What the Schools Teach and Might Teach - John Franklin Bobbitt
SUMMARY
- The fundamental social point of view of this discussion of the courses of study
of the Cleveland schools is that effective teaching is preparation for adult life
through participation in the activities of life.
- The schools of Cleveland devote far more time to reading than do those of the
average city. In too large measure this time is employed in mastering the
mechanics of reading and in the analytical study of the manner in which the
words are combined in sentences and the sentences in paragraphs. The main
object of the reading should be the mastery of the thought rather than the study
of the construction. Through it the children should gain life-long habits of
exploring, through reading, the great fields of history, industry, applied science,
life in other lands, travel, invention, biography, and wholesome fiction. To this
end the work should be made more extensive and less intensive. As an
indispensable means toward this end the books should be supplied by the schools
instead of being purchased by the parents.
- The teaching of spelling should aim to give the pupils complete mastery over
those words which they need to use in writing and it should instil in them the
permanent habit of watching their spelling as they write. Drill on lists of isolated
words should give way to practice in spelling correctly every word in everything
written. The dictionary habit should be cultivated, and every written lesson
should be a spelling lesson.
- The time devoted to language, composition, and grammar is about the same as
in the average city. The chief result of the work as done in Cleveland is to enable
the pupil to recite well on textbook grammar and to pass examinations in the
subject. The work in technical grammar should be continued for the purpose of
giving the pupils a foundation acquaintance with forms, terms, relations, and
