and
then use the best judgment he has in making just such suggestions as
will result in the best effort and mastery by the pupils without
robbing them of the necessity for work.

5. _Principles governing the assignment_

The following are the chief points to be observed in assigning the
lesson:--

1. Go over the lesson with the class in such a way as to give them a
_bird's-eye view_ of the whole, a general idea of what the entire
lesson is about, or what it is meant to teach. Sometimes this can best
be done with the books open in the hands of the pupils, the teacher
calling attention to the topics treated. Occasionally the teacher may
himself state the aim or scope of the lesson without the use of the
text. Getting this synthetic view of the lesson enables the pupil to
begin study with better intelligence, and also helps him better to
understand the relation of the separate parts to the lesson as a
whole. In this bird's-eye view of the lesson its relation to the
lesson just recited, or other previous lessons, should be brought out
so as to unite the separate lessons into a continuous view of the
subject.

2. Suggestions should be given as to the analysis of the lesson into
its different topics. If the text uses a system of numerals in
designating the points, the pupils should form the habit of using
these in studying the lesson. For example, finding I, they should look
for II, III, etc., thus getting the main heads. Under these main topic
numerals will often be found a series of paragraphs numbered 1, 2, 3,
etc., indicating the different topics under each head. The system may
even extend to sub-topics lettered _a_, _b_, _c_, etc. The pupil
should early learn to look for and make use of these helps in the
analysis of the lesson. And even when the author does not introduce
any such system of numbering he still follows some outline more or
less logically arranged. No better training in analysis, and no better
method of mastering a lesson can be found than for the pupil himself
to make a written outline of the lesson, using such a system of
numbering the topics and sub-topics as that suggested above.

3. Children should be taught to make a final summary, or synthesis,
of the lesson after they have analyzed it into its separate points. Of
course a large proportion of the details learned and recited in any
lesson will finally be forgotten. But this does not mean that such
details were unnecessary. It rather means th