CREDIT FOE HOME PRACTICE IN" AGRICULTURE. 



Remarks 



Signed 



Relationship 



Accepted 



, Teacher. 



, Inspector. 



, Superintendent of Schools. 



Credit allowed • Rank on project 



Final rank in subject 



CREDIT FOR HOME PRACTICUMS. 



Contrasted with the larger projects are minor processes called 

 practicums m which the element of skill becomes relatively large 

 and there is less management and study required. Such processes 

 as plowing a field, testing seed com, transplantmg tomatoes, or 

 rumiing a separator may be practicums. 



If school credit is to be given for doing these things, it seems wise 

 to require a minimum amount of practice and after that have the 

 pupil tested to demonstrate his abihty. If his skill is acceptable, 

 give him the credit and rank but once instead of continuing the 

 credits for further practice. 



Some processes might be made prerequisites for certain projects, the 

 credit for the project includmg that for the brief practicums involved. 

 On the other hand, younger pupils might be encouraged to acquire 

 the skill before the j^ears when agriculture is studied as class work. 



To make this concrete, consider the case of a boy with an acre of 

 corn for his project. Before he can plow with a pair of horses he 

 should have learned to harness the horses and drive them. Hamess- 

 mg a pair of horses might then be a practicum for any boy strong 

 enough to handle the heavy harness and previous to that he might 

 have learned to put a light harness on the horse and hitch it to a buggy. 



It would be well to allow a limited number of credits each year 

 previous to the seventh grade and to keep a record from year to year 

 of each boy's accomplishments. In some cases it will be possible 

 to hold a public contest in which the pupils will be examined and 

 ranked on their skill in their respective practice. In many cases 

 the voucher of the parent alone wiU be sufficient. Another plan 

 similar to the Boy Scout classes might be used in which a pupil would 

 qualify for one class by performing a given number of specified tasks 

 and receive a credit at the end of a year or a- temi. A competition 

 day should be set. When desirable the public may be invited. 



Relatively more credit should be given a lower grade pupil for 

 success in one of these accomplislunents, such as milking a cow prop- 

 erly or driving a pair of horses. If learning to milk is rated the same 

 as one week's work m any subject for a seventh grade pupil, it may 

 be wise to give twice that credit to a fifth grade pupil for the same 

 work. (Age is perhaps a better basis than grade.) 

 45785°— Bull. 385—16 2 



