A Guide to Methods and Observation in History Part 9

15. How much time ought the a.s.signment to require of a moderately good student? Is this adequate?

16. Does the a.s.signment suggest what portions of the text are to be touched upon lightly, what to be studied for appreciation only, what to be critically studied and mastered?

17. Does the a.s.signment include a "review" of previous work? How much?

18. Does the a.s.signment stress dates too much?

19. Is the a.s.signment made with enthusiasm and interest, and does it thus at once strike a responsive chord in the pupils?

XVI. _The Study Lesson._

1. Are pupils encouraged to follow a definite daily schedule in studying their lessons? Do you advise this?

2. Is there supervised study in the school?

3. What is the nature of the supervision given in such a period?

4. Judging from results, have the pupils made good use of their study periods?

5. Is there in the school a weekly period for consultation and advice?

6. If pupils are absent from school, is opportunity given for "making up work"? How is this administered so far as the study of history is concerned?

7. Is there ever provided a period for "una.s.signed work"?

8. If so, how is the period employed?

9. Just what is the secret of getting pupils to study their lessons?

10. Are pupils encouraged to outline the lesson?

11. Are they encouraged to make personal notes on the margin of the textbook pages? Are they shown how to annotate?

12. Are they advised to use notebooks? If so, what is the character of these?

13. Do pupils seem merely to try to "learn the text" or really to comprehend the spirit?

14. Can you suggest ways and means of making the study-lesson more beneficial?

15. Does the teacher sometimes require abstracts to be made in order to teach selection of important points?

XVII. _The Recitation Lesson._

1. Does the cla.s.s enter the room in a happy, expectant state of mind, or does it appear as though it were about to undergo a disagreeable operation?

2. Does the cla.s.s come to "attention" as soon as the signal is given?

3. Is the aim of the day clearly set forth? Who does it, the teacher or the pupils?

4. Does the work of the day seem to grow out of some previous discussions or conclusions?

5. Are the "five formal steps" followed?

6. Is emphasis placed on information, drill, review, testing, or historical mindedness?

7. Does the work have balance and proportion?

8. Is there interest and attention? What is the secret of it?

9. Are questions clear, concrete, and definite?

10. Is appeal made to more than one sense, i.e., audile, visual, tactile, muscular?

11. Does the teacher really guide and lead, or does she carry most of the burden?

12. Do the pupils cooperate as a team--each seeking to contribute his portion freely and all aiming to attain a definite goal?

13. Does the recitation take on the spirit of comradeship, i.e., of courteous and familiar discussion?

14. Is the lesson enlivened by means of anecdotes, ill.u.s.trations, stories, dramatic postures, readings, etc.?

15. Is the history lesson correlated with geography, English, foreign language study, science, manual training, and other school studies?

16. Is it correlated with the common life experiences of the pupils, and with the important contemporary inst.i.tutions and interests of to-day?

17. Are criticisms by the teacher made sufficiently frequent and direct to make pupils careful, but not so frequently and pointedly as to discourage pupils?

18. Are pupils expected to present a connected account of the topics studied and to do this in a clear, forceful, logical manner?

19. Are dates and other mere facts properly subordinated to the real ideas for which they stand?

20. Are the salient points of the lesson collected and tabulated as the lesson proceeds?

21. Is this done by the teacher, or by the pupils, or by both?

22. Do pupils show by their att.i.tude, facial expression, and responsiveness that they are satisfied with the recitation as it progresses?

23. Are formal debates and informal discussions ever permitted in the cla.s.s?

24. Is use made of the dramatic powers of pupils to interpret and a.s.similate history?