ページの画像
PDF
ePub

PRIMARY DEPARTMENT.

[This Department is conducted by HOWARD SANDISON, Professor of Methods in the State Normal School.]

GEOGRAPHY IN THE SECOND YEAR OF SCHOOL.

T

HE aim of the first year's geography work has been indi

cated as the making clear to the child those fundamental ideas,

such as form, color, size, place, etc., that underlie the comprehension of any region of the earth, or of a map or picture, through which the region is to be studied.

The aim of the geography work of the second year of school, is to awaken the pupil's interest in locality. In the various regions of the earth as locality the child is but little interested. He must, however, become interested in them, as the work in geography is soon to pass into that stage when the child is to be engaged largely with the study of the earth's surface; that is, with locality, as locality. The second year's work is to prepare him for that time by attaching his interest to the various regions of the earth, so that when he comes to study the divisions and elements of the earth's surface they will have interesting associations for him.

The great point of the first year's work was to give the child clear ideas of form, color, size, etc., and to show these ideas in geographical material; but the great point of the second year's work is to clothe with interesting associations the various typical regions of the earth.

Three considerations are to claim attention when determining how this main aim is to be accomplished:

The first of these is the fact that the mind by its associative power extends the pleasure or interest that it has in any given objects, to all those things with which the given objects stand in close relations.

The second is that the child is much interested in all phases of life. Plant life and its curious manifestations; animals, with their queer ways; and man, considered as to his home, habits, occupations, etc.,-these furnish varied and deeply interesting themes for the young minds. They constitute the true avenue by which to approach the study of the surface of the earth, which

in itself is not so inviting a field to the child, (although it has among its essential characteristics much that is picturesque, won. derful and attractive.) These phases of plant and animal life and of the life of man, are to be studied in that way that shall most strongly call into activity the associative principle above referred to, thereby clothing with pleasing associations the various regions of the earth, by having the characteristic features of any region, its name, its distance and direction from the pupil's own region, and its resemblances and differences in respect of his own surroundings, introduced incidentally in connection with lessons upon typical plants, animals, and upon the mode of life of various races and communities.

All the work of the first year, and all these ideas that are suggested for the second year's work are to be presented independIently of any mapping or map. It is quite frequent to consider that the necessary first step in geography work is making clear the idea of a map, by constructing a map of the school-room, school yard, township, etc. The question may well be raised-"Is this either necessary or advantageous?" Is it not mechanical and formal work introduced at a time when the mind of the child should be dealing with the attractive features of the subject itself?

The subject of geography has its essence or subject matter, i. e., its ideas; and the instruments or means through which its ideas are to be reached. Among these instruments is the map. The other means are language (oral and written descriptions, tales of travels, etc.) and pictures. With the last two-language and pictures-the pupil is quite familiar; with the idea of the first he is not.

In so far as possible the child's thought, at first, should be concentrated upon the geographical features themselves, to the comparative exclusion of the means.

If the geographical ideas are presented, during the first two or three years, by means of language and pictures, this will be the result, for since the child is already quite well versed in the use of language and pictures, his attention may be almost enterely centered upon the ideas themselves. It is quite the reverse if the first work in the geographical line is upon the map. The

mind of the pupil becomes engrossed with the means to the exclusion of the geographical material. The map assumes an undue importance to him, and it becomes a difficult work to afterwards remove the impression that geography is a study of the location of cities, rivers, boundaries, etc., upon the map. Even in mature years it will be found, that to one whose early work was upon the map, the mention of the word Austria, will call up a colored piece of paper, so many inches long and wide, of such a form, etc.

The idea of a map should be taught when a good general conception of geographical features, their combinations, the life forms upon them, etc., have been given. All the work of the first three years can, it is believed, be best done without it. At about the close of the third year, a clear idea of the map and of the globe may be given, and from that time on these in conjunction with the text would constitute the main means; but the geography work of the first three years is to be presented mainly by means of language and pictures, supplemented by constant reference to the knowledge of his own region, which has come to the child through both spontaneous and directed observation. The ideas to be dealt with during the second year having been given, it now remains to show how these two instruments-pictures and language-may be employed.

(The following article touches upon several of the above mentioned points in a more specific way):

GEOGRAPHICAL AIDS-SECOND YEAR.

Having carefully followed the geographical threads of the first year, the second year pupil is ready to use those "threads" (of color, form, size, drawing, place, distance and direction) as his implements in turning the rich soil of the earth for the planting of the fruitful seed which shall spring up and yield him delight and comfort.

Describe to a child, who does not understand ideas and terms of form, a house formed of slender poles arranged in a cylindrical form, with a cone-shaped roof, the whole interlaced with reeds. The words do not convey a single thought; but to him who holds the "thread" the words are full of meaning and he is eager for pencil or clay to represent them.

One good way of studying animals, plants, and people in their relations to each other is to read some books describing regions in the different zones. Thus in studying the cold conntry there is presented a little girl, her clothing is spoken of, her food, the house she lives in, her mode of travel, her plays, etc. By the aid of oral-narration and pictures collected from any and every source the pupils can be made thoroughly acquainted with the little Esquimau girl. They can mold her ice or stone house, the seal which furnishes her with food and clothing, the whale whose bones are used for the sled she rides upon. The skin of the bird which gives her the eggs for her breakfast, can be borrowed from some cabinet.

The Seven Little Sisters may be the book chosen for an aid in this work. It is a book full of stories told in pleasing, truthful language, but containing enough of the "new and wonderful" to satisfy the mind of the child. Just enough is related to make him wish for "more, please." More is written in the companion book Each and All, and old friends are greeted in each chapter. These books should be supplemented by others. Take the children to Aunt Martha's Corner Cupboard for a bit of honey or sugar or for a sniff the sweet spices within. Other books are: Little Folks in Feathers and Fur, Johonnot's Natural History Readers, Little Lucy's Wonderful Globe, Little People of Asia, St. Nicholas, and Our Little Men and Women.

Other aids are: Bits of coral, sea shells, sea weeds, deserted nests of birds, stalks of sugar-cane, a sheaf of wheat and oats, collections of leaves and flowers, a silk-worm cocoon, a tea-box from some tea store, a cocoanut shell, an alligator's tooth, and better than all a hearty determination on the part of the teacher. Some busy-work aids are: The drawing, molding, the cutting and folding of paper to represent some object studied. Short stories written about people, plants or animals. Grouping the animals of the warm, cold, desert or mountain country.

For a rest exercise the teacher may announce that she is thinking of some animal, that she will not name it, but that she will answer questions in regard to it. The pupils may then ask questions as to its color, form, size, habits, use, etc., until they are able to decide upon the name. FANNIE S. BURT.

GENERAL LESSONS ON COMMON OBJECTS.

In a previous article it was held that general lessons are not upon subjects distinct from the common branches; but that they were involved in the regular studies, and were, therefore, supplementary to them.

At this time it is the intention to speak of that kind of general lesson which has for its subject a common object.

The chief aim of these lessons is to cultivate in the child the habit of accurate observation. The importance of this habit, while admitted by almost all theoretically, is in many cases, practically not admitted. Accuracy in observation is the only sure basis for accuracy in the higher processes of thought. Of all the errors that arise in the affairs of life, the great majority arise from want of care and exactness in observing things that are quite noticeable.

An indirect aim of these lessons is a training to accuracy of expression both in language and drawing; for the tongue and the hand will both feel the influence of accuracy in thought. Everett says in his Science of Thought that it is the nature of thought to express itself. It is, consequently, the nature of accurate thought to express itself accurately. These lessons on common objects should excite a spirit of inquiry and experiment, and an intelligent interest in the production of the object, as well as a sympathy with the workers who produced it, or work with it. These lessons also form the true basis to the more systematic lessons on science; or if no systematic work is to be given on science, lessons on common objects constitute a very good substitute.

The mistakes of the inexperienced teacher in these lessons are, usually :

I. An attempt to do too much in one lesson.

2. Too much of an effort to secure certain formal expressons, as, "Glass is hard, brittle and transparent." The great aim of the lesson seems to be to lead the children to utter the sentence, and the effort is made in disregard of the thought exprersed by Everett, that 'thought tends to express itself.' If this is true, when the children are unable to give any desired expression, the attention should be turned more strongly to the thought. This

« 前へ次へ »