Volume III

JUNE, 1904

No. 2

ARITHMETIC IN THE PRIMARY GRADES Prepared by the Teachers of P. S. 137, Manhattan-Kate M. Stephens, Principal

The following suggestions are from my note book and have been used in Public School 137, Manhattan, where the teachers prepared the examples. I know much has been forgotten. May what I have remembered prove helpful to inquiring teachers.

The best way to interpret a new Course of Study is to forget the old. In beginning over again our lessons in number let us start with one fact that for practical everyday use, arithmetic is the science of simple numbers.

Do not ask the little ones to buy houses, horses, pianos or machines before they have fully solved their little problems at the candy store or flower stand.

COUNTING in all grades through 4B is a feature of the new work and may be considered the foundation of much that follows. To teach it thoroughly means to drill, notwithstanding the objective work at the beginning. not allow children to count too rapidly. Each number should be enunciated clearly.

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To say four, eight, twelve is meaningless unless the child has a mental flash picture of the intervening numbers. Count by threes and begin at twelve varies the question and helps addition. Have rapid calculation every day. Do nothing on paper that can be done mentally; have much less written work and more oral. By so doing the teacher adapts the Course to the needs of the child who must go to work at an early age.

MEASUREMENTS AND COMPARISONS -Do not be discouraged at the amount of space given in the Syllabus to this subject. In teaching, much may be condensed, but the work should be mainly objective, oral, or illustrative. Measuring is next in importance to counting. It is the union of head and hand on number work and most practical in its results.

Powers of observation are developed and accuracy obtained.

READING TIME BY CLOCK.-This is important and is the special use of the drill in Roman numbers through twelve. The chart should be used often. Send children to find time by the school clock. To test proficiency give question for written work-thus, What time is it?

Children draw clock face, put hour and minute hand in any position and write time for answer.

ADDITION AND MULTIPLICATION TABLES.-This part of the work must be memorized, and requires much drilling on the part of the teacher. How often do we hear the complaint! "I cannot go on-the children do not know the tables." Why not? Let the teacher in the grade below answer.

SIGNS are mentioned for the first time in 1B. Teach the names plus, minus, equal at once. Try to dispense with the use of signs except in questions for instance, do not use the plus sign in column addition of two numbers. Make the same use of signs in lower grades as in higher.