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Show MODERN EDUCATION REVERSES OLD IDEAS Business Institutes Use the Plan of Getting People to Think Rather Than Merely to Learn There la one general principle at the basis ot all good teaching and It Is that a person learns more readily by assimilating the experiences which he himself encounters than In any other way, says Harold Stonier, National Na-tional Educational Director ot the American Institute of Banking. This Institute la the educational section ot the American Bankers Association through which 35,000 bank men and women are receiving scientific instruction instruc-tion In their chosen business. "The most advanced people In teaching today are emphasizing the Importance of activity on the part of the student," he eays. "In the schoolroom school-room of former days we often heard such phrases as, 'Be still,' 'Learn by heart,' 'Don't do that,' 'What does the book say?' The newer education asks, 'What do you think?,' 'What was your reaction to that experiment?,' 'What did you discover?,' 'What reasons rea-sons have you for your answer?' The New School Calls for Action "Jhe 'expressing, school Is taking the place ot the repressing and listening lis-tening school. The classroom ie becoming be-coming an open forum, a studio of self-expression, self-expression, a place ot mental growth. The modern concepts ot education are personal experimentation, Individual Investigation, critical discussion and creative eelf-expresslon. Tbe pupil really learna only as he is able to assimilate the new meanings ot tacts and principles with his previous experiences. ex-periences. Activities therefore constitute con-stitute the pivotal force around which are grouped the new factors in education. educa-tion. The primary responsibility of the teacher is to furnish a constant stream ot activities which will afford the stimulating urge to mental growth. "Education is a process of experiencing, experi-encing, and the program ot the instl-i instl-i tuta is ao arranged as to give the greatest opportunity to gain by such experience. Through this we develop the art ot thinking. Thinking has been described as the ability to handle han-dle experience and to bring It to bear on a problem. Effective thinking arises when we are presented with the choice ot conduct. Our previous experiences become helpful as we marshal them and bring them to bear upon the matter of our choice." The students In the American Institute Insti-tute of Banking by reason of tbe fact that they continue to go on about their employment in banks while taking the banking association's study courses have an opportunity to combine learn-tag learn-tag with practical thinking and action. ' |