RESUME OF LECTURES ON EDUCATION, BY C.C. HOWARD, ESQ, F.R.G.S.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 139, 16 November 1877, Page 2

RESUME OF LECTURES ON EDUCATION, BY C.C. HOWARD, ESQ, F.R.G.S.

Lecture XVII. Subject—Children's most common faults ; how best to deal with them, and some other general scholastic difficulties.

In tbe present lecture, Mr Howard dealt in a general way with the faults most commonly seen in children during their school life. He contended that children's faults aie not so common, or so grave, as are often ascribed to them, and that the epithets so frequently showered upon them ai-3 seldom deserved. Even parents seldom mean what they say when angry with their children, but are usually pleased when words of commendation are bestowed upon them by others. The faults of children are such as require regulating rather than checking, and spring from the spirit of activity within them, rather than of evil. The true remedy is to be found in the proper method of carrying out the infant school work. Lessons should be short, change of exercise and position frequent, and bodily exercise be provided for. Bothering,'&c; spring from the spirit of enquiry in children ; it should be regulated into proper channels, which can best be done by the m->e of the Kindergarten system. Children's greatest faults— Tittle-tattle. scandal, and taie-telling, very common in many schools, do much' mischief, and produce gossiping and evil speaking. It should he checked in its beginnings, and held up to the contempt of the. class. Teachers should cultivate the counter habit of minding only one's own business, by example and precept, and make it the subject of direct teaching. Lying is very frequently common among school children ; they have not an accurate perception of truth, and consequently do not recognize the identity of prevarication and direct lying. They should be taught that lying is one phase of evil and frequently springs from fear. Teachers should not be unnecessarily severe in punishing a lie, but rather, should urge straightforward, honest, school work, conscientiously performed, and endeavour to persuade the children not to yield to the temptation of copying and cribbing. When a fault is confessed, he should be lenient to the doer, but when a lie is detected, expose it to the whole school. Habitual liars should be treated with distrust and isolated, but without quenching the hope of renewal of favour, and when penitence is expressed past faults should be forgotten. Bullying is the result of ignorance; all boys are not sensitive to pain, the punishment for this fault should be in kind. Anger —lf in passion, first allow the child to cool, and then talk to it. No. cane or severity should be used, but the temper should be regulated and trained. Sulkiness should be met with sulkiness, and when the child would do the duty, not allow it to do so. Stubbornness must be conquered at any hazard, even with corporal punishment if it cannot be overcome without. Quarrelling and fighting must be discouraged, and dirtiness and untidiness, by sending the child out of school to wash, &c.

Difficulties. — Irregularity and truancy, resulting frequently from parental neglect and the perversity of the children. Want of punctuality arises from parents not being impressed with the importance of proper habits. The above faults are best met by the use of attendance cards, and by making the school life as much as possible attractive, cheerful, and happy. Compulsory attendance is right only up to a certain point. Parents ought to be compelled to educate their children, but should

not be obliged to send them to a schoo disapproved of. Truant playing is 'met in , England by Truant Schools. In London, truants are sent to such schools for a short time, where the discipline enforces strict silence, and disallows any play. In Liverpool, the discipline includes solitary confinement. The faults of children arise too frequently from bad home training. In some instances tlie school is not liked ; when this is the cause, removal of child from school should be recommended. Unpunctuality should be fought against unceasingly, as tho bad habit may be a great hindrance in the future to the child's success in life.