The first five minutes may profitably be spent at the board, each member
of the class being asked to write a complete answer to one of the
assigned questions. Whatever may happen later in the recitation each
student has had at least this much of an opportunity for
self-expression, and his work should be neat, workmanlike, complete, and
accurate. By this device the alert teacher will secure in the first five
minutes of the recitation hour a fairly accurate idea of each student's
preparation, the weak spots in his understanding of the lesson, and the
errors to be corrected. He may even be able to record a grade for the
work done.


_Special reports_

The class having taken their seats, the next order of business should be
the reports on special topics assigned for the purpose of making the
period of history under discussion more interesting and vital. As has
been said, these reports should not be read, but delivered by the pupil
facing the class. The class should be encouraged to ask questions on the
report when finished and the student responsible for the report should
be expected to answer any reasonable inquiry. If other students are able
to contribute to the topics reported on, they should be encouraged to do
so. Let the teacher be sure that he has sounded the depths of the
students' information and curiosity before he himself discusses the
report. If the device of reports delivered in class is to justify
itself, the matter contained in them must be so arranged and discussed
that the whole class receives real benefit. The ingenious teacher will
be able to establish a tradition in his course for a careful preparation
and critical discussion of these reports. The rivalry of students for
excellence in this work is not difficult to stimulate. A premium should