means by
which we become efficient. Take writing, for example. It is not an end
in itself; it is the means by which we convey thoughts. Reading is a
means by which we are able to get the thought of another. In acquiring a
foreign language, we have first to master the elementary tools that will
enable us to make the thought of the foreign language our own.

It seems that the hardest part of education always comes first, when we
are least able to do it. It used to be that nearly all the work of the
school was drill. There was little school work that was interesting in
itself. In revolt against this kind of school, many modern educators
have tried to plan a curriculum that would be interesting to the child.
In schools that follow this idea, there is little or no drill, pure and
simple. There is no work that is done for the sole purpose of acquiring
skill. The work is so planned that, in pursuing it, the child will of
necessity have to perform the necessary acts and will thereby gain
efficiency. In arithmetic, there is no adding, subtracting, multiplying,
or dividing, only as such things must be done in the performance of
something else that is interesting in itself. For example, the child
plays store and must add up the sales. The child plays bean bag and must
add up the score. Practice gained in this indirect way is known as
incidental drill. Direct drill consists in making a direct approach; we
wish to be efficient at adding, so we practice adding as such and not
merely as incidental to something else.

This plan of incidental drill is in harmony with the principle of
interest previously explained. There are several things, however, that
must be considered. The proper procedure would seem to be to look
forward and find out in what directions the child will need to acquire
skill and then to help him acquire it in the most economical way and at
the proper time. Nature has so made us that we like to do a new trick.
When we have taught a child how to add and subtract, he likes to perform
these operations because the operations themselves give pleasure.
Therefore much repetition can be allowed and much skill acquired by a
direct approach to the practice. When interest drags, incidental drill
can be fallen back upon to help out the interest. Children should be
taught that certain things must be done, certain skill must be acquired.
They should accept some things on the authority of elders. They should
be taught to apply thems