by doing” is that he is interested in doing as he is not interested in mere listening.  All good teaching will therefore appeal to interest through providing the fullest possible opportunity for the child to have an important share in the lesson.  And this part must be something which to the child is worth doing, and not, for example, an oral memory drill on words meaningless to the pupil, nor “expression” work of a kind that lacks purpose and action.  There are always real things to be done if the lesson is vital—­personal experiences to be recounted, special assignments to be reported upon, maps to be drawn or remodeled, specimens of flowers or plants to be secured, character parts to be represented in the story, a bit of history to be looked up, prayers to be said, songs to be sung, or a hundred other things done which will appeal to the interest and at the same time fix the points of the lesson.

Interest requires variety and change.—­Interest attaches to the new, provided the new is sufficiently related to the fund of experience already on hand so that it is fully grasped and understood.  While there are certain matters, such as marching, handling supplies, etc., in the recitation which should be done the same way each time so that they may become habit and routine, yet there is a wide range of variety possible in much of the procedure.

The lessons should not be conducted always in the same way.  One recitation may consist chiefly of discussion, with question and answer between teacher and class.  Another may be given largely to reports on special assignments, with the teacher’s comments to broaden and apply the points.  Another may take the form of stories told and illustrations given by the teacher, or of stories retold by the class from former lessons.  The great thing is to secure change and variety without losing sight of the real aims of the lesson, and to plan for a pleasant surprise now and then without lowering the value of the instruction.

Interest is contagious.—­Every observing teacher has learned that interest is contagious.  An interested and enthusiastic teacher is seldom troubled by lack of interest and attention on the part of the class.  Nor, on the other hand, will interest and attention continue on the part of the class if confronted by a mechanical and lifeless teacher.  The teacher is the model unconsciously accepted and responded to by his class.  He leads the way in interest and enthusiasm.  Nor will any sham or pretense serve.  The interest must be real and deep.  Even young children quickly sense any make-believe enthusiasm or vivacity on the part of the teacher, and their ardor immediately cools.

Children’s typical interests have their birth, ripen to full strength, and fade away by certain broad stages.  What will appeal to the child of five will not appeal to the child of ten, and will secure no response from the youth of fifteen.  Space will not permit even an outline of these interest-stages here, but genetic psychology has carefully mapped them out and their nature and order of development should be studied by every teacher.