Miss Olmstead did an injustice to both the child and herself. Valuable
time was wasted by allowing the child to talk on at length, without any
motive other than the pleasure of talking.
It is not necessary to cut off entirely a child’s talking with you
outside of school hours. Such pleasant associations between teacher and
pupil are to be encouraged. We are concerned in this case with the child
who likes to talk just to keep herself in the foreground.
By heeding only those questions which have weight, by listening to the
child’s talk only long enough to be polite, you will help her to control
a desire which, unrestrained, will, in the future, make her presence
unbearable.