THE 



NATURE-STUDY REVIEW 



DEVOTED PRIMARILY TO ALL SCIENTIFIC STUDIES OF NATURE IN 

 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS 



Published monthly, except June, July and August. Subscription price, including mem- 

 bership in the American Nature Study Society, $1.00 per year (nine issues) . Canadian postage, 

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Editorial 



Prescriptive vs. Suggestive Xature-Study Courses 



A common point of view has been that the course in nature-study 

 should never be other than suggestive, that is, it should not be 

 prescriptive. In the early stages of the nature-study movement, 

 such a course was justified for several reasons : the field was new ; 

 the material was plentiful, but untried; the teachers and super- 

 visors were inexperienced. 



This type of course of study has gi^'en results somewhat as 

 follows: Some schools and communities are doing fine work in 

 nature-study, chiefly those in which the principal is a leader, 

 planning the work for his school. In other schools certain rooms 

 are doing good work. In such case the individual teacher is an 

 enthusiast in nature-study, possibly because she has been well 

 trained in this field, possibly because she has found this subject 

 helpful in the other studies. In other schools the work is neglected . 

 or if done, it is performed in a highly perfunctorv^ manner. 



Among the dangers of the suggestive course of study are the 

 following: Such a study cannot compete in the daily i^rogram 

 with the studies having required matter. The tendency of the 

 teacher is to fail to make careful preparation in matter that is 

 o]3tional. In such a course of study the steps from poor i^repara- 

 tion to neglect and then to omission are few and easih' found b\- 

 many teachers. 



The advantages of a ]jrescribed course are these : The teacher 

 can plan her work from temi to term. She knows what ma\- 

 reasonably be exi)ectcd from her. She is encouraged to ])re])are 



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