p. 27 | Thoughts on Primary Work by Mary Kinneburgh

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D.C. · Oct 4, 1906

Thoughts on Primary Work

By Mary Kinneburgh

THERE are many persons who think that a primary teacher may have less education and experience than that required for a teacher of higher grades. But those who consider the matter carefully will see that the person to whom we entrust the child in his earliest years, when his mind is most susceptible to good or evil influences, and who will have the first opportunity, outside of the home training, to form his character, should be first of all an earnest, conscientious Christian, a person thoroughly trained in every branch of the work he is to teach. He should also have a love for little children, a disposition which will attract instead of repel, and which acts in sympathy with theirs.

In the ungraded school it often happens that the teacher has so many classes that the younger ones do not get the attention they require. Some children may enter late in the term when the classes are well started, and her time is all occupied, so the teacher says, “Let them come and get what they can, but I have no class for them.” So the little ones spend hour after hour in the poorly ventilated schoolroom, forming habits that will cling to them for many years, and which will require much perseverance to overcome, if they are ever overcome.

As they have nothing to do, they look around in the hope of finding something with which to amuse themselves. When they are old enough to be given a book, they have succeeded so well in amusing themselves, and find so many interesting things happening around them, that it requires much patience and hard work on the part of the teacher to aid them in forming new and better habits.

Often the neglected child is left to assume improper positions in his seat. He pays no attention to the call to position, but instead rests his head upon his hands, with his elbows on his desk, and plays with books and pencils, or tears paper into scraps.

All this is a very serious problem to the teacher who is desirous of having the proper discipline in his room. We are told that the Bible and deportment should hold the highest places in our schools, yet how to instil into the minds of the children a love for the Bible and a sincere desire to be good in school because it is right, often causes the teacher much serious thought.

Since order is heaven’s first law, it is well to instil into the mind of the child

as early as possible a love for order in the school, as well as order in the home.

One of the best ways for laying the foundation of good deportment in the child is to keep the little one busy. If any must be neglected, let it be the older ones, but even they should know enough to go on with the lesson or complete some unfinished work of their own. It is a good plan to have the map drawings in a convenient place, so that they may get them in odd minutes.

But for the little ones, the teacher should begin to prepare, even before school begins. The cards and drills and phonics should be ready; simple combinations in numbers should be written on cards, and some colored paper procured for paper cutting. In the school-room such helps as peas, lentils, corn, and toothpicks may often be used to advantage. After the reading lesson, one of the new words may be traced in chalk on the desk, and the children required to cover the lines with lentils or corn. (The same may be done with printed words or simple combinations of numbers.) To teach patience and accuracy have them place all the kernels of corn with ends pointing in the same direction. For a change, toothpicks or colored pegs may be used.

The children like to make houses, barns, and fences on their desks with the toothpicks. If you have colored pegs, tell them to make the fence of different colors, as three blue, three yellow, and two red, all the way around. See that they get the right number of pegs in each group. This is an excellent drill for them.

A paper may be ruled into squares, and the children be asked to place different numbers of the kernels of corn, the peas, or the different colored pegs in each square, as five yellow pegs in one square, eight red ones in the center, and ten blue ones in the last square.

Just now the different leaves may be drawn, painted with water-colors, and cut out. Strips of bright colored papers may be woven into simple designs, and for a small sum a box of sand may be procured, where the children can be taught to illustrate a lake, a peninsula, etc.

With the legion of helps that can be had to-day, no little child need spend an idle or unprofitable moment in school, but may be as busy as a bee with useful and interesting work, so that he will ask to have school on Sunday, as some primary children have already begun to ask their teacher.

When the primary teacher fully realizes the importance of her work and the help she may be in forming the child’s character for good or evil, and that the faults many teachers of advanced grades find in their pupils are traced to her discipline, she will prepare herself with more diligence, and apply herself more earnestly to her work, feeling content that she has the most important work, and must rely on the wisdom of the Great Teacher to govern all her actions and thoughts.

Only when the parents and school boards realize this also, and procure the best teachers possible for the primary grades, as well as for the more advanced, will our schools rise to that position where they will be a pleasure in the sight of the Lord, and can expect his fullest blessing.

MARY KINNEBURGH.