Teachers Outlines for Studies in English | Page 2

in meaning with the growth of mental power. The Iliad and The Odyssey are full of delightful stories for boys and girls, but these same stories, securely fixed in the youthful mind, gain a deeper meaning from experience as the child develops into the man or the woman. Furthermore, interest in a good story leads to other interests. It may encourage a love of nature, stimulating to closer observation. It may awaken a love of history, or of travel, or of some of the innumerable interests of human activity.
Unfortunately, young people's delight in the reading of the novel is a source of danger. The drama and the essay appear so full of difficulties that the student regards their study seriously, as a task, and finds it necessary to apply himself vigorously in order to master them. On the other hand, the novel is so delightful, so easy, that he looks upon it as a pastime. A superficial reading often gives him knowledge of many of the main facts, and a mistaken idea that he knows the story. It is the task of the teacher to get him to read with careful attention and with imagination keenly alive. When a fair mastery of the facts of the story has been gained, and clear mental images of the scenes portrayed and suggested have been formed, studies of plot, character, interpretation, etc., should follow. These studies, if they appeal to the class as reasonable, will stimulate thought and imagination and will help to form a basis for sound judgment and a habit of just criticism.
The practical plan here presented for the accomplishment of these ends involves three steps: first, preparation of the class for taking up the work; second, reading and study for the purpose of getting the facts; third, comprehensive study of the book as a whole, in addition to a comparison of it with other books. The purpose of the first step is to arouse an interest in approaching the story, and to prepare the pupil for an intelligent reading. In the case of some books it is of little importance, but in the case of others it is almost essential for success. Appreciation of the difficulties of the book and of the limitations of his pupils will enable the teacher to make the wisest choice of his material.
The second step is certainly the most important because it is fundamental. Students often read a book without any adequate conception of the facts of which it treats. Even after honest endeavor they frequently have gross misconceptions and fail to see much that was intended for their observation. To keep the class alert and interested, and at the same time to see that the work has been well done, requires patience, tact, and ingenuity. Sometimes difficulties and consequent discouragement are avoided by assigning with the lesson a few general questions to aid the pupil in getting a connected idea of essential details. Sometimes the same result is reached by requiring the class to write in their notebooks brief summaries of each chapter. The recitation period gives the teacher an opportunity to arouse in the class a thorough interest in the work in hand. This can be done in a variety of ways. Different parts of the story may be told by the students; questions may be asked to test the understanding of certain passages, to enable the pupil to read between the lines, and to awaken curiosity; supplementary facts may be given by the teacher, or by members of the class, to throw light on certain parts of the story.
For the third step,--the study of the book as a whole,--the following topics are suggested:
Setting and situation, plot, characters, interpretation, method of narration, style, life and character of the author, comparison with other books. Although some of these topics may have been taken up in connection with previous study, they will be found none the less valuable at this more advanced stage of the work. Certain ones are of course more important than others. The method of narration and the style, for example, should always be treated lightly, if at all, since their consideration is rather for the maturer student. To reach the best results every topic that is studied should send the pupil again and again to the book to find definite answers to the questions given and to establish the proof of his opinions.
OUTLINE FOR THE STUDY OF IVANHOE
I. Preparation
The class will probably be able to recall from their previous study of Scott some interesting facts about the author. They will understand the book better, too, if they are somewhat familiar with the following topics:
The Norman Conquest.
Ideals of Chivalry.
Conditions of the Church.
The Crusades.
Story of King Richard up to his return from the Crusades.
II. Reading and Study
There are advantages in a first rapid