Principles of Teaching

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Principles of Teaching

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Title: Principles of Teaching
Author: Adam S. Bennion
Release Date: December 14, 2005 [EBook #17307]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK
PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING ***

Produced by Kevin Handy, John Hagerson, Amy Cunningham and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Principles of Teaching
BY ADAM S. BENNION Superintendent of Church Schools

Designed for Quorum Instructors and Auxiliary Class Teachers of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Published by THE GENERAL BOARDS OF THE AUXILIARY
ORGANIZATIONS OF THE CHURCH
1921

1952
Reprint of the original
FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS IN TEACHING RELIGION
Copyright, 1921
By Adam S. Bennion
For the General Boards of the Auxiliary Organizations of the Church

PREFACE to the 1952 Edition
Two texts have been written for the teacher training program of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since Dr. Adam S.
Bennion's Book Principles of Teaching was published, yet in spite of
the fact that this book has been out of print several years so many
requests for it have poured in that the General Superintendency has
decided to satisfy the demand with this new edition.
This book with its classic qualities in many ways fits Shakespeare's
description of a beautiful woman when he said, "Age cannot wither her
nor custom dim her infinite variety." Anyone who knows Dr. Bennion
or has read his writings knows that neither custom nor age has dimmed
his infinite variety. Furthermore, a glance at the table of contents of this
book will reveal the fact that the problems and principles treated herein
are just as real today as they were when the text was written.

This little volume is republished in the hope that it again will become
one of the basic texts in the teacher training program and fulfill its
mission as an instrument in the hands of sincere people who have the
devout wish of learning how to teach the principles of the gospel by the
power of the Holy Spirit.
H.A. Dixon, Chairman Teacher Training Committee

Contents
Chapter Page
Preface vii I Purposes Behind Teaching 1 II What Is Teaching? 7 III
The Joys of Teaching 14 IV Personality 20 V Personality 26 VI
Attainment 33 VII Native Tendencies 40 VIII What to Do With Native
Tendencies 46 IX Individual Differences 53 X Individual Differences
and Teaching 61 XI Attention 68 XII What Makes for Interest 74 XIII
A Laboratory Lesson in Interest 80 XIV The More Immediate
Problems in Teaching 88 XV Organizing the Lesson 96 XVI
Illustrating and Supplementing a Lesson 103 XVII The Aim 111 XVIII
Application 116 XIX Methods of the Recitation 126 XX Review and
Preview 134 XXI The Question as a Factor in Education 142 XXII The
Problem of Discipline 149 XXIII Creating Class Spirit 157 XXIV
Conversion--The Real Test of Teaching 164 Bibliography 171

Preface
That ever-old question, "How to Teach," becomes ever new when made
to read, "How to Teach Better." This volume aims to raise those
problems which every teacher sooner or later faces, and it attempts to
suggest an approach by way of solution which will insure at least some
degree of growth towards efficiency. These chapters originally were
prepared for the course offered to teacher-trainers in the Summer
School of the Brigham Young University, in 1920. The teachers in that
course were an inspiration to the author and are responsible for many of

the thoughts expressed in the pages of this book.
The successful teacher ever views his calling as an opportunity--not as
an obligation. To associate with young people is a rare privilege; to
teach them is an inspiration; to lead them into the glorious truths of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ is heavenly joy itself. This little volume hopes to
push open the door of opportunity a little wider, that more of that joy
may be realized.
"Perchance, in heaven, one day to me Some blessed Saint will come
and say, 'All hail, beloved; but for thee My soul to death had fallen a
prey'; And oh! what rapture in the thought, One soul to glory to have
brought."
ADAM S. BENNION.
CHAPTER I
PURPOSES BEHIND TEACHING
OUTLINE--CHAPTER I
The worth of souls.--The Father's joy in the soul that is saved.--The
teacher's responsibility.--Teaching, a sacred calling.--Our Church a
teaching Church.
Our three-fold purpose in Teaching: a--To guarantee salvation of