--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Walter A. Kerr collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 18 number: 5 published: 1915-03 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Walter A. Kerr, "On Teaching," *Improvement Era* 18, no. 5 (March 1915): 464–465.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1805unse 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: improvementera1805unse start_page: 464 end_page: 465 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1915-03) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1805unse publication_year: 1915 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 1915, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # On Teaching Class Study On Teaching BY ANDREW A. KERR THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE TEACHER TO THE LESSON AND HIS WORK 1. — Look to the details, such as fresh air, light, heat, etc. Seat the students in front of you. Remove things that invite play. Don't scold if the pupils play, if you haven't removed the playthings. 2. Be free with the pupils, but still be the teacher. MUTUAL WORK 465 3. Be master not dictator. Get in, yourself, and work example is better than mere precept. — practical 4. Don't put off preparation until ten minutes before meeting time. Avoid books and outlines in class. Have a vast fund of in- formation at hand. Keep abreast of the times. Avoid excuses for lack of preparation. The best way to do is to be prepared. You value your time, why not value theirs. Take nothing for granted by way of preparation. Don't depend on home preparation. Make your ques- tions definite. Make your questions mean something. Use simple words. Big words do not hide ignorance. Be prepared for the worst — condition. Be cheerful. Be enthusiastic it is contagious. The teach- er's mental attitudes are reflected in the class. Believe what you teach — if you don't — then do not teach it. Inspiration, plus perspiration, plus enthusiasm, bring best results. Don't be late. Be regular in at- tendance. Don't think the course of worlds will be changed if the boy doesn't get his lesson. Socializing the individual, not information imparted, counts. Don't be discouraged. Keep on never-minding. THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE TEACHER TO THE BOY 1.Consider the boy has some rights. 2.Don't forget that you were once a boy. 3. Get the boy's confidence and then keep it. 4. Believe in the boy. In the general run of things environment has more influence than heredity. Adolescent period: The boy may fall to the gutter and later pick himself up. Curious period— let him ask questions. Don't be afraid to say, "I don't know." Don't, try to bluff. Don't get angry. . 5. Don't let your acts belie your words. Don t give the boy the ten commandments and you yourself use the same ten command- ments with the "nots" left out. 6. Be optimistic. Your opinion doesn't always decide. Examples of this are Webster and Kelvin. ,.,-., ,• ,-, , 7 Get the boy's point of view. Find out his likes and dislikes. wearisome, Play upon his likes— avoid his dislikes. If the lesson is change it. 8. Be tolerant. 9 Be interesting. Don't entertain merely; instruct. Use praise wisely— chide gently. Illustrations are good 10". to use. a teacher's ten commandments 1. When it is time for class thou shalt have no other business be or e n e vain 2 ^ ; ou shah not make unto thyself any graven images of ] C ° nC eit 3 'Thou shalt not bow down thyself to the god of Ignorance nor SefV hl thy work. Seven days shalt thou labor and then not do name may long all 4 Honor thy calling and profession that thy 5. be remembered. 6 Thou shalt not kill time. 7. Thou shalt not be given to excuses. 8 Thou shalt not be unprepared 9 Thou shalt not act falsely in thy dealings Thou shah no 10.' Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's ability nor his plans, nor his covet thy neighbor's work, nor his wages, schemes to educate his fellows,