effectively utilized by the teacher. These interests of children are
so numerous and so varied that there are few lessons in the Readers for
which a receptive attitude of mind cannot be secured. It will be
observed that the principle here enunciated corresponds to the
"statement of the aim" in the Herbartian "Formal Steps".
II. The pupil's mind must be suitably prepared for the assimilation of
the ideas contained in the lesson, by recalling old ideas and feelings
that are related to those to be presented in the selection to be
studied. He must be placed in a proper intellectual attitude to
interpret the ideas and in a proper emotional attitude to appreciate
the feelings. Neglect of the former may make the selection wholly
meaningless to the pupil; neglect of the latter may result in entire
indifference toward it. A proper intellectual attitude is necessary in
any lesson, but in a lesson in grammar or arithmetic the emotional
attitude may be almost completely absent. In literature, however, this
emotional attitude is often of the greatest importance, and the neglect
of it may mean an utter lack of appreciation of some literary
masterpiece. This preparatory work may take the form of a recall of some
of the common experiences of the pupil's life or a review of some facts
taken, for instance, in a previous geography, history, or nature study
lesson. The apperceptive power of the pupil's mind takes the new
material of thought and feeling contained in the selection and weaves it
into the web of his previous ideas and emotions.
III. The mind always proceeds from a vague and indistinct idea of a new
presentation to a clear and defined idea of it. The process is always
analytic-synthetic. In a literature lesson the order of procedure must
be: (1) Let the pupil get that somewhat indistinct grasp of the thought
and feeling which comes from a preliminary reading of it; (2) make this
more definite by a process of analysis, by concentrating attention on
the details; (3) make the idea completely definite by a clear grasp of
the relations existing among the various details, that is, by a process
of synthesis.
IV. No impression is complete without some form of expression. An idea
or emotion is a very incomplete and useless thing until it is worked out
in practice and conduct. The thoughts and feelings gained from the
literature lesson must be given some kind of expression if they are to
be fully realized. This expression may take m
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