undertaken, in any particular subject which involves work previously done in the elementary school.  During any year’s work that teacher will be most successful who reviews each day the work of the day before, who reviews each third or fourth day the particularly difficult parts of the work done during the previous periods, who reviews each week and each month, and even each two or three months, the work which has been covered up to that time.  When teachers understand that the intervals between repetitions which seem to have fixed a habit may only be gradually lengthened, then will the formation of habits upon the part of boys and girls become more certain, and the difficulties arising from lapses and inaccuracies become less frequent.

As has been suggested in previous discussions, it will be necessary in habit formation to vary the requirements among the individuals who compose a group.  The motive which we seek to utilize may make a greater appeal to one child than to another.  Physiological differences may account for the fact that a small number of repetitions will serve to fix the response for one individual as over against a very much larger number of repetitions required for another.  It is of the utmost importance that all children work up to the maximum of their capacity.  It is very much better, for example, to excuse a boy entirely from a given drill exercise than to have him dawdle or loaf during the period.  In some fields a degree of efficiency may be reached which will permit the most efficient children to be relieved entirely from certain exercises in order that they may spend their time on other work.  On the other hand, those who are less capable may need to have special drill exercises arranged which will help them to make up their deficiency.  The teacher who is acquainted with the psychology of habit formation should secure from the pupils in her class a degree of efficiency which is not commonly found in our schools.

QUESTIONS

1.  In what sense is it true that we have habits of thought?

2.  What habits which may interfere with or aid in your school work are formed before children enter school?

3.  Why is it hard to break a habit of speech?

4.  Distinguish among actions to which we attribute a moral significance those which are based upon habit and those which are reasoned.

5.  Professor James said, “Habits are the stuff of which behavior consists.”  Indicate the extent to which this is true for the children in your classes.

6.  In how far is it advantageous to become a creature of habit?

7.  Which of our actions should be the result of reason?

8.  Should school children reason their responses in case of a fire alarm, in passing pencils, in formal work in arithmetic?  Name responses which should be the result of reason; others which should be habitual.

9.  Why do we sometimes become less efficient when we fix our attention upon an action that is ordinarily habitual?