292 METHODS IN TEACHING 



without any objectionable features. Quizzes put a child 

 on the watch to know everything that he can find out about 

 a lesson, and they give a teacher chance to probe deep into 

 real and assumed knowledge. Reproductions give a pupil 

 confidence in himself, by leading him to stand before a class, 

 to try to express himself understandingly, and to tell a com- 

 plete story in an interesting manner. Unless a story is very 

 short, a child should rarely be called upon to " tell all he 

 knows " about a story. Such a request leads to diffuseness, 

 to scattering thoughts, to bombast. Give a topic, and hold 

 a child to careful, well expressed reproduction of that part 

 of the story, with no wanderings into any other portion. If 

 it is really desired to test a child's memory of a whole story, 

 it is better that he should reproduce it according to the out- 

 line, following the principal thoughts and omitting the de- 

 tails; but this is summarizing, not reproducing. 



Fifth grade pupils understand and enjoy maps and the 

 globe. During the whole period of explorations and dis- 

 coveries the globe is an essential aid. It 

 should be used in connection with wall maps 

 of the sections under discussion. In the 

 period of settlements, the map of the United States is pre- 

 ferable to maps of states or of special localities, for the pupils 

 are not yet familiar enough with the outlines of the whole 

 country to study profitably the details of smaller portions. 

 Trace out settlements, arctic explorations, crossing the 

 mountains into the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi. The 

 pupils should draw many outline maps. 



History made interesting to the children can not fail to be 

 productive of results in character building. Love for some 



