CHAPTER XXIII 

 METHODS OF TEACHING 



As many teachers who have not had extended training in 

 garden methods are expected to teach school gardening, or find 

 an opportunity to make use of the garden work in connection 

 with their other school work, a few definite suggestions may be 

 helpful (Pig. 159). 



Questions Asked by Children. — Pupils of all ages ask 

 many strange questions. Some of these are easy to answer, 

 while, others are very perplexing. Those pupils who have 

 never done ahy gardening, or whose parents have no home 

 ^gardens, need the most careful guidance. They will have 

 more puzzling questions to ask, such as " What does that seed 

 look like ? " " Do seeds sprout ? " " Where do they get the 

 sprout?" "'.How do plants grow?" "Why do you plant 

 them just so deep ? " " Why do you step on the ground over 

 the seeds after planting? " " Why do we scatter the seeds ? " 

 "Why do we test the seeds?" 



It is not necessary that teachers make scientific answers to 

 *all questions asked by children. They should be taught to 

 'observe and le^rn from nature the answers to their own ques- 

 tions. Asking them other questions which will lead them- to 

 thinking is better than giving direct answers. Judgment must 

 be used to not stifle thought along lines in which the pupil 

 has become interested. For example, when the question of 

 depth of planting is in the child's mind let an experiment in 

 depth of planting be started, or if it has already been started 

 let him know that the results will be shown a little later. It 

 is well to call his attention to the fact that large seeds are 

 planted deeper than small ones. 



Teachers should not fear that questions will be asked which 

 they cannot answer. Such a condition is frequently found in 

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