THE INTELLECTUAL METHOD OF TEACHING. THERE are two kinds of teaching, INDIVIDUAL TEACHING and class teaching, the former is only to be recommended where a single pupil is to be instructed; in all cases where more than one pupil can be brought to read the same lesson, the class method should be pursued, both on account of the interest it creates and the emulation it excites among the pupils. But, whether individual or class teaching be pursued or not, the INTELLECTUAL METHOD of teaching should have for its basis the development of the Moral and Intellectual faculties: the success of the teacher will depend upon two things,-the fitness of the books or lessons for the objects to be attained, and his skill and method in using them; much of his skill will arise from perfect familiarity with the subject before him, directed by the strong common sense of a well informed and well regulated mind. The only danger to be apprehended in the adoption of the intellectual method, is that of the Teacher pushing his instruction too far, by not knowing where to stop; and, measuring the child's capacity by his own, is not content with the simple and primary notions of things, but launches into topics beyond the range of the juvenile apprehension, and insists upon cramming the child with truths beyond the feeble grasp of his intellect, at a time when he is yet utterly unable to follow the steps by which those truths are arrived at. This is bad in every point of view; it runs the risk, or rather incurs the certainty, of falling into the errors of the old system, by substituting words for ideas; and it requires a considerable share of judgment to resist this temptation; but the philosophic and honest teacher will resist it, however he may be tempted by the vanity of parents, which would often excite him to encourage a display of attainments in their children, which he himself knows to be fallacious. THE ART OF INTERROGATION. The ART OF INTERROGATION comprehends several essential particulars, each of which are necessary to be attended to in the Teaching and Training of the expanding mind. The first of these is simple questions upon the words of the text; the second consists of interrogations on the grammatical sense of the lesson; and the third seeks, by a mode somewhat Socratic, to establish general ideas and relationships. In the form and manner of your questions, the child himself will be your guide; in form they must, at first, be exceedingly simple, and the answers obvious. When they relate to, and you would ascertain how far the child has understood, anything which he has heard or read, vary your expressions. The child viii will thus be understood to attend to the sense of words rather than to the words themselves, and to remember because he comprehends, and not because he can repeat. Let your questions be logical, analytical, and synthetical. The first should lead him to exactitude of language and the meaning of words; the second should teach him to examine his notions till they arrive at general forms, and evolve the true sense of the lesson; and the third should lead the pupil from what he does know to that which he does not know, by which new conceptions are formed, the imagination exercised, and the reason developed. EXAMPLE OF INTERROGATION AS REGARDS THE TEACHING OF AN INTELLECTUAL LESSON. SUBJECT:-The Farm House. Page 37. NO. I.-QUESTIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FACULTIES OF OBSERVATION, COMPARISON, AND JUDGMENT. FIRST STEP. OBSERVATION.-The pupil having been permitted to read the lesson with proper emphasis and clear intonation, he is directed to observe the picture, and to point out the several objects. He is then directed to spell the several words, as cow, calf, pig, sheep, duck, geese, pond, pig-sty, dove-cote, &c. Next he is directed to the objects round the picture; is led to distinguish them by name, and afterwards to spell the words plough, spade, fork, scythe, rake, hoe, churn, milk-pail, stool, sickle, &c. SECOND STEP. COMPARISON.-The child is now taught to observe objects more closely, to describe their parts, and to compare them with each other, first, as What kind of an animal is the cow? How many legs has it? What has it on its head? What color is it of? What kind of hair has it on its back? What kind of animal is a sheep? What is the difference between it and the cow? Is the hair on the back of a sheep like that on the back of a cow? What is the hair on the back of a sheep called? What is the difference between the cow's tail and the sheep's tail? What kind of an animal is a pig? What is the difference between a pig and a cow? What is the hair of a pig called? What kind of an animal is a duck? What is the difference between a cow and a duck?-The cow has four legs; the duck has two. The cow is covered with hair; the duck has feathers. The cow has teeth to eat with; the duck has a bill and no teeth. The cow has two fore legs to walk with; the duck has two wings to fly with. The duck is a bird; the cow is a beast. What is the difference between a duck and a hen? How does the hen obtain her food? How does the duck obtain his? Is the hen's foot like the duck's foot? What is the difference? The Teacher, secondly, enquires, What are the parts of a spade?-The handle and the blade. What is the handle made of? What is the blade made of? What are the parts of a rake? What is the handle made of? What are the teeth NOTE.-Almost any species of teaching revolves itself into a few little words, which may be called THE FIVE CATAGORIES OF TEACHING,, as-WHO? the Agent. WHERE? the place, WHEN? the time. How? the manner. WHY? the reason, with their subjunctives. made of? What is the difference between the handle of a rake and the handle of a scythe? What is the difference between the blade of a scythe and the blade of a sickle? What are the parts of a plough? Which is the handle? Which is the blade or share? The Teacher enquires, thirdly, concerning the use of things, as, What is the use of the scythe? What is the use of the fork? What is the use of the hoe? &c. THIRD STEP. JUDGMENT OF REASON.-Answering generally to the interrogations Why? or, for What reason? as-Why do farmers keep cows, sheep, and poultry? Why do they cut down the grass in summer? Why should they till the ground? Why is a plough sometimes used instead of a spade? Why is a sickle used instead of a scythe to cut grass? Why has a duck webbed feet and a broad bill? Why do fowls have a sharp bill? Who gave the duck a broad bill and a web foot? Who gave the fowl a sharp beak and sharp claws for scratching?-God! Why did he do this?-To enable them to get their food, one in the water, the other in the earth. What does this shew?—The wisdom and goodness of God, &c. EXAMPLE OF THE METHOD OF INTERROGATION AS REGARDS A RELIGIOUS AND MORAL LESSON. The mode of interrogation, as regards the teaching of a MORAL and RELIGIOUS lesson, cannot be so systematically and progressively varied as in an Intellectual lesson; but the same principles of teaching are to be employed for the developing of the observing, comparing, and reasoning faculties. The mode comprises: I. QUESTIONS ON THE WORDS OF THE LESSON. II. QUESTIONS ON ITS SCOPE AND GENERAL SENSE. SUBJECT:-The Creation of Man, his Fall, &c. FROM LESSON V., PAGE 7 AND 8. NO. I. QUESTIONS ON THE WORDS OF THE LESSON. The pupil or pupils having read the lesson with strict attention to the pronunciation, each verse should be again read separately, and the pupil should be called upon to spell the more difficult words off the book, giving their meanings, as follows:-Ver. 18. Spell dust? What is dust? What does it here represent? [teacher explains]. Spell breath? What is breath? What does the breath of life mean? [teacher explains]. Spell soul? What is the meaning of soul? Spell created? What does it mean? What is the difference between created and made? Which was created-man's body, or his soul? Spell image? What is an image? In what sense is the word used here? [teacher explains it to be a likeness]. Spell power? What is power? Spell good? What is meant by good? Spell morning? Spell evening? When is it morning? When evening? Spell heaven? What is meant by the heaven? Spell earth? What is meant by the earth? Spell host? What is meant by the word host? 21. Spell blessed? What is meant by blessed? Spell sanctified? What is meant by sanctified? Spell rested? What is meant by rested? What is meant by God rested? [Teacher explains that God ceased to create, not that he was tired. X NO. II. QUESTIONS ON THE SENSE OF THE LESSON. Having thus ascertained that the pupils are conversant with the meaning of the terms used in the lesson, he will next question them upon the particular sense of each verse, again commencing at the beginning of the lesson, as follows:-18. Of what did the Lord God form man? What did he breathe into his nostrils? What did man then become? 19. In whose image did God create man? What did he give him? Were male and female created? When created? Who blessed them? 20. What was everything that God had made? On what day was the work of creation finished? 21. What happened on the seventh day? GENERAL QUESTIONS ON THE ANSWERS OF THE PUPILS. 18. What is the subject of the lesson?-The creation of Man and the Institution of the Sabbath. You said man was formed of the dust of the ground; which part of him was formed of this matter?-His body. What is this sometimes called?-Its mortal part. What happens to the body?— It dies. Is it said in this lesson that man, although formed of the dust of the ground, was to die?-No! What did man become, then, on receiving the breath of life?-A living soul. What would you then suppose man to consist of?-Body and soul. Would you understand that when man was first created, his body or soul were subject to death?-No! You said God created man in his own image or likeness; which part of man do you suppose was created like God, his body, or his soul? In what did it resemble him?-It was immortal, pure, and holy, as he is. You said that when God saw every thing that he had made, that it was very good; what do you mean by this? That all was perfect, happy, without evil without pain, without sin. What is evil? What is pain? What is pain of body? What is pain of mind? What is sin? You said that God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; what is meant by this?-That he made it a holy day, and set it apart from the others. What is this day now called? If this day was so set apart, blessed, and sanctified by God, how ought we to keep it? Which is the way to keep it holy? In what does the worship of God consist?—Thanksgiving, Praise and Prayer. SUMMARY. What do we learn generally from this lesson:-1st. That God created man in his own image or likeness, pure, good, and happy; that all things God made were very good; and that God instituted the Sabbath. The above is a slight example of the manner in which the INTELLECTUAL METHOD should be pursued by the Parent or Teacher. In carrying it out, a great deal will depend upon the amount of knowledge possessed by the Teacher, and of the power of observation, comparison, and deduction possessed by the pupil, which varies greatly in every child; and care should be taken to distinguish between different tempers and minds, and so to arrange and diversify the queries, that the examination may be accommodated to the capacity under whatever state it may exist. By pursuing this course, the Teacher will proceed upon a principle strictly philosophical, and in perfect agreement with the constitution of the human faculties, and their gradual expansion and development. |