--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Evans, John Henry collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 15 number: 7 published: 1912-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'John Henry Evans, "How to Conduct a Class Recitation," *Improvement Era* 15, no. 7 (May 1912): 638–641.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1507unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1507unse start_page: 638 end_page: 641 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1912-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1507unse publication_year: 1912 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1912, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # How to Conduct a Class Recitation How to Conduct a Class Recitation BY JOHN HENRY EVANS, PH. B., AND P. JOSEPH JENSEN, A. B. [A new book just out of press is "How to Teach Religion," by John Henry Evans, A. B., instructor in English at the Latter-day Saints' High School, and P. Joseph Jensen, A. B., head of the department of education at the same institution. The book is dedicated to all teachers of religion, and to parents who are anxious to give their children systematic instruction in the home, and who feel themselves lacking in a knowledge to do this. It aims in a clear, simple, nontechnical, and yet scientific way to present the principles of education, and show how these may be made use of in the teaching of religion in classes and in the home. The work grew out of a general demand for a book of the kind from teachers of Religion classes, Priesthood quorums, Improvement organizations, Sunday Schools and Primary associations. "How to Teach Religion" goes far towards supplying this demand. The book is suitable also for individual teachers and for use in the ward preparation meetings, and stake unions. There are seventeen sections, including one for parents. The book will prove very helpful to teachers who desire to prepare themselves for more effective work in every class and organization of the Church. We are permitted to present to Era readers one section of the book, and have chosen the topic, "How to Conduct a Class Recitation," which will give the reader some idea of the character of the work. — Editors.] In nearly all that we have said thus far on the principles of education, the thing we have had in mind all along as our objective point was the class recitation. The class recitation, therefore, is very important and should be conducted in the light of the best knowledge the teacher can get, not only the subject to be taught but also, and especially, of the way in which the mind learns. To make this thought clearer, we have but to call to mind some of those principles we have considered. One of them was how to make a new idea clear. We learned that, in a word, to make a new idea plain to the class, it is necessary to connect it somehow with the ideas they already have in mind. Now, this principle is useful mainly in preparing the minds of the class for what we are about to give. It is directly useful, that is to say, in the class recitation. HOW TO CONDUCT A CLASS RECITATION 639 Another of those principles was that there are individual differences in the members of our class and that we must employ various appeals accordingly. This is of use in the recitation. Again, we were told how to get attention in the class. We have no particular use for this information till we come to conduct a recitation. This is true also of interest and the other educational principles discussed. We repeat, therefore, that the class recitation is the place where we need to apply whatever principles we have been studying. As a matter of fact, however, all teachers apply one or more of them in their classes, even though they may not have studied any of these principles. Common sense and experience lead them to do many things in their teaching which books on teaching tell them they should do. Besides, some persons are born teachers and have successful recitations, often without knowing that they are doing their work in harmony, for the most part, with the principles of teaching. Still, a knowledge of these fundamental principles always makes teaching more effective. It gives a confidence and a sureness that can come in no other way. And then, too, even the best teachers make errors, which a knowledge of the principles of teaching may correct. In general there may be one or more of three purposes of a recitation. Sometimes we wish to test the class in what they have studied, with a view to seeing whether they understand clearly the matter covered. Or, secondly, we may wish to introduce a new idea. Or, in the third place we may wish to get the class to reflect on the subject of the lesson. Clearly, the third purpose is of the most importance in teaching religion, even where the class may have carefuly prepared the lesson. The recitation, in the main, should follow the plan worked out by the teacher in the preparation of the lesson. But it should not be followed so rigidly as not to admit of change in any respect where a change would seem obviously necessary. If, for instance, we have miscalculated the experience of our class, then we should not hesitate to change the plan to suit the situation as we find it. Every change, however, is a change for the worse — if the lesson has been thoughtfully planned— unless there is a good rea- 640 IMPROVEMENT ERA son for it. Teachers should not allow a mere impulse or whim to alter their plans. The instructor is now ready for the various steps of the recitation. The first one is the preparation of the minds of the class for what is to be developed in the recitation. Every recitation really begins with a problem. This problem is the aim of the lesson, stated, however, in the form of a question. Here, as already stated, is the place where what we said about how to make a new idea plain is of special use. Always there is an idea to make clear. Always, too, something in the class should go out to meet the idea which the teacher is to give. This opening question will serve to start thought in them on the subject of the lesson. If it has done so, their minds will have been prepared for the subject. They are ready to receive it. Secondly, comes the probable solution of the problem stated by the teacher in the opening question. That is to say, in reply to his question, will come answers from the class. Some of them will be correct, some incorrect, but whatever they are they constitute an attempt at a proper solution of the problem to be solved. In the third step, the teacher endeavors to get light on the problem from the lesson for the day. Having started the minds of his pupils lesson ward, he may now say in effect, Let as see whether our lesson will help us to arrive at a conclusion on this matter. Here, therefore, he gets from the class or gives to them such material as he or they may have prepared. If the lesson be a story, he has an instance where So-and-So solved this problem for himself, and his other incidents will give other situations in other lives. Sometimes one of these may be an instance of contrast, where someone has failed to solve the problem. Next comes the inference, by the class, of the general truth to be got from the lesson. This, all along, has been in the instructor's mind as the goal pointed out in the aim. But the class must nevertheless think it out for themselves. They will be more interested in doing so, and, besides, it will be a means of helping them to reason and do things for themselves. Now, if the teacher should have a passage of scripture or a stanza from one of the poets which exactly and beautifully expresses that truth, it may fittingly be given here and learned by the class as a memory gem. HOW TO CONDUCT A CLASS RECITATION 641 All this done, the instructor is ready for the application. Every recitation, as stated already more than once, has conduct as its objective point. Merely to get an idea has little value : practice of ideas is what we want. And so we should here endeavor to get the class to do something by way of carrying out the idea they have just learned. In what way, then, can this general truth be applied in the lives of the class? How can they be inspired to do something? What are the sins or virtues in our ward that call for the application of it? All these questions can best be answered by the teacher and the class together. As in the section on the teacher's preparation of the lesson, we go to the practice of Christ, the Great Teacher, for an illustration, and this time from the eighteenth chapter of Matthew (verses 21-35) The lesson is on forgiveness. Peter has come to Christ with a question, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?" Peter presently gives the probable answer, "until seven times?" All this has started thought. Then Jesus gives the true answer — discusses the lesson, so to speak, — in which He relates a parable about the debt owing the king and a smaller debl owing the servant of the king by a third person. The influence from the incident is obvious : We ought to forgive our brother as often as he repents and asks forgiveness. Here, as in the other, the application is left to the hearers. Elder Charles H. Gates, writing from Holdenville, Oklahoma, states that the four elders laboring in and around that place are having good success in making friends for the cause of the Lord. The prospects are good for the advancement of the work of the Lord among the people in that district, and the elders are determined to make 1912 a banner year. The elders are: Wallace Hurd, Cardston, Alberta, Canada; Vaughan Taylor, Fairview, Wyoming. Front: Charles H. Gates, Escalante, Utah; Archie E. Bee, Bloomington, Idaho.