Principles of Teaching | Page 4

does not revere its past, plays little part in the present, and soon finds that it has no future."
8. Discuss our obligation under the injunction to teach the gospel to the world.
9. Discuss the need here at home of better teaching.
10. In what sense are we trustees of the heritage left by the pioneers?
HELPFUL REFERENCES
Doctrine & Covenants: James, _Talks on Psychology and Life's Ideals_; Brumbaugh, _The Making of a Teacher_; Weigle, _Talks to Sunday School Teachers_; Strayer, _A Brief Course in the Teaching Process_; Betts, _How to Teach Religion_; Strayer and Norsworthy, _How to Teach_; Sharp, Education for Character.
CHAPTER II
WHAT IS TEACHING?
OUTLINE--CHAPTER II
Teaching a complex art.--What teaching is not.--What teaching is.--What it involves.--Presentation of facts.--Organization and evaluation of knowledge.--Interpretation and elaboration of truth.--Inspiration to high ideals.--Encouragement and direction given to expression.--Discovery of pupils' better selves.--Inspiration of example as well as precept.--Application of truths taught in lives of pupils.
The query, "What constitutes teaching?" cannot be answered off-hand. It is so complex an art, so fine an art, as Professor Driggs points out, that it has to be pondered to be understood and appreciated. It is often considered to be mere lesson-hearing and lesson-giving. The difference between mere instructions and teaching is as great as the distinction between eating and digestion.
The following definition of teaching, contributed by a former state superintendent of schools, is rich in suggestion:
"Teaching is the process of training an individual through the formation of habits, the acquisition of knowledge, the inculcation of ideals, and the fixing of permanent interests so that he shall become a clean, intelligent, self-supporting member of society, who has the power to govern himself, can participate in noble enjoyments, and has the desire and the courage to revere God and serve his fellows."
Teaching does not merely consist of an inquisition of questions with appropriate answers thrown in; it surely is not mere reading; nor can it be mistaken for preaching or lecturing. These are all means that may be employed in the process of teaching. And they are important, too. We have been cautioned much, of late years, not to lose ourselves in the process of doling out facts--but that rather we should occupy ourselves teaching boys and girls. That all sounds well--the writer of these lessons has himself proclaimed this doctrine--but we have discovered that you cannot teach boys and girls nothing. They no more can be happy listening to nothing than they can be content doing nothing.
And so we now urge the significance of having a rich supply of subject matter--a substantial content of lesson material. But the doctrine holds that the teacher ought not to lose himself in mere facts--they are merely the medium through which he arrives at, and drives home the truth.
"It is the teacher's task to make changes for the better in the abilities, habits and attitudes of boys and girls. Her efficiency can be evaluated fairly only in terms of her success at this task. In other words, if a teacher is rated at all, she should be rated not only by the clothes she wears, or the method she chooses, but by the results she secures."--Journal of Educational Research, May, 1920.
We have said that teaching is a complex art. It consists of at least these eight fundamentals, each one of which, or any combination of which, may be featured in any one particular lesson:
1. Presentation of facts. 2. Organization and evaluation of knowledge. 3. Interpretation and elaboration of truth. 4. Inspiration to high ideals. 5. Encouragement and direction given to expression. 6. Discovery of pupils' better selves. 7. Inspiration of example as well as precept. 8. Application of truths taught in lives of the pupils.
I. PRESENTATION OF FACTS
Facts constitute the background upon which the mind operates. There may be many or few--they may be presented in a lecture of thirty minutes, in the reading of a dozen pages, or they may be called forth out of the mind by a single stimulating question. But we ought not to confuse the issue. If we are to discuss any matter in the hope of reaching a conclusion in truth, we must have material upon which the mind can build that conclusion. We are not concerned in this chapter with method of procedure in getting the facts before a class--the important thought here is that the facts in rich abundance should be supplied. A certain young lady protested recently against going to Sunday School. Her explanation of her attitude is best expressed in her own words: "I get sick and tired of going to a class where I never hear anything new or worth while." Exaggerated, of course, but students are crying for bread, and ought not to be turned away with a stone.
II. ORGANIZATION AND EVALUATION OF KNOWLEDGE
We have hinted that a lesson may not have facts enough