A Practical Enquiry into the Philosophy of Education Part 16

Note I, p. 162.--When the true nature of Education is better understood, it will be found that a child may have advanced far on its path by oral instruction, before it be either necessary or desirable that he should be compelled to read for himself. To a.s.sist the parent and teacher in this preliminary part of their duty, the "First Initiatory Catechism,"

or the "First Steps" to the Old and the New Testaments, with their respective Keys, may be used with advantage,--they having been constructed upon the principles here recommended. But the best Book _to begin with_, will be the "Groupings from Scripture," with its Key for the use of monitors, or older children, who can by its means greatly a.s.sist the parent or teacher in the work. In making use of that little book, the sentences are to be announced in whole or in parts to the pupils one by one; and upon which they are to be thoroughly and extensively catechised. As for example, the first announcement may be given thus:--"_G.o.d made the first man_," from which the following questions may be formed--"Who made the first man?" "Whom did G.o.d make?"

"What man did G.o.d make?" "What did G.o.d do to the first man?" The teacher or monitor ought then to add the additional fact, "that G.o.d made the first man _of clay_," and catechise again upon the whole. After this is well understood, he may complete the sentence, "G.o.d made the first man of clay, _and called him Adam_." The child will then be able--not to repeat the words only, for that is not the effect of this exercise,--but to communicate the ideas in his _own words_; which, however, will generally be found to be the very same as in the book.

This distinction is most important. When the whole section has been completely mastered, the lessons and their applications may also be taught;--by all of which the mental faculties will soon become vigorous and lively, and the pupil will be well prepared for all the exercises to which he may afterwards be called.

Note K, p. 151.--The art of catechising from any lesson or book, is a very simple one when the principle is understood. It consists simply in selecting the most important words contained in the announcement, and forming a question upon each of them, in such a manner, as to require that particular word from the pupil as the answer to the question raised upon it. For example, when the teacher has in four words announced the fact, that "Jesus died for sinners;" he will be able to form a question from the three chief ones, "Jesus,"--"died," and "sinners." These questions will be, "Who died?"--"What did Jesus do for sinners?" and "For whom did Jesus die?" It is not necessary that the words should be taken up in their order, which may be always left to the discretion of the teacher. For the several parts of this principle, as employed upon clauses, or whole sentences or subjects, see next Note L.

Note L, p. 185.--The Catechetical Exercise has for convenience been divided into three kinds of exercises, called the "Connecting Exercise,"

the "General Exercise," and the "Verbal Exercise." The "Connecting Exercise," includes those comprehensive questions, which require the pupil to go over perhaps a whole subject, or several sentences, to complete his answer; as if in teaching the Parable of the Sower, the pupil were asked, "What were the several kinds of ground on which the seed was sown?" or, "What is said of the seed sown by the way side?" In answering either of these questions he would have to combine many ideas, and the truths contained in several distinct clauses. This exercise is used commonly in revising several sections at a time after they have been taught.

The "General Exercise," is used in all the advanced cla.s.ses, sometimes in connection with the Verbal Exercise, and includes those questions chiefly which are formed upon clauses in the book or section taught. As, for example, when the pupil is asked, "What became of the seed sown by the way side?" or, "What did the birds of the air do?" he has to give one or more clauses, containing several ideas, as his answer.

The "Verbal Exercise" has to do only with the words of the clauses, and the single idea which the particular word is intended to convey; as when it is said, "the birds of the air devoured it up;" the questions, "What devoured the seed?" "What birds?" "What did the birds do?" "What did the birds devour?" refer chiefly to the words, and the single ideas which they communicate.

It may be here remarked, however, that although these exercises are divided in theory, they ought seldom to be altogether separated in practice. In using the Verbal Exercise with the younger cla.s.ses, many questions will be required which properly belong to the "General;" and in using the "General Exercise" with the advanced cla.s.ses, neither the "Connecting," nor the "Verbal Exercise," ought to be altogether excluded.

Note M, p. 192.--In communicating knowledge to the young by means of the Catechetical Exercise, care ought to be taken that the truths or ideas be communicated regularly, and not too many at a time. In making use of the "Groupings," or "First Steps," the contents of one section ought to be well understood, and all the circ.u.mstances to be made familiar, before the child pa.s.ses to another. To do otherwise is not to forward, but to r.e.t.a.r.d his advance in the attainment of knowledge. There ought also to be frequent returns upon the sections formerly mastered, so that the truths be more and more firmly fixed upon the memory. This will also be accomplished by means of the lessons from the several moral truths taught, and by their application to the circ.u.mstances of ordinary life.

It is also a matter of great practical importance, in teaching any subject, that the teacher confine himself strictly to it, avoiding all kinds of "Catechetical Wandering," by which the minds of his pupils will be distracted and enfeebled if they _cannot_ follow him, and by which their attention will be powerfully drawn away from the lesson, if they _can_.--For example, if the subject to be taught be the "Good Samaritan," nothing can be plainer than that the mind of the pupil ought to be concentrated upon the subject, till it be "grouped," and fixed upon the mind and memory as one combined and moving scene, so that one circ.u.mstance in the story will conjure up all the others.--This is Nature's plan.--But if the teacher, at the very commencement, when the child has read that "a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho,"

shall call his attention from the story itself, to ask where Jerusalem was? What was Judea? Who dwelt there? Who was their progenitor? From what bondage were they saved? Who conducted them through the wilderness?

Who brought them into Judea? requiring the whole history of the Jews, their captivity, and restoration; the effect is most pernicious, and is fatal to the great design intended by the teacher. It is destructive of that habit of concentration of mind upon a particular subject, which is always the accompaniment of genius; and which ought to be cultivated in the young with the greatest a.s.siduity and care. But this habit of "Catechetical Wandering," does not stop here, for the teacher has yet another word in this first sentence which admits of a similar treatment; and instead of returning to the lesson, he takes up the word "Jericho,"

by means of which he follows a similar course; "riding off" from the original subject, and leaving the child bewildered and confused, to commence again, to be again interrupted and distracted by other irrelevant questions. Many evils result from this practice; and the cause is obvious. For if the child has been taught these irrelevant truths before, this is obviously not the time to introduce them, when he is in the very act of _learning a new subject_;--and if he has not been taught them previously, the matter becomes worse; for by this attempt to teach a variety of new things at the same time, some important principles of Nature are still more violently outraged.--_After_ the subject has been taught, and the child is called on to _revise_ his several lessons, then is the time to combine them, and to point out their various connections,--but not before.

Note N, p. 195.--It will always be found advisable to teach the alphabet to children long before they begin to read; and while they are being verbally exercised on the "Groupings from Scripture," and other books of a similar kind. To do so at home by way of games, will be found easiest for the parent, and most pleasant for the child. By having the small letters on four dice, (six on each,) and allowing the use of only one till the six letters on its sides are familiar;--and not giving the third, till those on the two first have been mastered; and the same with the fourth,--will be found useful, provided they be only occasionally made use of. A too frequent repet.i.tion of the _game_ will destroy its effect; and therefore, as there is sufficient time, it ought only to be allowed on proper, and perhaps on _great_ occasions. Other contrivances, besides those given in the text, such as making the child guess at letters, drawing letters from a bag, and naming them, &c. will readily occur to ingenious parents or teachers. It should be observed, that as this acquirement is needed but _once_ in the child's lifetime, a little pains or trouble ought not to be grudged in forwarding it.

Note O, p. 208.--In using the "First Cla.s.s Book on the Lesson System,"

the teacher must take care that the letters and their sounds, or powers, be perfectly familiar to the child before he begins to read. The first lesson, of course, is composed altogether of words new to the child, each of which he must be taught to _read_ by combining the powers of the letters composing it;--and he must never be allowed to pa.s.s on to the following word, till all the previous ones can be correctly and readily decyphered. Before beginning to the second, or succeeding lessons, the new words occurring in it, (which are prefixed,) must be read and made familiar to him one by one, and explained if necessary. By this means he will soon be able to _pick up the ideas_ in his lesson by even a first reading, which is the great end that the teacher ought to have in view.--The capital letters need not be taught till the child comes to them in his reading.--The lessons being consecutive, none must be omitted.

Note P, p. 220.--The nature of successive "Steps" will be better understood by using, than by describing them. The following, however, will give some idea of their design; keeping in mind, that the contents of the several branches must be written out in such a manner as to convey the ideas in the common way. The following is a rude sketch of what the History of Joseph would be like, if the ideas under each branch of the a.n.a.lysis were fairly written out as First, Second, and Third Steps.

a.n.a.lYTICAL TABLE.

SHEWING THE NATURE OF SUCCESSIVE STEPS IN EDUCATION.

THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH.

-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------------- Substance of | Substance of a | a First Step.| Second Step. | Substance of a Third Step.

-------------+-----------------+------------------------------------------- {Joseph's father {Jacob loved Joseph best of his family; who Joseph {was partial to {Brought him the evil reports of them; and was beloved {him. {Got a coat of many colours.

by his { father, {And he dreamed {Joseph told his dream of the sheaves, and {that he was {And his brothers hated him the more.

hated {to be great. {He told his dream of the sun and stars; by his { {And his father observed the saying.

brothers; { {These things {His brothers would not speak peaceably to {made the family {Him; and envied and hated him; and {uneasy. {His father expostulated with him.

{Joseph sought his brothers at Dothan; {Joseph was {Was cast into a pit, and afterwards {cruelly used by {Sold for a slave.

{his brothers, {His brothers concealed the crime, and { {His father mourned him as dead.

And although { he was { {Joseph was carried to Egypt, and long in {And was made {Was a slave in Potiphar's house; affliction, {a slave to {Where he was industrious and faithful; {Potiphar; {And was tempted by his mistress.

{ { {Joseph was unjustly put into confinement.

{Who unjustly {He was useful in prison, where {cast him into {A butler and baker were confined.

{prison. {Joseph interpreted their dreams; but was {Left in prison by the butler forgetting {him.

{ {Pharoah was displeased with the magicians.

{He was brought {The butler told him of Joseph; {out to Pharoah, {And Joseph interpreted his dreams, { {And was advanced to authority.

{ { {Joseph married and was made next to {And made ruler {Pharoah. He collected corn for seven {over all Egypt; {Years; Distributed it to all nations; and He rose { {Sold it for the cattle and lands of Egypt.

at last { to great { {Joseph's brothers came to Egypt for food; prosperity. {During which {And he spake roughly to them.

{time he behaved {He detained Simeon; {with great {Brought and entertained Benjamin; {prudence to his {And hid his cup in Benjamin's sack.

{brothers; {He then made himself known to his brothers.

{ { {Joseph brought his father and family to {And kindly {Egypt. He settled, supported, and honoured {took care of the {Them. He buried his father, {whole family. {And left several charges with his brothers.

Note Q, p. 225.--In giving a specimen of this mode of ill.u.s.trating a connected subject, we may only premise, that the method, as a branch of Education, requires that all the general heads should be perceived first, before any of them is sub-divided. For example, Paul's sermon at Antioch, (Acts xiii.) must be perceived by the pupil in its great outline, or general heads, before he be called on to separate these into their several particulars. These heads as given in the a.n.a.lysis, (Help to Acts, vol. I. p. 187,) are to the following purport:

"The design of Paul in this discourse appears to be,

I. To conciliate the Jews.

II. To prove that the Messiah had already come, and that Jesus was that Messiah.

III. To remove certain objections against Jesus being the Messiah.

IV. To establish the claims of Jesus as the Messiah; and,

V. To press his salvation upon their notice and acceptance."

When these general divisions, or heads, are understood, either by reading the respective verses which they occupy, or by the oral ill.u.s.tration of the teacher, each of them may then be taken separately, and sub-divided into its parts. For example, the first head, which in the a.n.a.lysis is, "_First_, Paul endeavours to conciliate the Jews by giving a brief outline of their history, till the days of David, to whom the Messiah was specially promised," ver. 17-23. This first of the above five heads, is separable into the following particulars. "1. The condition of the Jews in, and their deliverance from, Egypt;--2. Their history in the wilderness;--3. The destruction of their enemies, and their settlement in Canaan;--4. Of the Judges till the time of Samuel;--5. The origin of the kingly authority in Israel;--and 6. The history of their two first kings." These again may be sub-divided into their several parts, of which the last will form a good example. It appears in the a.n.a.lysis in the following form:

VI. History of their two first kings.

i. Of Saul, and the time of his reign, ver. 21.

ii. Of David, and his character.

1. Saul was removed to make room for David, ver. 22.

2. David was chosen by G.o.d to be their king, ver. 22.

3. An account of David's character, and G.o.d's dealing with him.

[1.] G.o.d's testimony concerning David.

(1.) What David was, ver. 22.

(2.) What David was to do, ver. 22.

[2.] G.o.d's promise to David.

(1.) A Saviour was to be raised up for Israel, ver. 23.

(2.) This Saviour was to be of David's seed, ver. 23.

Note R, p. 314.--There is not perhaps a subject in the whole range of human investigation that is so much misunderstood in practice, as a person's own happiness. Whatever causes uneasiness, or distress, or anxiety of mind, destroys happiness;--which shews that it is this pleasure, or delight itself,--this exercise of the heart, that we are seeking, and not the money, or the applause, or the sensual indulgences, which sometimes procure it. The heart of man has been made for something higher and more n.o.ble than these grovelling objects of sense and time.

History and experience shew, that it can never be satisfied with any finite good; and especially, the possession of all earthly enjoyments only leaves the void more conspicuous and more painful. The whole world, if it were attained, would but more powerfully ill.u.s.trate its own poverty; for even Alexander weeps because there are no more worlds to conquer. Scripture declares, and Nature, so far as we can trace her, confirms it, that man--and man alone--was _made after the image of G.o.d_,--and therefore nothing short of G.o.d himself can ever satisfy _him_. Heaven itself would be inadequate to fill the soul, or to allay the cravings of such a being. The fellowship and love of the Almighty, and that _alone_, by the very const.i.tution of our nature, can fill and satisfy the boundless desires of the human heart. They who stop short of this, can never be satisfied; while they who place their happiness on HIM, will always be full, because he alone is infinite. The love of G.o.d, and the desire for his glory then, are the only true foundation of human happiness. And hence it is, that the perfection of enjoyment, and the whole sum of duty, meet in this one point,--THE LOVE OF G.o.d.

Note S, p. 318.--The writer is aware that, in doing justice to this department of a child's education, it is impossible to avoid the charge of "enthusiasm," perhaps "illiberality," or "fanaticism." In what we have urged in the preceding pages, we have endeavoured calmly to state and ill.u.s.trate simple facts,--plain indications of Nature,--and to draw the obvious deductions which they suggest. We intend to follow precisely the same course here, although quite aware that we are much more liable to be misunderstood, or misrepresented. We shall at least endeavour calmly to put what we have to say upon a true philosophical basis.