Author: Rutgers University

Publisher: Rarebooksclub.com

Published: 2013-09

Total Pages: 28

ISBN-13: 9781230107875

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 edition. Excerpt: ...to tell you something about the class that I am teaching. It is known as the "Fifth Special," and is composed of backward children, some of whom are known to be subnormal. With the exception of three, all the children are repeating the grade. About one-third of the pupils are negroes, and practically all the others are of foreign parentage. The parents as a whole are poor and illiterate, and take little, if any, interest in the school. This lack of interest on their part is a serious handicap in carrying out a project, but one of the best things the project method does is to get the parents interested in school work. Purposing The project was started by the children themselves in a discussion of the February holidays. Someone asked why we celebrated Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays, and, when the others attempted to explain, they soon discovered that their knowledge of this subject--as well as of all others--was very limited. One of the boys, who is fond of reading, then suggested that we read "A Little Life of Lincoln," which he had just finished. This is a simple play given in Hubbard's "Little American History Plays for Little Americans." The pupils are very fond of any kind of dramatization work, and especially partial to these plays, as they have made their history work so much more vital to them. So that afternoon during reading period we dramatized the story, and as soon as it was over there came a chorus of "Can't we give it in chapel?" It is a striking characteristic of backward children that they are always eager to perform, so, while I wanted them to do just what they had suggested, I also wanted them to do it with a serious purpose in view. Therefore I merely asked, "Why should...