Show II NORMAL SCHOOL I The articles published in this department a are e written by k 1 stude students students ts of d a the Normal School They are the unaided productions of students a and and d neither the Normal School nor the CHRONICLE is responsible for any statements they contain CLASS IN ELEMENTARY PEDAGOGY t OUR class in Pedagogy this year ISone is isone isone s one of the largest the University has hass known The students some of whom are graduates from the best colleges and academies of our territory seem united in their efforts to build a firm foundation for their future work as teachers We are now studying the history and andY Y philosophy of education and have become somewhat acquainted with the principles and methods of Socrates Aristotle Bacon Rousseau Spencer and other great teachers and philosophers iyE During the year it is the object of the class to work out an ideal system of education based on a knowledge of the nature and requirements of the child When all have clearly in mind i. i I what is right and what ought to be the modifications of the ideal necessary to tomake tomake tomake make it applicable to the present conditions conditions conditions con con- will be discussed and the practical application of the system willbe will willbe willbe be shown as well as its influence on school organization government and kindred kindre l subjects In all our work great emphasis is given iven to the study of the child for to know the child is to know all truth The experience of the teachers in training school is brought before the class in Pedagogy each day and practical corrections corrections corrections cor cor- and suggestions given upon the work in hand Under the management of Prof Stewart the class is doing much good work which from hom time to time will be presented to the readers of the CHRONICLE CHRONI CHRONI- CLE in the hope that both teachers and parents of Utah may receive benefit In addition to this there will be articles from members of the class of a strictly scientific nature which will be of general interest Brinton THE TRAINING CLASS We have been engaged in our work so short a time that I do not feel capable capable capable capa capa- ble of giving even an adequate outline of the work before us this winter but butwill butwill butwill will try to give an introduction leaving leaving- the details for another time Our different classes are engaged inthe in inthe inthe the study of Zoology Botany Literature Literature Literature Litera Litera- ture L Language Reading Painting and Phonics In the winter Physics and Mineralogy Mineralogy Mineralogy Minera Minera- logy will take the place of Zoology and Botany the latter to be resumed in the spring The his home habits and history will also be studied this winter Our work of last week was as far as possible on the grasshopper The motive of our science lessons is f 1 i to cultivate the powers of observation classification judgment and memory and to lead pupils to see the wonderful harmony and beauty of nature thereby developing a more thoughtful tender and considerate feeling towards all torms forms of life The teacher in Zoology speaks of the habits of the grasshopper using the general plan given to all by hy the principal principal principal pal of the Training School which is as follows What does the grasshopper eat Has it any teeth Does it chew its food Does it store food for the future How does it move about How does it dispose of its wings r f when at rest Compare the two pairs of wings What is the use of the front pair Why are the thin wings bright 4 colored and the thick ones dull What other insect has two pair of wings How far can it hop Where does it usually alight Does it stay long in one place How does it cling to plants In what position are its l legs gs when flying Compare the different legs Why are they of different lengths How many joints has each Why so many I In n what order d do the legs move when walking Has the grasshopper any feet In what direction can the grasshopper per see you approach Where are its eyes Can it turn its head Can it move its eyes without moving its head Are its eyes sensitive Can it smell Can it hear Does it breathe Are grasshoppers social Do they build nests Do thy prefer sunlight or shade Where do they stay at night j jAre Are any eggs to be found at this season I ICan Can they make any sound How do they do o it These questions are not of course propounded to the children as here set down They simply include the points that the children are to be led to see J They may find out all of them for themselves or only a part of them according to the skill of the teacher and the acuteness of the pupils It is very interesting as well as l encouraging to the new v teachers to have the little tots ready and eager to answer all questions given to them The Literature lesson last week was the beautiful little myth found in Miss Cookes Cooke's Natures Myths and or The origin of the Grass Grass- hopper The day after after- this interesting story every child was ready to repeat it and to the j I names of strange say Aurora and s were were remembered remembered remembered and in most cases correctly pronounced The Language and Reading lessons far connected with are as as possible J the Zoology and Literature the children children chil chil- dren making their own stories Example T T I am a butterfly P P I am a grasshopper T T I live among the flowers j jp P p I live in in the grass The sentences are written on the board as given and the pupils read 4 them pointing to each word as it is pronounced The painting and teachers also use the grasshopper the results of the efforts of some of the children in that line being very successful The lessons in Phonics consisted of ofas ofas as many different devices as there are teachers The device of one teacher p was as follows An tree apple-tree drawn on the board apples represented by a i 4 e i it o I u. u The children picked as many apples as possible until they let letone letone one fall That is they pronounced words containing any anyone one of the tl-e vowels given until they missed one when another pupil is allowed to pick the apples until another mistake is made Unity is the aim throughout and thus all lessons consist in or are evolved from the study of objects and all t school work is but a continuation and classification of what has been learned before entering school That children should be interested in this work is a matter of course and that this is the kind of training that will best fit them j r for actual life and for higher realms of thought we may reasonably hope since it brings them into actual contact with life and nature and is the first step towards the comprehension of natures nature's law laws |