When a lesson is perfect, mark it. Mark it _perfect_. That is the mark
primary children like best. Mark it in colored pencil. If the child has
made a special effort in writing or in neatness, show your appreciation
and observation by affixing a star or some other symbol to his paper.
Encourage him, make him proud of his spelling, proud of his writing,
proud of his book, proud of himself.
Give no spelling mark but the mark for perfect work.
When a child makes a mistake in spelling, call his attention to it. If
it is only a careless mistake, he will spell the word orally. The
_teacher_ then erases the mistake, and the child corrects it. If,
however, the child has not mastered the correct spelling, he should be
referred to his book. When he can spell the word, the teacher erases the
incorrectly spelled word, and the child writes it correctly.
The correcting of the lesson should follow as soon as possible the
writing of the lesson. In order that this may be done in the same
period, the lessons are kept very short. In order that there may be few
mistakes the lessons are very simple. If the lessons are studied as
suggested, there should be very few errors to correct. If the work is
corrected as definitely as outlined, the pupils will soon learn what is
required of them, and will take pride in having a perfect, attractive
book. The arousing of such pride, and the cultivation of habits of
correctness and neatness are of incalculable value.