The good of the old must be preserved while the added good of the new
is realized. The wise teacher of the future, therefore, will do more
for her children than lead them to learn rapidly and thoroughly; she
will endeavor to develop their self-reliance and judgment in study and
in other matters just as far as possible. For this end she will, more
often than at present, plan to act merely as chairman of discussion,
rather than as leader of it and an active participant in it. She will
induce her pupils to study aloud before her, particularly to take such
initial steps as lie plainly within their power. She will offer
suggestions from time to time, but not to the extent of depriving them
of responsibility for determining the main questions and answering
them. The longer she instructs a class, the less talking she will do,
because they, having grown more resourceful and independent, will be
able to do it themselves, it being one of her objects to show them how
they can get along without her. She will prove most useful when she is
least needed. But her presence will still be necessary, for, while she
will no longer have to prod them every moment by questions, her
testing will always be important, and her greater maturity of
knowledge will render her suggestions and criticisms always valuable.

The art of teaching will then consist not only in ability to present
ideas but also in ability to keep still. That is by no means a small
task. Under many circumstances it is not difficult to hold one's
tongue. But when a teacher is confronted by a class in which every one
has the duty of saying something, it is either painful or ridiculous
if no one says anything. It is then that the poor teacher is obliged
to talk much in order to "keep things going." The really good teacher
is the one who understands the secret of delegating responsibility to
her pupils, and not the least of her rewards is the fact that she is
allowed to rest her voice.