Reliability
Media
Part of Philippine Craftsman
- Title
- Reliability
- Language
- English
- Source
- The Philippine Craftsman Volume V (Issue No. 7) January 1917
- Year
- 1917
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- 530 THE PHILIPPINE CRAFTSMAN eral charge of its activities. He should not delegate responsi bility for that work to any subordinate however capable. One purpose in this exercise of direct control by the division super intendent is the making sure that each phase of the work receives its proper attention. It is also highly desirable that he take personal charge of a special course for supervising teachers and principals. The aim of the work offered in institutes is to increase the effectiveness of teaching and supervising. The work in methods is, therefore, preeminent. Methods are best learned by observa tion and by actual practice. The effective organization of model classes of reasonable size, and their conduct by the best teachers in the division, deserves the most careful attention of the divi sion superintendent. He should see to it that the one-teachertwo-division program is followed, and that the course of study is adhered to. All of this will require much of the division superintendent’s attention; but while the institute is in session, the importance of the work would warrant him in giving at least one half of his time to it. EDUCATION 1’011 EFFICIENCY. There are various factors which militate against efficiency in school work. Lack of discipline is among the first. If children are not taught to sit correctly, to rise properly and punctually when called upon, and to open or close their books when directed, they miss something of that disciplinary training which is funda mental to good instruction. Then there is lack of interest which makes discipline so much more difficult; and a lack of resource on the part of the teacher soon dissipates interest. A teacher must continually have fresh ideas with which he can assist pupils in their daily tasks. As a rule, the absence of those charac teristics essential to efficient instruction, is due to a lack of understanding rather than to the probability that the teacher has not a pedagogical bent. An increase in the present attain ments of teachers would do more than any other one thing to ward improving school standards. RELIABILITY. The quality that an employer insists on most in his employees, is reliability. If he gives an order he expects it to be obeyed. It is said that Napoleon, when conversing with a man of remark EDITORIAL 531 able ability who devoted his life to works of philanthropy, asked him why he made such a sacrifice. The man replied by quoting a passage from the scriptures. “Do you honestly believe those are your orders?” said Napoleon. “I do,” was the reply. “Then” said Napoleon, “you have no alternative.” Reliability is a quality that must be taught early in life. In the everyday routine of the public schools innumerable oppor tunities are presented for impressing its importance. Regula tions are made for schools and punishment is inflicted when these are broken, yet the principle involved is seldom emphasized; namely, that an honorable and reliable person will not knowingly break the rules of the institution with which he is connected. When a boy does so, he should be made to understand that he has done himself the principal wrong; he has put himself in the "un reliable” class, he has broken a promise and has made attain ment to true manhood more difficult. With very small children little can be done to make them realize their responsibility, but in the intermediate and sec ondary schools an appeal to honor will often accomplish more than severe punishment. A wise teacher exacts few promises from his pupils, but holds them strictly to those few. He does far more to build character than the teacher who lays down many rules and threatens severe punishments. The first method tends to develop a sense of honor; the second, trickery and deceit. In some cases it is not the pupils alone who lack reliability. The attitude of a teacher toward his official superiors is always reflected in the feeling of his classes toward him. If he holds his own responsibility lightly, he cannot avoid making a weak impression on those under him. To illustrate: A certain in dustrial article was desired from a school and the teacher was asked if he could produce it by a given date. He replied, “Yes, I can.” When the time arrived the article was not finished, so he wrote a long letter laying the blame for the delay on some of his pupils who made mistakes or who did not obey orders. Probably he told the truth, but if he had been a reliable man he would have allowed more time for the job, or he would have done it himself in order to keep his word. The person who gave the order saw the one fact that this man had failed to keep his promise. Such a matter is never forgotten, and whenever that teacher’s work is mentioned, somebody is likely to say, “He is not reliable;” and that is one of the worst things that can be said about a person. Reliability takes equal rank with honesty and morality. No 532 THE PHILIPPINE CRAFTSMAN man can hold a position successfully without it. If he is an employee he must do his work faithfully and on time; if he is a teacher he must keep his word with his pupils and his official superiors. A man may be the most disagreeable employer on earth but if he keeps his word on all occasions he is an infinitely better superior than the easy-going man who forgets his prom ises. A workman may not be the most efficient man in a shop, but if his employer knows that he will keep at a job and finish it on time, he is more valued than a faster but less dependable workman. Reliability is the quality that keeps a man at work when the superior’s back is turned. It is the spirit that prompts one to do his work well for the satisfaction it gives himself. In his “Message to Garcia,” Elbert Hubbard centers the whole story around a man who said that he could do a certain thing and did it. No words are wasted in telling how he accomplished the task—the point is that he did accomplish it, and therein lies the whole secret of reliability. TEACHERS’ CAMP, BAGUIO. CALENDAR 1017. April 2. Opening of Teachers’ Camp. April 16. Opening Day of Vacation Assembly. April 23-May 12. Courses for Filipino supervising teachers. April 23-27. Conference of principals and teachers. April 30-May 4. Conference of industrial supervisors and teachers. May 7-11. Conference of supervising teachers. May 14-18. Fifteenth Annual Convention of Division Super intendents. May 19. Closing day of Vacation Assembly. June 2. Closing day of Teachers’ Camp. The school is the powerhouse of democracy. You cannot ex pect to make efficient men and women out of the ill-instructed and the undisciplined.—Charles E. Hughes.