At the Foot of the Class

Cromwell Argus, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3484, 30 August 1937, Page 2

At the Foot of the Class

THE BACKWARD CHILD. Not long ago a mother came to me about her little boy, writes a former teacher. He was backward, she said, and showing no progress with his lessons —what was wrong? They did so much wish him to do well, for they had high hopes of giving him a good education, and he was their only child. Her case is similar to that of man.y more parents. What can be done with a slow or backward child? Nothing at least can be done by overanxiety for him to shine in his class if he is not made that way. We have not all been equipped with the same mental powers, aud it is unfair to any child who Is slow to expect him to equal another who is naturally quick. Children are individuals, and they ought to be treated as such. If nobody commands us to produce a piece of work equal to that of some genius why should we expect our children to excel their powers in a similar way? The slow child rather deserves sympathy, and to be shown that as long as he tries his best we shall be pleased. The acquisition of knowledge is often painful to him, aud we must show patience to his dullness. After a lifetime’s teaching, looking back on pupils taught, it Is surprising to see those who have made a “success,” or what is called a “success” of life, and who have not. It is not by any means the “brainy” ones, but very often those whom I found slow in the uptake, but who had striven hard and had the power of sticking it. All parents like to see their child in the top six of his form, but why worry if he is not? Life, for which school is only a preparation, is not like a classroom, and more things than book knowledge are taken into account. It is far more important to teach a child to stick it and stimulate his interest in work than to waste time complaining because he is not brilliant. We were not all made to be leaders, but each of us can be taught to fill the niche that he or she has been given to the best of our ability.

And parents can do much towards this end. Their appreciation and their interest count for more in the child’s life than they imagine. As a school-mistress, I should advise every father and mother to keep in touch with a child’s school life from the earliest stage. Encourage him to talk at home about what he has been doing, and go over with him any little words or counting that he had been taught. Show a real interest, not a casual one. When he is older widen his outlook by books and general knowledge. Discover his special interests and make them yours as well, as far as possible. Never allow him to consider himself of no account. When in doubt on any point any of his teachers will only be too pleased to help you. Even the least endowed of us have our talents, and the main thing is to learn to exercise them to the full. Therein is success —not only success in the eyes of others but in our own, and it is, moreover, within the reach of all, especially if we are given help when young.