TEACHING METHOD

TEACHING METHOD

 

Thanks to the work of masters to whom we are grateful, certain principles which have already proved their worth can be placed at the base of our teaching method. But it would be premature to immediately enact precise rules for the direction of all educational activities. This explains why the various chapters of this notice do not always have a development in relation to the specific importance of the activity with which they deal. The spirit of initiative of each one will have to compensate for a first period with the insufficiency of the formation and official documentation. Manuals and especially practical training courses will gradually fill in the inevitable or desired gaps in this manual, to which the modifications or additions suggested by experience will be made.

 

I. - The Staff.

 

The organization and management of general education school activities are entrusted, under the high authority of the Deans of Faculties, Heads of Establishments and Directors of Schools, to the following staff[7]

              a) For higher, secondary and technical education : to a Master (Mistress) of General Education or to several Masters, depending on the size of the establishment, the oldest in the functions ensuring in the latter case the general management of Service with the title of Principal Teacher of General Education, seconded : 

- by professors of intellectual disciplines, volunteers for this service: teacher-assistants (mistresses-assistants) of General Education, voluntary teachers (voluntary teachers) of General Education,

- by teachers, men and women, of physical education and sports,

- by general education and sports instructors,

- by students, by pupils, team captains, group leaders, etc.

b) For Primary Education: to the teacher, who, in his class, must, in principle, direct the general and sports education of his pupils. In schools with several classes, the Director may, with the authorization of the competent Inspectors, entrust this education to particularly qualified teachers, it being understood that these teachers will always provide instruction of an intellectual nature (with reduced hours).

 

II. Medical control.

 

School medical control is not limited to general and individual hygiene surveillance and detection of contagious diseases; it must also determine the degree of aptitude for physical and sporting activities: it will thus make its contribution to vocational guidance.

The doctor - inspector draws up individual medical records.

He is helped during his exams by the teacher and the Physical Education and Sports instructor, who keep the individual physical progress sheets up to date .

Thus the evolution of the growth of each pupil can be followed, and the hygienic and morphological effects of the exercises can be controlled, which must be adjusted for each subject according to the data provided by the successive examinations.

 

III. - Order and Discipline.

 

General education activities must be ordered by intelligent discipline, which, within a very firm framework, leaves each one the possibility of being fully himself. It is through collective action that children will understand that order and freedom are not contradictory notions, but constitute two aspects of the same reality. They will encounter this reality in the “waves”, the sports “teams”, the manual work “workshops”, wherever each person's personality blossoms in the common discipline. Those among them who will be designated as responsible for a group of comrades will find in this role an opportunity to exercise authority and to learn about the responsibilities and duties of command.

If, in the lesson of physical education, the pupils are to be able to act at their own pace, it is also necessary that the exercises of order give them the sense of an exact discipline in time and precise in space. The physical education lesson will therefore be preceded by a “take charge” of the students. Those - one in orderly formation, will present on the ground, singing, head high and looks.

The pupils will salute the flag hoisted at the mast of the field. Often them - same colors will send, in a sober ceremony but impeccably ordered. Then they will perform various evolutions and order exercises during which a perfect overall execution will be required.

Likewise, at the end of the session, the class, after having executed with vigor and precision some movements of "taking back in hand", will leave the field in regular formation and singing.

 

IV. - General physical education.

 

The Natural Method, the basis of general physical education, leaves each teacher a large initiative and allows him to adapt the exercises, on the one hand to the temperament and occupations of his students, on the other hand to external circumstances and means at his disposal.