prepared to teach it in such a way as to inspire to high standards and
mastery on the part of the pupils.

_b. Preparation by the class._--But in addition to the well-prepared
teacher, there must also be a well-prepared class. The teacher cannot
make bricks without straw. Every failure to recite when called upon is
a dead weight upon the progress of the recitation; and each failure
makes it easier for the next one to fail with impunity, or at least
without disgrace. It therefore behooves the teacher who would have
inspiring recitations to lead the pupils to a high standard of
preparation.

The pupil's preparation of the lesson should include two distinct
lines: (1) Mastery of the facts, thought, or meaning of the lesson;
and (2) thought or plans how best to express the lesson in the
recitation. Most pupils think they "have their lesson" when they have
memorized it or come to understand it. They must also be made to see
that an important part of their preparation lies in _the ability to
tell well what they have learned_.


4. _High standards in the recitation_

There is no more potent force than public opinion to compel to high
achievement or restrain from unworthy acts. A school in which the
standards of preparation and recitation are low presents a difficult
problem for the teacher in the recitation. In some schools pupils who
are diffident about reciting, or who do not care to take the trouble,
shake their heads in refusal almost before they hear the question in
full. Others sit in stolid silence when called upon, and make no