418 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [11:9— Dec, 1915 



in charge of a class. We are all familiar with the indictment of the 

 instructor of technical subjects who tells us, for instance, that stu- 

 dents are not able without special help, to use the principles of 

 physics and mathematics learned in the high school in mechanical 

 engineering. The explanation of this situation is nothing more or 

 less than the psychological law, the learning of a principle and its 

 application are two different psychological processes. In this 

 transition from principle to application in Nature-Study the rights 

 and welfare of both pupils and prospective teachers must be 

 guarded. As the first step, the prospective teachers should observe 

 the teaching of Nature-Study in the grades by some one who is 

 more or less expert, the observation of each lesson to be followed 

 by a discussion of the technique of the recitation, the instructor of 

 Nature-Study in charge. After this introduction the prospective 

 teachers should teach Nature-Study in the grades under careful 

 and sympathetic supervision. Two difficulties present themselves, 

 one is that in many of the training schools there are no special 

 supervisors of Nature-Study, the critics in these schools may not 

 know the subject sufficiently well to supervise intelligently and 

 effectively. Further, it may not be possible to get a sufficient 

 number of classes in the elementary schools, to give all prospective 

 teachers the opportunity to do practice work. 



It is realized that not all has been said that should be said on the 

 organization of a course in Nature-Study with prospective teach- 

 ers. All that has been attempted is the selection of here a thought 

 and there an illustration with the hope that some one with a 

 larger experience may be stimulated to aid in the solution of the 

 problems. 



Nature-Study in the Geneseo Schools (111.) 



Josephine Bailey 



Nature-study was introduced into the Geneseo Schools in Sept., 

 1Q14. It is taught in three grades: the third, fourth and fifth. 

 A quarter of a day (after recess in the afternoon) being allowed for 

 the work; the greater part of which is field work. Every afternoon, 

 whenever the weather is favorable, a class is taken on a trip toward 

 the edge of town and out into the country. The time given to these 

 trips varies from one to two hours; sometimes longer. Each class 

 takes a trip every sixth day. 



