by Johann C. Cawaling
Everyone wishes to succeed. Give the young boys and girls some chance, after proper effort they may be happily confident of their abilities. They are expected to succeed in schools. When a child is discouraged through failure, give him a simple task, and for his encouragement, the tonic of praise.
One will find him tackling the next piece of work with better spirit, though it be more difficult. For the children in school who find learning difficult, seek the field in which they can take pride of their accomplishment. When they are unable to excel in any of the studies, praise them where they succeeded, for their orderliness or the way they helped with some task about the room.
If a child is backward, the belief that he is hopelessly dull will have the effect of a ball and chain tied to the foot of a runner. The skilled teacher of the feeble-minded knows that it is of utmost importance to be lavish in praise of successes in little things. This will give the child more confidence and use the ability that is his. We may well learn that there are just as many children whose continual failures lead to indolence as there are children in whom the latter characteristics lead to failure.
Since the giving of prizes for the best works often causes indifference among the mediocre pupils, as well as hesitancy to put forth any effort whatsoever, the practice is not to be commended. It is better to reward all who reach a certain standard or who make an earnest effort. Make the children happily confident of their ability to succeed. Refrain from assigning too difficult task which may not be accomplished at the very beginning. Satisfactory accomplishment of the first lesson will spur the pupil to further endeavors, and future tasks.
Though increasingly difficult, the work will be met with will to comply if in the past a reasonable degree of success has been realized. /MP
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