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formed, the grand point is gained; the future improvement of the pupil is almost secure ;-that fondness and those habits can seldom fail to remain, to stimulate and guide the researches of future years. That the intellectual and moral character is frequently determined by early impressions, is a remark, trite indeed, but so important, that it ought to be repeated, again and again, in the ears of every parent and guardian, and teacher of the rising generation.

Haye I digressed from my subject? I think not—at least, not far. The result to which we come is, that a most powerful means of stimulating the student, is, to teach him in a judicious and skilful manner. Do this, and avoid all counteracting influences, and he will love to learn. The exercise of the faculties, and the acquisition of new ideas, are both, naturally, sources of pleasure to the mind. This pleasure, once tasted, will be again desired. This desire, which gains strength by fruition, is a stimulus, pure in its nature, safe in its operation, salutary in its influence, and powerful in its effects.

But there are many teachers who do not afford their pupils a proper opportunity to exert their faculties. Instead of setting their pupils to thinking and investigating, they, as far as possible, do all the thinking for them; thus making them almost entirely passive in the acquisition of ideas. The teacher who wishes to stimulate his pupils to the highest degree of exertion, should guard against this course. He should never do for his pupils what they can do for themselves. He should never tell them a thing which they can find out for themselves. And when they must be assisted, he should afford them only so much assistance that they can do the rest themselves. In a word, he should, as far as possible, in all the branches, pursue that inductive method which, we hope, will effect a greater advance in the intellectual improvement of the rising generation, than can be effected by any other cause.

2. In connexion with the preceding remarks, we would recommend to aim as variety and novelty in the objects which are presented to the attention of the student. This is peculiar

ly necessary in the care of children. One great reason why they soon become weary with reading or committing words and sentences which they do not understand, is, that the charm of novelty is wanting. No food being afforded to the mind, the lesson consists merely of a succession of unmeaning sounds, which fall with dull monotonous sameness on the ear. It is in general advisable, that a student should attend to different branches of study at different hours of the day. When he begins to be weary with application to a single branch of learning, to exchange it for another serves as a relaxation to the mind, and may frequently answer that purpose as well as modes of relaxation of a less profitable nature. Caution must be used, however, as already suggested, against dissipating the mind by directing it to too great a variety of objects in a day. And, it may be added, that seldom, if ever, should two studies, that are entirely new, be commenced at the same time. But not a day, and, if possible, not a lesson, should be suffered to pass, without the acquisition of some ideas, which the learner feels to be new. Too often indeed, the learner is taught in such a way, that he cannot distinguish new ideas from old ones; and too many teachers never think of enabling their pupils to make the distinction.

3. A student is stimulated to exertion by guarding against a wandering mind and keeping the attention directed to the proper object. In order that this may be the case during the time of recitation, the questions should be so managed, that individuals cannot answer, unless their attention be unremitted. This may be done, partly, by expressing questions in such language that they cannot be understood without having attended to the previous questions and answers; partly, when one pupil has failed to answer a question, or has answered it wrong, by calling on another to answer, without repeating the question; partly, by analyzing the ideas and making each question and answer as short as possible, so as to pass rapidly round the class; partly, when one pupil has committed an error in some part of his answer or performance, by calling on

another to specify the error and to show why it is an error; and partly, by calling on individuals to answer questions or to correct one another's errors, not in the order in which they stand or sit, but promiscuously. And, minute as the circumstance may appear, the teacher will find it useful, in many cases, to announce a question previously to calling the individual by name, who is desired to answer it. The putting of questions promiscuously, and refusing to repeat a question which has been once distinctly announced, may be made a powerful means of keeping alive the attention of a whole class, or even of a whole school, during an exercise which concerns the whole. It frequently happens, that when one individual of a class is performing his part of an exercise, the others, or some of them, instead of listening to his performance, are studying that question or that part of the task, which seems likely to come to them. Some effectual means must be taken to defeat all calculations of this kind, as it is of the highest importance that every individual in a class should listen attentively to the performance of every other individual.

4. And in order to stimulate them to exertion in preparing for recitation, no one should be able to calculate what part of the exercise he shall be called on to perform. Some teachers always, at a recitation, begin at one end of the class; so that those who stand at that end, know, to a certainty, that the first part of the lesson will come to them, and those who do not stand there, are almost equally certain that it will not come to them. I have even seen a class of little fellows, when paraded in due order on the floor, begin and spell each his word in rotation, and run through a column of the Spelling Book in rapid and unbroken succession, without needing the voice of the teacher or even giving him an opportunity to speak. If one of the band had happened to be absent, I suppose his word must have been omitted.

5. The inducement to study lessons thoroughly, will be much increased, if each scholar is allowed to try but once ir spelling a word or answering a question. It is, I fear, a gen

eral practice, to try twice, when the first attempt proves to be an error; and some hasty spirits will try three or four times almost in a breath, before the teacher has opportunity to put the question to another, or to advise them to pause and consider what they are saying. This habit of guessing is truly a lamentable one. "Think before you speak," is a maxim worthy to be frequently inculcated in school. To a pupil who manifests a propensity to disregard this maxim, the teacher might say, "When I ask you a question, you either know how to answer it, or you do not. If you know, you can, by proper care, answer correctly the first time. If you do not know, then be honest enough to say so, and let some one tell that does know; for the art of guessing is a branch which I do not teach." To limit each pupil strictly to a single answer, except in special cases, not only affords a stimulus to exertion, but induces a habit of consideration, caution, and correctness in speaking, which is of inestimable value.

6. In all cases where it is practicable, it is best, that questions should be asked in the language of the instructer and answered in that of the pupil, instead of using printed questions, and giving answers verbatim as they have been marked with a pencil. If the pupil does not know precisely what questions will be asked, or in what form they will be put, and finds it necessary to answer more by an exercise of understanding than by an act of memory, he will exert himself to understand the subject; and by so doing, he will acquire more knowledge, will cultivate his mental faculties in a higher degree, and will become far more deeply interested in his studies, than by pur suing a different course.

7. The various means of stimulating a student, which have been brought into view, are chiefly included in the general idea of a skilful method of teaching. I shall now briefly advert to a few, which are of a somewhat different nature. One of these is derived from the power of sympathy. There is, in the human breast, a propensity to feel the same emotions Which we see manifested by another on whom our attention

is fixed. Hence, if a child perceives that those who are around him, especially his teacher and parents, take a pleasure in knowing those things which he is learning, his own desire to know them, and his pleasure in learning them, will be greatly increased. This is probably the principal reason, that where we find in parents a taste for reading and literary pursuits, we usually find the same in their children. But when a child knows that his parents and teacher consider learning as an irksome task, and expect him to consider it so, his heart is closed against the sweet influences of knowledge, and he imbibes an antipathy to the very sight or name of a book.

8. Another means of stimulating the student, is the pleasure of meeting the approbation of his teacher, parents, and friends. What pleasure more exquisite, than that of knowing that we give pleasure to others? What sweeter bliss, than that of being beloved by those whom we love? Such is the pleasure which the child enjoys, when he sees the approving smile of his parent or teacher. When he gives an account of what he has learned, or answers questions relative to it; to hear his teacher say, "You have got your lesson well;" or, "I am glad that you understand this lesson so well," is a reward, which would compensate him for hours of toil even if the getting of the lesson had been in itself a hard and painful task. How unfit, then, for their office, are those teachers, who listen to the recitations of their pupils with cold indifference, and seldom manifest a lively pleasure in witnessing their improvement! But here much caution must be used, lest a spirit of rivalry should be excited, attended with vanity and pride on the one hand, and with envy and hatred, ill-humor and despondency, on the other. Where several are associated in the same study, it will happen that some will get their lessons much better than others who are equally studious. In such cases, there is much danger of wounding the feelings of the latter by the bestowment of praise on the former. Where it is possible, it is much the best way to praise a whole class at a time. Where this cannot be done, let commendation be sparingly

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