File:Birds and nature (1906) (14563826820).jpg

Identifier: birdsnature41906chic (find matches)
Title: Birds and nature
Year: 1900 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Birds Natural history
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : A.W. Mumford, Publisher
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Institution Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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Text Appearing Before Image:
to bearupon the things that are popularlysupposed to be the business of a school.Superintendent Speer has shown thatpupils whose technical instruction hasbeen deferred for several months inthis way are found at the end of thesecond year far superior to others ofequal promise, who have been put atreading, spelling, and number workdirectly. To conduct a conversation lessonrequires some tact. Not tact in ask-ing questions, nor in ^talking downto the level of the children. Directquestions are of doubtful value in thefirst grade. In fact, the value of thelesson may sometimes be judged bythe absence of such questions put bythe teacher. The question mark andthe pump handle resemble each other,and often force up perfunctory contri-butions, and sometimes they merelyproduce a dry sound. Children donot care to be pumped. Here are a few questions that givethe children little pleasure and lessopportunity for expression: Isnt thisa very pretty bird? Do you seewhat a bright eye it has ? How many 1G2
Text Appearing After Image:
tt If 208 FLOWERING ALMOND.Life-Size. COPYRIGHT V. MUMFORD, CHICAGO i COLOR PHOTOGRAPHS AND CONVERSATION LESSONS. of you have seen a bird like this?How would you like to own him, andhave him at your house? Dont youthink, dear children, God is very goodto us to let us have such beautifulbirds in the world ? Any one of these questions by itself isnot harmful, but an exercise made upof such material merely gives the classa chance to say, Yes, maam, andraise their hands. All talk by theteacher and no activity by the class.With a bright smile and a winning-voice, the teacher may conduct whatappears to be a pleasant exercise withsuch material, but there is little realvalue in it under the best circum-stances and it should be avoided sys-tematically. It is unskilful, and awaste of time and opportunity. Attempts to lower ones conversa-tion to the level of little children areoften equally unsatisfactory. Toomuch use of Mamma bird, babybirdies, clothes, sweet, lovely,tootsy-wootsy, and Oh, my!

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