Ray Coppock Beery

“ In the higher grades a ringleader who arrays himself against the teacher’s authority is much more exasperating than is a similar pupil in the lower grades, not only because of his greater influence upon other pupils, but also because it is much more difficult for the teacher to make excuses for him. “They know better!” is the thought that will intrude itself into the teacher’s consciousness to make difficult any feeling of leniency toward offending pupils. What, then, shall be done? Must the teacher watch the pupil closely and whenever he discovers evil beginnings, punish the offender? ”

“ Imogene and Charles Rogers were two orphans, living with elderly relatives who wanted to bring them up wisely, but did not know how. They were full to overflowing of animal spirits, bubbling with fun, restlessly eager to fill every moment with good times. Miss Spires, their teacher, was somewhat short-sighted, and that is why, when a little mechanical mouse ran from the second row of chairs right up to her feet, she thought it a live one and jumped and screamed. ”

“ Bradley thought he had jurisdiction, that harsh, strident voice, with but the slightest trace of fellow-feeling, spoke the word of correction or announced an impending penalty.
In the school-room it was his delight to slip up behind an offender and pluck him by the ear as a reminder of duty. Being the only instructor who indulged in this practice it soon came to be one of the most odious signals of his presence in the room. ”

“ Such a boy, if he is a natural leader, will form a clique of his own and place himself at its head. He and his clan will see to it that mischief does not languish in that school. The teacher wonders why the boy regards her good admonitions so lightly. He would regard and heed them, if she had not lost his confidence. What, then, shall the teacher do to regain and keep the faith and loyalty of every pupil? ”

“ Therefore the trainer, to be the very best trainer possible, should have an illuminating conception of the great trend of human progress which is advancing the good of all. He should feel keenly that every thought and act which contributes to human welfare accelerates the rate of progress; that whenever an individualist opposes his will, his interests, his institutions to that onward moving stream, he hinders its flow and causes suffering to some one. Such an individualist needs discipline; he needs to learn to subject his selfish ends to the social ends of the race. ”

“ Our experience and observation, our fresh survey of all the facts while compiling the data presented in these volumes, have deepened immeasurably the conviction that the teacher who seeks the level of the life of the children whom he wishes to govern, assisting them, aiding them, guiding them according to the dictates of their natures rather than contrariwise, will cure himself of one of his own worst vices, namely, anarchy in mood, temper and judgment; and will develop in its place the basic element of a noble character, self-control. ”

“ Why can not parents win the confidence of their children by love and sympathetic guidance and treatment, so that they will openly and frankly admit when they have been mischievous? Why can they not so teach their children that they will tell the truth about their petty offenses? ”

“ It was Miss Cornelius’ turn to look grave.
“The glaring sunlight which streams in through those windows after ten o’clock, shining on the glazed pages of those text-books, is ruining the eyesight of your pupils. It is eyestrain that makes them so nervous and fidgety. I shall immediately ask the board to change the lighting of the room, and I advise you, when ordering more text-books, to see that you get those which are printed on unglazed paper.” ”

“ One big element in a teacher’s control of a school is a phase of stick-to-it-iveness, namely, her ability not only to prescribe a given line of action but to stick to it herself and hold her pupils to it day after day. ”

“ If the teacher finds it necessary to speak to the child at all about the habit of listening to others recite, after she has already made the attempt to interest the child in his own work, she should take the matter up with the child, individually. An effective way to apply the principle of initiative in coöperation is to approach the child with a smile on your face, when he is alone, and in the same breath that you speak of his habit of listening to others, mention the fact that you used to have trouble, too, keeping your mind concentrated. ”

“ In searching among the instinctive elements of human nature for the chief inner stimulus to disobedience we are led to that group which is designated by such terms as self-preservative, individualistic or egoistic. Both obedience and disobedience seem to be expressions of the same basal incitements. In the lower stages of existence the free will of savage and child meets with circumstances in which it must yield to an external plan of action if life is to be preserved or self-gratification secured. Obedience is the price paid for life and for the luxury of being satisfied. ”

“ Pupils watch keenly to see if a teacher is over-conscious of his authority. Possession of power easily leads a teacher to over-emphasize rules. Faultfinding is the chief error into which this teacher has fallen. A wise caution says things are not so bad as they seem, and waits for the worst evils to appear before adopting radical measures. Eagerness to reform generally hits upon the most obvious faults, not upon the most serious ones. These facts together may overwhelm a thoughtless teacher with disastrous blunders. ”

“ Teachers who are too young, too quickly and too superficially trained, very seldom succeed in keeping the pupils long in ignorance of their shortcomings.
Some teachers who have felt a lack of respect and a tendency to disobedience and disorder, have found the atmosphere of the school to change as if by magic when better preparation of lessons on their own part has been made. Pupils who have once known the joy of having a wide-awake, well-prepared, and keen teacher are especially quick to detect low scholarship and faulty training in subsequent instructors. ”

“ First Grade The little child who comes to school and tells the teacher and his playmates all the happenings of the home is as annoying as the pupil that is constantly coming to the teacher to tell that a certain pupil did this or that, or, in common school language, tattles. While a few teachers cultivate this practice in pupils, it is right to brand it as one of the most ignoble of habits. Teacher and pupils can be no better off for knowing all that goes on in a certain home. ”

“ Show by your own example that poor people are just as desirable for companions as rich ones, other things being equal. See to it that the children of poor parents be made to forget, while at school, that they are different from others. See to it that democracy reigns on the playground. ”

“ We must not forget that selfishness is an indestructible instinct of human nature. On this instinct is deeply engraved the law of self-preservation. Experience in associating with ones’ fellows shows to an ordinary person how far he must take precautions in order to maintain his own welfare, but in the case of a few, as we believe, results of experience have not given the wisdom which renders them unselfish. ”

“ Every teacher knows of a first grade child that came moping when all the other pupils were in high glee, that stood by himself when others were enjoying a game, that preferred to come to school alone and to saunter home alone, that took no part in any of the activities that always interest other youngsters, that even seemed indifferent to the friendly approaches of playmates and teacher. There may be no particular harm in having such a child in school, but should he carry such traits into adult life, they would prove a serious handicap ”

“ Watch the child in his play at recess to see what activity interests him most. Suggest to him some point about that activity which he has overlooked and commend him on his skill. Every child has a hobby. If you can find this boy’s hobby and tell him something about it which he does not know, you will make a warm place in his heart for yourself. Then utilize the knowledge thus gained, and his increased confidence in you, in order to add to his school work just the element that will make it so interesting for the child that he will find the work more delightfully fascinating than the mischief. ”

“ If a child brings her a fine, luscious apple or orange, or a bit of candy, she at once secretes it in one of the mysterious drawers. Little does she think she is cultivating a tendency, not exactly to steal, but to peep into those secretive places; that act, if ever performed, will be the first step toward taking what is not theirs. For the child that must sneak to get a look into a forbidden place, it is a wrong to satisfy that longing; and pilfering easily attaches itself as a kindred wrong. ”

“ By this time Principal Maxwell made his appearance.
“Elbert, shame on you! Fighting over a game! Reginald, stop it at once. Off these grounds at once, both of you,” were the principal’s words, all in one breath.
“But Mr. Maxwell,” began Elbert.
“No, no explanation! I saw you. You got up from the scrimmage and deliberately began a fight. You needn’t explain it. You two boys are suspended from the school until the board of education permits you to return. I’ll see that you are not on the football squad again this year.” ”

“ Every teacher knows that as the child talks he looks into the face of the teacher. There he notes the raising 296of the eyebrows, the twinkle of the eyes, the faint trace of a smile, and the line of the lips, all of which are indices of the mind of the teacher. Every teacher knows quite well that his face indicates to a pupil whether the answer he is giving to a question she asked, is right or wrong. These signs in the teacher’s face either encourage or discourage a child. ”

“ Man is a reasonable creature, and one of the first signs of his growth is his demand for reasons. There is no insult to authority in a request for reasons, as so many parents and teachers seem to think; there is merely the righteous wish to be an intelligent, rather than a blind coöperator—to wish to play the social game with open eyes. ”

“ It cannot be unpedagogical or a violation of any principle to teach pupils not to write their names about carelessly, not to write others’ names and bad phrases or silly statements in their books, not to draw any kind of picture in improper places, and not to deface their desks. It has been stated so many times that direct teaching of good habits can and must be done in all sincerity on the teacher’s part. There need not be one harsh or unkind word said. The talk to pupils on these matters must be given in a friendly and helpful spirit. ”

“ Such an offense as this strikes at the very roots of the social organization, for teachers are officers of the state, intrusted with the great task of developing citizens. To threaten their authority is to set one’s self against the social trend, to be an individualist—which is to be an anarchist. The teacher who is threatened by a pupil has only to fall back upon his ultimate authority, which is the whole fabric of organized society, represented by whatever officers he may count upon to support him—for sometimes society’s officers are not true to their trust. ”

“ Then a perfect gale of chirping, gurgling, little-girl laughter—as cheerful a human sound as exists for the child-lover, perhaps because of its very meaninglessness, its spontaneity, its birth in healthy animal spirits. ”

“ Not much reflection on the teacher’s part will be needed to convince him that if the outward authority to which the child has been subjected at home has been arbitrary, vacillating, tyrannical, or fitful, the child’s ideals as to what is right and what is wrong will have become sadly jumbled long before he enters school, where the teacher has the difficult task of straightening out the tangles. ”

“ In the process of yielding up his own will to the will of society, the child acquires the power to compel himself to obey his own commands. The ideals of conduct which he develops at home or school or elsewhere, will attain the force of commands and enable him to subject his impulses, aspirations and hopes to the domination of his noblest ideals.
We may point out, therefore, with certainty, that obedience is the law of life. Everyone may well be concerned that little children and older ones as well discover this fact. ”

“ Jimmie Knox was not altogether to blame for his cheating. Miss Weber had challenged his act by saying that she could see what was going on even though her back was turned. His natural inquisitiveness led him to test her statement.
A teacher may never hope to have the confidence of her pupils if she says to them, even in a joking way, as Miss Weber did, “You must not believe everything I say.” Could she blame her pupils for doubting her word after making statements to them which even she herself admitted to be untrue? ”

“ Draining off the play impulses into these legitimate channels will relieve many a wearisome, perplexing day for both teacher and pupils, and at the same time speed on the child toward conscious self-control.
Perhaps the greatest single help in teaching children the voluntary limitation of their play impulses, is the knowledge that play is only postponed, not forbidden. Most children have so strong a love of approbation that they like to do things in the proper way if the sacrifice be not too great. They are willing to put off their fun, but not to put it off forever. ”