SUGGESTIONS FOR RURAL SCHOOLS 159 



study; also an occasional recitation period in geography 

 and language. 



Much of the observation may be done informally by 

 the children outside of school hours. The teacher will be 

 able to guide the observations along definite lines, and to 

 keep up the interest by skillful questions and suggestions. 



To illustrate: On Monday morning say to the children 

 that you wonder how many things they can find out about 

 spiders this week. Give them a few definite suggestions, 

 such as, "notice in what different places you find spiders, 

 what they are doing, and where webs are made. How do 

 the webs differ from one another? Touch different parts 

 of a round web and note what happens," etc. On the next 

 day ask who has seen a spider since the day before. Let 

 one or two tell where they saw it. Give an additional hint 

 for observation, such as, " I wonder who noticed how many 

 legs a spider has ? " Do not let anyone tell them. Do not 

 take more than two or three minutes for this matter; just 

 enough to stimulate interest, and make the pupils eager to 

 see more. On Friday devote ten or fifteen minutes to the 

 discussion. Encourage each child to tell just what he has 

 found out. You probably will be surprised at the fund of 

 facts brought together and at the questions the children will 

 ask. If the interest warrants, carry the work on this day 

 over into the language period. Have the children tell on 

 paper some of the things they have learned. 



Work conducted in this way is preferable, in some 

 respects, even to class work. Its greatest merit lies in the 

 fact that the children are working independently. Each is 

 seeing for himself, thinking for himself, and finding out his 

 own problems. Some will see more than others, of course, 



