sion is made at the beginning by a short
period of practice that progress is but slight. On the first day, one
should practice about four or five times to secure the best returns, a
half hour each time.

=What the Teacher Can Do.= Now, let us see how the teacher can be of
assistance to the pupil in habit-formation. The teacher should have a
clear idea of the nature of the habit to be formed and should
demonstrate the habit to the pupil. Suppose the habit is so simple a
thing as long division. The teacher should explain each step in the
process. She should go to the blackboard and actually solve a number of
problems in long division, so that the pupils can see just how to do it.
After this the pupils should go to the board and solve a problem
themselves. The reason for this procedure is that it is most economical.
If the children are left to get the method of doing long division from a
book, they will not be able to do it readily and will make mistakes. A
teacher can explain a process better than it can be explained in a book.
By giving a full explanation and demonstration and then by requiring the
children to work a few problems while she watches for mistakes,
correcting them at once, the teacher secures economy of effort and time.
The first step is to demonstrate the habit to the pupils; the second, to
have them do the act, whatever it is, correcting their mistakes; the
third, to require the pupils to practice till they have acquired skill.
The teacher must make provision for practice.

=What Parents Can Do.= Parents can be of very great assistance to children
who are forming habits.

(1) They can cooeperate with the school, which is directing the child in
the systematic formation of a great system of habits. The teacher should
explain these habits to the parents so that they may know what the
teacher is trying to do. Quite often the home and the school are working
at cross purposes. The only way to prevent this is for them to work in
the closest cooeperation, with the fullest understanding of what is being
undertaken for the child. Parents and teachers should often meet
together and talk over the work of training the children of the
community. Parents should have not merely a general understanding of the
work of the school, but they should know the details undertaken. The
school often assigns practice work to be done at home in reading,
writing, arithmetic. Parents should always know of these assignments and
should