Form of School Register for recording the Resuits of different Methods of Instruction, and also for testing the Capabilities of different Teachers in relation to these Methods. Lesson. Subject of the 4 System used by him. 2 21 2 1 Gallery Black Board No. in Class, 18. Household No. in Class, 24. Articles. A little Apparatus useful. 1-moderate, or low. 2-good, or fair. 3-excellent, or high. Al.-algebra. An.-analytic. Ar.-Arithmetic. B. use of the black For example, if the general knowledge of the teacher, A. B., is good-mathematical acquirements moderate,-'fluency of speech, fair Again the entries made in relation to C. D. read as follows. Column 2.: general knowledge, moderate-mathematics, good-fluency, mo- 285 PART IV. ON THE APPLICATION OF DIFFERENT SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO THE VARIOUS BRANCHES OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION. THE SCRIPTURES; HISTORY; &c. Bible lessons should always be given, in an elementary school, on the collective system of teaching. The following rules may be advantageously observed in giving these lessons. 1. The passage on which the lesson is given should be read by the class. In the course of the reading, the meaning of the words should be familiarly explained to the children, and the general purport of the lesson should be constantly kept before them. 2. The teacher should picture out the subject-matter of the lesson, after the manner described in connection with the cultivation of memory (see p. 195.). This will, generally, be best done by the method of ellipses, occasionally varied by individual or collective interrogation. 3. The subject should be elucidated by the method of contrasts and resemblances (explained in connection with the cultivation of the memory, see p. 187.). 4. The progress of the class should be tested by the individual method of examination. 5. The duties to be learned from the lesson should be fully explained. This will, generally, be most efficiently carried out, by the method of suggestive interrogation, or by the method of ellipses. 6. Notes of the lesson should be written, with conciseness and distinctness, upon the black board. Sketch of a Bible Lesson. Subject: Trial of Abraham's faith. Genesis, chap. xxii., verses 1 to 13. Mixed method interrogative, elliptical, illustrative, &c. 1. The reading lesson. Words and phrases to be ex plained in the course of the reading:— - The land of Moriah, burnt-offering, worship, &c. 2. The picture. [The words to be supplied by the pupils are printed in italics.] Abraham was a very good man, and had great faith or trust in his God: Abraham had one son called Isaac, one darling boy, that he loved more than anything in the world: Abraham was very happy with his son Isaac* : God was about to put Abraham's faith and obedience to a very great trial: Let us see how God tried Abraham's faith and obedience. God told Abraham to take his son Isaac to a mountain a great way off, and offer him there for a burnt-offering. Oh! what a trial for Abraham's obedience this was, to slay his only son as he did lambs and calves and rams, upon the altar as a burnt-offering. But Abraham loved and feared God, so much, that he never doubted, for one moment, that whatever God commanded him to do would be for his good, he did not even ask why he was to slay his son, because he was sure that God had a good reason for what he required him to do. Abraham then got up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of the young men with him, and Isaac his son, and cut some wood for a burnt-offering, and started off towards the place where God had told him to go. After they had travelled for three days and three nights, they at last came in sight of the mountain : Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. And he told his young men to stop and take care of the ass, while he and his son went up the mountain. Behold Abraham and his son, as they climb the mountain; Isaac carries the heavy burthen of wood for the burntoffering, and Abraham carries the fire to kindle the wood, and in his hand is the terrible knife with which he is to slay his only son as an offering to the Lord; - how sorrowful Abraham looks, - God has commanded him to offer his son as a burnt-offering. Isaac seems at a loss * If the pupils do not fill in the ellipses, the teacher should ask the question, "What was the name of Abraham's son?” to know what his father is about to do with him. When they came to the place which God had told Abraham of, Abraham laid the wood in order, and bound his son and laid him upon the altar. His hand is stretched forth, and he is about to plunge the knife into his son, but the angel of the Lord arrested the stroke, saying to Abraham out of heaven, "Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me." 3. Contrasts and Resemblances. Contrast Abraham's character with that of Balaam's or with that of Jonah's. Compare Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his only son at the command of God, with the great sacrifice which Christ offered up, upon the cross, for the sins of the world. 4. Examination. To what land did God command Abraham to go to offer up his son? How was Isaac to be offered? For how many days did they travel before they came in sight of the mountain? Who went with Abraham to the place of sacrifice? What did he say to the young men before he left them? &c., &c. 5. Duties to be learned from the lesson. When we are sore beset with trials, what should we always do? However hard our lot in this world may be, our duty is simply to obey God, who always knows what is best for us. If we simply follow the commands of God, however strange they may appear to our corrupt nature, He will find a way of escape for us. God often tries our faith as He did Abraham's of old, by requiring us to perform painful duties, but we, like him, should obey God and leave the results in His hands, knowing that all things will at last work out for the good of them that fear Him. 6. Notes written on the black board. God's command to Abraham,—given to try his faith ;- his journey to Moriah; - Abraham and his son went alone to the place of sacrifice; the angel of the Lord prevented Abraham from slaying his son ; &c. -- HISTORY AND SUBJECTS OF GENERAL READING. History, and other subjects of general reading, should be taught by the same method as that which we have just described in relation to the teaching of the Scrip tures. READING AND SPELLING; ETYMOLOGY; GRAMMAR. These subjects should be taught, in our elementary schools, upon the collective system of instruction. While one boy reads or spells, the other boys must listen. Important passages should be read simultaneously by the class, and sometimes words should be spelt, letter after letter, in the same manner. In the course of the reading, the master will frequently have occasion to correct the pronunciation, indistinct utterance, the accent, and the intonations of the pupils. Whenever he does so, he should always endeavour to put his reasons into the form of a general rule. Above all things the pupils should be taught to read with intelligence. Very young children should be taught to read from large class-cards, having pictures of the leading subjects of each lesson. The look and say plan of teaching to read is certainly the best, especially when it is combined with some of the most striking principles of the phonic method. In like manner the best plan for teaching children to spell is, to get them to write out the lessons which they have read; the eye, in my opinion, is a better guide to correct spelling than the ear. The lessons for teaching little children to read should contain frequent repetitions of the same word in each lesson. Let us take an example: Specimen of a Reading Lesson for little Children. A good boy does what he is told. Tom is a good boy. I told Tom to be good. does not do what he is told. When the child is able to read words of three letters, he should then be taught to read words of four or more |