THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Br AVIS WESCOTT 4725 So. Aldrioh MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. Prioe Fifty Cents THE TEACHING ... OF ,.» SEAT WORK "By AVIS WESCOTT State Institute Instructor for Minnesota Formerly Teacher in Minneapolis Public Schools Author of "The Teaching of Phonics" and "The Teaching of Sight Words" PRICE — FIFTY CENTS Copyrght 1918 By AVIS WESCOTT 4725 So, Aldrich Minneapolis, Minn. V^tA- ..i>^ ^> Introduction Young children in country schools spend from one-half to five-sixths of their school time at seat-work. This fact and the disciplinary and educative bearing of profitable employ- ment for these long periods of time make the question of seat- work one of the most significant and difficult problems con- fronting the rural teacher. Discussions of seatwork always meet a ready response from rural and primary teachers, who appreciate their need in this direction, but unfortunately most of the material published on this subject heretofore has been mere "busy-work," detrimental to both teacher and children. The discus.sion presented here, however, sets new standards for seat employment in rural schools. Miss Wescott's clear grasp of educational principles and her long experience as a primary teacher and institute instructor have enabled her to produce a contribution in these pages which is not only prac- tical and helpful but pedagogically sound. For the sake of the thousands of country children who are still forming bad habits of study, falling into mis-conduct thru lack of seat em- ployment, and wasting the precious years of childhood in idle listlessness, it is to be hoped that this bulletin (a book) will be widely used by rural and primary teachers everywhere. MABEL CARNEY, Instructor in Rural Education, Teachers' College, Columbia University, •, ' New York. UL 19 1918 ©CI.A4997y5 'i^vc? / To the Primary Teacher The most perplexing problem, confronting the primary teacher today, is the problem of providing worth while seat work. Every primary teacher realizes that she has placed upon her shoulders, not only the task of teaching children to read, but also the task of teaching them to study independently and to prepare them to use their books in acquiring knowledge. A thoughtful teacher recognizes the fact that the first forms of seat work lay the foundation and help to develop the habit of concentration and self rrliance in study, and that therefore she must direct the study period as carefully as she does the recitation. Every seat w^ork assignment should be made with one of three aims in mind. It should afford opportunity for testmg pupils upon a lesson presented in class, teach a new lesson, or give skill in some line where skill is necessary to growth. In order to accomplish these results, it is obvious that the teach- er must have plans, definitely worked out, and material for the purpose, keeping abreast with the recitation, and requiring thought on the part of the pupils who use it. It is the hope of the author to be of some assistance in making these plans, thus helping to raise the standard of seat employment in our schools. AVIS WESCOTT. CONTENTS I. Suggestions to the Teacher 5 — 18 1. Importance of Seat Work 5 2. Tests of Educative Seat Work 5 — 6 3. Seat Work Cards 6—7 4. Seat Work Record 7 5. Care of Materials 7 — 8 6. Assignment of Tesson 8 — 9 7. Inspection 9 8. Reference Chart 9 — 13 9. Establishment of Habits in Pupils 13 — 14 10. Required Material 15—16 II. Reading 18—36 1. Words 18—26 2. Word Groups 26 — 29 3. Sentences 29 — 31 4. Stories 31—33 5. Assignment of Reading Lesson ZZ — 36 III. Phonics .36—47 IV. Language 47 — 57 V. Number 57—73 VI. Colored Pegs 73—75 JUL i9iyiy Suggestions to the Teacher Importance of Seat Work. Worth while seat work is an absolute necessity in every school where there are children learning to study. The dis- cipline of the school is largely dependent upon the seat em- ployment. In fact there is no quicker w^ay to lose the grip on a school, than throug'h an insufficient supply of the right type of seat work. W^hen children are profitably employed they re- quire little or no attention from the teacher, wdio is free to give her time and energy to the conduct of the recitation. No teacher can hope to solve the problem of securing edu- cative seat work for her pupils who does not realize that the time spent in the making of plans and in the preparation of material for the study period is equally as necessary, as the time spent in planning for the recitation. Tests of Educative Seat Work. There are definite tests wdiich if applied to the study per- iod will enable the teacher to sum up her work and compare it w^ith the best to be found in the schools today. 1. Did it grozv naturally out of the class work? When new words were introduced into the reading, were those words brought into the study period, thereby helping the class to master them ? Were the number facts taught followed up by an exercise in which the attention of pupils in class was tested? Has there been application of the phonograms taught in phonics in order to teach pupils to make independent use of their knowledge? Were the fundamentals of the written language presented in varied ways in order that pupils maintain their interest until certain habits were established? 2. Did the seat zvork arouse interestf Children show very quickly a lack of interest in their work and when this lack is apparent, the teacher should seek the cause immediately. Has one medium been used too much? Work in stick laying is easily assigned and unless a teacher gives it thought, she is apt to over do this type of w^ork. Have enough of the outside interests been introduced to awaken enthusiasm ? 3. Were the children kept busily engaged? Some pupils work much more rapidly than others and special attention should be paid to this fact and extra work planned. Each THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK child should have a study program and be taught to do one task after an other as rapidly as possible and do it well. Un- less this plan is encouraged, pupils form the habit of taking their time and dillydallying over their work instead of con- centrating and accomplishing it. This is especially true in a rural school where pupils have so much time to prepare their lessons and so short a time to recite. 4. Did children foUozv directions and get results f When pupils do not prepare their lessons or do not carry out the directions, in most cases the teacher is at fault. The assign- ment was poorly made : directions were too indefinite or too many given, causing confusion. 5. Did pupils put forth their best effort? The one last- ing benefit to be derived from seat work is the habits which are formed. From the very first day of school all work as- signed should be well done and pupils should be made to feel that only their best is acceptable. In order that this may be made possible, the teacher must take care that the require- ments grow and that there is no marking of time, giving pu- pils a chance to slacken in their efforts. Seat Work Cards. Pupils who do not already know how to study must be taught and there is no more effective way than through the use of cards, carefully planned and made by the teacher who best knows the needs of her pupils. Sets of cards to be used in connection with all lines of instruction are made upon card board, light in weight, and suitable in color for much handling by the children. Each set contains as many cards as there are children in the class and no tw^o cards are alike, thus one set will serve as many times as there are cards in the set, and there need be no repetition of work. The cards suggested, with a few exceptions, those test- ing in words or sentences in which the vocabulary would dif- fer with the various primers, may all be used in any school, thus making the effort expended in the preparation of the sets worth while and lasting. Practically every card may be used in more than one way, thus enhancing its value. Suppose the card has the words representing number groups, as o)ie, tzvo, three, four, five, and six across the top, it has the following uses : Pupils may be asked to lay as many pegs under each word as required to show the meaning of the word. The correspond- ing figures may be placed under the words. Roman numerals made with pegs or by using the capital letter cards show the SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER meaning in a different way. Word cards with the same words as upon the card may be matched to the words along the top. Peg objects may be built under each word using in each ob- ject as many pegs as the word indicates. Under the word four, the object built must be made of four pegs. Paper cut- tings to illustrate the number designated may be substituted for the pegs, numbers or numerals. Seat Work Record. In order that the seat work may grow, sustain the inter- est, and arouse the enthusiasm of pupils, it is necessary that it should be carefully planned by the teacher. Profitable seat work is not the kind that the teacher thinks of, on the spur of the moment when the class must be assigned a task, but it is the kind that has been studied out w^ith the best interests of the class in mind. Each teacher should have a seat work record or a book in which suggestions are placed. These suggestions should cover the various types of activity necessarily carried on with pupils to form the desired habits and fix the facts developed in class. The different mediums should be tabulated and under each, the ways of varying the lessons. PEGS 1 Assort colors 2 Rainbow 3 Borders 4 Objects 5 Illustrate story 6 Combinations 7. Indicate color NUMBERS 1 Matching 2 Number groups 3 Examples 4 Combinations SQUARED PAPER 1 Border 2 Letters and figures 3 Book covers 4 Objects VALENTINES 1 Heart 2 Plant 3 Comic Heart 4 Woven USE OF RULER 1 Inch squares 2 Flag 3 Fence 4 Geometric forms PAPER CUTTING 1 Lines on paper 3 Making sentences 4 Making stories 5 Phonics PAPER FOLDING 1 Chair 2 House 3 Barn 4 Baskets 5 Furniture CHRISTMAS GIFTS 1 Cards 2 Booklets 2 Hektographed copies 3 Toys 3 Cardboard patterns 4 Lamp shades 4 Represent stories CLAY 5 Cut objects i Objects LETTERS 2 Tiles 1 Matching 3 Animals 2 Making words 4 Vases There has been no attempt to suggest all of the ways to use the designated mediums in the seat w^ork but rather to suggest the advisability of such an outline, and to show how to make it. Care of Materials. Teacher's Cards : Cards that required hours in the making THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK should be kept in a place free from dust. Boys may bring tools from home and make a box in which to keep the cards. It should be about 4 feet long, 9 inches high, and 4 inches wide. It should be fastened upon the wall under the blackboard so that it will be convenient to pass out the cards after a recitation. The cover should be so arranged that is can be fastened up with a hook when taking out or putting away cards. Monitors should be trained to replace the cards each time as they collect them. Pupils Equipment \ To save time and confusion in passing seat work material, each child should keep spool boxes of letters, of numbers, of pegs, and a bottle of paste in his desk. Crayons, scissors, rulers, pencils, and paints may be kept in bags of dark colored denim, fastened to the side of the desk. These bags may be made in the sewing class and afford a motive for sewing. The bags should be about 4x8 inches, hemmed across the top and stitched to make pockets. Measure so that the pockets will take in the articles easily. It is the best for the teacher to take up the tablets and pass out the paper as needed. Sheets may be cut into sizes suitable for the task to be assigned, thus conserving on paper. Pupils who keep their own tablets in their desks are apt to be very careless, spoiling their papers and helping themselves to more, while a pupil who must make his sheet of paper serve him, thinks before he writes. Replacement of Cards : Children will continually let pieces of cardboard, letters, numbers, and pegs fall upon the floor and unless discovered before the boxes are gathered, no one knows from which box they dropped. It is a good plan to number each card, large or small and the box which contains all of the cards, the same number. When a card marked 2 is found, the teacher knows that it fell from the box num- bered 2. Assignment of Lesson. All seat work that is motivated doubles in value. If pa- per folding is to be taught, suggest to the class that it furnish a doll house. In order to do this, it will be necessary to learn how to make paper furniture and so the lessons in paper con- struction necessarily will be given. If lettering on squared paper is to be taught, there should arise an immediate need for the skill in lettering. Pupils may make book covers and use their letters upon them. When little children are making daisy chains and there is no particular reason for doing it, except to see who can make the longest one, they lose their interest and do not do their SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER best work. But let the teacher suggest that the chains will be used in making a flag upon the board and each link will be carefully pasted so that the chain may be accepted and used. It also affords the opportunity to combine nurnber with past- ing, by directing pupils to make their chains for the flag with so many blue links, so many white links, and so many red links. All directions for seat work should be made simple ; should be clearly stated ; and should be few in number. When- ever a new line of study is to be presented and it is one that requires a great deal of explanation, it should be presented to the class as a whole and worked out at least once until pupils are thoroughly acquainted with the directions. Inspection. Every piece of seat work should be inspected by the teacher. This can be done very quickly and satisfactorily and is of vital importance in producing the pupil's best effort. Several cards may be left upon the desk and all inspect- ed at one time. Sometimes choose a child, whose work is not up to par to inspect the cards of the others, thus making a comparison between his and their effort. This is frequently more effective than anything that the teacher might say in comment. When each child is using a different card, the inspection would be too difficult and require too much time if the teacher carefully looked over each card. To expedite mat- ters, she should have a card of answers, numbered to correspond with the pupil's card so that she may quickly locate the examples, and mark the papers. All honest effort should be commended and pupils who really try, but who can not reach the highest standard placed by their classmates, should be praised in their work. Remem- ber that positive suggestions are far more potent than the negative, so call each child's attention to the good points in his work. Reference Chart. A great deal of time may be saved in teaching children to do certain lines of seat work if they are taught to use a reference chart. The one shown should be made on heavy cardboard and the printing done with a rubber stamping out- fit. The circles in the number groups are one inch in diameter and correspond in color to the word to the right of the group. The group of two should be orange, the group of five, blue. The figure 2, the word two, and the group of two circles should all be in the same line, thus helping the child to fix 10 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK the relation of the word, the group, and the number in his mind. Keep the card where pupils can see it until all possible information has been gleaned. To test pupils, it is necessary to have small cards as indicated later to be used in seat employment. Each child should have a card differing from every other card, in the arrangement of words, colors, or figures. 1 1 one • - red II 2 two • • orange Ml 3 three • • • • • • • yellow IV 4 four green V 5 five • • • • • blue VI 6 six • • • • • • violet At first direct children to look at the reference chart when doing their work, later try removing the chart and testing to see how many can work independently. Just the moment that each child can follow the directions without -the aid of the teacher or chart, just that moment the set of cards being used has lost its value. One of the most common errors in the seat work plan today to be found in our schools is the continued use of outgrown material. Never mark time in seat assignment but see that it grows daily. Figure Set. Material: Upon cards 3x12 inches, paste the numbers from one to ten. Exercises : Direct pupils to match the numbers, being care- ful to place each one right side up. 2. Pupils should be taught to write the figures. The teacher should inspect to see that they do not make the fig- ures, 4, 7, 6, and 8 backwards. 3. Copy the figures and under each one draw as many objects as required. Suggest that pupils draw flags, under the 3 draw three flags, under the 2, draw two flags. 4. Lay as many pegs under each figure as indicated. 5. Place examples under each figure, as, 2+1 under the figure 3, 2 + 2 under the figure 4. SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 11 Matching Seat Work. Material: Niimhcrs from one to ten inclusive, the words in- dicating groups, as, one, two, three, four, and groups of dots made upon cards the size of the word cards. 1 2 1 3 ^ 4"P 5 F f> 7 8 one ' ''■ " Ills... Exercises : Lay the numbers from one to ten in their order across the top of the desk, leaving space between each. Un- der each number, place the corresponding word card, as, one under 1. Under each word card place the corresponding group as shown. Pupils wdio can do this have learned to associate the group, the word, and the figure. Flag Set. Material: Mount flags or any other small stickers upon cards, 3x12 inches. Arrange in groups as shown. Exercises : Direct the pupils to place the corresponding fig- ures under each group. Show how to refer to the reference chart, when in doubt as to the figure. 2. Lay the corresponding words, as, one, two, three, four, fivey and six under the right flag group. 3. Lay as many pegs under each group as the group indicates. 4. Lay the numbers in a vertical line as though count- 12 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK ing the flags in a group. The following figures show the ar- rangement. 111111 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 6 5. Lay number combinations under each group. 4 6 3 4 6 2 1 4 3 1 6 7 1 ^ 7 7 Number Set. Material: Mount upon cards, 3x12 inches, words represent- ing groups of objects, as, one, two, three y four, five, six. Exercises : Direct pupils to lay the corresponding figure under each word, as, 1 under the word one. 2. Lay the right number of pegs under each word, as groups of three pegs under the word three. The pegs are to be placed under the words in groups in each section. 3. Match the words by laying the same words either in script or print, under each word. Word Color Card. Material: Print the names of the colors upon a card, 3x12 inches. Exercises : Match the words to the colors. 2. Lay the right colored pegs under each word, as, red pegs under the word red. 3. Rule a sheet of drawing paper, into two inch spaces and place under the color card. Direct pupils to make pictures in each column, using the color suggested by the word at the top of the column. 4. Place one of the Number Set over the Word Color Card and draw as indicated. one three four five six two green red purple blue orange yellow blue. Draw one green object, three red, four purple, and five SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 13 Combination Cards. Write words which can be illustrated with drawings, along the top of a strip of paper, spaced off the same as the cards to be used with it. Lay the card with the names of the colors upon it, also the card with a number group, as shown in il- lustration. fence tree hat ball house 1 flower red yellow blue orange green | purple one three four 1 two six 1 five Exercise : Direct pupils to draw as indicated, one red fence, three yellow trees, four blue hats. It will be observed that no two dr-awings will be alike and that each child is forced to think and read silently. The Establishment of Habits in Pupils. Seat work when properly assigned, with the necessary material to use, becomes a potent factor in establishing habits which will mean much to pupils in school and out of school in life. Perseverance : Pupils should be taught from the very first day of school, that assignments must be carried out. To put forth his best effort in laying pegs as directed, is just as im- portant to the first grade child as preparing a page of examples is to the eighth grade pupil. It should be an invariable rule that every task assigned is one that pupils can learn to do and having once made the assignment expect results and get them. Neatness : The necessity of training pupils in neatness can not be over estimated. Too much slovenly work is accepted and all too soon the habit of carelessness is formed. The teacher must remember that she is the pattern in this respect and be exceedingly careful that her blackboard work is of such a type as to stress neatness. The appearance of the teacher's desk has a silent influence upon her pupils. Insist that they be good housekeepers, keeping their desks in order. This can best be accomplished when they are instructed how to place their materials in their desks and are held re- sponsible for doing it. Exactness : Exactness like neatness requires constant at- tention. Often the lack of it is due to the teacher's indif- ference. She will tell the class where to place their names and grade upon the paper and then accept the lesson with only about half written as directed. Pupils must be taught to fol- low directions and no inaccurate work should be accepted. It 14 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK may not matter for that particular lesson but it is vital to habit formation. Concentration : Pupils should be taught concentration and learn to stick to a task until it is completed. In order to devel- lop this habit, there must be a definite assignment, as, to make so many words, to illustrate the reading lesson in paper cut- ting, to make a border across the desk with the square as a motif or unit, or to build three words under each phonogram. Definite assignment furnishes a goal and there is satisfaction in reaching it. Speed: Children should be taught to work as rapidly as possible and at the same time do the work well. Plenty oi material should be at hand for the child who works rapidly that he rray be kept busy in a profitable way during the whole ses- sion. A small table with cards upon it will be found an aid in handling the seat work in a school w^here there are many classes and pupils who must spend hours in their seats at work. Pupils may choose the work they like to do or the teacher may direct the order of the work to be done. Every child should receive credit .for his effort. Self Reliance : The more a teacher uses the seat work cards the more certain she is that the individual teaching is the type that counts. Every child is placed upon his own resources from the very start and can receive no help from his class- mates, but must do his own thinking and work independently. No two cards in the set being alike, pupils have no opportun- ity to learn words by placement but must recognize them wherever they see them. When ten pupils sent to the board to work their examples and all work the same one at the same time, it means that the leaders will think and that the shirkers will copy in too many cases. Individual cards do away with this tend- ency by removing the opportunity to copy a classmate's work. Originality: All types of seat work afford an opportunity for the development of originality and the teacher should see that the most is made of it. In making sentences with the letter cards, there are three steps in the process of development. Pupils copy the words or sentences from the blackboard or copy as given, later they complete the sentence by adding an ending or changing the one given in the copy, and last all pupils originate their own sen- tences. In paper cutting, the same steps are taken. First, the child traces a pattern and cuts it out, later looks at an outline and reproduces it, and finally is directed to illustrate or show with paper and scissors the picture he has in mind. SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 15 Required Material. It is an absolute necessity that pupils in the lower grades should have material to use in order to learn how to study. School officers should be made to recognize this fact and be willing to meet the need, whenever possible. A teacher in a school where material is not supplied should plan to provide it herself. A sale or entertainment would net enough to supply a school in its every need. There is a great deal of material which may be had for the asking. Ribbon paper, paste board around which cloth is wrapped, egg case fillers, suit boxes, wall paper samples, waste from a print shop, and advertisements may all be used to advantage in making seat work cards. 1. Rubber Stamping Outfit: Two sizes of type are re- quired for making charts and individual seat cards. The larger size costs, $1.50 and the small one, supplied with both small and capital letters, costs 50 cents. The type in the smaller press is a trifle larger than that used in primers. 2. Scissors : Slightly pointed ones will produce the best results in paper cutting and may be used in the early sewing to clip threads. 3. Pegs : A box of assorted colors in one inch lengths. 4. Alphabet: Each pupil should have a box of alphabet cards in his desk. 5. Numbers: Numbers and number signs should be cut up and placed in a box for each pupil. 6. Words : Primer words may be either purchased or made by the teacher. 7. Paper : Several kinds of paper are required for the study period. Construction Paper : Packages of construction paper in all colors and cut 9x12 inches in size. Suit Box Board : Light weight cardboard as is used in box factories in making suit boxes. It is gray on one side and makes a serviceable mounting board for pictures. Egg Case Filler : A very inexpensive, light weight card- board used in making cartons in box factories. It is gray in color and adapted to word cards, handled a great deal by pupils. Drawing Paper: It is best to buy 9x12 inch sheets as this size cuts to the best advantage. Parquetry Paper : One envelope of colored oblongs and one of circles, gummed ready for use, will supply a school. Chart Board : A few sheets of heavy cardboard to be used in making large reference charts to place before the class. 16 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK 8. Paper Cutter: Purchase a large paper cutter with the inches ruled the length of the board so that if the blade of the cutter becomes sprung, it will still be possible to cut the paper straight. A cheap paper cutter is a poor investment. 9. Pencil Sharpener : Every school room should be provid- ed with a pencil sharpener. Either the Boston or the Chicago will give good sei*vice and costs a dollar a piece. 10. Eyelet Punch : An eyelet punch will be found invalu- able in fastening papers, charts, baskets, and in many other kinds of seat work. 11. Squared Paper: Paper ruled into inch, half and quar- ter inch spaces. 12. Colored Crayons: Boxes of good crayons which will do satisfactory work, as, ''The American Crayons." 13. Hektograph: A good recipe follows. 14. Paste : Library paste. 15. Weaving Materials : Carpet warp, yarn, rags, Mac- reme cord, reed, and raffia. 16. Rulers: It is best to purchase or make rulers for be- ginners, with only the inches and half inches marked upon them. Library Paste Recipe. 1 tablespoon of alum 1 cup of flour 1 quart of water 10 drops of oil of cloves Bring water and alum to boiling point, add flour mixed with water to make a smooth paste, and boil in a double boiler for twenty minutes. Add the cloves and strain, ready for use. Hektograph Recipe. 2 ounces of French gelatine in sheets 1 ounce of sugar y2 pint of water 1 pint of glyercine Place all ingredients into a double boiler and boil two hours, stirring very gently. Strain into a pan, 9xl2x^ inches, and let cool in a level place, free from dust for two or three days. Use and Care of Hektograph : Write or draw whatever is to be duplicated with hektograph ink upon hard, smooth finish paper. 2. Wash off hektograph before using, with a dainp sponge, brushing the surface very lightly so as not to injure the gelatine. 3. Lay the pattern to be duplicated face down upon the hektograph and leave it for about three minutes. SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER 17 4. Remove the copy and quickly put on one blank sheet aft- er another until the desired number -of copies is obtained. 5. Wash off the hektog-raph with warm water and cover to set away. It is advisable to have a fitted cover made for the pan into which the gelatine is poured. Relief Map Material. 4 cups salt 1 cup cornstarch Heat salt very hot. Mix cornstarch and water to consistency of thin cream, pour into hot salt and thoroughly mix. How to Use the Printing Press. Printing to be placed before pupils should be carefully done or not at all. The letters should be uniformly spaced and the bases in a straight line, each letter being equally black. Ink : The best printing can be done with black writing ink upon the pad. The regular printing ink will be found to rub very badly and soon must be re-printed. Brush the ink into the pad with a paste brush, evenly covering the surface. Ruler-. Accurate printing can not be done unless the ruler is used to space the letters and keep them straight. Mark the distance from the top of the paper that the first line is to be printed and place the ruler upon the dots. It is not necessary to draw lines upon the paper. Usually two inches is about the right distance between the lines of printing. Guide : Never use the ruler without the guide. Each tirhe place the letter in the angle of the guide, spacing the letters in a word by pushing the guide just past the last letter made. This insures accurate spacing. Location of Print: Print all words and sentences the same distance from the bottom of the card in order that they may be combined in many ways thus reducing the amount of printing to be done. Reading There is not time in the recitation to fix thoroughly in the child's mind, all of the words developed in the class but pu- pils may learn by themselves, if the teacher gives them the opportunity and supplies them with the right kind of employ- ment. At best the average beginner in a rural school spends about four-fifths of his time in doing seat work, and it is vital that there shall be a definite purpose in it, and that it shall be related to his regular class work. Each lesson is suggestive of types of seat work which may be assigned to pupils that they may grow in power. No attempt has been made to give the various lines of work in the order in which they should be used but simply to suggest and leave the time best suited for use to the teacher dealing with the pupils. Color Card. The names of the colors are required for the reading and should be introduced into the seat work very early. Material: Mount upon cards, 5x9 inches, circles of differ- ent colors, as, red, ycllozv, blue, green, and purple. No two cards • "• • •. ,•: Jorangpe i^reen ' have the same arrangement of the colors. Pegs are required for the first use of the cards. When the words are to be recognized, word card.s upon which the color names are to be printed should be placed in an envelope or box and each child supplied. E.rereise: Before pupils can be taught to tell words they must be taught to discover resemblances and differences in pic- tures, colors, and words. Matching pegs to the colored circles will aid in this development. Direct pupils to lay rows of the same colored pegs under each circle. 2. Later, when the words should be recognized, direct them to place the right word under each color, as the word red under the red circle. READING 19 Cut Up Picture and Word. Picture puzzles are always interesting to children and may be combined with words and used in teaching new nouns to a class. sj'h'.e leip Material: Mount upon cards. 2^/ inches square, suitable pictures to represent primer words. Across the top of the card, print the word suggested by the picture, as, sheep, spacing the letters equally. Use the small rubber stamp for this printing. Cut each card into strips, leaving one letter at the top of each strip. Each picture should be kept in an envelope upon which is the same number as upon each strip. This insures the return of any lost strip to its right envelope. Exercise : Direct the class to lay so that the picture will be complete, word have been arranged, each word should be copied with the letter cards. Pictures should be removed and words pointed to and the child asked to tell all that he knows. the strips upon the desk When the letters of the Word and Picture Cards. Material: Upon cards 9x12 inches, paste pictures represent- ing primer words. In an envelope on the back of the card, place the words which correspond with the pictures. In some cases sets of word cards suitable for seat work are furnished with the primers, but in case these are not, the teacher may make the cards, either in print or script. A small fifty-cent printing outfit will be found of great value in the making of these cards. Exercise : Direct the child to place the right word under 20 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK each picture, as the word doll under the picture of the doll, the word watch under the picture of the watch. If a child places .^^ the word watch under the ])icture of the shoe, the teacher knows that neither the word watch nor shoe is known by the child and in class he should be drilled upon the two words. Seat work of this nature furnishes the teacher with the information neces- sary to do effective teaching. It is not what the child already knows but that which he does not know that needs the drill. Word Cards. Material: Mount pictures of primer words upon cards 3x4 inches, and under each picture paste the word represented by the picture. Place five or six of these cards in a spool box togeth- er with several words upon small cards matching each word pasted under the picture. Exercise: Direct each child to lay upon the desk all of the words he can find which match the words below the pictures. Words should be made in print or script, whichever the pupils are using in their reading. 2. Direct each child to use his letter cards and make the words found under the pictures. This line of work follows the placing of the words as wholes. 3. When pupils are beginning their sentence structure, di- rect them to write one sentence about each picture. READING 21 4. Remove all words which can not easily be sounded by pu- pils, leaving the short vowel words in the pack. Direct pupils to make a list of words with the same endings. Suppose the word upon the card to be hen, pupils would build, Ben, ten, men, den, pen. Drawing Exercise. A teacher constantly strives to make pupils use their knowl- edge of words, to read and glean the thought from the printed page. Seat work should aid in this by testing pupils. Material: Print or write a list of words upon the board, choosing only those which can be easily illustrated, as, tree, wagon, hat, apple, and top. Place the words in four lines with four words in a line. Exercise: Direct each child to fold an 8x8 inch square in- to sixteen squares. Pictures are to be drawn in the center of each square, considering the outer lines of the square as the picture frame. The pictures are to be drawn in the same order as in- dicated upon the board by the arrangement of the words. 2. Later when the class is able to write, give each one a sheet of paper and direct him to write across the top of each square a word which can be illustrated. Papers are exchanged and each draws the pictures called for by the words. Silhouette Cards. Material: Give each child several patterns of objects repre- senting primer words and direct him to trace carefully and cut out. Choose the best and mount upon cards as shown. The fact that the best cuttings are to be saved and used, promotes careful work. Teacher places corresponding printed words upon the board. Exercise : Direct each child in the class to build the words with the letter cards, making each word a given number of times. After the words have been copied several times, let the class try to make the words without a guide. Matching Words. Teacher writes a list of words upon the board, directing pu- 22 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK pils to place their small word cards upon their desks in the same order as those upon the board. 2. Make hektograph copies of words upon a large sheet of paper, ruled off into oblongs, a word in each oblong. Give each pupil two of these copies. Direct him to cut up one copy and lay the words upon those found on the other sheet. Later in the day let each child paste into a book all of the words that he can pronounce. Brownie Card Material : Mount upon cardboard, pictures of persons or animals. Each child in the class is given a card. Teacher places a card, as show^n in cut, before the class. The words naming the parts of the picture are pasted upon the card. Word cards including such words, as, face, feet, mouth, ear, hand, shoe, coat, cap, should be furnished the pupils. Exercise : Direct the class to lay its words upon the pictures in the same way that the teacher has done. 2. Direct pupils to make the words with their letters, copy- ing from the teacher's card. When this can be well done try to make the words without the copy, testing the spelling as well as the recognition of words. READING 23 Self Teaching Cards. Material : Make a list of nouns in the primer and find suit- able pictures to represent them. The pictures should be small and mounted upon cards of convenient size to place several upon the desk at once. Across the bottom of the picture print the word. Cut off the word, in an irregular way, so that the piece can be easily fitted in again. See page 63 for type of card described. Place several cards and words in an envelope and provide each child in the class with one. Exercise : Direct each child to lay the pictures upon the desk and find the words that correspond or fit into the card. Think what it is the picture of, look at the initial sound, and say the word. When the teacher inspects the work, all pictures are put away and pupils tell all of the words they know and re-fit into the picture those that they do not know. Sentence Building. Material: Mount suitable pictures upon cards 6x12 inches, and under each picture print sentences containing word groups which occur frequently in the primer. 4 l m ^ -| I ^^^1" , k^. '^k- ' You are a dear dog Exercise: Direct each child to read his sentence and make it a certain number of times with his letters. It is best to assign definite work to pupils in order that they may be made to feel the responsibility of the task. To say, ''Make it as many times as you can," means that the zuorker will complete the sentence many times, while the shirker does well to make it once. Then, too, there is always a satisfaction to a child as well as to an adult to know that a definite task has been accomplished. 24 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Word Separation. Teacher writes a sentence upon the board as though it were one word, as, I seealittle girhvithherdoU . Exercise: Direct pupils to make the sentence upon their desks, separating the words as they should be when found in a sentence. / see I a little girl with her doll Ben kite drum hop Jip sled ball doll big run This will make pupils think and it tests their knowledge of words. Ask pupils to read the sentences placed upon their desks. Filling Blanks. Material: Teacher writes sentences upon the board, leaving spaces for a word in each sentence. At the right of the sen- tences, a list of suggestive words to be inserted should be writ- ten. Blanks in the sentence indicate the number of le'.ters in the word to be supplied, as, three in the first and four in the third sentence. This is a ball, Ruth can fast. Ned has a pretty May has a . is my doy. Exercise : Direct pupils to look at the sentence, see the num- ber of letters required and choose the word to be built. The whole sentence should be made upon the desk. Ask the class to read the sentences thus getting a variety from the different words used. Dictionary. Material: Twenty-six sheets of writing paper fastened to- gether in book form with the word DICTIONARY printed upon the cover. The right edge of the book should be indexed as the pages of a loose-leaf note book. Measure on the second leaf one- half inch down from the upper right hand corner, make a dot. Measure in one-half inch, made another dot. Connect the two dots. Measure from the lower right hand corner toward the left one-half inch, make a dot and connect with the second dot made. Measure each. page in the same way with the exception that each time the first dot drops down one-half inch further. Place the alphabet upon these small flaps in regular order. Hektograph copies of words taught in class and furnish to each child. Exercise: Each day pupils paste into their books all of the new words taught that day, placing each word upon the page corresponding to the initial letter. READING 25 Teacher writes a word upon the board and directs the class to see who can find it first in the dictionary. Later make the words with their letters. Word Study Card. Material: Upon cards, 8xio inches in size, print sentences beginning with any group desired as. / sec a. To the right of each group, completing the sentence, paste a small picture represent- ing a primer word. These small pictures may be found in old primers. I see a bird I see a I see a Upon small cards using the same size type, print the words corresponding to the pictures used. Place the words in an en- velope on the back of the card. Exercise : Direct the class to place the right word over each picture, making the sentence all in print and be ready to read the sentences. Later ask pupils to build the sentences with their letters and after removing the large card with the pictures upon it, test to see how many can read the sentences. This exercise helps the child make the connection between the printed word and the thing symbolized. Adjective Card. Material: Print upon a card, 9x12 inches, word groups 26 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK found in the beginning of sentences. Leave space for adjectives to be inserted and on the right side of the card paste small pic- tures in line with the print. The pictures should be colored and This is aired This is a black his IS a chosen with the idea of applying adjectives. In an envelope on the back of the card, place small cards upon which adjectives have been printed. Exercise: Direct the class to place the adjectives in their proper places as, red before the apple, black before the shoe, yellow before the lemon. Ask pupils to read the sentences while the teacher tests to see if each word applies to the picture. This set of cards should give review drill upon all adjectives in the primer and appeals to the children because of the pictures used. Drawing Lesson. Material: A sheet of drawing paper and colored crayons. Teacher places a list of phrases upon the board. a yellow pear a red mitten a red, white, and blue flag a green leaf a purple flower a blue ball Exercise : Pupils are directed to fold drawing paper into six rectangles and draw a picture in each one. Phrase Card. . Material: Upon the right of a card paste pictures (pre- ferably colored) representing primer words. Upon strips of cardboard one inch wide, print phrases descriptive of the pictures as, the zvhite kitty, a red apple, and our pig. Each child should READING 27 have a spool box containing many such phrases for use when the phrasing- idea is taken up in the reading. Exercise : Direct the pupils to place at the right of each pic- the white kitty a red apple our PI the blue bird your pony ture a group of words which will describe the picture. When inspecting the w^ork, ask questions, as, "What kitty is this?" "What kind of an apple?" "Whose pig?" ''What bird?" "Whose pony?" These questions force the child to give the group of words together, thus stressing the idea of phrasing and strength- ening the reading. Phrase Building. Material : Mount pictures upon small cards and to the right of each picture print a descriptive group of words, as, a fat tur- key. %JiS6h :-*,*-; a fat turkey Exercise : Direct pupils to build the phrases upon their desks with the letters and be ready to read when called upon to 28 ' THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK do so. This not only emphasizes the word grouping, but makes the adjective review worth while. 2. Direct pupils to build sentences using the phrases upon the cards. Thought Groups Material: Mount pictures upon 9x12 cards. Under each picture print two or three word groups, as, one little girl, tzvo baby kittens, and a saucer of milk, each group suggested by the picture. one little ^irl two baby kitteris a saucer of milk Exercise: Direct the pupils to make the word groups with their letters. 2. After making and reading the groups, suggest that they be used in sentences. Teacher writes a word group as, Do you see upon the board and directs pupils to combine with phrases in sentences. Do you see one little girl? Do you see two baby kittens? Do you see a saucer of milk? Ask pupils to read aloud thus emphasizing the basis of the sentence. 3. Direct pupils to make as many sentences with each group as possible. I see one little girl. Here is one little girl. Do you see one little girl? It is one little girl. Can you see one little girl? Ask pupils to read the sentences, thus affording excellent word drill upon the beginnings of sentences which are the most difficult to teach. READING 29 Word Groups. Word groups should be forced upon the children's attention until they have grasped the idea and make use of it in their read- ing. Material : Upon cards 5x8 inches, print word groups, as shown, keeping the last word in the group at the edge of the card. Print upon small cards, phrases found in the primer. I can see a pet dog I have a big rose I like ' |my book '^ I see your kitty Have you a pig I can feed old Rover Exercise : Direct pupils to place the phrases to the right of the large card, building sentences that make sense. Ask to have the sentences read by the pupils. To vary the work, place a number of sentences upon the board and direct pupils to make them with their large card and small phrase cards. Be sure to include in the sentences the word groups to be found ui)on the cards. Dictated Paper Folding. Frequently the assignment of the seat work should be writ- ten upon the board to force pupils to read in order to make what the teacher directs. Take a blue square. Fold it into sixteen squares. Cut off four squares. Separate the three squares at the top. Separate the three squares at the bottom. Paste the two outside squares together on each end. Paste the center squares upon them. Cut a quarter inch handle. Paste it upon the inside. You have made a basket. These directions can only be given when the class knows how to read and can fold paper from dictation. It will be found an excellent test of ability to interpret the printed page. Representative Pictures. Children enjoy drawing, especially when an opportunity for originality is offered. 30 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Material : Across the top of drawing paper, teacher writes or prints a couplet, presenting a vivid mind picture to the pupils. The lines : Pretty little fish, swimming in the brook, Won't you come and bite my shiny hook? suggests at once the picture of a small boy fishing and waiting Pretty, lit tie fish, swimming- in the broolc Won't you come and bite my shiny hook? for a bite. Older pupils enjoy writing these couplets and it is excellent language work. The value of the printed couplet is obvious as it forces each child to read before he can draw the picture. It presents an old subject in a new way. Suggestive Couplets. Robin Redbreast up in a tree. Sings a sweet song for you and me. Three little mice on a wall 'Caught sight of a man very tall. A birdie with a funny bill. Hopped upon the window sill. READING 31 Motivated Reading. Children should be made to read whenever an opportunity presents itself. Dictate the pictures to be drawn by writing sentences upon the board. Draw a mother rabbit. Draw a bird in a tree. Draw a flag on a flag pole. Draw a boy flying a kite. Supplementary Stories. A teacher should have many supplementary stories for pupils to read. Children learn to read by reading and to expect the recitation period alone to accomplish results is fallacy. Material : Mount upon one side of the leaflet, an attrac- tive picture about which an interesting story may be written. Upon the other side of the i:)age print the story. Stories from old primers may he used in the same way. Oh', come ,boys . see this butterfly. Can you catch It? Run , run , rim fas t . Catch it J Catch it! There it goes J We have lost it. Exercise : Pupils read the stories to themselves and take them home to read to parents, who* are always anxious to see the progress in reading. This is a much better plan than sending home the reader which is in use in class, as the material should be new to the child, if his interest is to be kept up. Pupils may be directed to copy the story to take home. This should only be done occasionally and with a definite purpose in mind, so as to insure careful penmanship, or to test the pupils' ability to make the transition from print to script. Library. A library for first grade children should be established in every school. Books should be collected from every possible source : old school books, children's magazines, picture books, and all of the best primers of today. This reading material should be within easy reach of the pupils, who should be encouraged to read before school, after completing their assigned work, and at certain prescribed periods in the day. Encourage pupils to tell about the stories they have read, during the noon hour while eating lunch. 32 THE TEACHING OP SEAT WORK Cut Up Story. Old primers should be freely used in seat work preparation. Usually two books of a kind are required. Material: Cut the same story and picture from two old primers. Mount one picture and story upon a card as a whole. frandpa Ilamii] inniifiay pony This is flarold's !»irtli(iav. ( iraiidpa ^aid. "Si.m", I iai'old. Voii art' to have tliis pony." Harold r-aid, " ( ) u'candpa! ^^lll a re ~-o ^-ood to inc ! i do l()\-(' t his pony ! 1 lo\a' ]i\v ;4-ood grandpa, too. Tiiis is jHarf^ld''- itir1-hdav ^^^^ (Jrandp;: Y oi I Mount the second picture upon a card and cut it up into a puzzle picture, being careful to cut it in such a way that children can put it together again easily. Cut the sentences of the second story apart and mount upon cardboard of the same size. After mounting the sentences as wholes, separate into thought phrases, as, This is Harold's birthday. Later in the work, cut the senten- ces into separate words. Exercise : Direct pupils to lay the whole story upon the desk and to the right of it lay the puzzle picture and below it, the sentences telling about the picture. x\sk each child to read his story. Call for the first word group in the sentence, and a child reads, ''This is." Call for the first word group in each sentence in the same way. After pupils have matched phrases and read as indicated, direct them to make the sentences upon their desks showing the grouping of words by spacing. This will be found very practical seat work because rapid, silent reading depends upon one's ability to phrase well. READING 33 Memorization of Poetry. Material : Teacher writes memory gems upon small cards, placing them within reach of pupils who have finished their lessons. Encourage them to study and memorize selections which they like best and would like to remember. To motivate this line of work, devote some Friday afternoon to a ^'Quotation Spelldown," conducted in the same way as the spelling match. Pu- pils choose sides and stand in two rows. Each child in turn gives a quotation and continues to stand as long as he knows a quotation which has not been previously given. The last to sit is the champion. The Assignment of a Reading Lesson. A faulty or careless assignment of the lesson, such as, "Take the next lesson for tomorrow," means valuable time wasted by pupils who do not know how to study, an aimless turning of the pages and most lamentable of all, the formation of bad habits. No lesson should be more carefully assigned than the reading. In order to do this, the teacher must thoroughly know the lesson be- fore time for the assignment. A definite problem must be placed before the class. A type lesson is given in order to suggest several ways to assign the lesson. The Stone in the Road. There was once a very rich man who lived in a castle near a village. He loved the people in the village and tried to help them. He planted beautiful trees near their homes, and gave picnics for their children, and every Christmas gave them a Christmas tree. But the people did not like to work and were very unhappy be- cause they did* not have money and a castle like their rich friend. One day this rich man rose very early in the morning and placed a large stone in the road that led past his home. Then he hid himself behind the hedge to see what would happen. By and by a very poor man came along, driving his cow to pasture. He frowned when he saw the stone lying in his path but he drove the cow around it and went on his way scolding. Next came the farmer on his way to the mill with his grist. He was cross and complained because the stone was there, but he, too, drove around it and went on his way. At last just at night fall, the miller's boy came past. He was a hard working fellow and was very tired because he had worked from early morn. Wlien he saw the stone he said to himself : *Tt is almost dark and some one may fall over the stone in the night and perhaps will be badly hurt. I will move it out of the way." So he tugged at the heavy stone. It was hard to move but he 34 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK pulled and pushed and lifted until at last the stone moved and was rolled out of the road. To his surprise, under it he found a bag and to it tied a note which read, ''This gold belongs to the one who moves this stone." Ways to Assign the Lesson. Questions : Place questions upon the board as. Do you think that the miller's son deserved the gold? Why? Such questions about the lesson arouse the children's interest and curiosity and they will eagerly read to find out. Their reading becomes thought- ful and they glean the author's thought. Teacher may write questions, about the lesson, upon the board and pupils may answer from the text. List the People : Read the story through and make a list of all of the people it tells about. Write the names as the charac- ters are introduced. Re-name the Story : Read the story and give it a new name. This will make pupils think and will develop judgment. Name the Paragraphs : Children should be taught to sum up the thought in a paragraph and give it in one or two words. This ability to summarize is necessary and the habit should be started before the child is thrust into the formal study of geography or history. Summary of Paragraphs. 1 Introductory. 2 Tells what the rich man did. 3 Tells about the poor man and his cow. 4 Tells about the farmer. 5 Tells what happened to the miller's son. When pupils are called upon to read, ask for the reading of certain paragraphs, as, "Read all about what the rich man did." Pupils must read every sentence telling about him. Dramatize : This story can only be dramatized by playing it in pantomime. Children choose the character they wish to be and be ready to play it. Paper Cutting : Take a piece of paper and cut the picture you find in the third paragraph. Mount the picture to be placed upon the bulletin board. Individuals Report : There are always pupils in the class who need extra attention in order to keep pace with the class. Suppose that a boy is a poor reader, ask him to read all about what happened to the miller's son. Give him time to prepare it and do justice to himself. Suppose a boy in the class can not get the thought easily, assign a paragraph for him to tell. A pupil who has not learned to use the dictionary may be requested to find the meaning of certain words. READING 35 Blackboard Assignment : The following is written upon the board : Class. Do you think the miller's son was happy ? Why ? Roy. Look up grist and complained. May. Tell what the rich man did. Ned. Draw upon the blackboard, a picture of the miller boy as described in the last paragraph. Stress Certain Phrases : Copy all of the phrases that tell zvhere. in a castle near a village near their homes in the road Ask pupils to read from their papers, training them to com- bine words in thought units. Read the Story and Write: Direct the class to read the story through and write the gist of it in a few sentences, omitting all detail. Ask to have the stories read and let the class tell what it liked about each one. Note : It will be observed that certain assignments are best fitted to some lessons and that not all assignments are to be used with one lesson. Phonics It is useless to expect that pupils, in a fifteen minute recita- tion period will grasp and retain all of the sound combinations and be able to make the application when coming in contact with new words in the reading. It requires carefully planned seat work to make the child in- dependent, afford him an opportunity to test his knowledge, and to discover his power of application. The steps in the teaching of phonics are so definite that the planning of the seat work to correlate with the recitation is com- paratively easy to do. Each new step presented in class should be followed with seat work along the same line which should con- tinue as long as there is value to the pupil. The mistake of con- tinuing work that requires no effort is noticeable in many primary rooms. There seems to be a satisfaction in asking pupils to do what they can do well, rather than developing new types, re- quiring new effort on the part of the pupil. Whenever every child can do a certain kind of work zcell, at that moment that type of work becomes worthless. The difference between worthwhile and worthless seat work is the difference between work that merely keeps the hands busy and that which requires a combined energy of hand and mind, making pupils think. Matching Letters. Pupils just entering school must be taught to observe careful- ly before they will retain and recognize words, sounds, or num- bers. The card described is simply to be used as a sense training exercise and no knowledge of letters or sounds is required. Material: Print the alphabet in regular order, along the top of a card. Exercise : Direct pupils to match the letters, being careful to place each one right side up. 2. Direct pupils to write the letters upon their papers in the order given upon the card. This should not be required until pupils have been taught letter forms in penmanship. Matching Words. Material : Furnish each child with a box of cut up words. Exercise : Direct pupils to place the words in rows upon their desks, keeping all of the words beginning with the same initial letter in a row. This exercise calls special attention to the initial letter, which later is to be deducted and pupils taught to pronounce. PHONICS 37 2. Direct pupils to place a peg under each word that they know. 3. Direct pupils to place the words of the same initial let- i preilv : blow ] rabbit P papa ! black 1 robin p()n> 1 baby j run 1 piipp> belli rose happy p horse te ter in a book upon the same page. In this exercise the words should be cut from old primers or magazines. Initial Consonant Card. Material : Mount a picture re- presenting a word from which a certain sound has been taught, as, a picture of a baby to teach the sound of the letter b. Under each picture, print the word that the pic- ure represents, the same word with the initial consonant slightly separ- ated from the rest of the word, and ■g -g last the initial consonant alone. Exercise : Direct pupils to re- produce their cards upon their desks. As they do so, they will be forced to think the process of sound development; the whole word, the slow pronunciation of it, and the deducting of the initial sound. Alphabet Set. Material: Cut out and mount pictures representing words beginning with the different letters of the alphabet. As far as possible the words represented, should be those found in the primer and those from which the sounds have been taught. 38 THE TEACHING OP SEAT WORK Exercise : Direct pupils to place the initial letter under the picture representing the word beginning with that letter, as, h under house, b under boy. inspect all cards carefully to ascer- tain the pupils who have not made the association between the picture, the word, and the sound. Give these pupils attention in class time. Double Consonant Card. The double consonants are puzzling to pupils and should re- ceive special drill. Material : From old magazines cut pictures representing words with double con- ^ sonant beginnings, such as, thrush, -frog, skirt, and dress. Mount the pii:tures upon 9x12 inch cards. Print the combinations upon small cards. Exercise : Direct the class to place the conso- nants, thr, sk, fr, and dr, under the pictures re- presenting words begin- ning with the combina- tions given. 2. After working with the combinations print- ed by the teacher, direct pupils to use the single letters and make the combinations. 2. After working \vith the combinations printed by the teacher, direct pupils to use the single letters and make the com- binations. 3. Use the letters and build the entire word, as, skirt, frog, and thrush. sk PHONICS 39 4. Write the list of words as suggested by the pictures, and under each word write a riming word. thrush frog dress brush clog Bess 5. Use the words in sentences. I see a thrush. Here is a frog. Short Vowel Set. a e 1 u Material: Print the five vowels across the top of a card. Line the card into equal spaces. Exercise : Direct pupils after the lesson in blending a vowel and a consonant, to lay the short phonograms upon their desks, as, ag under a, ed under e. When the work is inspected, teacher should ask pupils to tell the phonograms made, and the word each one made them think of, as they built it. The teacher points to ag and the child says, "Ag, made me think of rag." It will be noted that this exercise makes pupils think and tends to connect sounds with words. Family Endings. Material : Mount pictures repre- senting simple phonetic words upon cards. To the right of the picture print the phonogram, as, ig, and under the picture print the words ending in ig as, pig, rig, big, zmg, jig, and dig. Exercise : Direct pupils to place the card upon the desk and make the phonogram and words with their let- ters. 2. Remove the card and make the words from memory. Word Building. Material: Choose pictures typical of certain words, as, the picture shown suggesting ball. Mount these pictures upon cards 9x12 in size. Print the word from which the phonogram is to be deducted at the side of the picture. Print the phonograms be- low it. Along one edge and two inches apart, print all of the initial letters which can be combined with the ending, in this case all, to make a word. 40 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Exercise : Direct the class to make words under each initial letter, using the phonogram all each time. During the inspection have pupils tell the words by indicating with a motion, the mean- h a I 1 :st sm squ ing of the words, as, calling to some one for the word, call, or running into the hall for illustration of the word hall. By means of the action, the child has been forced to think and the exercise has not been merely mechanical. Word Building. Material : Mount pictures representing phonetic words, as, drum, tree, hall, cane, and cozv. Print the ending under each picture as shown. Exercise : Direct the class to complete the words by placing the correct initial consonant or consonants before the ending, as, PHONICS 41 tr before ee, b before all, c before ane. After the words are made upon the card, pupils copy the Hst upon their papers. Later try writing the Hst from memory. Short Phonogram Card. Pupils should be tested in their ability to think words when the symbols indicating sounds are shown. Material: Put upon a card 9x12, the phonograms which pupils know and can build into words. Exercise: Direct the class to build one word under each phonogram. Ob >g ot od en og et •g^ ud at an in um op Long Phonograms. Material : Print short phonogram words along the left hand side of a card. Exercise : Direct pupils to make the long phono- gram words by adding e to the short phonogram words. Note : "Teaching of Phonics" page 50. Long Phonogram Word Building. Material : Print upon cards long phonograms which may be combined into many words. Exercise : Direct pupils to make several words under each phonogram. ace ade ate ame ake ane ale Hunting Phonograms. Material: Give each child an old magazine with the in- structions to cut out all of the known phonograms. Furnish each with a cardboard pattern, suggestive of the time of the year, as, an umbrella for April, a tree for December, or a kite for March, and direct him to cut out the design. If preferred, children may cut out the patterns free hand. Exercise : Paste the phonograms which have previously been told to the teacher, upon the mount chosen. 42 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Endings. Pupils should be taught the endings commonly found in words, as, ing, er, ed, est, ful, ly, less, ness, en, 3', and s. Material : Teacher places several end- ings upon cards and each child is given one. Words which may be combined with the endings are written upon the board. look turn watch Direct pupils to lay the words upon their desks : mill play milling playing miller player milled played Circle Card. When pupils have reached the sight phonograms in their phonics, they should quickly and silentl\- blend the sounds in words. Material: Print upon a rectangle a sight phonogram, as, ight. Upon one-inch circles, print all of the letters which will com- Exercise bine with the sight phonogram upon the card. Fasten the circles onto the left of the card with a paper fastener as shown. Exercise: Each child is given a card and directed to turn the circles making all of the words possible, and copy each one upon paper. The card appeals to the child because there is employment for the hands as well as the mind. PHONICS 43 Word Building. Material : Teacher places a picture before the class and to the side of it writes or prints a list of phonograms to be found in words suggested by the picture. Exercise : Direct pupils to make the words suggested by the phonograms. The picture helps in determining the words to be made. Sight Phonograms. Material : Print upon a card the sight phonograms taught, leaving space under each one to lay a word containing the phono- gram. ai ea oa ee |e ue Exercise : Direct pupils to lay words under each phonogram, as^ rain under ai, seat under ea, boat under oa, b under ee. Direct pupils to lay the letters building the words, after the whole word has been used, and pupils have become acquainted with the list. Spelling Game. Material: Print upon a card 3x9 inches, the list of initial consonants found in the first year phonetic spelling words. Print upon small cards the family endings of the words. Along the top and upon the back of the large card, paste a strip of strong paper, leaving the upper edge free to form an envelope into which the endings are to be placed. Each child is given a card. 44 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Exercise : Direct the pupils to move the small cards over the large card making as many words as possible with each short Ian it en op up ad un in at -i c d f g h J k 1 m n P r 3 t V w y phonogram. Each time that a word is made, pupils write it upon their papers. Spelling Cards. When pupils have had practice in copying words with their letters and are about to take up the spelling, a type of seat work which will prepare them for the formal lessons will be found helpful. Material: Mount small pictures which have been cut from catalogues or have been hektographed upon cardboard. Paste un- der each picture, letters to spell the word, omitting the vowel or vowels. Under sheep, the double e is omitted. Direct pupils to fill in the spaces with the missing vowels and under each word build the complete word. Word Building. Lay a sheet of paper 6x8 upon the desk with the 6-inch edge at the top. Fold the lower edge to meet the upper, crease and unfold. Fold both top and bottom edges to this center crease. Place paper with creases running horizontally. Measure from the left hand edge of paper along the top, bottom, and three creases, placing dots one inch from left edge. Place paper with creases running vertically. Mark the upper PHONICS 45 edge off into inches. From each of the dots made, draw two lines running to the two nearest dots upon the creases. Cut along the lines made as shown in cut. Suggest that pupils have A: /' made a row of houses in which many little city children live. In each house write a phonogram, calling it the name of the family who lives there. Exercise : Direct pupils to show the children in the family by writing their names in the spaces under the family name. Un- der af place cat, fat, mat, rat, pat, sat, hat, and bat. Spelling Test. When pupils have had the phonograms necessary and have seen the words often enough that there is little danger of guess- ing, original word building may be taken up. Material : Mount pictures cut from a catalogue upon a card. Furnish each child with one. 46 THE TEACHING OP SEAT WORK Exercise each picture, in the words. Direct pupils to build the word represented by To do this requires a knowledge of the phonograms an to build pan ag to build bag oil to build doll ush to build brush ock to build clock ABC Book To motivate the free hand cutting of letters and further the lessons in riming words, the ABC Book will be found worth while. Material: From a strip of paper, one and one half inches wide, cut the alphabet. When each letter has been cut, the teacher should inspect the work and if satisfactory, pupils paste the letters in their books in regular order, placing each letter at the left edge of the page, with the base upon the line. Exercise : Following the preparation of the book, pupils are directed to write riming sentences in, couplets, as, A is for and. B is for band. C is for can. D is for Dan. Spelling and wntmg are both receiving attention, and the class is making application of its knowledge of phonics. This is a form of seat work extending over many days. Alphabet Set. Material: Mount pictures repre- senting the letters of the alphabet upon cards. Print the letters in both small and large type as shown. Under each picture, print a sentence begin- ning with the letter uDon the card. The sentences may be written in coup- lets, as, U is for umbrellas to keep us dry, V is for violets, oh who will buy? Exercise : Direct pupils to choose a card and make the letters and the sentence upon it. Language The scope of work done in language depends entirely upon the resourcefulness of the teacher. There is no need for a langu- age book below the fourth grade, if the teacher is keen and alert to the possibilities in the lower grades. In many cases where books are in use, they are old and inadequate for the present day demands and the teacher must supplement them, giving new life to what would otherwise be monotonous drill. To thoroughly ground pupils in the fundamentals of written language, requires much drill and patience. The same aim dis- guised in new assignments will keep up the interest and make the drill a joy while the habits are being established. Self Description. Teach pupils to tell about themselves, either with their let- ters or in writing. Example : I am George Smith. I am seven years old. I live on Alder Street. I go to the Lincoln School. Miss Brown is my teacher. Days of the Week. Material : Teacher places upon small cards, the days of the week, also the abbreviations for the days. Exercise : Direct pupils to lay the days of the week in order upon the desks, placing the correct abbreviation under each day. 2. Later, write the abbreviations without a copy. Months and Special Days. Material: Print the months of the year in their order upon a card 9x12 inches. Leave space between the words so that small cards may be inserted. Print the abbreviations for the months. Print three cards for each of the seasons. Print the special days in each month. Keep these small cards in an envelope where they may be easily found. Exercises: Direct pupils to place the correct abbreviation under each month. Build the correct abbreviation with the let- ters. 2. Place the word indicating the season under each month, 48 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK as spring under April, May, and June. Write a sentence about each month. 1 I ' '3 r V raw each. Dan has four ii ze oream cones- Joe has two le! ss. "Draw each. J Next, draw the pictures showing what is required, as, six tops, six balls, and tzvo cones. This is an exercise which will make pupils think. By teach- ing them to observe what is given and what is required, the foundation for all problem work is laid. 62 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Material Making Problems. Teacher writes a list of examples upon the board. Exercise : Direct pupils to write out problems suggested by the examples. How many are six roses and six roses? How many are seven dolls and four dolls? How many are three boys and seven boys? Drill Card. Material : Print upon a card, the numbers as shown, in regular spacing. Across the top of the card on the back, paste a narrow strip of strong paper to form an envelope. In this en- velope place small cards with one number on each. Exercise : Direct the class to take out one of the small cards and place the number under each of the numbers upon the card, writing the two each time and the sum. When pupils are work- ing in multiplication, the same card is usable. Direct pupils to copy and record the products. The movement of the small cards holds the interest. Self Verifying Cards A busy teacher should plan at least one study period in the day in such a way that pupils' work m^y be inspected in a short time. i; I i Material: Upon small cards, 1x2 inches, print difficult com- binations with which children are struggling, as, 7 and 8, 6 and 5, 6 and 7. Under each combination and a little to the right, place the sum of the two numbers. After the cards are printed, each of the numbers represent- ing the sums should be cut off the card in some irregular way, no two alike. Number each piece and place in an en- velope, giving one to each child. NUMBER 63 Exercise : Direct pupils to refit the pieces. As children are ! / 7 8 15 "71 putting their puzzles together, the sums of the combinations will be brought to their attention. 2. Direct each child to lay the combination cards upon the desk and instead of replacing the sums as 6; suggested, each child lays the sum upon the desk with his number cards as shown in cut. This enables the : _, teacher to test the class and to discover the combina- ; I -J tions which need drill. Clock Faces. Telling time is taken up in the first grade, and children very quickly grasp the idea and can tell tinie readily and accurately. r' A quarter past sixj . . J ; A quarter to nine ■ " Half past eight L Seven thirty five Ten minutes; to two; Clock problems in the study period following the one of instruc- tion should deepen the impressions. 64 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Material: Direct each child to rule a sheet of plain paper into ^-inch rectangles and cut each one out. In the center of each rectangle, draw around a two-inch circle making a clock face. Teacher writes or prints upon small cards, the time to be indicated upon the clock faces. Each child is given a pack of these cards. Exercise : Direct each child to show upon the clock face, the time asked for on the small cards, placing the card under the face drawn in order that the teacher may inspect the work and check up the false impressions. Encourage pupils to take their papers home to show their parents. Addition Drill. 2 6 10 7 8 M+i| 13+3| 5+5 1 |2+5| |4+4| |4+2| |3+7 1 14+3 1 16 + 1| |5+3| M+5| |7+3| |2+6| Material: Teacher prints the numbers from i to lo in an irregular way across the top of a card. Print cards with com- binations upon them. Exercise : Direct pupils to lay the correct combinations un- der each number. 2. After placing the printed combinations upon the card, pupils should make the combinations with the number cards. Variety Cards. 1/2 Of X2 + 3 -3 2's in 8 4 3 6 8 4 12 6 12 4 6 10 4 15 6 10 8 2 9 10 12 7 7 3 12 2 6 5 18 2 A variety of operations in a single written lesson, develops thinking and power in pupils. Material: Upon cards 6xto inches, place figures as shown NUMBER 65 in cut. These examples should keep abreast with the class work and should be changed frequently. Exercise : Pupils place examples upon paper and work them. Addition Card. Little children demand variety, and if they put forth their best effort, the seat work must be varied. Material: Sets of cards should be made by the teacher. Print at the top of the card, the number representing the com- bination to be drilled upon, and representing the progress of the class. In the cut, the number chosen is ten. Print at even inter- vals, below the number ten, the numbers from one to nine inclu- sive. The number at the top may be a separate card and either fastened to the card or laid there when in use. In this way only one card is necessary for all combination drill. Exercise: Direct each child to lay a number under each printed one, that added to that number will make ten, or what- ever number is at the top of the card. Thus the child places 9 under i, i under 9, and 3 under 7. Addition Puzzle. Material : Children rule paper into two-inch squares and cut out, making nine in all. Number the squares from one to nine, placing the number in the center. Exercise : Direct pupils to lay the nine squares upon the desk, in such a way that the sum of each row, column, or diagon- al will total fifteen. The diagram shows the necessary arrange- ment of the squares as a guide to the teacher. |8 1 6| |3 5 7\ |4 9 2| Rows 8 1 6 15 3 5 7 15 4 9 2 15 Columns 8 3 4 15 1 5 9 15 6 7 2 15 Diagonals 8 5 2 15 6 5 4 15 Children puzzle for some time over the arrangement of the numbers and receive practical drill in addition. 66 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Number Circle. Material: Upon a circle of cardboard, about five inches in diameter, print numbers in any order chosen. From the same cardboard, cut out an indicator and fasten to the center of the circle with a paper fastener. to C) 9 2 & I oo ^^ Exercise : Give each child in the class a circle. Direct him to spin the indicator and write the two numbers and the sum of the two upon his paper. Write also the numbers and their dif- ference, and if pupils are far enough advanced, multiply the two numbers together. Number Solitaire Children may be taught to manipulate their own cards and test themselves in their combinations. Many cards should be prepared, so that all possible combinations may be reviewed. Material: Cards 2x3 inches. In the upper right hand cor- ner, print the number whose combinations are required. In the cut shown, the number is 10 and was printed with the small print- ing press. In the center of each card, print a number less than NUMBER 67 the one in the corner, using the larger type. The card to the right shows the back of the same card. It will be noted be- cause 7 is on the front and the combination making lo is required, that the number on the back must be 3. Exercise: Each child is given a pack of cards, which is laid upon the desk in front of him. He looks at the number in the corner, then at the one in the center and says to himself the num- ber on the back. He turns the card and if the number is correct, the card is placed at the right of his pile. The child who is able to lay all of his cards to the right wins tlie game. The child who makes a mistake must try again after studying the combination. Two children may drill together. One boy takes the pack and holds up his cards before his partner, who quickly gives the number on the back. If correctly given he takes the card. If incorrect, his partner keeps it and it is counted against him in the score. He then takes the pack and shows the cards to the first boy. Roman Numerals. The writing of Roman numerals or the expressing of num- bers with letters may be easily taught if pupils have the necessary material with which to w^ork. Material : Give each child a piece of construction paper and direct him to measure and cut it into quarter inch strips. Draw upon squared paper, 2x3 inches, the letters L. M. D. and C. After making the letters, cut them from the construction paper. Supply each child with fifteen pieces of cardboard, 2x3 inch- es in size. Direct him to paste as shown in cut. Make three cards of I, one of V, three of X, one of L, three of C, one of D, and three of M. Any number may be expressed with these cards. Exercise : Teacher writes a list of numbers upon the board and pupils represent them upon their desks. 2. Direct pupils to represent the numerals with their pegs. 68 THE TEACHING OP SEAT WORK Making Change. Pupils require more than class exercises to master the art of making change, easily. Material: Each child should have a box of Toy Money. This may be purchased, or made by the pupils. Exercise : The teacher writes upon the board \Make change K 1 firir ^\ fifTY >{fNTS 7 UM5 500(^r^ • y • I It' i 111 ojfki. • 10 ;. 10 (i(r (iu liu na for a dollar. Each pupil lays his money out in as many ways as he can to make the dollar. Teacher at the close of the period gives a^drill by asking, "May, what have you?" May repHes, 'T have two fifty-cent pieces." Every child who has two fifty- cent pieces laid upon the desk removes them. Another child is asked and he may reply, 'T have fifty cents, a quarter, two dimes and a nickel." This questioning is kept up until all of the com- binations are given. Shopping Card. Material: Mount upon cards 5x12 inches, pictures of ar- NUMBER 69 tides to be bought in various stores, as, groceries, furniture, toys, or dry goods. Print in small type the current price of each ar- ticle. In an envelope on the back of each card, place problems dealing with the prices quoted upon the card. Number each card and request pupils to do the same in order that the teacher may easily correct the papers. Suggestive Problems. 1 Find the cost of Postum and soup. 2 Find the cost of dates and flour. 3 Find the cost of crackers, soup, and Crisco. 4 Find the cost of flour, dates and cracker. 5 Find the cost of soup, flour, and Postum. 1 Find the cost of one dozen cans of soup. 2 Find the cost of one-half dozen boxes of crackers. 3 Find the cost of one-fourth dozen cans of Crisco. 4 Find the cost of one dozen cans of Postum. Given $1 to spend. What change? 1 Buy crackers and Postum. 2 Buy dates, Postum, and Crisco. 3 Buy Crisco, soup and crackers. 4 Buy dates, Crisco, and crackers. 5 Buy Postum, dates, and soup. To vary the exercise, mount pictures separately upon small cards, placing the list price upon each card. Let pupils choose the cards they wish and figure out the amount of the purchase. Reviews Cards. Pupils require a great deal of drill and cards made to serve this purpose will save time in writing examples upon the board. Material: Upon small, cards, 21^x4 >4, print the numbers V2 of. 1/4 of, }i of, and any other fractions to be taught. Upon 70 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK small cards ii^x2^, print all of the numbers required. In the case of the card with the ^ printed upon it, all of the even num- bers to twenty-four should be printed upon the cards. Each small card is punched and tied to the large one as shown. Exercise: Each child is given a set and directed to write the full statement upon his paper, as }^ of 8=4. Drill Card. Material : Either divide a space upon the board or a card into equal squares. If the cardboard is used, the squares should measure three inches if the printing is to be done with an ordin- ary sized printing press. On the left of each square, print the combinations upon which pupils need drill. In the upper right hand corner print any num- ber below ten, and below it a question mark. 8 7 5 ? 4 8 9 ? 2 9 7 ? 4 7 8 ? 4 7 9 ? 7 6 8 ? 3 6 7 ? 1 9 9 ? 5 8 9 ? 9 5 3 ? 6 2 3 ? 3 7 8 ? Exercise : Direct pupils to rule their papers into squares, copy the left hand figures and the upper right hand one. Think the sum of the first two and add enough to the right hand figure to make the same sum, placing the number in the lower right hand corner. In the first example, five plus eight are thirteen and seven and six are thirteen, so six is placed in the square in- stead of the question mark. It will be noted that a pupil who does not know the first combination, can not supply the missing num- ber. Combination Drill. Teacher places two rows of numbers upon the board. 12 8 9 10 Exercise : Direct pupils to use the numbers with all four sigtis. 12 + 3=15 12-3=1 9 12x3=36 12^3= 4 8+4=12 8-4= 4 8x4=32 8^4= 2 9 + 3=12 9-3= 6 9x3=27 9-:-3= 3 10+2=12 10-2= 8 10x2=20 10^2= 5 Filling Blanks. Teacher writes numbers from i to 5 in a vertical line u^^on the board. To the ri^ht of the line write, 2's, 4's, 6's, 8's, and 5's, also in a vertical line. After each of these numbers indicate a NUMBER 71 number with which the counting is to begin. Place blanks in- dicating the numbers to be supplied and at the end of the line the number with which the counting is to end. 1 2's 3 25 2 4's 4 32 3 6's 6 54 4 8's 8 56 5 5's 5 50 Exercise : Pupils are directed to fill in the blanks with num- bers. Multiplication Drill. Material: Cards 2x2 inches in size. Print in the upper right hand corner, the table to be drilled upon, or 6. In the center of each card print one of the numbers from i to 12. Print upon the back of each, the product of 6 times the number, printed upon the front. 5 In the case of the cut, the back has 30 printed upon it, because 5x6 makes 30. Note that both sides of the cards may be used. A child sees 30 and says, "Five times six." Exercise : Each child lays his pile to the left of his number paper. As one by one takes the cards off the pile, he writes the product upon his paper and lays the card to the left. When he has gone through the pack, he turns it over and the numbers on the back of the cards should correspond to those upon his paper. He checks his work and keeps track of his mistakes. Multiplication Cards. Material: A set of cards with the products of the multipli- cation tables printed upon them. Each card represents the pro- ducts in one multiplication table. The cut shows the cards for the 2's and 3's. Exercise : Class is directed to use its cut up numbers and under each number to lay the two multiples of the number, or, 2 and 8 under 16. 72 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Thus through the use of the cards the teacher discovers the weak points in the teaching- and strengthens them in class recita- tion. The handhng of the figures furnishes a change from so much using of the pencil. After many tables have been taught, it is wise to place the products of several tables upon the one card, thus making pupils expend more thought on the exercise. Drill on the Table of 9's. Material: Write upon small cards examples and products as shown. 9 3 9 4 9 7 9 5 9 6 9 9 9 1 9 10 9 11 9 12 9 2 9 8 27 36 63 |45 54 81 9 9o; 99 108 18 721 Place the cards in packages bound with a rubber binder. Exercise : Class is directed to lay the cards upon the desk with the products below. Multiplication Game. Direct pupils to rule a six-inch square into half inches. Beginning in the upper left hand corner, number to the right and to the bottom from one to twelve, inclusive. Teacher places a list of figures upon the board, each figure representing the pro- duct of two numbers. 16 36 81 35 12 50 56 96 40 54 63 48 Exercise : Direct pupils to place the figures in the right squares. 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 ! 5 1 6 1 7 1 8 1 9 1 10| 11| 12 2 1 1 1 1 II 1 16| 1 1 1 3 1 1 12| 1 1 1 1 1 j 4 1 1 1 16| 1 1 1 1 1 1 . 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 40| 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 36| 1 1 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 ] 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 This affords drill upon every table but the plan can be adapt- ed and used at any time in the development of the tables by num- bering as far as pupils have been taught. Colored Pegs Peg laying is one of the simplest forms of seat work and may be used early in the year, and continued in use for some time provided that the exercises are varied enough to maintain the pupil's enthusiasm and that they grow in difficulty so that real effort is required to carry out the assignment. Tracing Pattern. Give each pupil a large pasteboard pattern to lay upon the desk. Direct him to outline it with pegs of the color designated and carefully remove the pattern without disturbing the outline. Object Making. Material: Each teacher should make a chart with patterns for pupils to copy with their pegs. These patterns may be upon squared paper using colored crayons to make the outlines or strips of colored paper may be pasted in the forms desired. Out- lines of several objects may be placed upon one large card or each one upon a separate card. When the small cards are used, the work may be more varied because of the possibiltiy of re- arrangement each day. Rainbow. Material : Teacher draws a semi-circle upon the paper to be used. Exercise : Direct pupils to lay pegs upon the paper to repre- sent the rainbow. Cover the line with red pegs first, then under each red place an orange peg and so on, until the rainbow is com- pleted. The reference chart, on page lo, will be found useful in teaching pupils the order of the colors. Soldiers. Play that the pegs are soldiers and marching in twos. II II II II Geometric Forms. Lay the pegs in squares, in oblongs, and in triangles, designat- ing the colors to be used each time. Borders. Laying borders with pegs furnishes a fine opportunity for a child to show inventiveness and is highly valuable. Border mak- ing should be developed logically, in order to promote growth in the child. Before a child can create, he must have ideas in his mind to give expression to. and consequently the first border work should be developed through observation and copying. 74 THE TEACHING OF SEAT WORK Copying Border. Material : Teacher prepares copies of borders upon squared paper with colored crayons. Only one color is used in a border, njnjn_rLj~LrL_ri flh r rLTi r and each is finished with horizontal lines extending the entire length of the pattern, both top and bottom. Exercise : Pupils are furnished a pattern and directed to cover the lines with the same colored pegs as is used in the crayon pattern. Exercise care that the work is carefully done. Do not accept slovenly, careless placing of the pegs, thinking that the children are so small that it does not matter. Remember that pupils are forming habits which are vital through-out their whole lives. Completing Border. Place an unfinished border upon a card or the board and ask pupils to finish it. This trains the child to observe and shows the use of the motif or unit in all border making. Suggestive Unit. Suggest a unit and direct the class to make a border using it. Take as a unit a square, a triangle, a cross, an oblong, a star, the letter Z, or I. Pupils try to make the most attractive border with the motif given. Original Border. Encourage pupils to make original borders. By the time they are ready for this line of work, they have an excellent idea of a border and understand the repeating of a motif and results which are gratifying may be expected. Number Element. After the interest in simply copying forms begins to lag. introduce a number element into the work. Children enjov counting and may be taught to lay pegs in forms using a given number of pegs. Exercise : Show how many things can be made with five pegs, as a chair, a table, tree, barn, hat, flower pot, letter , dip- per, and box with lid. Let pupils show their originality by mak- ing whatever they please. 2. Lay the pegs upon the desk in such a way that the number of pegs will increase one at a time as the objects are laid. COLORED PEGS 75 I234S6 789 3. Direct pupils to lay the correct figure under each group, as 3 under the triangle, and 5 under the hat. Peg Alphabet. The children who have the order of the letters in the alpha- bet to master and to whose attention the capital letters are brought, will find the making of a peg alphabet interesting and profitable. /\ V \ /\ A / V V vv / V ^ Material : Teacher makes the peg alphabet upon squared paper, large enough to be easily seen by the pupils. Exercise: Direct pupils to make the alphabet, using the same number of pegs for each letter as shown upon the teach- er's card. Teacher directs as to the color to use, as, "Make the alphabet red to-day." The direction, if the number element is to be included, may be, "Make three letters red, three orange and alternate in the whole alphabet." By AVIS WESCOTT State Institute Instructor for Minnesota The Teaching of Phonics A concise, definite, and practical plan adapted to any reader. Deals with the necessary knowledge that a teacher should possess to teach phonics. Gives the presentation of the subject to children with specific directions for making phonic cards. It is especial- ly adapted for use in High School Normal Training classes. Price, forty cents. The Teaching of Sight Words Deals with the presentation of words as wholes as a basis for phonics. Stresses the idea of phrasing in order that pupils may become rapid, silent readers. Price, twenty-five cents. Address Miss Avis Wescott 4725 So. Aldrich, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 019 821 791 8