Ontario Teachers' Manuals: Literature Part 3

EXTENSIVE READING

The cla.s.s of literature that we have described in the preceding methods is condensed literature, where thought is large in proportion to the number of the words. It must be read by a process of close thinking, in an a.n.a.lytic, exhaustive manner. There must be a clear comprehension of the central ideas, and a strong grasp of minor thoughts or details, and the relation of these to the central ideas. While this power to grasp thought intensively is very valuable, we should also have the power to grasp the thought rapidly and comprehensively.

In some works, the thought is not so condensed and confined. Here, the main effort of the reader is to grasp the thoughts successively in a rapid, clear, and comprehensive manner. He must be able to read a book chapter by chapter and grasp the central ideas, to hold paragraph after paragraph, chapter after chapter, in his consciousness, so that each gives added illumination to the main thought and, at the end, the whole of the work stands out in its entirety. He must learn to grasp the central thought in each section as he proceeds--to sift the wheat from the chaff. The minor details have been of value in giving him the main thought, but the real ability of the good reader consists in dropping these minor details from the mind and holding steadily on to the more important facts.

This method gives a greater power of sustained attention and a wider acquaintance with good literature. Most of our reading is done in this way. It would be impossible otherwise to get a wide range, as time does not permit of minute a.n.a.lysis, and many of our longer works are so diffuse that they would not repay such careful study.

The supplementary, or extensive, reading may be given as seat work or home work. As seat work, it can come as a grateful relief from the arduous tasks in the ungraded school and will keep many an active mind from getting into mischief. By questioning about the main facts the teacher can a.s.sure himself that the work has actually been done. This questioning should not be used only to catch the negligent; it should give pleasure to the pupils as a conversation with them about their pleasant occupation. It should be done very informally, often as two intelligent people would discuss a book. The questions should be broad in their scope and should not dwell on matters of detail. If it is a story that is to be considered, it should be examined as follows: Discover what are the difficulties set up; how they are brought about; how they are overcome; how many threads of interest there are; why certain characters are introduced; what would be the effect if certain parts were omitted; to what extent the final solution is logical.

When the examination is finished, a series of compositions might be written on topics connected with the story. For instance, if _Rip Van Winkle_ has been studied, a series of three compositions might be a.s.signed: (1) Rip's domestic life; (2) his adventure in the mountain; (3) his return to the village. Three compositions would be better than a single one on the whole story, because too great condensation usually detracts from the value, and because the excellence of a school composition is usually in inverse proportion to its length.

It is exceedingly important that the teacher should see that these written exercises are not made distasteful to the pupil. They are very valuable if they are not considered irksome. The object is not so much to give skill in composition as to create a taste for wide and excellent reading. It would be better to allow this written reproduction to drop rather than to a.s.sociate the pleasures of literature with something disagreeable.

CHAPTER III

ILl.u.s.tRATIVE LESSONS

In the lessons that follow, the answers given to questions are those which pupils may be expected to give after corrections and additions have been made by themselves and the teacher.

Professor Alexander has said:

It is impossible to exemplify on paper actual teaching. Actual teaching, as all other practical matters, is in large measure determined by circ.u.mstances and conditions which are never twice the same. A large part of a teacher's skill lies in the sympathetic perception of these conditions and in the power of adapting himself to them on the spur of the moment. The teacher should have a definite aim in view, and a general conception of the proper method to be followed; but these will be modified by the character of the pupils before him, of the answers given, of the manifestation of interest, and the comprehension of the various points brought forward. A question quite proper in one case will be quite out of place in another. What knowledge should be imparted by the instructor, what elicited from the pupils themselves, what matters dwelt upon, what lightly pa.s.sed over--these things can only be determined by the actual circ.u.mstances.

PANTOMIME

LITTLE MISS m.u.f.fET

(Primer, page 75)

Little Miss m.u.f.fet sits on a low chair eating from an imaginary dish.

The spider comes creeping softly behind her. When he reaches her side, he sits quietly down. Then she sees him and, in a great fright, jumps up and runs away.

DRAMATIZATION

LITTLE BOY BLUE

(Primer, page 68)

The senior division of the primary cla.s.s had read the story of Little Boy Blue. Norman asked: "May we play it? May I be Little Boy Blue?"

Allan said: "I'd like to be the farmer".

Dorothy wished to be the farmer's wife.

Clara asked if the pupils of the highest cla.s.s might be the cows and the sheep.

As Norman was enthusiastic and eager to express himself, he was permitted to direct the movements of the different characters.

The farmer selected a horse and prepared to take him to market, while Little Boy Blue could be seen tramping along the road (the front part of the room). The cows and sheep were grazing quietly near by.

As Little Boy Blue approached the farmer, he removed his cap and said: "Good morning, sir, do you want a boy?"

_Farmer_: "Yes, I want one to watch the cows and the sheep."

_Little Boy Blue_: "I can do that, sir."

_Farmer_ (handing Little Boy Blue a toy horn that had been brought to school for use during a drawing lesson): "Here is a horn, then. If they try to go away, blow this, and they will come back."

_Little Boy Blue_: "I will, sir."

The farmer drove away, and Little Boy Blue watched the cows and the sheep. Once they were about to wander away (among the aisles), but Little Boy Blue blew the horn, and they immediately returned. He soon grew tired of watching them; they seemed to be content to graze quietly where they were. He leaned against a haystack (a chair) and fell asleep.

The cows were soon in the corn and the sheep in the meadow, where the farmer saw them as he was driving home. But he could not see Little Boy Blue. He called:

Little Boy Blue, Come blow your horn, The sheep are in the meadow, The cows are in the corn.

_Farmer_: "Wife, where is Little Boy Blue?"

_Wife_: "He is under the haystack, fast asleep."

_Farmer_ (going to haystack):

Little Boy Blue, Come blow your horn.

The boy jumped up, blew a blast on the horn, and the sheep and cows immediately came back.

_Little Boy Blue_: "It was my fault and I'm sorry."

_Farmer_: "All right, you'll take better care of them next time."

THE STORY OF HENNY PENNY

(Primer, page 48)

When the teacher suggests that a game be played, many pupils fairly project themselves backward in an effort to look so well that they may be chosen to take part in it.

The teacher wrote "Dorothy" on the black-board. Dorothy whispered that she would like to play the story of Henny Penny. (The adventures of Henny Penny had been recounted the day before.) The teacher wrote the story of Henny Penny. As Dorothy had sufficient self-confidence and a good memory, she was allowed to choose her part, which was certain to be that of the princ.i.p.al character. Had she not possessed these qualities, she would have been a.s.signed a minor part during the first attempt at dramatizing this story. The teacher wrote "Rooster Pooster" on the black-board. "I should like to be Rooster Pooster", said Albert. "Turkey Lurkey", wrote the teacher. "I'd like to be Turkey Lurkey", said another. In this or some similar way, the parts were a.s.signed.

As the play began, Henny Penny was discovered pecking at imaginary worms in the garden; suddenly she jumped up in a great fright. "Oh, the sky is falling!" she said, "I must run and tell the king". She ran down the road (an aisle) till she met Rooster Pooster.

When he saw her coming, he stopped crowing and asked, "Where are you going, Henny Penny?" "Oh", she said, "the sky is falling, and I am going to tell the king". "I will go too", said Rooster Pooster. They ran down the road till they met Turkey Lurkey gobbling contentedly. The usual formula was repeated, and Turkey Lurkey ran on with them.

But the fox (villain) was waiting around the corner. "Where are you going, Henny Penny, Rooster Pooster, and Turkey Lurkey?" said he. "Oh, Fox Lox", they said, "the sky is falling and we are going to tell the king". "I will show you the way." "Oh, no, Fox Lox, we know you. We will not go with you."