The task of the teacher

Immediately it must be admitted that the teacher faces limitations. Any teacher is limited in himself. In his education parents and teachers have in some measure failed in their task. He has not learned to live naturally and effectively with his The classroom itself is a limitation. Students and teacher are enclosed and apart from life, natural and social, which they should be studying. The greatest teachers had not the limitation of the classroom. The community sets limits on the teacher. He may not do this or that. In Maine he must talk republican gospel, and in Georgia he must be all democratic. There are administrative restrictions. Rules are made which are sometimes unnecessary, even foolish. Other teachers set limitations. It is sometimes not approved if a teacher works with a student after class. A friendly attitude toward students, especially if they reciprocate, may bring criticism upon' the professor who will be said to be currying favor with the students. All these limitations upon the teacher are admitted; yet they may be more imagined than real. Perhaps teachers will do well to disregard some of them. Why not take the class outdoors? What if the administrator does scold? The answer is easy these days. Get another job. Remember: Of the two greatest teachers who ever lived, the one was forced to drink poison because it was said he was corrupting the youth; the other was called a glutton and a wine-bibber and was crucified for breaking the law. Great teachers have of necessity always run a personal risk. It is an obvious fact that the changing of restricting conditions upon teaching is a part of our task. Those who have reasonable freedom and who wishes more?-know that the closer the teacher comes to carrying out his task, the freer he becomes. It is certain that students will learn better from teachers who act naturally than from those who act artificially

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