Concrete material. Much of the concrete material in the book has been derived from the course of study and teaching of the Elementary School of The University of Chicago. This school of some three hundred and fifty children is not a "freak" school. One of its purposes is to aid the School of Education in preparing teachers and supervisors for the regular work of public schools; hence it aims to carry on in the best possible manner the same lines of work as are found in the best public schools. Like these schools, it has a well-graded, systematic, detailed course of study, regular printed daily programs which are carefully followed, regular textbooks with an excellent supplementary library of children's books, printed reading charts and cards for primary work, ready-made drill materials for arithmetic, standard scientific tests for measuring progress, a school garden, and a school museum containing materials to be used in history and the sciences. The children are usually organized into groups of sixteen to twenty, with half-year intervals for classification. Careful supervision has enabled the school to effect such economies that a very rich elementary course of study is completed in seven years. In addition to examples from the University Elementary School, the book contains illustrations of teaching taken from many other sources. Kindergarten. - -The kindergarten is treated in this book as the first regular grade of the elementary school, as is now the case in the better public schools. For much of the concrete material which is used to illustrate this type of kindergarten work I am especially indebted to Miss Alice Temple, head of the department of Kindergarten-Primary Education in The University of Chicago. Miss Patty Hill of the Department of Lower-Primary Education of Teachers College, Columbia University, kindly furnished a number of pictures illustrating the progressive kindergarten teaching in that institution. Other assistance. To others of my colleagues I am indebted for many suggestions—to Professor J. F. Bobbitt in matters concerning the curriculum; to Professors C. H. Judd and F. N. Freeman for their new educational psychology, which has proved so fruitful in the study of how children learn; and especially to Professor W. S. Gray for suggestions which have led to many rearrangements of topics. Mr. H. O. Gillet, principal of The University of Chicago Elementary School, kindly furnished many photographs of the school's activities for use as illustrations in the text. Finally, from my students, especially the expert, experienced teachers in elementary schools, I have received many helpful illustrations and examples. S. C. PARKER CONTENTS Social changes since colonial period. Increasing happiness of multitudes becomes the aim of democratic Reading social change from oral reading to rapid silent reading. Adapting arithmetic to social needs. Obsolete and new topics Large topics or projects in which teaching centers History illustrates change to vivid comprehension of large issues. From chronological to psychological organization in history "From simple to complex" led Pestalozzi astray; alphabet methods |