The child never reveals his whole nature as he does when playing. His
physical, mental and moral powers are all called then into vigorous
exercise. On the playground the boy begins to learn how to struggle
with his fellow men in the great battle of life. His strength and his
weakness both manifest themselves there, so that it pays to study him.
—_Hughes._
Much school trouble is caused by the purely sportive impulses of
childhood, impulses which are in themselves entirely innocent and
wholesome. One of the most valuable parts of a child’s training is the
acquiring of a set of notions as to appropriateness—the knowledge of
when he may, and when he may not, rightly give rein to his wish to play.
Some children acquire these ideas of propriety readily, and adapt
themselves seemingly without effort to the customs of their environment;
but most children stumble through the period of adaptation with many
backslidings, for the instinct of play is stronger than the instinct of
adaptation to requirement.
But let it be remembered meanwhile that this same play instinct is one
of the strongest allies of the teacher in securing such adaptation, if
the instinct is properly directed. What lesson of politeness, neatness,
unselfishness, protection of the weak, promptness, responsibility, care
of pets, coöperation, chivalry—yes, even of duty and religion—may not be
taught through play! Draining off the play impulses into these
legitimate channels will relieve many a wearisome, perplexing day for
both teacher and pupils, and at the same time speed on the child toward
conscious self-control.
Perhaps the greatest single help in teaching children the voluntary
limitation of their play impulses, is the knowledge that play is only
postponed, not forbidden. Most children have so strong a love of
approbation that they like to do things in the proper way if the
sacrifice be not too great. They are willing to put off their fun, but
not to put it off forever. The teacher who says, “If you’ll wait until
recess, I’ll show you how to play a new game with marbles,” will secure
willing obedience, when she who takes the marbles away has only sullen
submission for her reward. Here the teacher utilizes the instinctive
love of novelty in teaching control of play impulses. During the period,
when conduct is so largely a matter of instinct, wise teachers play off
one instinct against another to the child’s gain, knowing that some
impulses need encouragement and others need to be inhibited.
[Sidenote: First Grade]
(1) “_Just mischief._” One of the most frequent ways in which the play
instinct expresses itself in the first and even in higher grades is in
the little annoyances which teachers group together under the general
term, mischief. An energetic child, if he is not constantly employed,
naturally vents his energy either in play or in trying to satisfy his
curiosity.
The principle of suggestion alone will often be sufficient to control
the child. The principle of substitution will work equally well.
Coöperation can be correlated with either of these, and expectation that
the child will do what the teacher desires should be used in whatever
method the teacher may adopt.
The mischievous boy will be quiet so long as he is reciting, but while
others are reciting he will immediately hunt for something else to do.
He will drag his shoe on the floor, reach over and touch his neighbor,
pull out a pocketful of string or help himself to his neighbor’s pencil.
It is not a case for punishment, but a time to apply one or more of the
fundamental principles. The teacher, without even a word or look, may
reach over and draw him to her side, asking him to look on her book, or
better still she may look on his book (suggesting that he attend to his
lesson). She may send him on some little errand—to bring a book or a
piece of crayon—and by the time she whispers, “Thank you, you did that
like a little gentleman,” he will have forgotten all about his mischief
(substitution and approval).
When the class is dismissed, however, the teacher must see that the
mischievous boy is kept busy and his work changed once or twice within
the half hour. She must not fail to show an interest in his work. The
comment, “That is so good, my boy, that I want you to put it on my desk
where we can look at it,” will so elate the child that he will work
industriously to do his best, and doing his best will keep him busy a
long time. When on the playground or in the gymnasium the teacher must
see that he gets plenty of “full-of-fun” play. It will use up some of
his restless energy.
The teacher must have an abundance of busy work ready for the next
restless period that comes, sorting blocks or marbles, straws or papers,
cutting or coloring pictures, putting books on the shelf, and anything
that will keep him innocently busy. Stencil cards, cutting out words or
letters, the distributing of materials for the class to use, games for
the recess and noon periods, frequent story periods during school hours,
interesting lessons, vigorous exercise, generous approval of every
effort to please the teacher—all these will gradually win the
mischievous boy to habits of self-control and industry. All children
like stories, and during the telling of the story, if it is at all worth
while, the children will be quiet and attentive. The teacher may,
however, call the restless child to herself, saying to him, “I like to
have somebody stand by me.” Better still, she may gather all the pupils
around her and say to the mischievous boy, “Robert, I am going to tell
you a story. The other boys and girls may listen.” This will captivate
the child, and when she has finished she may ask him to tell the story.
By this time the reader will sigh and ask, “Must all this be done to
keep one mischievous boy at work?” Yes, but it is far easier to interest
him than to be worried by his pranks. Then, too, by keeping him
interested, the teacher is administering to his development, while to
let him loll in his mischief would only tend to create in him habits of
inattention and idleness. At the close of the day the boy will go home
happy and the benediction of a happy teacher will follow him. Nothing
adds more to a teacher’s usefulness and happiness than the thought of
work well done.
In the above procedure the teacher has practiced suggestive control. She
has led the mischievous boy into activities that interest him, that
appeal and fascinate as well as satisfy that active mind, and that will
mature into right action. It is far easier to deal with a child full of
life, than to deal with a dullard. Direct properly the impulse that
causes this mischief, and it will become a force for real good in the
child’s life. The discreet teacher will look ahead and avoid
difficulties, and nowhere will she get more valuable clues to a method
of control than on the playground.
Watch the child in his play at recess to see what activity interests him
most. Suggest to him some point about that activity which he has
overlooked and commend him on his skill. Every child has a hobby. If you
can find this boy’s hobby and tell him something about it which he does
not know, you will make a warm place in his heart for yourself. Then
utilize the knowledge thus gained, and his increased confidence in you,
in order to add to his school work just the element that will make it so
interesting for the child that he will find the work more delightfully
fascinating than the mischief.
The first grade teacher needs to be in her room but a few days before
she will see some little child making grimaces at his neighbor and not
infrequently he may make a grimace at the teacher, especially if he
feels that the teacher has not dealt fairly with him. This is not a
serious annoyance and should give the prudent teacher no worry. It can
not be repeated too often that many of the small offenses that harass a
school day are doubly intensified by the attention that is paid them.
Often when a pupil does some petty misdemeanor, he would soon forget it
were it not that the teacher notices it and pounces upon the offender
with some brand of punishment and thereby the child learns that this
certain offense is a thing that the teacher dislikes. In the future,
whenever that child’s feelings are ruffled, he will resort to this
certain offense to annoy the teacher. The discreet teacher will train
her pupils in such a way that they will not settle upon any specific
type of annoyance.
In cases where a child resorts to the practice too frequently, the
teacher will find it well to devise some means by which she can
substitute one activity for another; that is, substitute a more
interesting activity for the making of grimaces. The teacher may use the
following method and conversation:
“Children, we are planning to have a little play party once a month.
This is to be on the last Friday afternoon of each month. Each one of
you is to bring either a cooky, an apple, an orange, or a banana, and I
will bring some candy. We will play all kinds of games and just before
school dismisses we will eat our dainties. Won’t that be fine? But,
children, I have just thought that any one who makes grimaces or ugly
faces during the month ought not to be invited. We do not want our party
spoiled. What do you say?”
Of course all, or nearly all of the children will say that any one who
is guilty of making faces shall not come. The teacher who has not tried
anything like this will think it is absurd and impracticable, but it
will greatly assist in removing grimacing and many other evils that
troop through a teacher’s school experiences.
The means of discipline need not necessarily be a party. It can be some
other affair or activity that children like. If the teacher chooses a
party, she must have a goodly number of games ready and keep her
children intensely interested.
The luncheon is an important feature of the party and must be well
managed by the teacher. All the sweetmeats must be divided into small
parts and so mixed that a child does not get the dainty he contributed.
A cooky can be cut into four pieces, a banana into four or five pieces,
and the same with other sweetmeats. Children like little things. Then,
too, the teacher may suggest that they play at having a luncheon.