Notes on a Trip to Highwood

Abstract

functioned through their use. That is, a word was presented to a child only when it was necessary to him for his expression. As a material or object was used, and the child discovered what it was, its name was written upon the blackboard, that, at the time of greatest interest he might associate the written form with the thing it symbolized. This method of word-learning means economy of effort, and diminishes the necessity for drill. The words gained in this way, and words constantly used which had no intrinsic meaning, such as conjunctions, prepositions, etc., were placed by the children in dictionaries which they made, so that they might find and spell the words correctly when they needed to use them independently. The words thus functioned and placed in dictionaries during the first year would probably average for normal children about three hundred, and they do not differ to any great extent from the words in the ordinary First Reader. Through this training, the children in the Third and Fourth grades are able to use small pronouncing dictionaries. III. Writing: There has been no writing without a distinct purpose, and but little drill. The children have constantly written records, recipes, plans of work, letters, and stories. As many children in the primary grades had already acquired bad habits in the cramping of the hand, and in position of body, they have done much writing upon the blackboard and upon unctioned through their use. That is, a ord was presented to a child only when it was necessary to him for his expression. s a material or object was used, and large paper fastened to the tops of desks, which they are able to raise to any angle desired. The demand has been to make