It is much easier to form
habits than to break away from them.

6. While nothing less than the best work should be accepted from the
pupils, it requires much discernment to know when fault should be found,
in order to avoid saying or doing anything that would discourage them.

7. As Household Management is a manual subject, the teacher is advised,
as far as possible, not to spend time in talking about the work, but to
have the class spend their time in doing the work.

SUGGESTIONS FOR SCHOOLS WITH LIMITED, OR NO EQUIPMENT

In schools where the ordinary class-room must be used for all subjects,
there are unusual difficulties in teaching Household Management. For
such schools, two modified equipments are outlined.

Since such class-rooms require special arrangement for practical lessons
in this subject, it would be well to take this work in the afternoon, so
that part of the noon hour may be taken for preparation. Pupils who have
earned the right to responsibility may be appointed in turn to assist in
this duty.

In rural schools, the afternoon recess might be taken from 2.15 to 2.30
and, during this time, tables, stoves, and supplies may be placed, so as
to be ready for the lesson to follow in the remaining hour and a half.

For pupils who are not in the Household Management class, definite work
should be planned. They may occupy themselves with manual training,
sewing, art work, map-drawing, composition, etc. In summer, school
gardening may be done.

Since the end of the week, in many schools, is chosen for a break in the
usual routine, Friday afternoon seems a suitable time for Household
Management lessons.

Under such limited conditions, it will be necessary to group the larger
pupils into one class for practical work, and it may be necessary for
the pupils to take turns in working. In some cases, the teacher must
demonstrate what the class may practise at home.

It will be impossible, in such schools, to cover the prescribed work.
From the topics suggested in the Course of Study each teacher may
arrange a programme by selecting what is most useful to the pupils and
what is possible in the school.

Even in schools which have no equipment, much of the theory of Household
Management can be taught and some experiments may be performed. On
Friday afternoons a regular period may be devoted to this subject, when
the ingenious teacher will find ways and means of teaching many useful
lessons.

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