(1) _Tardiness._ Tardiness in the first grade cannot be intentional on
the child’s part, nor should it give the teacher any annoyance. It
cannot be the pupil’s fault. Whenever a first grade pupil comes tardy
the teacher should ask in a kindly manner for the reason. As a rule it
will be some excusable cause, one which the parents have imposed. The
teacher should then consult the parents. If they will start the children
to school soon enough, they will not often be tardy. Not every case of
tardiness can be prevented, however; even teachers sometimes find
themselves late on account of some unavoidable incident.
(2) _Absences._ Sometimes first grade pupils choose to be absent from
school for a day and often for several days. When the teacher goes to
find out the cause, she learns that the pupil is afraid of the teacher,
does not like to study, or there is some similar reason, and he has
begged to remain at home. The parents have consented to the request. It
is then the teacher’s duty to assure the parents that she will do all
she can to win the child to the school. Her visit often stops the
truancy if the teacher shows that kindly and courteous disposition that
all teachers should possess. Often when the parents tell a child that
the teacher is kind and good it has a tendency to overcome his
reluctance.
There are very few first year pupils who will absent themselves from
school without their parents’ consent.
With respect to older pupils, however, as long as there are schools, so
long there will be truancy. When the teacher has made his school and
school work interesting and tried to be kind and courteous, he has done
very much toward abolishment of the truant. There are many cases of
truancy that teachers have succeeded in stopping, but an investigation
of the school revealed the fact that the teacher was alive to his work;
every pupil knew that absentees would be missed; further, that the
teacher would ask for a reason for absence. They knew that every detail
of the school was interesting and that they missed something when away
from it. In other words, it was far more fun to be in school than out of
it.
If ever our readers feel that coercion is necessary to get regular
attendance, don’t punish, but try this plan instead: talk to the class
about some trip you want to take with your pupils, perhaps to a woods.
Play upon their imagination as to what they would like to do on that
trip, what you will take along, etc., and ask everybody to stand who is
in favor of taking the trip. Then say, “All right, be seated. There is
another thing to be said about this trip. Only those who work well will
be permitted to go with us. We are going to have a great time and I hope
everyone will get the chance to go, but only those who have been regular
in attendance will receive an invitation.”
(3) _Careless work._ The first few weeks in the first grade are trying
times for the teacher. All habits that she wishes the little ones to
acquire, she must carefully teach. Much patient explanation is
necessary. Often the work of the pupils will seem careless, simply
because the children do not know how to do better. Then, too, what seems
careless to the teacher may seem very good to the child. The teacher
must not judge too hastily. If some children do get through their tasks
before the others do, because of careless work, do not find fault but in
subsequent lessons see that the most interesting work is given to those
children, then act upon the principle of suggestion, by saying how fine
it would be to do the work in a certain way. The child will at least
make an attempt. Whatever is done should be approved by the teacher. The
teacher who sympathizes with the pupils, helps them, and directs their
crude efforts, following each attempt on their part with approval and a
spirit of expectancy, always encouraging, never discouraging, will soon
have no careless work among her pupils.
(4) _Mischief._ Another point that the first year teacher must learn is
that all mischief committed in primary grades is not premeditated.
Healthy children are full of energy. This energy seeks an outlet, and in
consequence, mischief may result. To leave childhood’s energies
undirected and undeveloped is a sure source of trouble. In correcting
mischief in primary grades, harsh language should not be used. The
kindest explanation of the mischief and its results is the correct way
of dealing with childish misdeeds. The child has never pondered over
mischief and has not thought ahead what the results may be. Therefore,
it is not malicious until wrong methods of control make it so. By making
prominent in his mind the right activities you will just so far keep in
the background the wrong activities and his surplus vigor will thus be
stimulated in the proper direction.
(5) _Dislike for study._ Fondness for study and good habits in studying
on the part of pupils will greatly simplify the teacher’s control of the
school.
There often develops a tendency in pupils to dislike certain branches.
Especially is this true in the upper grades. Such a dislike may often be
traced back to the primary grades, where the study habits and likes or
dislikes for school work are first instilled into the child. It is
vitally essential that the teacher foster in her pupils that attitude
toward school work that will send the child to the second grade liking
his work and well trained in the habit of study. It would seem
impossible that a dislike for subjects that are not taught in the
primary grades could be traced back, even indirectly, to wrong teaching
in those grades. But the chances are that somewhere in the child’s
progress towards the upper grades or the high school were sown the seeds
that developed into dislike of certain branches. If so, the first grade
teacher should take her share of the blame. She must guard against any
methods of teaching that will cause any child to dislike to study. It is
quite certain that if first grade pupils finish their year’s work liking
the teacher and the school and if they have acquired the habit of study
and like it, that teacher has done her full duty.
It is a first requisite of the teacher to exhibit a cheerful and
optimistic disposition in the school-room. She must teach the little
ones reading and numbers, language and story telling, writing and
drawing, with such an ardor and love for her work that the children can
only think that their teacher likes these subjects better than anything
else. She must expect every child to love his work. If the second grade
teacher and the others in the higher grades will teach in the same
manner there will be no pupils in the upper grades or the high school
who have a distaste for even one branch, much less have a dislike for
study in general. A true teacher will never make her pupils feel that
she has a dislike for school work or any part of it.
(6) _Dull children._ Many a teacher has had her difficulties and
perplexities with the dull child. In large cities special teachers are
employed to teach dull and abnormal children. Books have been written
dealing with them. Still the problem remains unsolved. Much has been
done for them, but by no means has all been said about what can and
should be done for such children under these conditions. The rural and
village teacher cannot expect to send the perplexing pupils to a special
teacher and as a rule such children are found in every school.
One thing, however, she must make sure of—that is, whether the dull
child is such because he is subnormal, or because of some physical
defect, or because of poor health. Poor food may cause a child to be
dull. Bad ventilation is often the cause of dullness in the school-room.
The teacher is responsible for keeping his room well ventilated. If the
dullness is due to ill-health, the coöperation of the parents must be
sought. If the child is dull because he is subnormal, the teacher must
do the best he can, and that is very little indeed. One thing he must
not do—he must not worry. It is not his fault. The situation will be
made easier if the teacher will secure the superintendent’s or a
director’s permission to let the dull child drop some of the school
work. The teacher should give the child the same attention he gives the
others; then his full duty has been done. Never should a teacher
intimate to any one of the pupils or to the child himself, that he
thinks him dull.
Many times such a pupil can be very mischievous. Whenever that is the
case the teacher should apply the devices and methods used upon other
children for particular annoyances. But just here is where the greatest
difficulty presents itself, for the fundamental element in all methods
is interest, and the dull child can not be interested. Many times he can
be interested in manual work of some kind when he can not be made to
care for the more abstract work which other children do with ease.
No attempt will be made to discuss further the abnormal child. The
author feels that it is only protecting the other children and the
teacher both to have abnormal children, as well as children dull because
of ill-health and mental defect, removed from the school and placed in
institutions established for such pupils. Such a course may cause
parents to become indignant, but better that than to worry the teacher
overmuch and make him less efficient for the other pupils, when he can
not help the child in any way. Nor has he been schooled to teach such
children. They should be handed over to specialists who are free to
adopt such methods as are best for the individual child, but not
necessarily so for the whole school.
(7) _Retarded pupils._ In many states where there are no compulsory
school attendance laws, pupils often come into the first grade at eight
to ten years of age. This also may happen where the child has been ill.
Sometimes thoughtless teachers make retarded pupils feel odd and out of
place, even unwelcome. The teacher must remember that the school is a
public institution and every child has a full right to all of its
benefits. Not much more can be said to the teacher than to add: treat
the retarded and overgrown pupils just like the others. If they do well
in their work, recognize their skill; if they are mischievous or cause
trouble, meet it as in the case of any other pupil. The retarded or
overgrown pupil must not be made to feel either that he should be
advanced, or on the other hand that he has neglected his work, and for
that reason is out of place in the first grade when he should be in the
third or fourth. He must not be slighted or treated differently from
other pupils because he is larger or older, unless it be to place some
little responsibility upon him like caring for the window plants or
assisting the teacher to pass materials for school work—duties which may
be regarded somewhat in the light of special privileges.
(8) _The “smart” pupil._ What constitutes the “smart” pupil is hard to
define, but every teacher knows him when he appears. The pupil that is
of this type is not hard to control. To notice every little exhibition
of smartness tends to make it worse. As a rule, the pupil is not so bad
or so mean as to cause any particular disturbance—he is only annoying.
To ignore him is the best cure and one that will in a very short time
cure the worst case in the first grade. When such a pupil has said
something that does not become a good pupil, the teacher should begin to
converse about something entirely different and more interesting.
(9) _Wrong influence of parents._ In this age of poor parent control,
there are more children in the public schools whose misdemeanors are the
direct result of home influences than of all other factors combined.
The prudent teacher of the first year needs often to solicit the aid of
parents in righting a spoiled child, and often she must convince them
that they are wrong in their methods of rearing their children. If the
teacher cannot enlist the aid of parents, then she must fight her battle
single-handed. But there is no need for discouragement. The child will
love one who loves him. A lovable and wise teacher often succeeds where
a parent fails. Parents are often alarmingly short-sighted when it comes
to training their children. It is not an imaginary condition but one all
too real, that in many homes the children are, in actuality, the
controlling forces. It is distressing to see how helpless parents can
be, and what American parents are enduring from their children. From
such poorly regulated homes come the “spoiled” children to the first
grade teacher, and in many instances all the meanness such children can
perpetrate is considered “cute” by the over-indulgent parents.
In dealing with the badly trained child, the teacher must avoid any use
of force. That would only antagonize him. The teacher should be firm,
but kind, treating him just as he treats the others; if he does good
work, commending him for it. She need not even notice many of his
outbreaks—he will soon discontinue them. Often he is spoiled because the
parents have paid too much attention to his every whim and fancy. When
he learns that he can not worry the teacher, and that she will not
contend with him in his trivial desires, he will cease to annoy her.
Last of all, the teacher can fill in the gaps of idleness in the child’s
time by keeping him interested and busy.
If the child is saucy, the teacher must avoid telling the pupil that he
“must not be saucy”; such a method will make the pupil aware of the fact
that being saucy is distasteful to the teacher, and he will resort to
that method whenever his spirits are ruffled. The better thing to do is
to ignore him altogether, and proceed with the work at hand, as though
nothing had occurred. The teacher should not display the least emotion
by look or expression, for the child usually watches the teacher to note
the effect of his sarcasm or imprudent statement. When he finds out that
he is ignored, he will resort less to his annoying habit. If the child
tries to tease her, she can casually and without any use of force, draw
him away into some interesting game or activity. Or the teacher may call
the pupil by name and say, “Come here a moment, I have something for you
to do.” She may have a new game ready and have this pupil be the leader.
This will draw his attention from teasing. In other words, substitute
some other and more interesting activity. A few weeks of such control
will remedy the annoyance.
It is a good plan with such a pupil to send him on an errand every now
and then, when he is in a good mood, making the request in a
confidential tone, and saying to him on his return, “You are so kind for
doing that. Thank you ever so much.” This will tend to get him in the
habit of doing favors for you and will increase his friendliness toward
you. Another way to establish more firmly his willingness to be friendly
is to make it a point to talk to him before school or at recess about
something in which you know he will be very much interested—about his
favorite pastime or sport.
There is no boy or girl who does not have some hobby, and after you have
made an earnest attempt to find out what that interest is and have begun
to make use of it in getting the pupil’s confidence, you will have put
into practice a great principle in discipline. Any new idea which you
can present regarding the hobby will greatly help you to gain the
confidence of the pupil. By a confidential tone and by showing you are
in sympathy with his interests, you can gradually win his confidence.
Whatever you do, do not appear to notice when a pupil is disrespectful
to you. If he has shown disrespect in the past, simply set about at once
to gain his confidence. If he ever mimics any gesture you have made, do
not take it seriously because, nine times out of ten, you would get poor
results. Either appear not to notice it at all or, if you do notice it,
assume that it did not bother you in the least.
To punish a child for anything whatsoever, suggests to him precisely the
thing which we do not want to suggest. Whatever we want a child to be,
we must put the suggestion into his mind, that he already is that very
thing and approve him for whatever he does in that direction.
The principle of initiative in coöperation should be used from the first
in case of a pupil that is extremely disobedient because of home or
outside influence. Many a teacher has invited such a pupil into his home
for a dinner or supper, and has entertained him with the best the home
afforded. In doing so he made the pupil understand that he was
interested in him. Often a walk or a drive which gives occasion for a
confidential talk will establish friendly relations between pupil and
teacher. A teacher must not cease to try to win the unfriendly pupil.
One such in a school can work great harm. The teacher must strive to
make friends of all his pupils.
Approve the child’s lessons and efforts. Whether it be numbers, or
reading, busy work, or drawing, the teacher must notice the effort and
progress, and by a pleased countenance and well chosen words encourage
the pupil. Whenever the teacher has a favor to bestow, she should see
that the unfriendly pupil gets his share of the favor. If she is having
a little play or song or game, she may appoint him as the main
character. She should frequently walk with him part or all of the way
home. Such treatment will win the child in a very short time, and what
is better, it will usually win the parents.
In case a disaffected child is unusually stubborn and absolutely refuses
to obey you, avoid the use of any commands to him until after you have
entirely gained his confidence. You may continue to command and request
other pupils around the stubborn child, but simply refrain from asking
that one to do anything. Make up your mind that you are going to cater
to this stubborn pupil for two or three days in order to win his
absolute confidence and thus lay a foundation for more satisfactory
conduct in the future.
By cater, we do not mean to allow the pupil to get ahead of you—not at
all. But it may be necessary to be a little forbearing. Present
absolutely nothing to him in a personal way except what you know will be
intensely interesting. As we said before, find out what the pupil likes
to do at home, on the playground, what he likes best to talk about, and
then make it a point to converse about those things frequently when
alone with him. Show great enthusiasm in talking along the line of his
interests. If he refuses to recite, get his confidence and then ask
questions, beginning with such as you are sure he can answer in just a
word or two.
(10) _Neighborhood conditions._ Sometimes a teacher’s work is greatly
hampered because of an unkindly spirit existing between the parents of
her pupils. Mothers often “get even” with their neighbors by influencing
their children against a neighbor’s son or daughter who happens to be in
school. Or a teacher may have used some unwise methods on a child, or
punished in a manner not satisfactory to the parents. The parents
retaliate by influencing their children against the teacher.
Both situations will respond to the same treatment. By no means must the
teacher appear to resent this opposition. It is every teacher’s duty to
treat such pupils just as kindly as circumstances permit. If the teacher
is determined to win such parents he will succeed, and in time they will
become the best of friends. In all cases where such a difficulty
continues to exist and is annoying, it is the teacher’s fault. To gain
the mother’s love, is to gain the child’s love also.
Sometimes gossip or misunderstanding causes parents to oppose the
teacher very bitterly. In such a case it is expedient that the teacher
go to see the parents and have matters understood, assuring them she
will use every means to do what is right and that the parents’
assistance will be of great value.