The Reformed School, Part 23
Concerning the way of propoſing all the parts of Learning unto the Scholars, and of their entertaining the ſame, to fixe their mindes thereon.
The way of propoſing matters of learning is as conſiderable as any thing elſe in the work of Inſtitution; and next unto that is the way of entertaining that which is propoſed: the firſt of theſe is the proper work and induſtry, of the Governour and Uſhers; the ſecond, of the Scholars themſelves, although the Uſhers alſo may and ought to have ſome hand therin.
For the propoſall of every thing, the Governour ſhall prepare the particular matters of every thing which ſhall be taught for every houre of the day, throughout the whole courſe; and deliver the ſame in writing Quarterly, or Monthly (at leaſt) beforehand unto the Uſhers; that they may be in full readineſs and perfectly exerciſe themſelves in every thing which they ſhall deliver to their Scholars …d the Matters ſhould be thus long predeter…ined before hand, and given to the Uſhers, …at if upon good grounds they ſhall ſuggeſt …y thing to the Governour for an alteration … that, which he ſhall have preſcribed; it may … in time conſidered between them, and ordered as need ſhall require, or found moſt …xpedient.
The Matters to be propoſed being thus …repared, when the time comes to offer them … the Scholars; the Governour ſhall for every …ifferent kind of exerciſe and Inſtitution give Directions unto the Uſhers, how to behave …hemſelves towards the Scholars, to make …hem affectionat towards the taske which is …o be offered unto them, that is, attentive and …reedy to receive it: and to make them more …erfect in following the Directions and Rules which in this nature ſhall be given: he ſhall …imſelf give them an example of the Practiſe …f it towards the children; ſhewing them, at …very change of exerciſe and different way of Inſtitution, how they ſhould go about their work: he ſhall therefore teach the firſt leſſon of every kind himſelf in the preſence of his Uſhers, that they may obſerve his way: and at the ſecond leſſon, when they ſhall beginne …heir work; he ſhall be preſent at it, to obſerve them how they performe it, and tell them of their faults if any be committed.
Two things are fundamentally to be hee… in the Manner of propoſing every thing: Fir… that the Schollars before the thing be prop…ſed be made ſenſible of the End, wherefore it taught them, and they ought to learne it, … what the neceſſity, uſe, excellency and pe…fection thereof is in the life of Man &c. S…condly, that the way of offering it unto th… be the ſame at once to all, by all alike percep…ble, common, plain, diſtinct and orderly every part. And to theſe two fundamental whereof the firſt relates unto the Will, t… ſecond, unto the Underſtanding; a third … be added relating to the Memory, which … that in the Method of propoſing every thing this Rule be obſerved.
Let the Generall notion of every Object or the ſhape of the whole; be firſt offered … the Imagination, and then the parts which a… contained under it, to be repreſented unto t… thought by way of Diviſion. and this bein… done; Let the mind afterward be led retrograde to review the parts as they look to o… another; and make up the whole by way … collection.
And at the concluſion of every leſſon, … brief and ſummary Recapitulation of tha… which hath been offered unto them is to be propoſed; and the Queſtion ſhould be aske… whether any hath a doubt of any thing? or …ould have ſo… king repeated; or further ex…ained? that they ſhould ſpeak.
The way of enterteining that which ſhall …e thus propoſed is partly in the Scholars by …emſelves, partly in them together with their …ſhers.
By themſelves they ſhall entertain the things …hich have been taught them, by the exerci…s of writing, of painting, or drawing figures, …f compendiating, and of methodizing, as …hey ſhall from time to time he directed; for …e fixing of their thoughts upon that which …hey ſhall have received; and by the reading, …nd underſtanding, and tranſlating of their …anua's, or of their Authours from one Tongue to another, according to the way which ſhall be ſhewed them.
Now, as the propoſall of a leſſon ſhall not …ſt above half an houre at the moſt; ſo the …ertaining of that which hath been offered, …all follow immediately thereupon, for▪ the …a…e of another half houre, ſo that to e…e… leſſon, a full houre, and no more ſhall …e allotted; whereof the firſt part ſhall be ſpent … receiving, the ſecond, in entertaining the …houghts thereof.
The entertainment of things received together with the Uſhers, ſhall be two wayes. …. By ſhewing the exerciſes wherewith they …ertained their thoughts by themſelves. 2. By a conſtant courſe of Repetitions to b… obſerved daily, weekly, monethly, quarter… and yearly; whereof particular Directio… are to be given in due time: but the gener… Rule of proportion in all Repetitions to … obſerved is this; that the third or fourth l…ſon, or period of leſſons, is alwayes to be R…petitorie in ſome degree or other; more leſſe, as the matter is more or leſſe di…cult, and generally rather the third is to … made Repetitorie of two, then the fourth … three: but experience will beſt determ… what is moſt expedient to be done in t…