Mulcaster
Mulcaster, Richard
Education -- History
I think it is not good to begin study immediately after rising, or
just after meals, or to continue right up to the time of going to
bed. From 7 to 10 in the forenoon, and from 2 till almost 5 in the
afternoon are the most fitting hours, and quite enough for children
to be learning. The morning hours will serve best for memory work
and what requires mental effort; the afternoon for going over again
the material that has been already acquired. The other times before
meals are for exercise. The hours after meals and before study is
resumed, are to be given to resting the body and refreshing the
mind, without too much movement. To conclude, we must make the best
of those places and hours that are at present appointed, and yet be
prepared to adopt better arrangements, as soon as it shall please
God to send them. And by persuasion some teachers may be able to
bring wise parents to try changes in the direction I have pointed
out. In the meantime some excellent man, having the advantage of a
well-situated house, and being independent of outside help and able
to control his own arrangements, may be prepared to make useful
experiments.
Elementary Teacher most Important.
The Elementary school is left to the lowest and the worst class of
teacher, because good scholars will not abase themselves to it. The
first grounding should be undertaken by the best teacher, and his
reward should be the greatest, because his work demands most energy
and most judgment, and competent men could easily be induced to
enter these lower ranks if they found that sufficient reward were
offered. It is natural enough for ignorant people to make little
of the early training, when they see how little consideration is
paid to it, but men of judgment know how important the foundation
is, not only as regards the matter that is taught, but the manner
of handling the child’s intelligence, which is of great moment.
But to say something concerning the teacher’s reward, which is the
encouragement to good teaching, what is the sense in increasing the
salary as the child grows in learning? Is it to cause the master to
take greater pains, and bring his pupil better forward in view of
the promise of what is to come? Nay, surely that cannot be. Present
payment would be a greater inducement to bring pupils forward than
the hope in promise, for in view of the variety and inconstancy
of parents’ minds, what assurance is there that the child will
continue with the same master? That he who took great pains for
little gain should receive more for less trouble? Besides, if the
reward were good he would hasten to gain more through the supply
of new scholars, who would be attracted by the report of his
diligent and successful work. As things are, the master who gets
the pupils later reaps the benefit of the elementary teacher’s
labour, because the child makes more show with him. Why should this
be so? It is the foundation well and soundly laid that makes all
the upper building secure and lasting.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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