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PRIMARY
DEVICES

BY

MYRA KING

AUTHOR OF "LANGUAGE GAMES" AND
i"TALES OUT OF SCHOOL"

INTRODUCTIONS BY

DR. E. C. MOORE, J. B. MONLUX
M. C. BETTINGER

WAYSIDE PRESS
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

COPYRIGHT, 1918

BY
MYRA KING

INTRODUCTION

LOS ANGELES CITY SCHOOLS
OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Testimonials.

Miss King's little book will be an aid to anyone who will
read it thoughtfully. She is a wise teacher who has medi-
tated on what it means to teach, and has arrived at under-
standing. I know that what she has written here, will
be of use to others. It is particularly important, because
it deals with the littlest children and what affects them is
the chief concern of all.

E. C. Moore,

Dated at Los Angeles, Cal.,
August 7, 1918.

To Teachers:

Miss Myra King is bringing out another little book for
teachers of primary grades, that will be especially helpful
as it brings out in a helpful way, some of the most important
habits that should be taught to the children, such as the
ideas of self-government, respect for law and order and for
the rights of others, respect for authority, etc., as also the
ways and means of securing better results in the teaching
of writing, spelling and allied subjects.

These ideas have been developed thru actual experience
in the school room and are full of life and interest.

I know you will like it.

J. B. Monlux

Acting Supt. L. A. City Schools.

5

August 10, 1918.

As in former publications, Miss King has again in this
book, shown herself a real teacher by keeping within the
current of nature and therefore in the current of child
nature. It is an effort to help teachers, especially young
teachers, to get away from the notion of imposing knowledge
and information upon children by a power from without
them, and to get into the current of child mind development

In doing this, she aims to get and keep "the whole child
in school," — his emotional life as well as his mental and
physical. Truly, one of our gravest errors has been the
idea that the schools were concerned only with the mental,
or at best, with the mental and physical. The emotional
life is the life of the child which makes or mars, and it should
have its full share of attention in the rchools as well as
elsewhere.

This book attempts to do that, and it should be of great
assistance to teachers, especially beginners.

M. C. Bettinger,

Assistant Superintendent of School,
Los Angeles California.

CONTENTS

Habit 9

Law 10

The Question of Flowers 18

Spelling 23

Appreciation of the Beautiful .... 29
Running Races with Themselves . . . .34
Seedtime and Harvest ...... 37

The Noon Hour 43

Courtesy . ...... 46

Retaliation or Getting Even . . . . .51

A Spelling Method ...... 54

Writing a Slow Race .57

"Don't" 60

Time Savers 63

Welcoming Committee ..... 66

Teachers 68

The Teacher's Holiday 71

Expression ........ 74

"Secrets "or "Surprises" 79

Co-Operation . . . . . . .88

PREFACE

A primary teacher, more perhaps, than any other person
has to be on the alert every moment, always equal to an
emergency of any kind, from a torn apron to a broken
heart, and from the application of the multiplication table
to an explanation of the causes back of the sunrise.

For these reasons, an unlimited supply of helpful sug-
gestions are a necessary requisite to successful and timely
encounter with these problems.

This little book is intended to furnish a variety of such
helpful hints, which have proved their value in actual
service, along the different lines of primary work.

MYRA KING

PRIMARY DEVICES

HABIT

The children will love to do things correctly
when they have formed the habit of so doing.
So the essential thing is to find all the little means
and methods that can be used in establishing
correct habits along all lines of speech, thought
and action.

These little devices are nothing in themselves
—only a means to an end and as soon as they have
served their purpose they should be dropped.

The child is continually forming new habits,
either good or bad, habits of industry, habits
of independence, of success, of application, etc.,
or their opposites, habits of idleness, dependence,
failure, etc., and it is the teacher's business to
see that the habits formed are correct ones, for
valuable as the subjects taught him are to be
to him in the future, the habits formed in his
school days are even more valuable, for after all
the whole process of education is merely a habit-
forming process.

9

LAW

The place to establish right habits of thought
and right modes of action is with the very little
people. Their willingness to be guided and their
eagerness to learn the right way make it a delight
to guide the little feet to higher planes. We do
not have to wait till they are in the upper grades
before they can study " Civil Government."
They can and should begin in the 1st grade to
learn about "law," and this will not be a hard-
ship or an added burden either to the teacher or
to the children but a joy and a lightening of
burdens as their highest sense of law is made
practical by applying it to their school problems
in all their details.

The first requisite is to make them understand
that law is for the good of all — to enlarge the
liberties of all — and to limit nothing but wrong.
In other words they should be taught to love
law. Then the next step — the keeping of the
law — will become not merely a duty but a pleas-
ure. This is the time to teach them to respect
law. This is the time to teach them that they

10

PRIMARY DEVICES 11

can neither break or evade a right law without
injuring themselves as well as others. This is
also the time to teach them their individual
responsibility in helping to make good laws.

This work may be begun by showing them that
the universe is governed by law, that without
law chaos and confusion would reign. And this
need take very little time — only four or five
minutes in the morning and as much again in
the evening.

To illustrate, the following sample lessons are
submitted.

After the children are seated and the attend-
ance noted on Monday morning, say to the class:
"How many saw the sun rise this morning?"
Immediately many little hands will be raised.
Then ask: "How many saw it rise yesterday?"
Again there will be a display of hands.

Then say: "Did you ever think how regularly
the sun gets up every morning? It never forgets
— it is never too late and never too early — always
just on time. Suppose it should forget sometimes

12 PRIMARY DEVICES

and so be a few hours early or a few hours late?"

Instantly a number of little hands will signify
a desire to talk on the question. Allow a minute
or two for the children to express their views and
then say: 'The sun gets up just at the right
time every morning because it is obeying certain
laws which goven it. Now we have laws to
govern our school which we must obey if we would
have everything pleasant and everybody happy.
Who can think of one of these laws-' A number
of uplifted hands will evidence a recognition of
your meaning.

Perhaps some child will say: "Miss Smith
(the principal) told the boys the other day that
we must not get a drink after the bell rings.
Isn't that a law?" If this seems the best law
to choose from among those given, explain to
the children why "Miss Smith" made it. Show
them that the boys and girls are apt to get so
interested in their play that they forget all about
a drink till the bell rings. Then all rush to the
water, so causing confusion and consequently

PRIMARY DEVICES 13

delay in getting at their work. Show them that
this "law" is for the good of all and they will
be eager to keep it.

Then say: "Now I am going to see how many
keep this "law" today. I am going to write
"Monday" here on the front board and this
evening just before we go home, I am going to
ask how many have kept the law.

Nothing more need be said on the subject till
the close of the day. When the children are all
ready to go home, go to the board where the
word "Monday" is written and say to the class:
"How many kept the law today?" Count the
number of uplifted hands and write the number
after the word "Monday." Then show an en-
thusiastic appreciation of their effort by some
such commendatory remark as, ' 'Oh, I'm so glad
there were so many who remembered. They 11
be the men and women who know how to keep
the law when they are big." Don't say anything
about those who didn't keep it.

On Tuesday morning write the word ' 'Tues-

14 PRIMARY DEVICES

day" under ' 'Monday'7 — this may be done with
colored chalk — and say to the class: "I'm going
to ask to-night how many have kept the 'law'
today." When evening comes write after ' Tues-
day" the number of those who kept the 'law"
that day. Make some appropriate, appreciative
remarks as before — much depends on this.

Repeat this every day during the week and by
Friday almost every child will be "keeping the
law."

The next Monday take up some new "law"-
being sure to let the children have their part in
selecting it — and follow the same method as in
the previous week. Say to them, "We are not
going to forget to keep this old 'law ' while we're
keeping the new one so I'm going to ask how
many have kept the old 'law' each day although
I'm not going to put the number on the board."

At the end of two or three weeks the "old
law" will have become so well established — so
habitually kept that it may be spoken of only
occasionally, but it should not be forgotten or

PRIMARY DEVICES 15

neglected. As often as possible the teacher should
speak of it. This may be done by some such
remarks as these: "Oh, you don't know how
happy it made me to see how many of my boys
kept the law about getting a drink this noon.77
or "I have been noticing for some time how
carefully John is keeping that law about getting
a drink after the bell rings." This will be espec-
ially effective if John is one of the boys who was
slow to keep the "law" in the beginning.

Some of the "laws" of which the children will
readily think may be: "We must not throw
paper in the yard," or "We must not go off the
grounds without permission," and they may be
established in the same way.

After the class has worked in this way for some
weeks and they begin to understand the meaning
of law they may profitably commence making
laws for themselves.

Before this is attempted the teacher should
explain in a few words what it means to vote and
then ask the class to name some laws which they

16 PRIMARY DEVICES

think it would be well to keep. Usually a num-
ber will be given as: "We must not whisper/'
"We must not waste any time" or "We must
not say any cross words."

After the teacher has selected one of these the
children vote on it by raising their hands. If it
becomes a law it is kept before their thought as
were the others. In the evening find how many
have kept the ' law" and commend them heartily,
with some such words as: "What a glad or busy
day this has been — the quiet pleasant room has
made it so easy to get our work done, etc., etc."
Perhaps some one will say: "But, Miss Blank,
Jimmie had his hand up and he didn't keep the
law." The most effective way to deal with this
will be to say something of this kind: "Didn't
he? Well that's too bad. I didn't think Jimmie
would do that way. He can't be very happy."
Then drop it — say no more about it and ' 'Jimmie"
will be pretty sure to "keep the law" the next
day.

One of the most important things in this work

PRIMARY DEVICES 17

is to be sure that the teacher does not condemn
or in any way discriminate against those who
do not "keep the law" but that she gets her
results by commending those who do. In this
way the public spirit of the school will soon be a
power for good which those who may not be in-
clined at first to "keep the law" will not care to
disregard.

It is generally admitted that early impressions
are the most lasting and if the children get this
right concept of law before they hear wrong and
prejudiced concepts from their elders much will
have been done for them.

If this method is adhered to throughout the
lower grades much of what we call discipline in
the upper grades will have become unnecessary.

It is absolutely necessary, however, in order to
make a success of this work that the teacher be
alert, loving and tactful.

"THE QUESTION OF FLOWERS"

The question of flowers is often a puzzling one
to the primary teacher whose artistic sense is
daily offended by the conglomerate mass of short-
stemmed blossoms, held tightly in hot little hands,
which find their way to her desk every morning.

But it need not trouble her for there is an easy,
beautiful and satisfactory solution to this as to
all other problems when we look for it earnestly.
This is offered as one way — doubtless there are
many others which each teacher will discover for
herself — it is to have a "flower committee"
appointed at the end of the week to serve for the
following week. This committee should consist
of four or five members and should include boys
as well as girls.

When this method is first adopted the teacher
will have to be wise in her appointments as some
of the children, especially the boys, may be timid
about bringing out their ideas, but if she begins
by selecting those who seem to have a natural
aptitude for bringing out harmonious conditions
along this line, soon every child in the room will

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PRIMARY DEVICES 19

be available for the work and in due course each
one should have his part in it.

It shall be the duty of the members of the com-
mittee to be on the school-grounds as early in
the morning as the rules of the school will permit.
Each child who brings flowers must find some
member of the committee on the grounds and
deliver to that member his donation. The mem-
bers of the committee must have the privilege
of coming into the room as the flowers begin to
arrive and there will soon be an abundant supply.

When "school begins" part of the time allowed
for opening exercises should be given to an ap-
preciative consideration of the results of the work
of the committee. The primary teacher here,
as elsewhere, must be an enthusiast. She should
look for and commend all the little individual
touches and original effects calling the attention
of the class to the harmonious results attained.

One morning, perhaps, she will find that a
single beautiful rose has been placed by itself
in a tall slender vase. This will give an oppor-

20 PRIMARY DEVICES

tunity to show the children that the beauty of
the rose is dependent on its form as well as on
its color, also on its freedom to display not only
its form and color but the grace of its motion as
well. To illustrate — the teacher says with gen-
uine pleasure which at once communicates itself
to the class, "Oh, see the beautiful red rose in
this tall vase — see its nice long stem. And aren't
we glad that we had this tall vase to hold it!
Now/' giving the vase a gentle shake, "watch
it nod its head. It think it is saying 'Good
morning' to us. It couldn't do that if it were
crowded in with a lot of other flowers. It's just
like boys and girls — they couldn't do their work
properly if they were crowded so close together
that they couldn't move. I'm so glad out com-
mittee arranged this rose just this way, for I
think it's just beautiful, etc., etc."

Another morning she may find a long branch
set with flowers trained up the wall, over the
blackboard or across the window. This will be
another opportunity to show the advantage of
picking the flowers with long stems.

PRIMARY DEVICES 21

Still another time there will be a great bunch of
poppies or other flowers all of one kind. This
will afford an occasion to teach the children how
much more pleasure they will get from their
flowers if they do not have too many kinds to-
gether.

Sometimes they may have a "rose day" or a
" violet" or "wild flower day" confining their
decorations to the one kind of flowers.

Of course the committee must understand that
they are responsible for the appearance of the
room — floor, tables, etc., before their work is
finished and that all old flowers, litter and other
waste matter must be properly disposed of as a
part of their work.

Very soon the school-room will begin to be a
bower of flowers — will begin to ' 'bud and blossom
as the rose." The children will get an unlimited
amount of pleasure and profit from the work,
the teacher will be relieved of caring for the
flowers, and not only this but the influence of
their awakened thought will be felt in the homes

22 PRIMARY DEVICES

and the lessons in bringing out harmony, so learned
will be invaluable to them throughout the years.
And last, but not least, there will be a marked
effect on the discipline in the room.

SPELLING

Most of us as primary teachers have had long
and protracted struggles with the spelling prob-
lem in the lower grades, and, as long as we must
teach children to spell by the old hard method,
are always grateful for any suggestions that will
make the work less laborious for teacher and pupil
and will at the same time bring about right results.

The important thing in this work is to find a
way to keep every child eagerly, honestly and
persistently at work till the lesson is learned,
which will not take long if they are working in
the right way and in the right spirit.

The following method has been found very
successful.

Arrange to have ten or fifteen minutes, more if
possible, to devote to the study of the day's
spelling. Then say to the class: "Now, I am
going to give you three, four or five minutes,"
as you can afford, * 'to study, while I sit here and
watch to see who are the good workers."

Every child in the room will instantly go to

work with a will.

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24 PRIMARY DEVICES

When the given time has expired, the teacher,
who is watching the clock as well as the children
says: ' 'Who is ready to spell for me?" Then she
selects from those who think they are ready,
one whom she "saw working hard" saying some-
thing to this effect, ' 'I think I'll try John — I saw
him doing some good work."

John comes forward to the teacher's desk and
spells the entire lesson for her at the same time
watching to see who among his classmates is
giving his whole attention to his study.

If John succeeds in spelling all the words he
then becomes a teacher and asks who is ready to
spell for him. He chooses from among those who
raise their hands, as the teacher did, one whom
he saw at work, as Ben. He and Ben stand a
little distance from the teacher's desk and Ben
spells all the words for John, both boys keeping
a close watch to see who among those at their
seats are doing good work.

When Ben has finished he and John are both
teachers and ask those of the class who are ready

PRIMARY DEVICES 25

to spell to raise their hands. Then each teacher
selects one whom he saw working hard as "Tom"
and "Fred." These boys come forward and spell
while those at their seats continue their study.

When Tom and Fred have finished spelling,
they select four more good workers who spell for
them and so the work goes on. In a short time
every child in the room has spelled all the lesson
and has done some good study in order to be able
to do it.

The teacher will have general supervision and
if one of the " teachers " chooses a child who has
not been working she will have to say: "I didn't
see Dick working hard enough. You'll have to
choose someone else."

This spelling is done aloud and after several
are on the floor spelling, there will be a general
hum of voices, but the children soon get used to
that and those at their seats will go on with their
study ,paying no attention to those who are spell-
ing.

After they have become accustomed to spelling

26 PRIMARY DEVICES

in this way, it will be helpful to let them — those
who wish to do so — commit to memory the whole
lesson and spell it without having the words
pronounced. Then they may be allowed to
commit the list backwords and in other ways of
which they will often think themselves. This
will give variety and interest to the work.

This ten or fifteen minutes will be a time when
the teacher will have to speak loud to make
herself heard, but it will be a busy time when
every child will be giving his every thought to
his work and the result will be that almost every
child will have a perfect spelling lesson in the
written work which follows.

If, during, this busy time, the teacher wishes
to be heard, she taps the bell and instantly every
child is quiet till they have her permission to go
on with their work.

It is well to have this study period immediately
precede the written spelling.

Just before the children are dismissed in the
evening the teacher reads the names of those who

PRIMARY DEVICES 27

had perfect lessons and returns to them, their
papers marked "100" in red ink. Before long,
almost every child in the room will have a paper
with "100" on it to take home, and they will
treasure these papers very carefully.

Those who have made mistakes do not have
their papers returned but the teacher keeps a
list of all misspelled words and repeats them in the
next lesson till they are learned also. If the class
is spelling from a book, the assigned lesson should
be shortened to allow room for these misspelled
words which are placed on the board.

This will soon do away with the need of keeping
children after school to learn misspelled words.

With the aid of some little paper fasteners and
their colored crayons the children will enjoy mak-
ing little decorated book covers the size and shape
of their spelling papers in which to put their
perfect papers so making a book of their "100's."

During many years of work in the primary
grades, I have never found a method so successful
in getting right results in everything that has to

28 PRIMARY DEVICES

do with spelling as the one here outlined. The
children not only learn the spelling, but they
learn how to study, how to apply themselves to
their work, even when surrounded by the hum of
voices and they learn that they can have perfect
lessons and learn to expect that of themselves
habitually. Then there is no opportunity here
for dishonesty — each must depend on his own
effort and he learns to do it.

APPRECIATION OF THE BEAUTIFUL

Many of the little people are able to appre-
ciate— in some measure, the natural beauty around
them when they first come to school, but more of
them, coming from homes where only the so-called
practical is counted of importance, will never be
even conscious of the beautiful in nature which
greets them at every turn unless they are definitely
taught to look for it and this also must be the work
of the school.

Much may be accomplished along this line
with very little time and almost no preparation.
The teacher, however, will have to be an enthusiast
here as elsewhere.

Many little opportunities will offer every day
for directing the children's thought to some
phase of beauty in their surroundings. A few
suggestions are here offered.

Say to the class some morning when the dawn
has been especially beautiful: tll wonder how
many of my boys and girls saw the sun get up
this morning " or "I wonder how many were
ahead of the sun this morning and were up before

29

30 PRIMARY DEVICES

he had dried up all the dew," or some other similar
thing.

Perhaps John will raise his hand enthusiastically
eager to tell you that he got up when Father did
this morning, before daylight and that "every-
thing was so still — you couldn't hear a sound till
the sun came up, when suddenly all the birds
began singing at once as if they were telling the
sun 'Good Morning'."

Or perhaps Mary will tell you that the sky in
the east this morning was "just the color of the
big lilac bush in our back yard when it is in full
bloom."

All these little evidences of the recognition of
beauty should meet with the teacher's sympathetic
appreciation.

The same plan may be followed in awakening
them to observe the sunset.

Say to them some morning, "How many saw
the beautiful sunset last night?" Perhaps several
will have noticed it and will be eager to tell you
that it looked "just like a great pile of roses" or
"a great sheet of gold," etc. Let them talk

PRIMARY DEVICES 31

just a minute and then go on with the other work.
The chances are that the next time you talk about
sunsets, which should be within a few days, you
will find a larger number prepared to talk on the
subject.

These little talks need occupy only two or three
minutes but will be far reaching in their results.

Perhaps Tom will come in some morning, just
at the last minute, his face beaming with smiles,
and his hat full of big red apples l 'for the teacher "
or he may come bearing triumphantly the ' 'big-
gest bunch of grapes in the vineyard." Tom has
favored the teacher with these, his best, because
"they are good to eat," but the wide awake
teacher will see herein an opportunity to direct
thought to the beautiful and while she shows her
appreciation of Tom's thoughtfulness by some
fitting reamrk as, "Won't they be fine with my
lunch, etc.", she may hold them up before the
class calling attention to their beauty — beauty
of color, form, arrangement, etc., so that Tom
may learn that his gift is valued not only because

32 PRIMARY DEVICES

it is "good to eat," but because it ministers to a
higher sense — the love of the beautiful — as well.

Again some glorious spring morning, when the
air is odorous with the breath of spring flowers,
and every little head is bent intently over its
daily work, suddenly the school-room may be
flooded with melody — the overflowing joyousness
of the little feathered songster swinging on the
branch just outside the window.

This will be another opportunity. Very quietly
the children's attention may be directed to the
little musician and they may be invited to put
aside their work for a few minutes and enjoy this
"free concert." If this kind of thing is done
frequently and in the right spirit by the teacher,
there need be no fear that the children will take
advantage or be disorderly — on the contrary,
they will grow more reverent toward the good
and the beautiful in everything and will respond
to the trust placed in them in a most satisfactory
way.

There will be no days that do not afford some

PRIMARY DEVICES 33

opportunity for recognizing beauty of some kind
On a cloudy day attention may be called to the
great piles of white clouds that look like snow-
covered peaks, or like ocean billows, or to the long
rows of black ones that look like distant mountain
ranges, etc.; on a rainy day to the soft patter of
the rain drops as they quietly do their work of
cleansing and refreshing; on a cold day to the
clearness of the atmosphere; on a hot day to the
gentle little breezes that mitigate the heat, etc.,
thus teaching the children to look for and to find
some redeeming feature in every situation.

They may get much pleasure from watching the
growth and development of their house plants
or in daily noting the unfolding of a rose. One
rose bud may be kept by itself in a vase, appro-
priate in size and shape, and its daily unfoldment
will be a delight to the children. If picked early
and with proper care it will last two weeks and
unfold gradually and naturally.

These are just a few of the many little oppor-
tunities that will come into every teacher's experi-
ence— others will abound as both teacher and
children begin to look for them.

RUNNING RACES WITH THEMSELVES.

One of the most necessary things and sometimes
one of the most difficult things to secure with
young children, is application. They mean to
do — and they mean to do their best, and they
mean to do it now — their intentions are always
above reproach, but things around are so inter-
esting, so insistent in claiming and holding their
attention, though they intend "to look only for
a minute" that before they realize it, the time is
all gone and the spelling isn't learned, the examples
aren't worked, etc.

For this reason, a variety of little devices for
teaching application will be welcomed by the
primary teacher.

One thing that may be done frequently and in
a variety of ways is to let them run races with
themsalves.

Have a short study period which the whole
class is to devote to the study of spelling. Stand
before the class and say: ' 1 am going to give you
just one minute to study spelling and want you
to keep account of the number of times you go

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PRIMARY DEVICES 35

over it" —they can do this with their fingers, by
making little marks on papers, one for every time
they go over the lesson, or in any way that they
may think of. When the minute is gone, tap the
bell, at which signal all study must stop, and
allow each child to tell you how many times he
studied the lesson. Then give them another
minute letting them work and stopping them as
before, but with the understanding that each is
running a race with himself and is trying to get
over the lesson more times than he did in the
other minute. When this minute is gone, allow
all who accomplished this, and so Mwon the race"
to raise their hands and to tell you how many
more times they studied it this time than before.

Immediately let them run another race and
another race till all the study time, perhaps ten
or twelve minutes has been consumed. By this
time, almost every child will be ready with a
perfect spelling lesson and will have learned ,
unconsciously, a valuable lesson in application
besides.

36 PRIMARY DEVICES

This method may be used with one or more
of the particularly hard words in the lesson, with
the tables, memory gems or any other memory
work.

SEED TIME AND HARVEST

The primary teacher, perhaps more than any
other individual, needs to remember that the
harvest cannot differ essentially from the seed,
and that the child-thought is the fertile and
tillable soil in which she is daily sowing seed
which must sooner or later in the very nature of
things yield fruit of a like character.

Great responsibilities and great privileges are
those of the primary teacher and while she should
not allow the sense of responsibility to make her
work burdensome yet she should be constantly
alert that her sowing be of a kind that is worthy
of reproduction.

To many children, "the teacher " is the highest
authority on all subjects and if "the teacher said
so" there is nothing more to be said on the sub-
ject— no question to be raised — her word is "law
and gospel'7 to them.

For this reason the teacher should be very
careful what she says and how she says it.

In the hurry and press of a full day, it is very
easy to say some little thoughtless, impatient

37

38 PRIMARY DEVICES

thing which is immediately forgotten by the busy
teacher, but which takes deep root in the childish
thought and sooner or later bears fruit, after its
kind, of which could she see it and know it, as
the result of her sowing, the teacher would not
be proud.

The following little story is a case in point.

A boy of sixteen — a good, industrious, well-
meaning, intelligent boy, whose father was a man
of intelligence and of some influence for good
in the city, had fallen so far behind his class in
mathematics in its various branches that he could
not be promoted. This had happened several
times, till now he was two or three grades behind
the boys and girls of his own age.

In the city where this boy lived, the school
authorities were especially awake to the children's
needs and left no means untried to do the best
they could see to do for the progress of each in-
dividual child.

This boy, therefore, had special help in an
ungraded room and every other advantage that

PRIMARY DEVICES 39

the loving thoughtfullness of those in charge
could devise.

But the boy continued to fail in that one par-
ticular branch of the work.

Living on the same street with this boy's family
was a teacher who taught in the district in which
the boy belonged although he was at that time,
attending an ungraded room at some distance.

One morning early, the mother of the boy came
in tears to this teacher. "Tell me" she said
"what to do with Rob — he is walking the floor,
swearing, and declaring that he will never go into
a school-room again. What shall I do?"

"Why" answered the teacher, when she had
questioned a little, "there's only one thing to
do — teach him till he begins to understand the
subject — begins to have a grasp on it and so begins
to have confidence in himself."

"But" answered the tearful mother, between
her sobs, "he can't learn arithmetic — a teacher
once told him so — neither can his older brother —
it runs in the family, etc., etc."

40 PRIMARY DEVICES

"Yes, but he can," answered the teacher whose
experience with children had been long and varied,
"get right at work and teach him."

"I don't know how" said the mother, "will
you do it?"

'Yes," answered the teacher, "send him over
this evening."

In the evening the boy came over and had his
first lesson. They began at foundation principles
but the teacher's special object was to find out,
by careful questioning and loving patience, just
where the trouble lay.

Finally it was disclosed that when the boy was
in one of the lower grades and was one day having
a severe battle with what was to him a stupendous
problem, the teacher, who was trying to help him,
becoming impatient with the slowness with which
he grasped her explanations, turning hurriedly
away to another child, had left him with the
remark, "Oh, you can't understand it — you'll
never be able to learn arithmetic anyway, etc.,
etc."

PRIMARY DEVICES 41

An older brother having had a similar experi-
ence previously — having been told the same thing
—it was very naturally concluded that inability
to ' 'learn arithmetic " was a family failing.

The older brother after many struggles, had
yielded to discouragement, given up school and
gone to work. Now the younger boy was con-
fronted with the same situation. He said, ' There's
no use — I can't learn arithmetic — I may as well
quit and go to work."

The teacher, realizing that the boy was so
discouraged that he could not make any effort,
began with what she was sure he did know.
She talked with him also — told him that he was
a bright, intelligent boy and needed only to apply
himself, etc., etc. Gradually she advanced to
new subjects, tactfully and lovingly helping him
over the hard places till he began to have confi-
dence in himself and consequently courage to
make the necessary effort. The transformation
was wonderful.

At the end of a few weeks, he came as usual,

42 PRIMARY DEVICES

one evening for his lesson. His face was all aglow.
"Miss Gardner," he said, 'Tm going back to
school." Needless to say that they rejoiced
together.

Miss Gardner, being at that time principal in
the district ,was able to keep loving watch over
the boy's progress. The result was that he went
steadily forward and graduated from the Grammar
school with credit.

This is only one of the many instances that
might be cited where impatient or thoughtless
remarks — careless sowing — by the teacher has
yielded a crop of weeds that had either to be
uprooted as was done in this case, or that grew
and multiplied to such an extent that they occu-
pied the whole ground and so choked and starved
the good seed that it has been unable to find any
sustenance or any room for growth.

Surely a primary teacher must look at her
work as a sacred trust and must act accordingly.

THE NOON HOUR

Time is money. This old saying is a trite
statement of the generally accepted fact that we
can not afford to waste or idly squander, even a
moment of this precious possession. If we can
not afford to waste time then it naturally follows
that we can not afford to do worse than waste
it — to fill it with harmful thoughts, words or
actions.

There is, among teachers in large school build-
ings, an almost universal custom of congregating
in one of the class-rooms or in a specially provided
' lunch room" and so spending the noon hour
together. This time, if properly spent, may be
of great benefit to both the teacher and to the
children whose intellectual and moral advance-
ment she is directing. Such time will be profit-
ably employed either in pleasant social intercourse
or in the exchange of helpful experiences and useful
suggestions along the various lines of school work
so that the individual teacher may return to
her afternoon tasks with some little gleam of
inspiration gleaned from this mutual giving.

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44 PRIMARY DEVICES

It is to be regretted, however, that such results
are not always the outcome of these noon gather-
ings but that just the reverse is often true.

Not infrequently the course of procedure is
something like the following: Jack's teacher
relates in the most graphic manner all Jack's
midsemeanors for the day — she has related all
the previous ones previously — and closes her
recital with some such statement as, ''Well, I
don't know what's to become of the boy" or
'Td not be surprised at anything from him."
Then the other teachers who have dealt with
Jack in the lower grades rehearse his past mis-
doings and encourage his present teacher with
such reminders as, "You know I told you that
you'd have a time with him, etc."

All this calls forth a similar recital of woes
from Jimmie's teacher and similarly consoling
remarks from Jimmie's previous teachers. And
so the conversation proceeds.

When the noon hour is over, both teachers
return to their class rooms fully expecting some

PRIMARY DEVICES 45

form of wrong doing, and Jack and Jimmie feeling
instinctively the distrust and fearful expectancy
of the teachers, immediately proceed to fulfill
that expectancy. And who is to blame? Are
not the teachers as much responsible as the
children?

' 'Do not look for wrong and evil,
You will find them if you do;

As you measure to your neighbor,
He will measure back to you."

1 'Look for goodness, look for gladness—
You will meet them all the while;
If you bring a smiling visage
To the glass you meet a smile."
These words of Alice Carey, indicate the right
attitude of the teacher toward the children in
her care, and any conversation which dwells
unnecessarily on their shortcomings will unfit
her to keep this attitude and so interfere seriously
with her getting the best out of the children.

COURTESY

The hearts of the little people in the primary
grades are so overflowing with that love and good
will to all of which true courtesy is the natural
expression, that it is a delight to so direct their
various activities that they may become naturally
and habitually courteous.

And the school room affords many and varied
opportunities for making practical application
of this teaching.

The following are some of the ways of reaching
definite results.

Perhaps the teacher has learned that the Super-
intendent, Mr. Smith, expects to visit her room
to-day. After the opening exercises are over,
she may talk to the children in some such way
as this: "You'll never guess what nice thing's
going to happen to-day." Immediately a number
of little hands will signify a desire to ' 'guess."
Let them guess for a minute. Then if no one
has ' 'guessed" it, say: "Mr. Smith's coming to
see us to-day. Aren't we glad? Now let's think
what we can do to make him have a good time.

46

PRIMARY DEVICES 47

You know how he spends his whole time going
about from school to school or in some other way
doing something to help the boys and girls. So
we want to do all we can to make him happy when
he comes to see us."

At once nearly every child in the room will
set himself to thinking seriously and many ways
of "helping Mr. Smith to have a good time"
will be suggested.

Possibly at this point some child, voicing the
results of home influences, may say, "Well, he
gets paid for it, doesn't he?"

This will be an opportunity to bring out a
right attitude toward public service and public
servants. "Yes," she may answer, "he is paid
for it but, you know, money can't pay for the
thoughtfulness and kindness with which he is
always planning and searching out better things
for the children in our schools, etc."

When this phase of the matter has been suffi-
ciently discussed, then definite plans for Mr.
Smith's entertainment may be begun.

48 PRIMARY DEVICES

The teacher should be careful to see that the
children have their part in this discussion and
that the plan outlined for "the entertainment
of Mr. Smith "• is evolved by the children under
her guidance and is not an arbitrary arrangement
by herself. She should also be watchful that
no least, timid suggestion be overlooked or under-
valued. If some child suggests something that
is not practical or for some other reasons can not
be carried out, the teacher should explain the
reasons and thanking the child for his willingness
to help, avoid giving him a sense of discourage-
ment which might prevent his giving expression
to any other helpful idea which presented itself
to him.

The plan, when completed, might be something
like the following. Of course, this in only sug-
gestive and may be enlarged upon indefinitely.

Certain definite things may be given to certain
children. For example: Mary will take Mr.
Smith's hat. John will get Mr. Smith a chair.
Harry will give him a book if the class is reading
when he comes, and there will be other little

PRIMARY DEVICES 49

courtesies of which they will think which may be
assigned to certain ones.

But this will not satisfy them as by this time,
each child will feel that he must have some part
in Mr. Smith's entertainment.

The question, then, will be to find something
that will please Mr. Smith in which all may par-
ticipate.

By careful guidance from the teacher, the
children will see that "Mr. Smith couldn't be
very happy if he had to sit and look at lazy, idle
boys and girls — so everyone can help in that way
—everyone can work. Then, of course, Mr.
Smith will enjoy people who have nice quiet feet,
nice quiet lips, people who are kind to their neigh-
bors, etc., etc."

The result will be that Mr. Smith will have a
most delightful visit and will probably say so.
If he does, the children may tell him how they
have planned to make him "have a good time0
which will add to their enjoyment of the occasion.

After a few such planned "entertainments"

50 PRIMARY DEVICES

the children will perform these little hospitable
offices spontaneously and naturally and a visitor
to the school-room will be welcomed as cordially
and entertained as graciously as a guest in the
home.

And to many of the children who have little
or no such home training, this work in the school
will open up ways of usefulness and thoughtful
consideration for others that will be a continual
delight to themselves and a source of joy and
restfulness to all with whom they are associated.

RETALIATION OR "GETTING EVEN"

The desire to "get even" for an offence imagin-
ary, or otherwise, is often as strong with little
children and forms as great a problem to those
dealing with them as to those dealing with the
so-called mature thought.

Tom says, ' 'John took my pencil and I'm going
to take his pencil" or "Ben called me names
and I'm going to call him names, etc." and it
seems hard to impart to Tom's disturbed thought,
smarting under the sense of injustice and injury,
any desire or sense of the necessity for applying
the Golden Rule.

However, in this as in all other problems there
is a right way.

One way which has been tried and proved
effective, is to place the suffering for the offence
where it properly belongs — with the offender.

Show Tom that the boy who does the wrong
act is the one to be pitied and that the one thing
for him to do is to be sure he does right himself.

The little folks are very logical in their reason-

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52 PRIMARY DEVICES

ing and will soon grasp the truth in this view and
will gradually learn to apply it.

The following experience is to the point.

One day, a primary teacher, who was trying to
use this method in her own work, was on duty
on the yard during the last part of the noon inter-
mission.

When the children began to return from their
lunches, Freddie, a little seven-year-old, who was
not one of her pupils, and so not accustomed to
her ways, came to her in great distress, the tears
running down his face, his clenched hands showing
the intensity of his mental disturbance, and said,
between his sobs, as he pointed to another boy,
standing at some distance, "Miss Blank, that
boy makes faces at me all the way home."

Without seeming to recognize that there might
be another side to the question, the teacher,
putting her arm gently around Freddie, and
looking pityingly at the other boy, said, t 'It's
too bad, I'm so sorry for him. I don't believe
he's very happy, do you?"

PRIMARY DEVICES 53

That was a new point of view to Freddie.
With unfeigned astonishment and a quick, com-
prehensive grasp of her meaning, he dropped his
arms, dried his tears, and looking at her question-
ingly for a moment, bounded off to his play with-
out another word and that was the last she ever
heard about the "faces."

A SPELLING METHOD

Every teacher knows that every child in the
class can learn the spelling lesson assigned him.
She knows also that when his work is not done,
the failure is due in almost every instance, to
neither lack of ability nor lack of time but to
lack of application. The problem then, is, not
to in any way change the work given him or to
either force or persuade him to give more time
to it ,but to find some way or ways to teach him
to use to the best advantage the time he has, in
other words to teach him how to apply himself
to his work. She will therefore, find use for a
great number of ways and methods of keeping
the class persistently at work and yet keeping
their interest from flagging.

One excellent way to accomplish this result is to
have each child "run a race with himself/' They
may "run races " with each other but that is
apt to encourage dishonesty as the teacher cannot
give personal supervision, and may also bring
about a kind of rivalry which would result in
discord.

54

PRIMARY DEVICES 55

This may be arranged in this way. Each child
may have a little book, which he can prepare
himself, made of several small pieces of paper
pinned together.

When the study period arrives, the time to
be devoted exclusively to the preparation of the
spelling for the day, each child with his little
book on the desk will begin his study while the
teacher gives her attention to the other class.

A certain number of times for the study of each
word will be agreed upon as five times or ten
times. Each child will go over the whole lesson,
studying each word the required number of times.
When he has studied the lesson in this way once,
he will put down in his little book, on the page
devoted to that day, one straight mark.

Every time he goes over the lesson in this way,
he will add another mark, thus keeping account
of the number of times he goes over the lesson.

When the study period has elapsed, the teacher
will walk down the aisle, stopping beside each
desk and so helping each child compare today's
record with yesterday's.

56 PRIMARY DEVICES

If this work is continued for a week, almost
every child in the room will find that his record
shows a steady increase in the number of times
he has been able to go over the lesson and he will
also have made an advance in the habit of appli-
cation that will be worth much more than the
mere learning of the spelling lesson.

In this, as in all the other devices here presented,
the teacher's enthusiastic appreciation of every
effort as well as of avery achievement is absolutely
essential to right results.

WRITING
A Slow Race.

In almost every department of school work,
the teacher's endeavor must be to encourage
greater activity — greater speed in getting accurate
results. This is the aim in the spelling work,
the number work, and much of the other drill
work that makes up the problems of each day.

In teaching writing, exactly the reverse is true.
The tendency with the children will be to rush
through page after page of copy-book or paper,
giving little or no attention to the forms of the
letters. Any devices which will offset this ten-
dency, will be welcomed by every primary teacher.

One very helpful thing which may be used quite
often, is a ''slow race."

When the class have been given their writing
materials, books, papers or whatever is being
used, the teacher may say: "We are going to
do something new today — going to run a race —
a new kind of a race — a 'slow race.' '

Then the teacher will explain: "I am going
to give you just so many minutes (five or ten)

57

58 PRIMARY DEVICES

let you all begin at the same time and see who
can write the smallest number of lines without
wasting any of the time."

When the "race" begins, the teacher will have
to keep very careful supervision that some of
the children do not stop to look around and see
how others are getting along or they may even
stop a minute to let others get ahead. The
teacher will have to guard against this and may
do so by having it understood that anyone who
is found not writing all the time, will not be
counted in the race.

If this "slow race" is used quite often, the
children will soon become observant of the letter
forms — first because they are trying to write
slowly and finally because they are interested in
making them correctly.

When the time has expired, the teacher may
write on the board the names of those who wrote
the smallest number of lines.

Or when the race begins, the teacher may
designate a certain number of lines, as: "Now

PRIMARY DEVICES 59

let's see how many can write fewer than three
lines" in the given time.

All who do this, have "won the race", and may
have their names on the board.

It will add to the interest if these names can
be left on the board and every time a child ' 'wins
the race" a mark of some kind placed after his
name.

There comes a time in older grade work, when
practice in rapid writing is necessary, but with
the little people the essential thing is to form their
letters carefully and correctly and this little
device will prove a great aid in helping them to
do this.

"DON'T"

"Don't" is a little word which might profit-
ably be eliminated from every teacher's vocabu-
lary. The only good thing that can be said
about it is: "Don't say it"— "Don't use it."

The use of this word in the school-room is not
so common as it was in the last generation, but
even so there is still opportunity for wisdom in
"it's disuse."

The kind of goodness which results from its
frequent use is a negative kind of goodness —
goodness resulting from fear of the consequences
of wrongdoing rather than active, energetic good-
ness resulting from love of right.

The constant use of this word tends to paralize
originality and activity if it does not cease to
have any effect whatever. In correcting wrong
habits or errors of any kind, it will be found much
more effective to recommend the right course of
action than to forbid the wrong. It will be found
better to say: "John, see what a nice straight
back you can have," rather than: "John, don't
stoop over your desk in that way" or to say:
"John, see how still you can keep your feet,"

60

PRIMARY DEVICES 61

rather than, "John, don't make so much noise
with your feet."

This constant use of ' 'don't" continually, directs
the children's attention to the very thing which
you wish to correct, thus, with those who endeavor
to be obedient creating a fear that they will
disobey and so bringing to pass the very thing
they would avoid while with the careless or unruly
it serves to keep the matter constantly in thought
when the only way to destroy the wrong habit
or action is to first eliminate it from thought.

At the close of the day, if the teacher has ob-
served ever so slight an effort on John's part to
have quiet feet, she will find it very effective to
make some little comment showing her appre-
ciation of John's effort as: "You don't know how
much I have enjoyed John's nice quiet feet today,"
or "How much John has helped us all today by
having such nice quiet feet." A few such little
remarks will do more for John's feet than all the
"don'ts" you can crowd into a term.

"Yes," someone may say, "but the children

62 PRIMARY DEVICES

should do right just because it is right and with
no other incentive/'

True, but which of us older ones has yet risen
above the need of occasional incentive in the way
of encouragement and appreciative recognition
of our effort? And while the one object should
be to teach the children to do right for the love
of right only — while that should be the bright
and shining goal, yet there are camping places
on the journey there — rest places where they
may turn for food and drink — and perhaps for
shelter before they march onward with renewed
energy. And these occasional words of encour-
agement from those we know love us and would
help us, are such rest places on the road.

Many of these little ones never hear an encour-
aging word in their home life — many times the
mother is too busy caring for the material needs,
to think of this greater need, and sometimes she
doesn't recognize that there is such a need, so
oftentimes the children are heart-hungry for
that little bit of loving recognition which may
transform the most difficult and distasteful task
into an endless delight.

TIME SAVERS

While we do not want our children to be ' 'time
servers" we do want them to learn to be "time
savers" for many an otherwise well-equipped
youth has suffered defeat solely because of his
inability to take care of the minutes — his lack
of appreciation of their value and importance.

The person who pleads lack of time as an excuse
for failing in certain duties, will frequently find,
if he will stop to consider the matter, that his
failure was due not so much to lack of time as
to lack of wisdom in using his time.

The school-room is the place to teach the value
of time and there are many little devices that
may be used to advantage in establishing time-
saving habits.

Here is one that will be found helpful.

Frequently when you can spare a few minutes
between recitations, two, three or sometimes even
one, stand before the class with watch in hand
or directing children's attention to clock, show
them with pointer just where the minute hand
is now and just where it will be at the end of the

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64 PRIMARY DEVICES

next two or three minutes or whatever the time
you wish to use.

Then say to them, ' 'Now, I am going to stand
here while you study spelling. Each one get a
piece of paper and your pencil and every time
you go over the spelling once, put a mark on your
paper. Don't look at the clock and when the
time is gone I'll tell you and then I'll let each
one tell me how many times you studied it. I'll
tap the bell when the time is gone.

Immediately every child will go to work with
a will — there will not be an idle thought in the
room.

When the time has expired tap the bell requir-
ing every child to fold his hands on the desk.
Then run down each line quickly allowing each
child to tell you how many lines he has on his
paper. Commend those who have done well-
both those who have gone over the lesson many
times and those whom you saw working hard.
Then point out to them how much has been
accomplished in these few minutes and then drop
the matter.

PRIMARY DEVICES 65

Do this as often as convenient, always dwelling
on how much has been accomplished in the short
time.

This time may be put on some specially hard
word or words in the spelling, on the tables or
on any other part of the work that requires special
attention and may in that way be made to do
double duty.

Then it will be well to refer to these experiences
occasionally, always calling attention to the fact
that it was "only a minute'7 and yet that much
work was done.

This will be particularly helpful to the child
who habitually says or thinks, "In a minute"
or "Wait a minute."

WELCOMING COMMITTEE

Many of the children in out schools come from
homes where the finer things of life are entirely
lacking, and all the training they will get in these
will have to come through the schools so the
school should be on the alert always, that it may
sieze any opportunity to help uplift.

A tl Welcoming Committee" will be prolific of
good with these little people.

This committee may consist of two or three
members and should be appointed Monday morn-
ing to serve during the week.

The teacher will have to use wisdom in her
appointments, especially at first, choosing only
those who have confidence and are not afraid,
later the timid ones may gradually be pressed
into service.

When she first appoints the "committee",
the teacher should give a few general instructions
as to their duties and then leave them free to
be as original as they like, and she will be delighted
to see how many thoughtful, kind, courteous
things they will think to do.

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PRIMARY DEVICES 67

The general directions given the "committee",
should be such as will enable them to make any
visitor feel "at home" and comfortable among
them. Some of these will be to go to the door
when someone knocks or enters, to offer a chair
and a book, take a lady's parasol and packages,
or gentleman's hat and cane, etc.

Of course, the other children must attend to
their work and it will be understood that only
from among those who do so, will the committee
for the next week be appointed.

This will not only be of great value to the
children, but will also be a source of great pleasure
and satisfaction to the guests.

TEACHERS

The primary teacher cannot have too many
' 'devices " for securing sufficient drill on spelling
and on the different number combinations, tables,
etc.

This has been found a very successful method
to be used occasionally.

Suppose the teacher has two classes in the
room, and one of the classes is learning the tables.
During the study period which is assigned to
this class while the teacher is giving her attention
to the other class, much may be accomplished by
letting some child "play teacher."

The teacher should begin her work with the
other class, allowing this class five or ten minutes
to study their work, tables, spelling or whatever
the work may be.

When the time has expired, she should allow
someone, whom she has seen working all the
time, to attempt the task assigned — she may
suspend her work with the other class long enough
to hear this one "say his table," "spell his words "
or do whatever else the work calls for.

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PRIMARY DEVICES 69

If his effort is a success, then she should place
a little table in the front of the room — by her
desk, allowing this child "to be teacher " for his
class while she goes on with her other *work.

This " teacher*' will quietly watch the class
for a few minutes to see "who is working hard"
and then, by some sign upon which they have
agreed and which will not disturb the work of
the other class, he will signify his desire to hear
this child recite the work he has been preparing.

In this way he will go on hearing each in turn,
till all have had an opportunity, always being
careful to select one who has "been doing good
hard work."

There should be somewhere in the room and
easy of access, a supply of books — story books
or other books of interest to the children and as
they do their work to the satisfaction of the
"teacher*' they may each select a book for him-
self, and devote the rest of the time to his book.

If any child fails, he must go back to his work
and apply himself to it till he can show the results

70 PRIMARY DEVICES

of work in his recitation. Then he, too, may
have a book.

This will keep the class profitably employed
while the teacher is busy with the other class
and will also be of great value in giving much
practice on difficult phases of the work and in
doing this in a way that will be a pleasure to the
children.

The teacher should be careful in her selection
of a "teacher", choosing one who is not only
capable but just, impartial and independent as
well, and as fast as practicable each child should
have his opportunity.

THE TEACHER'S "HOLIDAY'

One of the mistakes most frequently made by
the mother in the home, is that of taking all the
care and responsibility thus allowing the children
to form the habit of depending on "Mother''
for everything. Then when the children are
older, the Mother cannot understand why they
have so little regard for her comfort, remembering
as she does, how her one thought was to spare
them all care and she does not see that she is
but reaping the result of her wrong methods.

In the school-room, the same wrong method is
frequently followed, and the children are not
taught to regard in any measure, the teacher's
rights or comfort.

To be sure, both teacher and pupils may argue,
"Yes, but the teacher is paid for her work for
the children and it is her business to see that all
their school needs are cared for."

Yes, truly, and it is for that very reason that
it is part of her work for them that she endeavor
to teach them a due regard and consideration for
those who serve them. Many of the children

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72 PRIMARY DEVICES

will never learn it at all if they do not learn it
at school. Gratitude to public servants for un-
selfish and efficient service, is something that
needs cultivation among our American young
people.

There are many little devices which the teacher
can use to bring out a better sense in this regard.

One of these ways is to have an occasional
' 'holiday" herself.

Some morning at the beginning of school, she
may announce to the children: "I have been
teaching every day for a long time and now I
feel as if I'd like to be company today and let
someone else do the teaching."

This will delight the children and they will all
want to "be teacher. "

Then the teacher may select someone in whom
she has confidence to hear the first recitation,
while she sits back in her chair playing company,
and turning the school, as far as possible, over
to the children.

She may select some other child for teacher

PRIMARY DEVICES 73

during the next recitation, and so on till she has
been "company" long enough. When her t 'holi-
day " is over, whether a day or a part of a day,
she should tell the class how much she has enjoyed
her "holiday" and commend their every little
effort to make her l 'have a good time."

If the children have been allowed a good deal
of freedom in the school-room, they will think
of many little things to do. One child may go
out and get her a drink, another, if it is a warm
day, may offer her a fan, etc. All these little
courtesies should be received in the spirit in which
they are given and with a grateful recognition.

If something of this kind is used frequently,
the teacher will soon see a marked improvement
in the children's attitude toward her and it will
not be only on her special "holidays," but there
will be an increasing thoughtfulness for her com-
fort each day and every day.

EXPRESSION

Of course, it is advisable to have the children
learn to bring out the meaning in what they
read, as early in their study of reading, as possible.

The reading methods of today in which much
preparatory work is done on the board and in
other ways, before books are put into the hands
of the children ,does much to bring about right
results in this matter.

And yet, with all this drill and careful prepara-
tion, the teacher will frequently find that as soon
as the children begin to use their books, the ten-
dency is to "say words " and give little or no
attention to bringing out the meaning. It is
usually of little help to tell the child to "bring
out the meaning" or to "use expression" as these
interruptions only serve to confuse and discour-
age him. There are, however, many little helps
in this work which every teacher finds for herself
and the following are some such helps that have
been proved in the school-room.

Every day, just before the reading from the
books, it will be found helpful to have a little

74

PRIMARY DEVICES 75

preparatory board work. The teacher may write
on the board, two or more short sentences formed
from some of the longer sentences in one of the
paragraphs of the lesson. For instance, she may
write: "John had two apples." Then she may
ask some child to read it, telling him to have some
"strong" word in it. In reading this sentence,
this child may make "John" the "strong" word
and read it in this way: "John had two apples."
The teacher should commend this reading and
lead the class to see that this way of reading it,
shows that it was not Tom or Ben who had the
two apples, but "John."

Then she may ask who will volunteer to make
some other word the "strong" word. Perhaps
Henry volunteers and reads it, making "two"
the "strong" word in this way: "John had two
apples." The class will readily see that Henry 's
reading brings out the number of apples John
had — not three or four — just two.

Another reading, making "had" the "strong"
word and bringing out the thought that John had

76 PRIMARY DEVICES

the apples but hasn't them now and still another
making apples the ' 'strong" word, and bringing
out the thought that John had apples, not peaches,
pears, or anything else — just apples, will help
the class to see that much depends on having
some ' 'strong" words and also on making just
the right words "strong" words.

Then when the class turns to the book and reads
about John and the apples, a number of the
children will apply what they have learned, some-
times almost unconsciously, and will so inevitably
put more expression into the lesson.

If this method is used persistently, the class
may go to the extreme of having many ' 'strong"
words and "very strong" words, and will some-
times make the reading of a very simple passage
quite dramatic. But this need cause no alarm,
as any such extravagance will gradually be modi-
fied and even if it were not, it would be preferable
to the monotone which so often becomes habitual.

Another help in this work is to tell them to
talk" the reading. It is not well to talk to

. <

PRIMARY DEVICES 77

them about ' 'expression " as that sounds big
and hard to them. They may be allowed to
read a sentence — the sentences for this work
should be short — then shut the book and "talk"
it to the teacher.

Then when some child can read some lesson
especially well, he may be allowed to take his
book to the office and read it to the Principal, if
she has time to hear him. Another time, the
Principal may be "invited" to come and hear
some specially good reading, and one or two of
the children who are to do the reading, may take
her the invitation.

Then, by special arrangements among the
teachers, these little ones may be allowed to
read, occasionally, a well-prepared story to one
of the upper grades who will get no less pleasure
and frequently no less profit from these occasions
than do the little ones themselves, whose sweet-
ness and genuine simplicity will be a source of
delight to the older ones.

Then again, they may sometimes be allowed —

78 PRIMARY DEVICES

children in the third and fourth grades — to read
a particularly interesting story to the first grade.
These are only a few of the little helps that
will make the reading work both more pleasant
and more profitable.

' 'SECRETS" OR ' 'SURPRISES"

There is nothing that so pleases a child as to
"have a secret" and to "have a secret with the
teacher" affords him the greatest delight.

This tendency of the child-thought may be so
gratified as to bring about very satisfactory
results.

Some of the ways in which this may be used
are here presented.

Suppose the class in numbers has been having
hard work with some of the tables — the 8's for
example, say to them some morning, "Wouldn't
it be just fine if we could all learn that table so
well that Miss Green (the teacher) could put a
big red 100 on every paper- Then we could
put them up on the front board and ask Miss
Rivers (the Principal) to come in and see them.
Wouldn't she enjoy it- Suppose we try it.
Let's all work just as hard as we can, and the
first time we all have 100, we'll call Miss Rivers
in to see our papers."

As soon as the class has decided to attempt
this achievement, Miss Rivers may be invited

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80 PRIMARY DEVICES

into the room and acquainted with the fact that
a surprise is awaiting her — is preparing for her.
She may also be informed that at present it is
a secret. She may then be induced by a little
outside explanation from the teacher, to come in
frequently to "see if that surprise is nearly ready "
and ' 'if she is soon to be let into that secret."

This will help to keep the children enthusiastic
and they will find all kinds of ways to practice
"saying the table. " They will take the work
home. Father and Mother, big brothers and
sisters with other members of the family will
be pressed into service and called upon "to hear
me say my table."

Every day the teacher will find a few minutes
for this subject, will distribute slips of paper to
the class, asking them to write the table, allowing
a certain length cf time in which to do it and
collecting the papers at the end of that time,
whether they are finished or not.

Perhaps the "surprise" may be delayed by
the laziness and idleness of Tom and Kitty,

PRIMARY DEVICES 81

which results in their daily failure to attain the
standard of perfection. The class will soon be
come awake to this — will soon recognize what
it is that is delaying matters, and "public senti-
ment " will become so pronounced in the class
against idleness and laziness that Tom and Kitty
will be glad to get to work in earnest and so will
soon bring sufficient effort .to bear to enable them
to reach the required standard.

Then, when the unbroken line of "big red
100 V is displayed across the front of the room,
Miss Rivers may be called in, told that the
' 'surprise " is ready and so "let into the secret."

Her enthusiastic appreciation of the occasion
will delight the children and as soon as she has
gone there will probably come from all parts of
the room, "Let's do it again," and "Let's give
her another surprise."

The teacher will, of course, encourage these
aspirations in the right direction and various
other "surprises" may be planned.

In this way, many of the otherwise "hard

82 PRIMARY DEVICES

places " may be made a pleasure to the children.

Other tables, those that seem especially hard,
may be used as a basis for these ' 'surprises"
and the manner of presentation may be varied—
indeed must be to hold the interest of the class.

One ' 'surprise" with the tables may take this
form. When every child in the class can repeat
this particular table, then Miss Rivers may be
called in, the children may stand, arranging
themselves in two rows as for an old-fashioned
spelling match. If the class is about evenly
divided between girls and boys, it may add to
the interest to have the boys on one side and the
girls on the other. Then each child will repeat
the " table," first one on one side and then one
on the other, as in the spelling match. If a child
fails to do it readily, he may sit down. When
each child has had his chance, then it will be
ascertained how many on each side were able
to stand. But the object of the "surprise" will
be to prove to Miss Rivers that everyone can do
it, and the "surprise" will not be considered an
absolute success if any child has failed.

PRIMARY DEVICES 83

This method may also be used in spelling. A
list of the words habitualy misspelled may be
kept and drills of various kinds may be used with
them and then when every child has mastered
them all, they will be ready for another ' 'surprise."

Miss Rivers may be called in and each child
in turn allowed to stand and spell all the words,
they may write them on slips of paper, the teacher
marking the 100's in some conspicuous way, or
in any other of a variety of ways show that they
have mastered these particular words.

The effort and the work required in preparing
these ' 'surprises " will so fix these things in
thought that there will be no danger of their
being forgotten and will, moreover, establish
habits of persistence, application, industry and
originality that will be invaluable to them, not
only in all their school work but also in all the
work of all the years that follow.

This idea of "secrets" and "surprises" can be
used effectively in many other ways of which
the teacher will think for herself.

84 PRIMARY DEVICES

One way is for the class to have a ' 'secret "
with the teacher which, when the preparations
are all made, is to be disclosed to the ' 'Fathers,
Mothers, etc." The children will each inform
the members of his family that an event of im-
portance is approaching and that they are to
share the secret when the right time arrives.
This will arouse an interest in the family and so
stimulate the child 's activities that he will be
able to bring out speedy and desirable results.

These tl surprises" for the family should con-
sist of exercises taken from the regular school
work, and especially from those parts of the
work that have presented special difficulties to
the class or to any part of the class. These things
should be dwelt upon, practiced and reviewed
till the children have mastered them, then they
may be made into a program to which "the
family" is invited.

Perhaps John's weak point has been spelling.
Then John can practice on a particularly hard
list of words till he is sure of them. As John's

PRIMARY DEVICES 85

part of the " entertainment " he may stand in
the front of the room and spell these words as
they are pronounced by the teacher and nothing
will so gratify John's mother, who knows his
struggles with spelling, as to see him come off
victor in this encounter.

Jack, who has had to do good work to memorize
the tables, may do special work on these, and so
be prepared to repeat several of the more difficult
tables.

Several of the most interesting lessons in the
regular reading work, may be read by children,
who have worked at them till they can read them
well.

The "memory gems'7 which have been learned
during the term, may be recited, some in concert
by the whole class, and some by individuals.

The songs they have learned may be used in
the same way — there may be a chorus or two and
then ' 'solos/' "duets," "trios" etc., etc.

Some of the children may tell stories — either
something they have found for themselves or
something told to the class by the teacher.

86 PRIMARY DEVICES

Many other helpful plans and devices for these
' 'entertainments*7 will present themselves to both
teacher and children, but everything having place
in these programs should be part of the regular
school work.

In this way, the parents may become familiar
with and interested in, the daily work of the
children and this will result in a healthy spirit
of co-operation between the home and the school
besides calling into interested activity the child's
best efforts in all the lines of school work.

Programs for these occasions may be prepared
by some of the class who do neat, careful writing.
The teacher may write the program on the front
board and, giving these children each a number
of papers of uniform shape and size allow them
to make as many copies as she thinks can be used,
and this work may constitute their part in the
"entertainment."

There are many other ways in which this ' ' sur-
prise " method may be used.

The girls may be allowed to come into the room

PRIMARY DEVICES 87

early some morning and decorate with flowers
and greenery as a surprise for the boys and the
boys may be permitted to do the same for the
girls or perhaps their manual work will furnish
something pleasing and helpful with which to
surprise the girls.

Sometimes some individual child may have a
" secret " with the teacher and prepare a surprise
for the whole class as some interesting story, some
pleasing song, etc., etc.

The teacher, by a little consultation and mutual
adjustments with the teacher of the class just
above or below, may arrange for one room to
' 'surprise " the other.

If it is approved by all, principal, teachers and
pupils, these little ones may even be allowed to
prepare a surprise for one of the upper grades.

This kind of work will bring about a spontaneity
and originality of thought and action among the
children, the value of which cannot be estimated
and will also inspire a spirit of unity and mutual
understanding between teacher and pupils which
will be a basis for co-operative work along all
lines, while at the same time it will secure the
necessary drill and review on the difficult parts
of the work without making that drill irksome.

' 'CO-OPERATION'7

Mucn a» it is in the home where Mother does
everything — attends to everything — is responsible
for everything — thus depriving the children of
their share in the responsibilities of the home-
making which is their right and which should be
their preparation for intelligent and efficient
service in the world's work — so it is in school.

The teacher, forgetting that the school is for
the children and that a little work done by them
is better than much work done by herself or that
even poor work which is the result of the children's
best effort is better than perfect work, the result
of the teacher's years of experience — impatient
with their awkwardness or their clumsy results-
finds it easier and more satisfactory to do many
things herself which should be done — no matter
how imperfectly — by the children, thus defeating
in a measure, the very purpose of the school.

Suppose the children's work is imperfect-
amateur — we learn by our mistakes. * 'Experi-
ence is always victor."

The wise and the conscientious teacher, there-

88

PRIMARY DEVICES 89

fore, will always be on the lookout to see how
much of the school problem in all its varied phases
she can turn over to the children. And she will
find as she does this, that new ways will be con-
stantly opening by which the work of the school,
government and all, may be given over into the
hands of the boys and girls. She will find, to
her delight, that in the degree in which she learns
to trust them and learns to expect them to be
reliable and efficient, in that same degree they
will begin to manifest self-reliant trustworthiness.
This will also develop that spirit of co-operation
between teacher and pupils which is so essential
to obtaining right results in any line.

There are many ways in which she may begin
to make the children feel that it is their school
and that they are responsible for its success —
also to establish a pride in their work which will
be far-reaching.

One helpful way to begin this work is to leave
the children alone frequently.

If the teacher has no excuse for leaving the

90 PRIMARY DEVICES

room ,she may go outside the door and stand in
the hall for a few minutes. Before doing this,
she should tell the class that she will be gone only
a little while and that on returning, she will ask
how many worked all the time she was out and
tried to do just as nearly right as they would have
done had she been there.

The first time she tries this she will probably
find that in answer to her query every hand in
the room will be raised. Then there will immedi-
ately follow a sudden outburst from a half dozen
indignant little citizens: "Why, Miss Blank,
John had his hand up and he didn't work at all,"
or "John talked all the time, Miss Blank, etc.,
etc."

The best way to deal with this, will be for Miss
Blank to answer in some such way as this: "Did
he? I'm so sorry! I didn't think John would
do that way. I don't believe he's very happy,
etc."-— then give her attention to those who did
do right allowing them to tell how many times
they studied the spelling or the table or whatever
their work was — pay no more attention to John

PRIMARY DEVICES 91

and the probabilities are that the next time she
leaves the room, John will do his share.

Possibly there will be others who do not work
and who do not raise their hands. If there are
those who do this, the same treatment given John
will usually prove effective for if they have dis-
turbed no one, there will be no incentive to further
wrongdoing.

The teacher should give much attention, how-
ever, to those who did their best, referring to
their work frequently and calling attention to it
whenever opportunity offers.

Very soon she will find that she may leave the
room for an indefinite length of time and the work
will go on as harmoniously and uninterruptedly
as if she were there.

Of course, this kind of work is valuable beyond
price in helping to establish habits of self-govern-
ment, self-reliance and honesty.

Someone may object, however, and say that a
self-reporting system encourages dishonesty and
deception. That may be the tendency in the

92 PRIMARY DEVICES

beginning, but as the method already outlined
is carried out, it will be found to eliminate rather
than encourage these things.

Many other little ways will be found every day
by which the children can co-operate with the
teacher and they will do it heartily.

Suppose a little table holding a bowl of roses
is to be placed where the roses will appear to the
best advantage.

It may be easier and take less time for the
teacher to place the table and have the roses on
it when school begins, but it will be more helpful
to the children to "talk it over" with the class
and let them help make the decision. And they
will not only have an added lesson in co-operative
work, but will also profit by having their artistic
sense guided and quickened by the experience.

Perhaps curtains are to be procured for the
windows — "talk it over" with them — discuss
color, style, etc., and so make them feel an inter-
est in the selection of the curtains and a satisfac-
tion in them when they are obtained.

PRIMARY DEVICES 93

These are only a few of the many little oppor-
tunities which every teacher may use to advantage
in establishing a spirit of mutual and loving
helpfulness between teacher and pupils which
will help to make school days a joy and also will
establish habits that will be priceless in the years
to come.

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