A brief course in the teaching process

by George D. Strayer

1. Learn how to build a boat.
2. Become a writer of good English.
3. Gain in skill in the process of dovetailing.
4. Write for a catalog of sets of tools for boys.
5. Find out why England maintains the largest navy in the world.
6. Prepare a description of the building of the Panama Canal.
7. Decide why so many Russians come to the United States.
8. Make the drawings for a sled to be built for his own use.
9. Make a rabbit trap from plans furnished by the teacher.
10. Study algebra to get ready to go to college.
11. Write a story of an interclass basket-ball game for the school paper.
12. Enjoy one of Kipling’s stories.

CHAPTER III
THE TEACHING PROCESS

Education means change, growth, development. The process is one of adjustment in which the individual is not only affected by his environment, but is also capable, in turn, of changing or even in a measure creating the situation in which he lives. The experience of any individual grows in meaning and significance through successive demands for new adjustments. Among the lower animal forms there are those who have very little power of adjustment; regardless of the situation presented, they can react only in one way, or, as the animal structure increases in complexity, in a very few ways. The power of adjustment being small, the possibilities of learning and of education are small. As has already been indicated in our discussion of instincts, human beings are equipped with many tendencies to react, and with power to react in a very great variety of ways. Man has power beyond all other animals to profit by experience, and is distinguished from them by his power to learn by means of ideas, not simply by the process of trial and error. Our problem is, then, to inquire concerning the conditions under which a situation demands adjustment, under which experience is reconstructed, and, further, to discuss the manner in which socially desirable reactions may be made the permanent possession of the learner, while those inimical to social welfare are eliminated.

In general adjustments are made in response to one of the following situations: (1) when satisfaction of some instinctive need results; (2) when satisfaction of an idea of an end to be reached, the attainment of which will satisfy some instinctive or acquired need, results; (3) when satisfaction of an acquired need, functioning at the time the adjustment is made, is the immediate result. In these cases a type of adjustment not instinctively demanded and not originally in itself pleasing reaches a point where it is in itself satisfying. The value of the experience is intrinsic.

Little need be said concerning the first class of adjustments in addition to our discussion of instincts in the previous chapter. When one finds himself in a situation which threatens bodily harm, he instinctively tries to get out of the way. In the presence of materials, children instinctively handle them, or make a noise with them, or attempt to construct something. The schoolboy, with his questions, his collection of stamps, his adherence to his gang, is making adjustments which satisfy instinctive needs.

Under the second class are included reactions in which the satisfaction of the instinctive need is not the immediate result, and those cases where satisfaction may be explained only by reference to an acquired need. The essential characteristic of this class of adjustments is the fact that the idea intervenes. It is for the satisfaction of our idea of an end which may be remote for which the adjustment is made. A pupil may try to read well because he has the idea that reading well pleases the teacher. The end desired may be simply to get along with the teacher without the discomfort of a scolding, or because of his instinctive desire for praise. A boy may labor diligently in building a sled because of his idea of the pleasure which will result to himself or possibly to others. A group of children may save their pennies to buy books, instead of satisfying their desire for candy, because of their idea of satisfaction to be derived from the books to be bought. A man may endure many hardships because of his idea of future wealth, political preferment, fame, or other good which he hopes will result.

After a time activities which were stimulated by the idea of a satisfactory end to be achieved may be repeated for their own sake. This gives us our third class of adjustments. The boy may find it very difficult to spend five hours a day with books, while the man finds his chief delight in this form of activity, altogether aside from a result beyond his present satisfaction. A child may begin to read because of the authority of the teacher and his fear of unpleasant consequences, and yet may later come to find great delight in reading. In teaching we should strive to bring as many as possible of the adjustments to be made under this last category. The boy or girl who finds his greatest satisfaction in making the adjustments, in gaining the experience, in doing the work that the school provides, is getting the best possible preparation for the life of the man or woman who finds his own greatest joy in his everyday activity. We need not be discouraged because of the seeming impossibility of the task, since its achievement would indicate perfection, toward which we strive, and which, because it is perfection, we never achieve. Adjustments are to be made, experiences must be had; and our appeal, whether based upon the satisfaction of instinctive tendencies, the idea of ends near or remote, or the satisfaction of acquired needs which are socially advantageous, must be the highest appeal which can now be made with the assurance that the resulting reaction will be secured.

There is one point which all of these situations which call for adjustment have in common; that is, satisfaction. This fact is fundamental in teaching. Not only are we limited in our work by native tendencies and capacities, but the results must give satisfaction, else the reaction induced will tend not to be repeated. Of course satisfaction or pleasure is a relative term; possibly it would be fairer to say that the individual reacts in the way which will result in the least dissatisfaction or pain. A boy may dislike to write in a copybook, but he may prefer that to a whipping or to being kept after school. There is one other possible misconception which must be guarded against. That which the individual considers most satisfactory may not be best for his well-being, nor for the welfare of others with whom he associates. It is the work of the teacher to encourage adjustments which are socially desirable, and to make unpleasant the results which are socially disadvantageous, even though they originally gave satisfaction to the individual.

Corresponding to the types of adjustment mentioned above are the types of attention. When the adjustment is made in response to an instinctive tendency to react, we have what is called passive or involuntary attention. The boy who looks at the door when it opens, who makes a paper boat instead of doing his work in arithmetic, or who talks to his neighbor about the ball game they are to play after school, is passive so far as any attempt to control his mental activities is concerned. He is following the line of least resistance. He does not will to make these adjustments, or to attend to these things; hence we say that he attends involuntarily, that he is passive in the situation.