102 THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [i, 3, may 1905 



I do not, however, think it superfluous or mischievous to print 

 from time to time examples of ready-made lessons. The most 

 independent of teachers can profit by seeing how another man 

 goes to work; and he will, it is to be hoped, be as solicitous to 

 note faults which he is to avoid as merits which he is to imitate. 

 Of course, the facilities thus afforded will be abused by some. 

 There are persons in all professions whom no pressure of cir- 

 cumstances would induce to think for themselves. But a teacher 

 of any spirit will at least throw the information and the hints 

 which he gets from another into a form of his own, and will 

 carry on many inquiries which cannot be expected to issue in 

 school-lessons. 



The belief is prevalent that the training of teachers in nature- 

 study means supplying them with a number of lessons which can 

 be directly reproduced in the schoolroom. Several objections to 

 this time-saving method force themselves upon the attention. 

 The teachers are put into a servile attitude ; they are made into 

 vehicles for transmitting (no doubt with much dilution and some 

 loss of accuracy) lessons which another person has drawn up. The 

 lessons as given to the teachers are not real lessons, nor are the 

 teachers really trained, for the laying up in a note-book of mate- 

 rials for future lessons does not deserve the name of training. 

 A printed book would answer the purpose in view better than 

 any lecture ; the book is both more extensive and more accurate 

 than any old lecture-notes. I have understood my duties differ- 

 ently, and address a class of teachers in training as persons 

 whose powers are to be cultivated. Such tasks are assigned to 

 them as they are fit for; the explanations and questions are 

 adapted to their present knowledge and capacity. To offer them 

 a lesson suitable for a class of children would be impossible, and 

 even if it were possible, would give a wrong notion of what the 

 lesson should aim at. A lesson at its best is an inquiry, worked 

 out between the teacher and his class. Train the teachers to 

 observe, to reflect, to express their meaning in clear language, 

 and to arrange the matter of their lessons in a good order, but 

 leave them entirely free to choose their own subjects, and to 

 handle them in their own way. 



Though the teacher, even if fortunate, cannot expect to be able 

 to devote a large part of his time to study, the hours that he can 

 now and then spend in study will be of great use, both to him and 



