INQUIRIES 



SOME PRACTICAL INQUIRIES AND SOME WAYS 

 OF ANSWERING THEM 



PRACTICAL problems confront the teacher. 

 However well he may understand the theory and 

 however fully he may agree with it, a new diffi- 

 culty arises every time that he attempts to teach. 

 A child will ask a question that a philosopher 

 cannot answer ; but on every question the teacher 

 must have a point of view. I frequently speak to 

 teachers on means of teaching nature-study. For 

 the time they are pupils and they ask questions : 

 I am obliged to take a point of view, and some of 

 these opinions I have jotted down at the time. 

 Some of them are here reprinted, not because 

 they may be correct, but because they may be 

 suggestive. 



How shall I know what subjects to choose ? 



Let the children select the subject now and 

 then. Let them choose and collect the specimens. 

 But they may bring things of which the teacher 

 knows nothing. So much the better ! These are 

 sometimes best for nature-study. They leave the 

 largest interrogation point. From any subject the 

 teacher can develop a fact. If he does not know 

 the interpretation, say so ; the pupils will be the 

 more interested. The teacher will not lose stand- 



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