Do not treat noise as a crime. Consider it a disease, or rather a lack
of development, a failure to acquire a desirable skill. Follow this
plan:
1. Show that quiet is really a desirable thing for the pupils
themselves—too often they have an idea that it is merely a cranky
demand of the teacher’s, with which, of course, being healthy
young animals, they have little sympathy.
2. In a spirit of coöperation, devise and clarify means of securing
quiet habits. Show the pupils how to lift their feet in walking,
do not simply command them to walk quietly. If pencils fall, have
them tied. Teach pupils how to handle books, pencils, tablets (in
really up-to-date schools the dirty, noisy slates are no longer
used) and erasers, so as to minimize the chances of their falling
on the floor. If pupils fall noisily into their seats, show them
how well-bred men and women sit. They will never learn anything
more valuable than these lessons in good manners, even if an
occasional spelling lesson has to be sacrificed for them.
Not infrequently it happens that what, on the face of it, appears to be
bad manners or impatience, is really due to pathological nervousness. In
such a case the teacher has a further duty than the mere teaching of
good manners.
The impatient child is but a nervous child. Nervous children often spill
and drop things and are easily excited. What will tend to control and
quiet one condition will control and quiet the other. Firmness will be
needed in either case.
Find out the cause of the pupil’s nervousness if possible and seek to
remove that cause. You may need to speak to the parent. Approach him or
her in a kind spirit which the parent can not possibly mistake. Suggest
that you noticed some point about the child’s behavior at school which
perhaps the parent had not as yet observed. Be very careful not to
exaggerate any statement—instead be very conservative. For example,
after commenting on some good point about Mary, say something like this:
“I have noticed that Mary is beginning to show just a little nervousness
at times and I thought you would appreciate it if I would tell you. I
wondered if she might have eaten too much candy or too many rich things,
or whether she might have failed to get enough sleep.”
This method will bring about the coöperation of the mother, who will do
all in her power to help you with the child. You can, in the course of
your conversation with the mother, incidentally remark that you have
always found that a daily warm bath, plenty of rest, some exercise, and
plenty of fresh air will generally make a pupil feel like himself or
herself again. Avoid the suggestion that the nervousness is at all
serious with this child; assume, rather, that this is just a little time
in which the pupil is not feeling as well as usual.
At school, see to it that the nervous child gets plenty of exercise on
the playground and plenty of fresh air in the school-room. It is also
very important that you say pleasing things to the nervous child, words
which have a soothing effect. Even strain a point to approve the work
which the pupil does. Faultfinding will unnerve a child more quickly
than almost anything else. So be very patient and encourage the pupil
even more than you would an ordinary child. The impatient child tends to
get through with his work before other children do. The teacher should
always have at hand some pictures, picture books, boxes of curios,
colored pencils, stencils, colored blocks, building blocks and many
other things that interest children in primary grades. But whatever the
grade of the nervous child, avoid so far as possible all sources of
irritation; never lose a chance to commend effort; let your attitude
toward him be one of sympathy.
(9) _Cleanly habits and care of school-room._ Every first grade teacher
knows what it is to have one or more pupils who are disposed to be
uncleanly. This condition can not be termed a misdemeanor. It is more.
It is both annoying and unsanitary. What is still worse is that the
situation is not one of the child’s own choice, but it is due to
circumstances in the home; and too often, any measure that is taken to
reform the child gives offense to the parents. If parents do not know
what cleanliness really is, how can they teach it to their children?
Appeal to personal pride. This can be done without the pupils knowing
that the teacher is making an effort in that direction. The teacher may
give a talk about a clean school-room and incidentally say:
“Cleanly _pupils_ live in cleanly school-rooms. I am proud of all my
boys and girls when they keep their clothes and themselves clean.”
She can give some little talk about cleanliness each day for several
weeks and in a casual manner make the application to the pupils. By thus
appealing to their pride most cases of uncleanness will be remedied.
In very stubborn cases the teacher can have a private talk with the
pupil. Should there be more than one such pupil, the teacher must not
make the mistake of talking to both at one time; that would humiliate
each, and hurt the pride of both.
To the little boy who is in the habit of keeping his face and hands
soiled, the teacher may say:
“You have such red cheeks, Harold! What silky hair and what lovely
little hands you have! I like to see hair like yours combed this way!”
and then she can comb the little boy’s hair in an attractive way.
“How I do like to see red cheeks like yours, round and clean!” Then the
teacher can kindly wash the child’s face and hands and comment on how
fine they look. With a little straightening of the boy’s collar she may
say, “Oh, Harold, how sweet you look!” If she has a small mirror she may
let the boy see himself. Finally, she may propose that he do this each
morning before he comes to school. To please the boy she may say:
“Now, I am going to walk home with you because you look so fine.”
On the way home she should talk about the things they see. When she
comes to the home, she may bid the boy a cheery “Good night, Harold.”
Should she see flowers in the yard she may say:
“Harold, when you come to school tomorrow, I wish you would bring me one
of those flowers to wear on my waist.” Harold will bring the flower, and
the teacher should wear it with great pride. A teacher who will do this
can win any dirty little urchin to her and often induce him to make
every effort to keep clean. Several such private lessons may be
necessary.
As a last resort, but not wholly advisable, because it irritates and
offends the parents often, is the method of having a talk with parents
and explaining to them that they are expected to keep their children
clean. One teacher who had a few stubborn cases of uncleanliness,
purchased a wash basin, some soap, and several towels. Whenever the
pupils that were habitually uncleanly came in she had them wash their
faces and hands and comb their hair. She had little trouble, but not
every teacher could do this.