ABSTRACT

Different children will undoubtedly react in different fashion to the groups within a group. The sense of 'belonging', which is indispensable if the group ideals are to be effective, depends very much upon the intelligence and emotional stability of the individual child. If therefore the activities of the group are interfered with by the 'naughtiness' of the individual child he should be debarred from participation in them. The organization of a group involves the appointment of officers. Leaders are chosen, generally by the members of the group themselves, while the staff of the school assume a friendly share of direction. The teacher recognizes a distinction between free play and 'organized games'; he knows that he can learn much from the observation of children at play, and he believes the reconciliation of play and work to be one of the most effective instruments of instruction.