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Mill
Attitudes
Affect Pupils' Learning
Both teacher and pupils church. For many of us it was not until
must examine their attitudes much later when we had rethought
before learning can improve. through the whole matter that we de
termined for ourselves whether or not
we would be regular church goers.
As Dr. Kilpatrick said, "A child can
be forced to do on the outside because
AT THE 1950 White House Con we are bigger and stronger than he is,
ference on Children and Youth, William but for effective learning we must reach
Heard Kilpatrick made a point with a the child on the inside." In other words,
memorable illustration. In talking about we must have an effect on his attitudes
"what do pupils learn?" he referred to the toward what we teach if we want other
way that most of us were taught to go techniques of instruction to take effect.
to church. When we were children we
were made to go to church. Whether we Attitudes Affect What
wanted to or not, every Sunday, and
sometimes oftener we had to dress up Kilpatrick's illustration demonstrates
and go to a church. It was usually the the .important point that we do not
idea of our parents that if we developed always know what we are teaching. In
early habits of going to church these fact, we may sometimes be teaching the
habits would stay with us for the rest child the opposite from what we think
of our lives. we are getting across to him.
But did we really learn to go to A junior high boy once told his teacher,
church? In fact, many of us learned just "Mrs. Jones, I think I could like you if
the opposite. We went to church while you weren't an English teacher!" What
we were children because we were he was really saying was that his
forced to, but as soon as we became old attitude toward English was such that
enough to have some control over our he could never like anyone associated
own behavior we stopped going to with it, and she might as well stop try
ing to teach him the parts of speech.
Cyril R. Mill if director, Psychological Serv
Many classroom teachers can tell you
ice*, Department of Mental Hygiene and Hos that they often experience a nagging
pital*, Richmond, Virginia. sensation that they are teaching entirely