The Art of Teaching. By DAVID SALMON, Principal of Swansea Training College. Crown 8vo. 289 pages. $1.25. This book is devoted to the exposition of teaching as a Technical Art, founded on experience, philosophical principle and scientific observation. In the Introduction the author adopts Milton's definition of "a complete and generous education," but points out that the school teacher is really only one factor in physical, moral, and intellectual culture, and that, even to be efficiently so, he has need of professional training. His aim must be directed to secure the utility, discipline, and pleasure of the taught as results of exercised activity. The author takes up in successive chapters— (1) Order, Attention, and Discipline, and gives rules applicable to the regulated and successful exercise of these that they may become habitual; (2) Oral Questioning-how to proceed with and succeed in it, and what to avoid while engaged in the process; (3) Object Lessons-what to aim at in giving them, and how to accomplish the intended result; (4) Reading, Spelling, Writing, and Arithmetic-how they should be taught, and the relative merits of various methods of procedure; (5) English, including Composition, Grammar, and Literature; (6) Geography, and how to make the teaching of it educative and valuable; (7) History, and the methods of giving it a living (not a bookworm) interest; (8) the Education of Infantsas a speciality. [From the New York Nation.] Salmon's contributions to elementary school literature are many and valuable. It suffices to mention his Object Lessons,' School Grammar," "School Composition,' Stories from Early English History." He has now collected into the volume before us his views on the "Art of Teaching." The treatment of the subject is orderly, thorough, authoritative. He takes up first the fundamental matters of order, attention, discipline. Then comes a charming discussion of the art of oral questioning. Next follows an estimate of the claims upon attention of the main subjects of elementary study, with invaluable hints as to the teaching of each. The subjects treated are: Reading, Spelling, Writing, Arithmetic, English, Geography, History. This is, indeed, familiar ground, but the treatment is so able, so acute, so comprehensive, that there is constant variety and constant interest. A very valuable portion of the volume is the section of sixty pages on Infant Education. Not only are the history and development of the kindergarten here admirably discussed, but the original and valuable contributions of England to the Education of young children are set forth. Most wise and helpful is Salmon's discussion of the best ways of teaching the elementary studies. This portion of the book is a true teachers' manual. It is a genuine pleasure to commend without qualification this admirable manual. It is a worthy companion to Fitch's "Lectures on Teaching," and, like that book, ought to be on every teacher's shelf. |