HOW TO TEACH GAMES

Hokitika Guardian, 29 November 1923, Page 1

HOW TO TEACH GAMES

“— There is this about a game, as a “subject” that the teacher has to educate the muscles as well as the min 1. In psychological phrase the activity m a game is neuro-muscular. 'i bus condii!,Mt ailtls to the interest ol both teacher and taught. It is ol ten said that lo teach well it is not necessary lo he able to play well. But I think tliis ease is an exception, not a rule. 'lhc teacher mu-t he able. Or have been able, to play Well. But this is not enough—he must also he able tn think well. Many teachers "accredited” really do viol know how tln-v make this or that stroke, hut they make it- correctly. Thus, while the teacher is all right, tin- teaching is all wrong. The cinema camera will cure this fundamental ei'tor. and show the teacher what he aHunlly does. He should carefully dissert each stroke lor his pupil, and fla-iS. put ihc portions to get her, of reverse the process. Ills two objects are to give a general view of the stroke as in act ion. and to slow this down” to show machinery. The pupil need, to how the tiring jocks ; then be tries to imitate, it. ft be does not “ caleli on” quickly the teacher dissects bis movements by holding his limbs and moving them slowly in the correct wav. The pupil is clay in the hands of the porter, and his strokes arc moulded. When the lenrher demonstrates a stroke, the pupil should stand behind him: that i- the best position for seeing Lite character ol the movements; il is like looking at yourself from the hack of a mirror.

The pupil must concentrate fust oil one then on another portion o! a stroke. The best method is lo start with the final portion. When the idea of this ha- been assimilated and iis sensation felt, he will instinctively get hold of the preliminary movements, in order to repeal that sensation: and the repetition of sensations is the psychology of learning. Rut the teacher mu-t note the break-ing-point of the pupil's concent ration. Then that particular exercise must he displaced by another. It is a queer fact that one does not learn a movement or begin to progress in il until one is tired. But stop Ihe moment you are tired. Also stop a particular movement when you have got it rig'it once or twice. If you go on you v>, i lose it again. As the pupil makes progress the teacher should give a description of ihc various points (if a stroke, driving in the whole theory of if. Then he should tell him to make the stroke without thinking of anything except hitting the hall and hilling where he wants it to go. The unconscious mind never lorgets and brings what it remembers into the pupil's muscles, till the* pupil -u.ldenlv realises that he has got it.