TRAINING OF THE WORKING TEACHER 7 



spirit which some contend to be as universal in us as a 

 stomach; but whatever it is, it gives rise to an enthusiasm 

 for country conditions and to a vision of the attractiveness 

 of nature which was not there before; a thing which few will 

 dispute to be a valuable asset for anyone, and especially 

 for the teacher. 



Experimentation with Classes. — Also, we have found 

 that working teachers make decidedly better progress in a 

 course in nature study method than do students in the 

 normal school who are not engaged in practice teaching. 

 There is a great advantage in having one's own class for 

 stimulus and, to some extent, as a means for experiment. 



It may be argued that the usual country teacher is not 

 to be trusted with " experiments " on her classes. Some 

 superintendents object to nature study just on the ground 

 that it is " experimental." They are willing to introduce it 

 when more definite steps of procedure have been deter- 

 mined, but they seem reluctant to let their teachers help 

 determine what these steps shall be. But nature study 

 will never pass the "experimental" stage in one sense; at 

 least never when it is a question of its introduction in a new 

 locality. That must always involve some experimentation. 



In the same connection, what shall we say of the growth 

 in efficiency of teachers who are given no opportunity for 

 some such educational experimentation? Is there any 

 better means of growth than the trial of new material with 

 successful results, results for which the teacher can take 

 credit to herself rather than ascribe it to steps laid down 

 by another? 



However, it is not desired to make claims too large. It 

 is not argued that nature study is alone among subjects in 



