voaden] nature-study and the teacher 215 



satisfied if he just reports that he saw, say, a chickadee and so he 

 goes further, asking himself perhaps such questions as these:. 

 What is this I see? What is it doing here? How does it do it? 

 Why is it here? Anything else to do? Any place else to stay? 

 Can I do anything for it? etc. 



{c) Investigating — this should involve such planning, thinking, 

 reasoning, judging, comparing, etc., as he is able to bring to bear 

 on the subject. The school lesson in Nature-Study does not 

 afford sufficient of these processes. Can he be led to do more of it 

 out-of-doors while at his wandering and observing work ? What is 

 wanted is well represented by what the child does with his pet 

 crow or rabbit. He plans a suitable cage, thinks over all the 

 requirements — kind of food, water, nest, etc. — refers to wild crows, 

 compares the two conditions of life, and judges what will be best. 

 He has answered many of his own questions. The teacher should 

 always be on the look-out to assign suitable out-door problems, at 

 the most favorable times, in order to stimulate interest and more 

 investigation. Allow him to wonder and to anticipate. Some- 

 times an interesting fact may be told if it will encourage him when 

 he shows signs of "giving it iip." 



, ' "And whenever the way seemed long, 



Or his heart was beginning to fail. 

 She would sing a more wonderful song; 

 She would tell a more marvellous tale." — Longfellow. 



(d) Understanding — Facts learned by the good method that 

 Nature-Study stands for are always well understood and what is 

 better, they are enjoyed. The effort put forth and the time spent 

 in getting this knowledge were also enjoyable. Training was 

 always in the front with knowledge in the background. Repeat 

 your efforts along this line. He is gaining in power, he feels en- 

 couraged, is more independent and wants to try again. A splendid 

 tendency is being developed which if persisted in will make for 

 efficiency in mastering the problems of life's work and life's leisure. 



"Nature-Study is training the eye to see and the mind to understand what 

 is seen." — L. //. Bailey. 



How much are our rural workers in need of this kind of training ? 

 The farmer has his little problems to solve, they are as "many as 

 the minutes of the day and as varied as the face of nature." 

 Should the school not begin to train the children to have Nature 



