Next in order of the division of the time may be the teacher's report on
any papers that the class has handed in. It is impossible to tell how
much of this paper work should be demanded. The local school conditions,
the mental condition of the class, and the time at the disposal of the
teacher are all factors in the case. In general, it may be said that
enough of this kind of work is necessary to see that pupils are neat and
accurate in setting down their demonstrations. On the other hand, paper
work gives an opportunity for dishonesty, and it consumes a great deal
of the teacher's time that might better be given to reading good books
on the subject that he is teaching. If, however, any papers have been
submitted, about five minutes may well be given to a rapid review of the
failures and the successes. In general, it is good educational policy to
speak of the errors and failures impersonally, but occasionally to
mention by name any one who has done a piece of work that is worthy of
special comment. Pupils may better be praised in public and blamed in
private. There is such a thing, however, as praising too much, when
nothing worthy of note has been done, just as there is danger of blaming
too much, resulting in mere "nagging."
The third division of the recitation period may profitably go to
assigning the advance lesson. The class questions and the teacher's
report on written work have shown the mental status of the pupils, so
that the teacher now knows what he may expect for the next lesson. If he
assigns his lesson at the beginning of the period, he does not have this
information. If he waits to the end, he may be too hurried to give any
"development" that the new lesson may require. There can be no rule as
to how to assign a new lesson; it all depends upon what the lesson is,
upon the mental state of the class, and not a little upon the
idiosyncrasy of the teacher. The German educator, Herbart, laid down
certain formal steps in developing a new lesson, and his successors have
elaborated these somewhat as follows:
1. _Aim._ Always take a class into your confidence. Tell the members at
the outset the goal. No one likes to be led blindfolded.
2. _Preparation._ A few brief questions to bring the class to think of
what is to be considered.
3. _Presentation of the new._ Preferably this is done by questions, the
answers leading the members of the class to discover the new truth for
themselves.
4. _Apperception._ Calling attention to the fact that this new fact was
known before, in part, and that it relates to a number of things already
in the mind. The more the new can be tied up to the old the more
tenaciously it will be held.
5. _Generalization and application._
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