_b. Give help on difficult points._--A complaint frequently heard in
some schools, and no doubt in some degree merited in all, is, "Teacher
will not help," or, "Teacher does not explain." No matter how
excellent the work being done by the class or how skillful the
teaching, there will always be hard points in the lessons which need
analysis or explanation. This should usually be done when the lesson
is assigned. A teacher who knows both the subject-matter and the class
thoroughly can estimate almost precisely where the class will have
trouble with the lesson, or what important points will need especial
emphasis. And in the explanation and elaboration of these points is
one of the best opportunities for good teaching. The good teacher will
help just enough, but not too much; just enough so that the class will
know how to go to work with the least loss of time and the greatest
amount of energy; not enough so that the lesson is already mastered
for the class before they begin their study.

But it is necessary to help the class on the hard points not only in
assigning the lesson, but also in the recitation. The alert teacher
will in almost every recitation discover some points which the class
have failed to understand or master fully. It is the overlooking of
such half-mastered points as these that leaves weak places in the
pupil's knowledge and brings trouble to him later on. These weak
points left unstrengthened in the recitation are the lazy teacher's
greatest reproach; the occasion of the unskillful teacher's greatest
bungling; and the inexperienced teacher's greatest "danger points."

_c. Bring in new points supplementing the text._--While the lesson of
the textbook should be followed in the main, and most of the time
devoted thereto, yet nearly every lesson gives the wide-awake teacher
opportunity to supplement the text with interesting material drawn