CHAPTER II 



THE TRAINING OF THE WORKING TEACHER 



Need for Effective Execution. — The immediate task in 

 the development of nature study is the training of teachers 

 to use it. Principles are sufficiently agreed upon. The 

 need is to put into actual effect what we already know. 

 There is plenty of undigested inspiration on the subject, 

 but not very much effective execution. There has been 

 enough done in the way of pointing out the desirability of 

 such work. Its right to a place on the programme is suffi- 

 ciently conceded. But the potent argument which superin- 

 tendents bring against allowing it that place is that teachers 

 are not sufficiently well trained to make it effective. 



The too ready answer to this objection is that teachers 

 can become trained in the subject only by trying it. In 

 some cases in which they have been allowed to try it the 

 results have amply confirmed the original contention of the 

 superintendent. But in all these cases, so far as known, 

 the teachers themselves have had to bridge that large and 

 troublesome gap between general inspiration and specific 

 lessons. The most difficult part in the construction of a na- 

 ture study scheme was left to them. It was very nearly a 

 case of requiring "bricks without straw." The results, 

 save with the exceptional teacher, should not surprise. 



Specific Lessons. — The point appears to be that the 

 "authorities" have failed to show inexperienced teachers 



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