undertake such leadership under wise guidance.

There are two degrees of responsibility in recitation that are
somewhat common. Suppose, for example, that a class in manual training
is to make a tile out of clay, to be placed under a coffee pot. After
proposing this task the teacher (1) might further state that the tile
must be six inches square and one-half inch thick; that it must have a
level surface; that a ball of clay of a certain size will be needed in
order to make a tile of the desired size; that it must be pressed into
shape mainly by the use of the thumbs; that careful measuring will be
necessary to secure the proper dimensions; that square corners can be
obtained by placing some square-cornered object directly over the
corners of the tile, for comparison; and that a level surface can best
be obtained by sighting carefully across the surface, so as to detect
any irregularities. After these and perhaps other instructions have
been given by the teacher, the children may be directed to begin work.

Or, after the task has been proposed, the teacher (2) might simply ask
the main questions that need to be considered, letting the pupils find
the solutions for the same as far as possible. For example: How large
should the tile be made? What should be its shape? What kind of
surface must it have? How must the clay be worked into the desired
shape? How make sure of the dimensions? Of square corners? Of a level
surface?

The first plan shows practically the lecture method in operation. The
teacher presents all of the ideas, and the children have the position
of listeners or followers. That method places the minimum degree of
responsibility upon pupils, the responsibility for attention, and is
quite common in the poorer schools and in colleges.