Tuesday, October 8, 2019

The Evolution of Classroom Teaching Tools

by Kathleen L. Maher

This month my historical romance schoolteacher novella collection, Lessons on Love released, and last month most people celebrated the start of another school year. It got me to thinking about the things we take for granted, the modern technologies we enjoy and utilize in our quest for knowledge. Computers, tablets, light boards, videos, and web-streaming from the internet are utilities we almost take for granted, but we lovers of all things historical know that they have only recently been made available.

What technologies, aids, and tools did early American classrooms use? I had a lot of fun taking a closer look.

The blackboard, made of slate, first made its way into the classroom in America just after the turn of the century 1800. Slate is the bedrock for many regions in New York state, including my own (the geologically famous Genesee Shale) but as America settled further west, it took rail lines to transport this heavy material over any distance. Blackboards really came into vogue, then, after 1850 in the rest of the country. Most of us grew up with chalkboards in the classroom, a reliable way for the teacher to communicate words, images and ideas on a large scale once for the whole class. The idea of the blackboard really has not evolved much since. 

Slates the size of books were utilized by each individual student. Before paper was commonly available, this was a student's notebook, so to speak. They would make marks on the slate with a slate pencil, basically a smaller stone which would leave its chalky residue onto the slate board. Later, each student would use chalk. 

Sand Yes, that's right. Before the slate board, each student might have housed a small box of white sand at their desk, to practice making letters, numbers, shapes, and simple marks with their finger. The bottom of the box would be painted black, so the contrast would show through as the student scrolled each mark. The teacher would observe, and then press the sand smooth with a flat iron to start over again for the next lesson. What could possibly go wrong with a dozen or two students and all that sand? I imagine sweeping was a chore reserved for the fidgety kids.

Books: We take for granted that books have been used for centuries, but the first printing press didn't come to the new world until Stephen Daye brought one over the Atlantic in the 1600's. The first publication was then printed in America in 1639. Some argue whether it was an almanac or whether it was a broadsheet. The first book, a rendering of the book of psalms, came in 1640. The most popular early classroom book was the New England Primer, available from 1690.

Hornbooks were an inexpensive alternative to books and paper in early or remote schools during the time when printing and paper manufacture was costly and rare. Looking almost more like a disciplinary tool than a teaching aid, hornbooks were basically wooden (or stone or bone) paddles with the alphabet printed on them, protected by thin, transparent sheets of horn (or mica), over which students could practice tracing. These were in wide use in Europe and America from the 1500's into the 1800's. No Colonial classroom would have been complete without one. 



Magic Lanterns made their debut in 1870. These revolutionary devices consisted of a small light source which could project images developed, produced, or even painted on glass plates onto walls or other surfaces. 

CONTEST: I am giving away one signed print copy of Lessons on Love. To enter, answer this question: What is your favorite memory, tool, or method of learning used in your school days? Please leave your email addy in your answer so we can notify you if random (dot) org chooses your name. I will draw the winner by Friday Oct 11 afternoon.


Lessons on Love
Four schoolteachers find more than they bargained for in their contracts. Class is in session on the four R’s: reading, ‘riting, ‘rithmatic, and romance!
"Where every underdog has his day." 


Kathleen L. Maher’s first crush was Peter Rabbit, and she’s loved conflicted heroes ever since. She has two novellas in BARBOUR BOOKS' collections: Victorian Christmas Brides and Lessons on Love. Winner 2012 ACFW Genesis Award. Author of Sons of the Shenandoah Series: The Abolitionist's Daughter and The Chaplain's Daughter. 
Kathleen and her husband live in an old farmhouse in upstate NY with their children and a small menagerie.

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17 comments:

  1. I have been teaching 36 years in the elementary school I attended as a child. I've seen so many changes (both great and otherwise) since I was 5 years old in the 1st grade 52 years ago. (There was no public kindergarten back then.) My favorite memory is when I was in the 1st grade and the teacher had a sock puppet named Puddinghead. She took him out of her drawer every day after lunch and Puddinghead sprinkled magic fairy dust over our heads to make us nap/rest. I never could understand why it didn't work on me. I was so excited about learning, I would never go to sleep! (About 15 years ago, I visited my 1st grade teacher in the nursing home. She didn't remember me due to health problems, but she did listen to me tell her about my experiences in her room.) I would LOVE to read this book since I am a teacher! susanlulu@yahoo.com

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    1. Susan, thank you for sharing those great stories. I would’ve been the one child in my classroom that puddinghead would’ve had no effect on as well. LOL How sweet of you to go visit your first grade teacher. I’m sure you cheered her with your memories.

      Best of luck in the drawing. I think you will love these stories

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  2. I had some wonderful teachers over the years who used many different techniques and tools to teach. My fifth grade teacher used plays in which all the kids in the class would participate. He actually had us perform an abbreviated version of MacBeth. I was Witch #1 ("boil, boil, toil and trouble") we had a giant cauldron that rolled on a dolly, and I caught my cape under the wheels. lindasmatchett (at) yahoo (dot) com.

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    1. Linda, that teacher sounds delightful. You’ll never forget those experiences. Thank you for sharing them with us.

      Good luck in the drawing

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  3. I remember the mimeograph machine! Wouldn't people be surprised by this one? We rely so heavily on copiers and printers nowadays. It was a real feat to get nice, clean copies on the mimeograph! I have the book, so if I win you can draw another name! Thank you!

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    1. Thank you Connie. I remember those mimeographed papers. Some of them were almost illegible :-) our generation deserves credit LOL

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  4. My school district had some really wonderful teachers. In my high school anatomy class, our teacher would use some of the materials from the community college class that she also taught. For each part of the body that we were studying, we would fill in coloring pages to learn each component. Once in a while, our teacher would have a little hot chocolate station available so that we could enjoy it during class. Thank you for the giveaway! litteraegaudium(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. Sarah, hot chocolate and anatomy… What could be better? LOL seriously that sounds awesome. You can always tell when a teacher loves their subject matter. They inspire their students to love it as well.

      Good luck in the drawing

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  5. I started right into first grade because there wasn’t a kindergarten back in 1964. I couldn’t wait to start to school because I had a sister almost 4 yrs older and I wanted to be like her. My best memory was when I got a book that said “Run Spot Run” I never let go of reading after that. Since I was on the team if I win my best friend who is my reading buddy will get this book.
    grandmama_brenda(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  6. Thank you Brenda! My older siblings taught me to read at age 4 with the Dick and Jane (and Spot) Books. Great memories.
    I’m so glad you posted your email bc you won on Connie Carpenter’s blog the other day and I was wondering how to reach you! Lol

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  7. I loved school,and the chalkboard, and the erasers, and I loved my teachers. School was so wonderful, and we had the Pledge of Allegiance, and we sang one of the patriotic songs (My Country Tis of Thee, Star-Spangled Banner,etc.), and had a prayer, too, to start our school day. As you can tell, I am older lol. (64 years young) I loved reading right off the bat, and was one of those quiet little girls that was not a problem student at all. Thank you for the chance!
    Debbie Rhoades
    ReadingMama922 at gmail dot com

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  8. Hi Debbie. Thank you for stopping by and visiting here and leaving a memory. I love that you got to pray to start your day. And singing a patriotic song every day! How wonderful. Those were the days.

    Thanks for entering. Good luck in the drawing Friday

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  9. I think my most helpful tool used was multiplication flash cards that my teacher would show to us as she went down the aisles between the desks and we would compete with the student who sat beside us for the answer. I didn't like math but this encouraged me to win. teshawATsbcglobalDOTnet

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  10. I remember flashcards. You must’ve been a quick thinker Tammy. I always dreaded them LOL

    Thank you for sharing your memory. Best of luck on the drawing

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  11. I remember the mimeograph machine, also, even in high school. I don't remember a most helpful tool. We did have a devotional after early grade lunch from Little Visits with God. A teacher reading Charlotte's Web. Abacus for early math. And was thrilled when I started college and the hand-held calculator was new and somewhat affordable! Simple functions, not the kind of business or statistics ones out now. jeaniedannheim (at)ymail(dot)com

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    1. Jeanie, I loved Charlotte’s Web! One of my grade school teachers read it to our class, too. How could we help but love books after such a special treat like E. B. White

      Good luck in the drawing Friday

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  12. I have a winner to announce! Congratulations to Connie R! Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation and shared these nice memories.

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