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Seven Laws of Teaching


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The other day I started a thread asking what people read other than TWTM as a how to teach/organize the subjects they will teach.

 

One of the books that came up was The Seven Laws of Teaching by John Milton Gregory. I downloaded it to my Nook and have been reading it. Here are the seven laws in our modern day tongue:

 

1. Know thoroughtly and familiarly the lesson you wish to teach--teach from a full mind and a clear understanding.

2. Gain and keep the attention and interest of the pupils upon the lesson. Do not try to teach without attention.

3. Use words understood in the same way by the pupils and yourself--language clear and vivid to both.

4. Begin with what is already well known to the pupil upon the subject and with what he has himeself experienced--and proceed to the new material by single, easy and natural steps, letting the known explain the unknown.

5. Stimulate the pupil's own mind to action. Keep his thought as much as possible ahead of your expression, placing him in the attitude of a discoverer, an anticipator.

6. Require the pupil to reproduce in thought the lesson he is learning-- thinking it out in its various phases and applications till he can express it in his own language.

7. Review, Review, Review, reproducing the old, deepening its impression with new thought, linking it with added meanings, finding new applications, correcting any false views and completing the true.

 

So far what I have read is very motivating. I have a question for you. The essence of Rule one is that the Teacher mus KNOW the lesson he is about to teach so that the knowledge can be transferred. How do you KNOW all the material that you teach at home? Do you just read ahead and really study out and become comfortable with the material prior to teaching? Or do you outsource what you don't feel comfortable teaching.

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We are only to 1st grade here, so knowing the content isn't yet an issue. (Though Right Start math has tuaght me a few things already! ;))

I expect we'll outsource some in logic stage years.

 

We "outsource" music and sports and art while also including some instruction in all of those at home.

 

Gregory's book is very good - I used to use it for Sunday School teacher training!

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I had to memorize the seven laws of teaching when I was in college, but it was in original language. All I remember today is, "The teacher must know that which he would teach" - if I remember correctly.

 

Regarding your question, you don't need to be an expert on everything you are teaching. You just need to know enough to teach it well. That knowledge can come from intensive training and research and experience, which would be the best knowledge, but you can also know the material by staying ahead in the lesson plans and being sure you understand it. Only you can decide if you know enough to be able to teach the content.

 

Outsourcing is an acceptable option as well. If I didn't know enough to teach the subject, or I didn't think I knew it as well as I preferred, then I found someone who does. There is nothing wrong with outsourcing a class. My dd wanted to learn ASL. I don't know ASL. The best option was for her to go to the cc and take their ASL classes. I outsourced Chemistry, Physics and Advanced Physics. No way was I teaching those courses, and I don't feel bad at all. I know my limitations. I wasn't teaching, so I didn't need to know that material. My dc learned from someone who enjoys those sciences and wanted to pass on that knowledge.

 

You don't have to know everything and you don't have to teach every course. It's okay to outsource when you need to or want to.

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I had to memorize the seven laws of teaching when I was in college, but it was in original language. All I remember today is, "The teacher must know that which he would teach" - if I remember correctly.

 

Regarding your question, you don't need to be an expert on everything you are teaching. You just need to know enough to teach it well. That knowledge can come from intensive training and research and experience, which would be the best knowledge, but you can also know the material by staying ahead in the lesson plans and being sure you understand it. Only you can decide if you know enough to be able to teach the content.

 

Outsourcing is an acceptable option as well. If I didn't know enough to teach the subject, or I didn't think I knew it as well as I preferred, then I found someone who does. There is nothing wrong with outsourcing a class. My dd wanted to learn ASL. I don't know ASL. The best option was for her to go to the cc and take their ASL classes. I outsourced Chemistry, Physics and Advanced Physics. No way was I teaching those courses, and I don't feel bad at all. I know my limitations. I wasn't teaching, so I didn't need to know that material. My dc learned from someone who enjoys those sciences and wanted to pass on that knowledge.

 

You don't have to know everything and you don't have to teach every course. It's okay to outsource when you need to or want to.

 

Thanks I have written down the seven laws the way they were originally written so that I can hang them close to my desk to keep me encouraged and inspired.

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