2 o6 THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [5:8— nov., 1909 



The Course of Study in New York City 



A careful reading of the introductory note to the course of 

 study in nature-study convinces one that the present course is 

 better and shows more careful thought in planning than much of 

 our teaching would lead us to suppose. The trouble seems to lie, 

 not so much in the course itself, perhaps, as in our interpretation, 

 or rather misinterpretation of it. 



The last paragraph of the Introductory note — printed in 

 italics for the sake of emphasis — states, "It should be clearly 

 understood that no class is expected to study all of the topics in 

 nature-study that are suggested in the syllabus." 



The great difficulty in the case of many teachers is that they 

 endeavor to teach too much. Someone has said, "I would rather 

 have a child spend a whole- term observing how a single spider 

 spins its web, than that he should study a different species of 

 spider." Despite the clear and emphatic statement in the course, 

 many teachers have been thinking only of the number of topics 

 placed under a particular grade, and with a feeling of "I can't do 

 it, it's no use to try," have permitted the subject to slip entirely, 

 or have taught a little here, and a little there, in a lifeless sort of 

 way, without interest or enthusiasm; and, therefore, the work is 

 valueless or very nearly so. 



It is ruinous to the whole spirit of the subject to stick too 

 closely to the course. The question of what we shall teach de- 

 pends upon so many "variable factors — environment, time, sea- 

 son, special needs of class," etc. This does not by any means 

 imply that the teacher is free to adopt a sort of "hit or miss plan." 

 There are certain things which a child ought to know, and these 

 should form a sort of basis for the work. For example, the pupil, 

 even in a crowded quarter, should know the common trees and 

 flowers, certain birds and insects, certain phases of the inorganic 

 world which constantly confront him. 



In many respects the course as it stands at present is an excel- 

 lent one: (1) It is broad and affords a great variety from which 

 the teacher miy choose ; (b) it is elastic enough in that it permits 

 the teacher to substitute other material when such is more acces- 

 sible or more desirable for any special reason ; (c) The same sub- 

 jects are used for two successive terms during first three years; 

 (d) with the exception of Grade 4B, planting of seeds forms part 

 of the work for four years, each year with a different purpose in 



