Methods of teaching at normal Institutes

Title

Language

English

Source

The Philippine Craftsman Volume V (Issue No. 7) January 1917

Year

1917

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

METHODS OF TEACHING AT NORMAL INSTITUTES. IIOVSFKF.FPIXG. By of The normal institute, made up of teachers whose influence extends to all parts of a province, can become a factor of prime importance in raising the common standard of living. The in structor in domestic science should possess vigorous health and a nervous system under perfect control. To these prerequisities must be added a knowledge of the subject gained by study and experience, a deep interest in the work to be presented, and so great an enthusiasm for helping others that it will be contagious. Such an instructor appears on the first morning of the institute fully equipped to present the initial lesson from a carefully planned program for the term’s work. Not content with the mere statement of facts, she adopts a method of procedure which reveals principles, and leads teachers to see the reason for giving the lessons prescribed in the housekeeping course and for performing processes according to established rules. The quickest and most convincing way to demonstrate why drinking water should be boiled, is by making a miscroscopic examination of a drop of water taken from a near-by surface well, and the best way to show the method of exterminating mosquitoes, is by pouring petroleum on the surface of a small pond. The few minutes devoted to the performance of such tasks is worth far more than hours spent in laboriously memorizing the words of the text pertaining to these and similar subjects, the content of which is too frequently not understood. Among the necessary qualifications for the teachers who are to receive instruction may be mentioned the best of health, energy, receptive minds, and a cheerful disposition to work, for the duties of the housekeeper are many and sometimes tedious. The domestic-science building in the town where the institute is held, meets the demand for a place to carry on the house keeping activities; but when such a building is not available, an ordinary dwelling house may be made to serve. If the neces sary equipment cannot be borrowed from the domestic-science department of some school, the importance of the work justifies 476 METHODS OF TEACHING AT NORMAL INSTITUTES 477 the province in making the expenditure for such supplies. Later these can be stored for similar use in future years, or they can be made a part of the equipment in some school within the jurisdiction of the province. The materials needed should be furnished by the province, or the expense should be shared equally by the municipalities repre sented. The time for instruction is so short that teachers should not be burdened with the raising of funds to carry on the work; but if absolutely necessary, money may be raised by donations, fees, food sales, and entertainments. All equipment and necesMcasuring dry Ingredients In the cooking class of the Leyte High School, Tacloban, Leyte. sary supplies should be ready for use on the opening day of the institute. Since the effective teaching of housekeeping implies much in dividual instruction, efficient work can be done only in classes where the enrollment is limited. A class of twelve is interesting and can be managed easily by one instructor; the number should never exceed fifteen. The knowledge gained through actual work in this course is of so much value, that the organizing of practice classes of grade pupils for observation would seem scarcely necessary. The early morning hours are best adapted to housework, and 478 THE PHILIPPINE CRAFTSMAN the first four periods of the program for the day may well be devoted to it; in which case the teachers may come to the class appropriately dressed for work, and thereby save time. Cooking is of such a nature that most of the housekeeping activities grow out of it, and it seems fitting that this subject should be selected as the basis for the housekeeping lessons in the institute and in the schools. Sweeping and dusting, ventila tion, the selection of materials and the making of household linens, the proper use of the washbasin, the boiling of water, the washing of dishes, the use and care of equipment, setting the The thrifty housewife fashions the garments for her family while she waits for the kettle to boll. table and serving, the storage of food, the extermination of household pests, and laundry work, are all correlated with cook ing. Every cooking lesson properly taught, is a lesson in sanita tion, and frequently careless, or unfortunate members of the class become subjects for demonstrations of first aid to the injured when they require treatment for burns, cuts, bruises, the removal of foreign particles from the eye, or fainting. As a character-builder, the study of cooking takes high rank. Un selfishness, punctuality, accuracy, neatness and order, are qual ities necessary to the successful cook. The influence of cooking and household methods as taught in METHODS OF TEACHING AT NORMAL INSTITUTES 479 the schools often fails to reach the home, for lack of equipment. The pleasure to be derived from the ownership of proper uten sils would lead many an otherwise indifferent girl to put her knowledge into practical use. Sometimes she is willing and able to buy equipment, but she does not know how or where to get it. In this matter, the instructor may give valuable aid to teachers through the use of catalogues and price lists; or better still, she may get some firm to detail to the institute a representa tive with an exhibit of kitchen furnishings and cooking utensils. Soap making by the cold process, High School, Tacloban, Leyte. The subject of home decoration furnishes material for interest ing lessons, and the teachers will take pride in working out decorative schemes, with well-selected pictures, simple yet ap propriate draperies, and ornamental plants. The wide-awake teacher of housekeeping has excellent oppor tunities for keeping girls under the influence of the school for a longer period of years than is common at present, and she may devise plans for getting well-selected books, magazines and news papers into the homes of the people. With the cooperation of the Bureau of Health, the services of a provincial doctor or of a graduate nurse may be secured to place a health exhibit at the disposition of the teachers, and to 480 THE PHILIPPINE CRAFTSMAN give practical demonstrations in the prevention and treatment of disease, and in the care of children. Round-table discussions of home problems held as often as once a week will prove beneficial, especially to beginning teachers. A well-kept notebook containing helpful suggestions, tested recipes, and information on securing necessities for the home, will furnish the teacher with valuable reference matter. With the knowledge gained through suggestions and practical work, the teacher of housekeeping should leave the normal institute with loftier ideals and with a renewed determination to do her full duty. GARDENING ANI) SCHOOL-GROUND IMPROVEMENT. By Gilbert S. Perez. The value of gardening and school-ground improvement in barrio and central schools will be determined largely by the attitude of the teacher. If these courses have been presented to him in the best possible manner in the normal institutes, he will return to his school eager to have his classes excel in the work of caring for growing things and beautifying buildings and premises. Instead of being an extra burden in an already crowded program, the school-ground improvement and gardening periods will be a time of physical activity and mental rest, and they will be anticipated with pleasure by teacher and pupils. Gardening in the primary school is not a textbook course. It is essentially a subject for field and laboratory. The less time spent on textbooks and the more time spent out of doors, the bet ter will be the results. The average garden teacher is familiar with the contents of Bulletins Nos. 31 and 37 before coming to the institute or assembly. What he needs is not more theory, but more experience in field work and in seed germina tion; more practice in the methods of teaching what he hzfs already learned from bulletins and textbooks, more instruction in methods of making gardening a thing of vital interest to the school and to the community. As one of the purposes of the gardening course in the insti tutes is to develop the active and creative instincts of the teachers rather than the reflective and receptive, the person in charge of the classes should be temperamentally fitted to bring out these qualities. It is comparatively easy to find an instructor who can follow all outlines and who can lay out the gardens and lawns in the most exact dimensions; but it is more difficult to find one who can cultivate powers of observation, give the teachers an insight into the methods of acquiring information,

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