TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

PROBLEMS OF SCHOOL-ROOM GOVERNMENT

The importance of good order-The methods of an earlier

day-The factors which have produced a new régime in re-

spect to school government-Problems in securing and hold-

ing attention-The influence of the eye upon a pupil's atten-

tion-Cultivating distractions—A feasible and effective remedy

-A potent cause of dullness as well as disorder in the school-

room-Frequent relaxation periods absolutely imperative-A

concrete instance of a disorderly school-The teacher's relax-

ation-The stormiest season of the school year-Bring pupils

by degrees to the work of the school in the autumn-The

problem of vacation-Physical defects and irritants as causes

of dullness and disorder.

CHAPTER II

PROBLEMS OF DISCIPLINE

The "spoiled" child-The "spoiled" child is hardly ever a

happy one-Higher and lower tendencies in human life-

Short-sightedness in the training of children-How animals

are "broken"-Children must be let alone more than they now

are-The favorite pupil-New times bring new problems in

training-The elimination of masculinity in the training of

children-Hypertrophy of our sensibilities-Corporal punish-

ment-Soft methods in training-No cure-all in discipline-

The charlatan in ethical training-From the pupil's standpoint

-Positive methods in discipline.

CHAPTER III

FAIR PLAY IN THE SCHOOL-ROOM

A typical case requiring correction-Securing the coöpera-

tion of pupils in cases of discipline-Pupils should not be chal-

lenged to a contest of wits in discipline-Group loyalty-Gain-

ing the respect of pupils-Why pupils lose their respect for a

teacher-Gaining the assistance of capable pupils-School-room

injustice breeds disrespect-Typical cases-Feelings of success,

not of failure-As a rule, correction should be individual and

private-It should also be quiet-The problem of communica-

tion in the school-room-The impulse to communicate-Out-

side of school the child is encouraged to communicate freely

-The most effective way to control the evils of communica-

tion-Devices for suppressing communication.

CHAPTER IV

TEACHING PUPILS TO THINK

Necessity, the spur to clear thinking-The supreme test of a

good method-The test applied to a history lesson-Formal

exactness rather than effective thinking-Historical ideas that

relate to every-day life-Lack of effective thinking in civil gov-

ernment-Developing clear thinking by a different method of

teaching-Thinking straight on the subject of taxation-Trac-

ing governmental relations in social groups-Clear thinking in

arithmetic-Mere verbal reading of problems-Verbal study

of weights and measures as an example-Clear thinking and

useful problems in arithmetic-Making problems relate to the

pupil's actual needs and experience-A concrete instance illus-

trating the vital teaching of arithmetic-Useful problems for

the city pupil-The cure for inaccurate thinking in this field

-The evil of inaccuracy in school work-Self-correction of

inaccurate work.

CHAPTER V

TEACHING PUPILS TO THINK-(Concluded)

Clear thinking and a good memory-An example of obscure
teaching-Attacking the problem in another way—An illustra-
tion from geography-The method in mathematical geography
-Teaching facts without binding them together in causal re-
lations-A plausible but erroneous principle of teaching-
Geography a good subject for effective teaching-Teaching
pupils to become self-helpful-An illustration of a failure to
observe the principle of self-activity-Making it unnecessary
for pupils to use their experience-Home study by pupils and
training in self-helpfulness-The typical parent's method of
"helping" the child-An illustration of bad methods in home
instruction-Teaching to satisfy formal requirements instead
of to train a pupil in self-helpfulness.

CHAPTER VI

TEACHING PUPILS TO EXECUTE

Spelling as a typical technical subject-A practical test-

Ability to use words the true test-Shall we have spelling lists?

-How shall we choose words for spelling?-Harmful drill in

spelling-When the value of drill ceases-An error in teach-

ing spelling-One source of confusion in teaching-Syllabica-

tion in spelling-Dangers to be avoided in the analysis of

words-Evil habits of study must be guarded against-Waste-

ful and ineffective methods of preparing lessons-Auditory

familiarity in spelling-Facility in manual execution; a lesson

from abroad-The change made in one's style according to

the needs of expression-An illustration of exalting technique

above content-Instruction in technique-Too great emphasis

upon technique may lead to nervous overstrain-Developing

the ideas of lightness and rapidity in the place of power and

effort.

CHAPTER VII

TEACHING PUPILS TO EXECUTE-(Concluded)

An illustration from instruction in music-Execution in sing-

ing-Elementary facts of technique-Development of an ap-

preciation of rhythm-General motor before special vocal ex-

ecution-The child's interest in action songs-One reason why

singing is often formal and mechanical-First steps in teach-

ing a novice to read music-The relation between reading lin-

guistic as compared with musical symbols-We must begin

with the largest unities possible without going beyond the pu-

pil's ability to execute readily-Reading musical symbols at

sight-The value of the simplest musical elements-While em-

phasis is put upon the higher unities, the lower ones must not

be slighted-An illustration from the teaching of drawing-Re-

production vs. representation-Automatic facility in arithmetic

-Relation of reasoning to automatic facility-Applying princi-

ples until their right application becomes "second nature”—

Danger of over-emphasizing analysis.

CHAPTER VIII

TEACHING THE ARTS OF COMMUNICATION

How the child gets the meaning of words-The chief dis-

tinction between the child and the adult in attending to ob-

jects and situations-When true learning begins-Acquisition

of meanings by the learning of definitions-Fundamental de-

fects in dictionary definitions—Words must be learned in their

contextual relations-The social basis for language learning

-The motive for requiring the art of expression-A sugges-

tion for the teacher of language-Unconventional language—

What is objectionable in one section may be acceptable in an-

other-Specimen phrases trying to acquire respectability-Con-