Miss Wells’ first mistake was in dealing too abruptly with Elsie.
Elsie’s failure to respond to her teacher’s signal was not due in the
slightest degree to disrespect for her teacher, but rather to intense
absorption in her work. She was thinking out a design and it irritated
her to be disturbed, just as it irritates her teacher to be disturbed
while planning a Christmas program, or while reading the most
interesting chapter of an exciting novel. But there was this difference
between Elsie and her teacher. While the latter understood the necessity
for interruptions, and immediately though reluctantly, responded to them
when necessity required it, Elsie had not yet reached the age when she
could understand why she might not go on as long as she desired. Bells
and signals meant no more to her than an arbitrary desire on the
teacher’s part to interfere with something Elsie desired to do. Until a
habit of acting in response to given signals is formed, first grade
children will need to be told repeatedly the meaning of the signal.
While it was necessary in this instance that Elsie should lay aside her
work, yet the value of the individualistic instinct that impelled Elsie
to stick to her work until it was accomplished should be fully
recognized by the teacher, not regarded by her as something evil, in
itself, or as “pure obstinacy.”