GIRLS’ OCCUPATIONS.

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 20, 11 August 1894, Page 7

GIRLS’ OCCUPATIONS.

TEACHING-. When a girl passes the sixth standard she naturally begins to think of what occupation she will follow in order to gain hei living. If she is fond of children, and has an inclination for teaching, she will probably enter that profession ; but having so chosen, she should know that she is undertaking a difficult and responsible work, for which she must train herself with great care. The young girl who means to be a teacher must have good health, bright spirits, a great deal of patience, and pleasant manners. Good health and bright spirits generally go together, and are very necessrry to a teacher, for the work is arduous, and one can’t be very cheerful when one is not well. It is wonderful how the lessons progress when both teacher and pupils are in good humour. It is a good thing, as I said before, for a teacher to possess a large share of patience. How very very necessary this virtue is ! How necessary when some children are like blocks of wood for all the intelligence they display, and yet who must be presented for the inspectors’ examination, as they are not quite stupid enough to be deemed incapable. The instructor who lacks patience often gets irritated at tiifl.es, and this irritation makes her scholars restless and noisy. “ Never stamp your foot,” said a teacher to the writer, “ it is a sign of weakness and is bad for the children.”

Another qualification for success is pleasant manners. If a teacher is uniformly kind and gracious she will soon win her way into the affections of her pupils ; on the other hand, if her “ ways ” are cold and repellent, she will never -win their confidence. Of course good discipline must be kept, and a teacher is often compelled to punish, but let her keep calm and show that she means to be obeyed, and all will go on “ swimmingly.” That she may fit herself for teaching, it is well for a young lady to cultivate her own brain ; to apply herself earnestly to studying each branch of leaning and strive to acquire all kinds of miscellaneous knowledge. Now that books can be bought so cheaply, and the charges made by the Athenseum are so moderate, there is no excuse for a teacher to neglect her own education. Until lately Collegiate Classes were held here every winter, and it is a great pity they were suffered to fall through from lack of support. It will be seen that these remarks apply principally to those who wish to teach in the Public Schools of course a governess, having only a few pupils, can study the character of each, and find out what studies they best can understand. This is impossible for the public school teacher. She has a large class, and must do the best she can to make them know enough of the subjects set down on the syllabus to pass the annual examination.

I would warn those who intend to follow teaching, before they enter the school as monitors at all, to find out from the headmaster exactly in what position they stand with regard to the likelihood of securing an appointment. Unfortunately, the profession is much overcrowded at present, especially bj women. Scotia.