MISCELLANEOUS DRILL.
One of the main objects of time drill in the schoolroom is to aid in effecting order.
Decorum acquired from time drills in the schoolroom characterize pupils on the streets, in public meetings, and in society everywhere.
The following time drills are very beneficial: Exercises in timing pupils’ work and plays.
Training pupils to keep time to martial music by beating stepping or other movements.
One that little ones particularly enjoy is to hipity-hop in time to martial music.
Any exercises in stepping, beating or counting time.
Beating the measures while practicing the natural scale in music.
Practicing kindergarten plays in time to music or singing.
Thorough training in school tactics. All school tactics tend toward developing the faculty, time. For this reason the teacher cannot be too zealous in training it.
Teaching the time table:
Guessing time, as:—
Letting pupils guess the time, at any hour.
Letting pupils close their eyes for a short period, and afterward guessing how long a time it was.
Letting pupils guess how long it took them to write or recite a certain lesson or to do a certain thing.
Recollection of time as:—
Having pupils recall the hour, day, week, month or season any event with which they are familiar occurred.
Having pupils recall the length of time that transpired between one event and another.
Memorizing time, as:—
Requiring them to remember the time or dates certain events are to take place.
Requiring them to remember appointments.
Measuring time, as:—
Letting pupils hold their breath while they clap their hands one time, two times, three times, etc., as far as they can.
Letting pupils give a certain sound while teacher holds up pencil a certain number of seconds.
Sun time:—
The sun rises in the east.
When the sun rises it is morning.
When the sun shines in at the east windows it is forenoon.
When the sun shines strait in at the south windows it is noon.
When the sun shines strait down on you, so that your shadow is right around your feet, it is noon.
When the sun shines in at the west windows it is afternoon.
The sun sets in the west.
When the sun sets it is evening.
Teach the abbreviations, A. M. and P. M.
How often, At times:—
How often does the sun rise in a day? in two days? in a week? etc. How often does it rain. How often do we go to school in a day? in a week? etc. How often does your birthday come? and like questions.
Ages of persons:—
Let pupils tell the dates of their birthdays, their parents’ birthdays, or dates of the birthdays of brothers, sisters or friends.
In some some way take special notice of, or celebrate, the birthdays of pupils when they occur during school months.
Celebrate in some way also the birthdays of the most noted men and women.
Speed:—
Stopping, beating or other movements, measured: slow, fast.
Practice exactness of time, punctuality, yourself; children learn more by example than by precept.
Require it always of your pupils. Teach them that “Procrastination is the thief of time.”
Teach the pupils to regard the clock as a true companion.
Songs:—
Time songs and clock songs. The time drill in music cannot be over done so long as the interest of the pupils is awakened.
Record of time:—
Require the noting of dates at the beginning of written exercises.
Train pupils to carry the day ofthe month, and year, A. D.
Teach the abbreviation A. D. and its meaning.
Economy of time:—
Train pupils to economize time, by doing everything the best way and and the shortest.
Vigilance:—
Allow pupils to now and then watch the clock and rise when the hands indicate a certain hour.
Chronology:—
Let pupils write or give the order of events that occurred during a certain period of time with which they are familiar.
Order:—
Have certain days for doing certain things.
Have regular hours for regular recitations, exercises, etc.