What the Schools Teach and Might Teach | Page 9

| 39 | 5.4 | 3.9 8 | 32 |
37 | 3.6 | 3.7
===================================================
===== Total | 419 | 388 | 6.1 | 5.1
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The curriculum of handwriting resolves itself mainly into questions of

method, and of standards to be achieved in each of the grades. These
matters are treated intensively in the section of the survey report
entitled "Measuring the Work of the Public Schools."

LANGUAGE, COMPOSITION, GRAMMAR
The schools devote about the usual amount of time to training for the
correct use of the mother tongue. Most of the time in intermediate and
grammar grades is devoted to English grammar. Composition receives
only minor attention.
TABLE 6.--TIME GIVEN TO LANGUAGE, COMPOSITION, AND
GRAMMAR
===================================================
===== | Hours per year | Per cent of grade time
|-----------------------|------------------------ Grade | Cleveland | 50 cities |
Cleveland | 50 cities -------------------------------------------------------- 1 |
79 | 75 | 10.9 | 8.6 2 | 95 | 79 | 10.8 | 8.7 3 | 79 | 94 | 9.0 | 10.3 4 | 104 |
106 | 11.8 | 10.9 5 | 120 | 116 | 13.6 | 12.0 6 | 120 | 118 | 13.6 | 12.2 7 |
125 | 134 | 14.3 | 13.7 8 | 125 | 142 | 14.3 | 14.1
===================================================
===== Total | 847 | 864 | 12.3 | 11.4
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In the teaching of grammar too much stress is placed on forms and
relations. Of course it is expected that this knowledge will be of service
to the pupils in their everyday expression. But such practical
application of the knowledge is not the thing toward which the work
actually looks. The end really achieved is rather the ability to recite
well on textbook grammar, and to pass good examinations in the
subject. In classes visited the thing attempted was being done in a
relatively effective way. And when judged in the light of the kind of
education considered best 20 years ago, the work is of a superior
character.
As a matter of fact, facility in oral and written expression is, like
everything else, mainly developed through much practice. The form
and style of expression are perfected mainly through the conscious and
unconscious imitation of good models. Technical grammar plays, or
should play, the relatively minor role of assisting students to eliminate
and to avoid certain types of error. Since grammar has this perfectly

practical function to perform, probably only those things needed should
be taught; but more important still, everything taught should be
constantly put to use by the pupils in their oversight of their own
speech and writing. Only as knowledge is put to work, is it really
learned or assimilated. The schools should require much oral and
written expression of the pupils, and should enforce constant
watchfulness of their own speech on the part of the pupils. It is possible
to require pupils to go over all of their written work and to examine it,
before handing it in, in the light of all the grammatical rules they have
learned. It is also possible for pupils to guard consciously against
known types of error which they are accustomed to make in their oral
recitations. Every recitation in whatever subject provides opportunity
for such training in habits of watchfulness. Only as the pupil is brought
to do it himself, without prompting on the part of the teacher, is his
education accomplished.
A limited amount of systematic grammatical teaching is a necessary
preliminary step. The purpose is an introductory acquaintance with
certain basic forms, terminology, relationships, and grammatical
perspective. This should be accomplished rapidly. Like the preliminary
survey in any field, this stage of the work will be relatively superficial.
Fullness and depth of understanding will come with application. This
preliminary understanding can not be learned "incidentally." Such a
plan fails on the side of perspective and relationship, which are
precisely the things in which the preparatory teaching of the subject
should be strong.
This preliminary training in technical grammar need not be either so
extensive or so intensive as it is at present. An altogether
disproportionate amount of time is now given to it. The time saved
ought to go to oral and written expression,--composition, we might call
it, except that the word has been spoiled because of the artificiality of
the exercises.
The composition or expression most to be recommended consists of
reports on the supplementary reading in connection with history,
geography, industrial studies, civics, sanitation, etc.; and reports of
observations on related matters in the community. Topics of interest
and of value are practically numberless. Such reports will usually be
oral; but often they will be written. Expression occurs naturally and

normally only where there is something to be discussed. The present
manual suggests compositions based upon "changes in trees,
dissemination of seeds, migration