'209 English-Arabic School. Educational Activities.' [‎6r] (11/132)

Notes
on
Teaching for all Masters
1. A boy has a pair of eyes, a mind, a pair of ears, and a tongue.
Make use of all these .properly and you will be a successful teacher.
(a) Teach a boy by his sight—teach him by what he can see with his eyes, or can be made
to see by guidance from you.
(b) Make him use his mind—make him think. The question “ why ” cannot be asked too
often by the Master, and a wrong answer is better than none.
(c) Make him use his mind and his ears together, i.e., make him attend. Ask him questions
frequently, and never ask questions in order, i.e., one boy after another as they sit in
class, but scatter your questions ail over the class. If ji boy knows exactly when
his turn for a question will come, he will sleep the rest of the time.
Do not confine your questions to a few boys only.
Remember also that a slack body and a slack mind go together. Make the boys sit up
straight, and jump up quickly, and stand up straight when answering a question.
(d) Make a bo\ use his tongue make the class talk j make them answer and ask questions,
the mote this is done by the boys and the less by you the better. A class lesson is
not a lecture.
2. Remember that boys always imitate. Therefore, always set a good example be careful
of your dress and appearance, your way of standing, and your way of talking.
3. Don’t shout, but talk quietly and distinctly. Shouting only confuses boys. Only raise your
voice to emphasize something important.
4. Be interested in your subject—if you are not, the class will not be. The mere you study
your subject, the more interested you will be. Therefore, read books about your subject out
of, school.
5. Prepare your lesson beforehand, and begin each lesson with a clear idea in your mind of
what you are going to teach. Don’t be caught by the class, not knowing something that you ought
to know about the lesson.
Keep to the subject of the lesson. Don t waste time on things which have nothing to do with
the lesson.
It is advisable to write down notes beforehand in your Note Book on what you want to teach
in the lesson, especially in subjects like History, Geography, Object Lessons, &c.
6. Don’t make mistakes yourself, and don’t let the class make any mistakes without being
collected. Encourage the boys to point out each other’s mistakes. Keep your own attention alert
all the time.
7. Train the boys’ memories. Make them tell you at the end of a lesson what they have learnt.
Give them short lists of words and names, etc., to learn at home.
4l Make ceitain that the class understand what you have taught them. It is not enough to say
‘ Do you understand ? ” and then be content with the answer “ yes.” Most boys will say “yes ” ter-
to save themselves trouble, though they do not understand. Make the class show you tint thev
understand by telling you what you have explained to them.
9. Remember that the brains of boys soon get tired, and cannot grasp very*much at one time.
1 herefore, do not try to teach them too much at one time, and watch carefully to see if their minds
are getting weary. A little thoroughly understood and learnt, is better than much only half
understood—
e.g., in a reading lesson.
(a) Begin with a revision of the last lesson by the class.
(b) Spend not more than 25 minutes in reading by the pupils, each pupil reading only
a few lines. “ y
(c) Make the class tell you in their own words the story they have read.
(d) Make the class write down from dictation, a few of the more difficult words from the
lesson, and correct each other’s mistakes.
10. Let the boy use the blackboard occasionally for a few minutes only. Let them write or
draw on it, and the class say whether the boy at the blackboard is right or wrong.
. Don’t pick out only the best boy to go to the blackboard.
11. Written work. One period a week or half of two periods each week should be given up to
written work, but in arithmetic there should be written work in every period. Insist on neatness
and good arrangement.
Other written work necessary should be done at home. Remember that the class lesson is for
instruction chiefly. Instruction is not possible at home, therefore, doh’t waste time in class by
written work which can be done at home. y
Don’t waste time'by correcting written work in class while the class sit idle. Correct it at
home, mark it and give it back to the class next day, pointing out any important mistakes.
All written work must be dated by the boys. Insist on neatness and good writing.
12. A few boys will work well because they are keen and interested; the majority need
inducement. Therefore, give marks to all boys for every lesson. Encourage competition.