DIDACTICS R COMMON SCHOOL TEACHERS By HENRY SABIN, LL.D. rintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Iowa 1888-92 ND, MCNALLY & COMPANY ago New York London THE PREFACE URPOSES.-This book is addressed to that large body of teachers who are at work in the common chools of the land. It is designed to be helpful to hose who have had little or no professional training nd whose outfit consists mainly in their native good ense, and in a fair knowledge of the common ranches. Whatever there may be of value in the olume is drawn very largely from an experience of ver fifty years in school work. While acting as superisor of schools, and at institutes and educational meetgs, it has been my custom to note down those points practical importance in which the body of teachers eemed to need instruction. From these notes I have repared a volume for those who are disposed to invesgate school affairs from a common sense standpoint. Euch genuine pleasure has been derived from the writg of this volume, and it is sent forth in the hope that may prove an aid and encouragement to those ho desire to enter more fully into the true spirit of aching, without which all knowledge is formal and lueless so far as the school is concerned. There are ountless numbers of teachers who regard only the bject matter contained in the books, and neglect "to ach the child," which is a far more worthy object. Not long since the statement was made by a promient superintendent, and greeted with applause, that e measured the worth of a teacher by the number of pils in her room who could pass a successful exam ily to combat, as far as possible, such ideas as ut to inculcate and enforce the opposite, which d Thring formulates in these words: "Education training for life. Lives, not lessons, are dealt with its corollary, that no system which battens ks is true. ve no desire to appear as a critic. The ofted story of incompetent teachers and wretched. s, dinned into the ears of young teachers, has a disheartening effect. It kills their ambition, their enthusiasm, and sends them to their s with the feeling that in nine cases out of ten is inevitable. On the contrary, I would take the shutters, and throw open the schoolroom that God's pure air, the warm sunshine, the of birds, and the smell of flowers may come in [1 every crevice and corner of the room, so that umblest teacher may see and feel what a noble, ke thing it is to strive honestly and conscieny to do one's duty. rangement of SUBJECTS.—It is proper here to call ion to the arrangement chosen for the subjectr in the different chapters. This volume is ned as a counselor, which teachers can keep on desks, and to which they can refer at odd ents, as they have time or as occasion suggests. - there is a common vein of thought and purpose traced, running through the entire book, each er has a character of its own; it stands out by and is intended to meet an individual purpose. any teacher can select the chapter which seems. et personal or present necessities, and defer reade others until a more opportune time. ence to the nature of teaching and the preparation of the teacher. This is followed by two chapters having special reference to the child and things which will be most useful to children. Moral instruction, as of greatest importance, follows next, with its adjunct, habits. School government naturally follows this. The health of the school and the cultivation of taste are next. Then the recitation follows, not because it is of minor importance, but because other things which have been mentioned are necessary in order that the recitation may be of most use. Oral instruction, as closely allied, follows recitation. The other subjects, memory, imagination, and so on, come in their natural order. Special attention, however, is called to the last chapter, regarding books and their uses. HENRY SABIN. Des Moines, Iowa, June, 1903. |