p. 6 | HINTS ON TEACHING by Editor

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 20, 1860

HINTS ON TEACHING.

By Editor

[As the season has arrived in which many of our brethren have engaged, or are about to engage in the business of teaching, they may be interested in any remarks and suggestions upon that point.—ED.]

If there is a situation which requires patience, combined with every other heavenly virtue, it is the office of the teacher.

Many of those now in the faith of the third message, are teachers of common schools, and as such, are subjected to the usual trials of, the peculiar and trying ordeal to which this class are subject.

The apostasy of the present age renders this task far more difficult than formerly. Disobedient children are of course disobedient scholars, and every experienced teacher will bear witness to the fact, that well regulated families are the stay and support of the school, while those who are disorderly at home, bring their habits to the school, where such habits spread like the plague, without the benefit of quarantine.

About every winter we hear of sad accidents (if accidents they may be called), happening in school; sometimes a teacher is killed by his rebellious pupils, or at another time, the teacher in his hot haste, seizes some heavy weapon, and partly in self-defence, partly in discipline, mingled with rage, deals the fatal blow upon his pupil

With such well-attested facts before the public, the applicants for this responsible office are yearly increasing, and often without preparation sufficient to fill the place. One is well educated, but hot tempered; another is slack, and another ignorant of good manners; one in this and another in that particular; for home education being neglected, parents thus neglecting duty, the benches are filled with graceless pupils, and of course the graduating class turns into active life the graceless teacher, who educates pupils ten-fold worse than himself.

In this sad state of things an honest-hearted teacher is called into the third message. With many disqualifications as a teacher, he is nevertheless sought after, as successful in the main, and perhaps superior to the mass of teachers, and his greatest fault and most obvious weakness is perhaps a bad, hasty temper.

Dear brother or sister, whoever you are, let me warn and entreat you to beware. Be assured that every spasm of anger only weakens your bodily and mental power, and destroys your moral influence over the pupil, and shames yourself, and humbles your brethren, shocks the feelings of tenderest friends, grieves the angels, and disgusts the dignities of heaven.

Can you not overcome this passion, that disgraces the cause, casts down your own influence, alienates your bosom friends, grieves the good, and exasperates the bad? Be assured, dear brother or sister, whether parent, or teacher, or guardian, that this same temper, this hasty temper is the recruiting office of Satan's troop; it has no apology, no excuse, no good trait, and is of no benefit at all.

Can you not overcome? Fast, pray, watch. Do not put it off, and keep sinning and repenting, sinning and repenting. Do not speak so hastily to that little one. What if he is bad? Reproaches, be sure of it, reproaches will not benefit him. Love, love, largely mixed with firmness, patience, gentleness, goodness. Come to your school all aglow with love to God, come from the closet with a heart of pity, and love, and wisdom.

But says one, teaching is a practical business, and love will not do it all; the penalty of disobedience must be applied. Just so, dear brother. "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod and reproof will drive it far from him."

But be sure not to do this in anger. Let the offender stand upon the floor until your anger has wholly subsided. Rather wait until your contract expires, than punish in anger. You can let him wait until you have lifted your heart in prayer to God, until you have chastened your soul into love and humility. Be deliberate in executing penalties; slowly, calmly, considerately. If ever in the world you should be calm, it is in administering reproof and correction.

As we are upon the subject of penalties and discipline, if it is in order, I will subjoin the opinion of a Mr. Ogden on this point. Many parents as well as teachers may perhaps profit by it.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF FLOGGING.

Mr. Ogden, a teacher in Ohio, has published a volume on the 'Science of Education, and the Art of Teaching.' We make from it the following extract on the use of the rod:

"As a strictly reformative measure, for certain cases, it has scarcely an equal, and surely no substitute."

"He advises the application of the 'strokes upon the back, shoulders, and lower extremities, but never upon the hands, head, or face, or any other place where it would injure the person or offer any indignities. The clothing upon the parts should not be so abundant as to demand heavy blows, or injury might result from that quarter. Hence, portions of it might be removed, under certain circumstances, and its thickness tested before the operation commences. This will also serve to convince the offender that you are really laboring for his benefit.'"

"The instrument should be a switch; not a pole, nor a club, nor a paddle, but a light switch; one with which you would not be likely to injure the muscle or bone. The chastisement should be confined to the surface. There, perhaps, is not a case, within the reach of reformation, so hardened as not to be reached without going below the surface."

"As to frequency, the blows should not be repeated oftener than about once in a half a minute; and for some purposes the intervals might even be prolonged beyond this time; first, because the child wants time for reflection

between the strokes; second, he wants time to reap all the benefit of one before another is given. In this way about one-tenth the number of strokes will suffice, since every one expends all its force before another one is given; one is not lost or paralyzed in the pain of another; third, because there is less danger of arousing the passions of either teacher or pupils. Let the teacher strike half-minute or minute strokes, and he will feel no anger, but rather pity and love. Fourth, because he can then witness and measure the extent of suffering, and mark its effects; fifth, because it offers time for admonition and expostulation, which will frequently be necessary, and will do as much or more good than the bodily harm."

"The severity of the blows must be regulated entirely by the temperament of the child, the deep-seatedness of the disease, and the objects to be accomplished—which last should be the entire reformation of the offender. In most cases where whipping becomes necessary, the blows should produce acute pain for the moment."

"They should rather increase than diminish in severity."

"The time of one operation, perhaps, should not be prolonged beyond ten or fifteen minutes (not all consumed, however, in administering blows), at one time, but may be resumed from day to day, until the reformation point is reached. It will be found, however, that three or four strokes, or a half-dozen at most, thus delivered, will usually produce the required results; simply because reason, judgment, good sense, sympathy, pity, love, suffering, justice, mercy, tears and prayers, instead of angry curses and vindicative rage, are all combined; and it must be a desperate case indeed that can resist all these."

J. CLARKE.