Part 18 (1/2)
On sos connected with such instruction I find I arrived at the sah I have never read his works, and for some years after my first efforts, did not know that such a person existed Iby objects more fully in a work I hope soon to prepare, to be entitled ”The Infant Teacher in the Nursery and the School”
The utility of thismust be obvious, for if the children , they understand them immediately, which would not be the case unless they had seen the object The s by their proper naht, or heard soenerally learnwith society, than ever we could do at school: these sorts of lessons persons can make themselves, and they will last for s of more importance
I am convinced the day is not far distant when a museum will be considered necessary to be attached to every first rate school for the instruction of children
Sight is the e Whatever we have seen er impression upon us Perception is the first power of ht into action, and the one made use of with most ease and pleasure For this reason object lessons are indispensable in an infant school, consisting both of real substances and of pictures The first lesson in Paradise was of this kind, and we ought therefore to draw instruction froround the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them to Adam to see what he would call the creature, that was the name of it”
CHAPTER XVII
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Exercise-Various positions-Exercise blended with instruction-Aritheometrical aive them variety, for novelty has charms that our minds can hardly withstand”
As an Infant School ht of a co, forms a prominent part in the system; and as little children are very apt to be fretful, it becomes expedient to divert as well as teach there If children of two years old and under are not diverted, they will naturally cry for theirin the school, it is very obvious would put every thing into confusion But it is possible to have two hundred, or even three hundred children assee, and yet not to hear one of the for a whole day Indeed I may appeal to the numerous and respectable persons who have visited Infant Schools, for the truth of this assertion; , that they could not have conceived it possible that such a nuether, and all be so happy as they had found the I can assure the reader, thatsent to school the first day or two, have cried askept at home, after they have been in the school but a very short tienerally the fault of the parents I have had children come to school without their breakfast, because it has not been ready; others have come to school without shoes, because they would not be kept at ho; and I have had others come to school half dressed, whose parents have been either at work or gossipping; and hen they have returned horeat surprise and joy, when they have applied at the school, they have found the more be advanced than these facts, to prove, that it is not school, or the acquirereeable to children, but the system of injudicious instruction there pursued Children are anxious to acquire knowledge, and nothing can be enial to their taste than association with those of their own age; but we ought not to wonder that little children should dislike to go to school, when, as in most of the dames' schools, forty or fifty, or perhaps e enough for one-third of that number, and are not allowed to speak to, or scarcely look at each other In those places, I firmly believe, many, for the want of proper exercise beco kept sitting so reatest consequence, it beco them have proper exercise, combined as much as possible, with instruction; to accomplish whichto be the most successful
The children are desired to sit on their seats, with their feet out straight, and to shut each hand; and then ordered to count a hundred, or asup each hand every tiain on their knees when they count another The children have given this the name of blacksmith, and when asked why they called it blacksmith, they answered, because they hammered their knees with their fists, in the same way as the blacksmith hammers his irons with a hammer When they have arrived at hundred (which they never fail to let you know by giving an extra shout), theyinto action the joints of the knees and thighs They are desired to add up one hundred, two at a ti up each foot alternately, all the children counting at one tiht, ten, twelve, and so on By this means, every part of the body is put inup each foot every ti very necessary, as unless this was the case, all must be confusion They also add up three at a time, by the sahteen, and so on; but care , or too long in one position, thus exercising the elbow joints, by pushi+ng the them back as far as possible
Come here, my dear boy, look at baby's two hands, And his two little feet upon which baby stands; Two thuether ain
Two arms and two shoulders, two elborists, Now bind up your knuckles, s and two ancles, two knees, and two hips
His fingers and toes have all nails on their tips
With his hands and his feet he can run, jump, and crawl, He can dance, walk, or caper, or play with his ball; Take your hoop or your cart, and have a good race, And that will soon give you a fine rosy face
Oh! ould my boy do without his two hands; And his two little feet upon which baby stands!
They're the gift of kind heaven for you to enjoy, Then be thankful to heaven,done a lesson or two this way, they are desired to put their arht, and to say, one and one are to and one are three, three and one are four, four and one are five, five and one are six, six and two are eight; and in this way they go on until they are desired to stop
It should be observed, that all graceful actions may be adopted I am sorry to find, from visits to various schools, that the enerated into buffoonery; they have been allowed to put themselves into the most ridiculous postures, and have thus raised objections which would not otherwise have been urged As, however, the whole Infant Systee the teachers to guard against their being automatons Let them mark every i the only ones practicable, or fit to be adopted, but merely, as hints to the judicious teacher, ill doubtless think of many others, conducive to the same end: and the more he can diversify them the better It is the combination of amusement with instruction, which, in my opinion, renders the system so successful; and unimportant or improper even as it e children, than all the methods of restraint and coercion, which have been hitherto but too generally pursued
The childrenthe trees, where such are planted in the play-ground For the sake of order, each class should have its own particular tree; that when they are ordered to the trees, every child o to; as soon as they are assembled around the trees, they are to join hands and walk round, every child saying the multiplication table, until they have finished it; they then let go hands, and put the the pence table, the alphabet, hyradually ihted, for they call it play, and it is of little consequence what they call it, so long as they are edified, exercised, and made happy
This plan is calculated to impress the lessons on their o out to play, as it is called But as in wet or snoeather, they cannot go out of the school, we then have recourse to the mode previously mentioned Besides it is necessary that children should have exercise in winter as well as in summer, in wet as well as in dry weather; for this purpose we have several swings in the school-room, , two at a ti, is according to what they have to repeat If it is the pence table, they say-
Twenty pence are one and eightpence, That we can't afford to lose; Thirty pence are two and sixpence, That will buy a pair of shoes
Forty pence are three and fourpence, That is paid for certain fees; Fifty pence are four and twopence, That will buy five pounds of cheese
Sixty pence will s, Which, we learn is just a crown; Seventy pence are five and tenpence, This is known throughout the town
Eighty pence are six and eightpence, I'll always try to think of that; Ninety pence are seven and sixpence, This will buy a beaver hat
A hundred pence are eight and fourpence, Which is taught in th' Infant School; Eight pence s, So we end this pretty rule[A]
[Footnote A: A covered play-ground is desirable where practicable]
As soon as the table is thus gone through, the children who are on the swings get off, and others supply their places, until, probably, the pence table has been said twenty tio on with the multiplication table, until the children have repeated as far as six tiet off and are succeeded by two ; they then co at six times seven are forty-two, until they have finished the table During this time it should be borne in , not only those on the swings, but those who are sitting in the school; and it is surprising to see hat alacrity the children will dispatch their other lessons, when it is a wet day, in order to get to the swings In addition to the knowledge acquired by this e Many little boys and girls, who at first are afraid to get on the swings, will soon swing standing on one leg, and perfor their increased courage and greater activity We generally let four or five children co, and those that can seat themselves first, are entitled to the first turn, for they are never lifted on In the anxiety to get on the swing, soet out of temper, especially those who are not disciplined; but when this is detected they are not allowed to swing that day, which soon ood-natured to each other, and very cautious not to get into a passion Thus, in soree, their bad tempers are corrected, which is very desirable It is a current remark, that bad workmen find fault with the tools; and lazy teachers find fault with the swings, because they must perpetually watch the children We are so tinctured with the old plan of rivetting the children to seats, that I despair of ever seeing the opposite plan becoeneral in , to preserve order, the others retire (generally speaking) in the greatest good humour to their seats