Instructional Materials:
* Blackboard and Chalk: The cornerstone of instruction. Lessons, equations, and spellings were written directly onto the board.
* Primer and Readers: Textbooks, often McGuffey Readers, were essential for teaching reading, spelling, and basic grammar. These were often the only books available.
* Spelling Books: Separate books focused entirely on spelling, crucial for literacy.
* Arithmetic Books: Similar to readers, these taught basic math skills.
* Maps and Globes: For geography lessons, though these were often less detailed and less readily available than today.
* Slates and Slate Pencils: Students used these for individual practice and writing exercises. They were reusable and served as an early form of individual whiteboards.
* Charms: Often used as rewards for good behavior or academic achievement, especially for young students.
* Pictures and Flashcards: Simple illustrations or cards to aid in learning vocabulary or concepts. Hand-drawn images were common.
Discipline and Management:
* Ruler or Switch: Unfortunately, corporal punishment was unfortunately commonplace. A ruler or switch was used for discipline, though the severity varied greatly depending on the teacher and community.
* Bell: To signal the beginning and end of classes, recesses, and transitions.
* A pointer: Used to highlight information on the blackboard.
Other Tools:
* Quill pens and ink: Less common by the late 19th century, but still present in some schools, especially for the teacher's own record-keeping.
* Teacher's Bible: Frequently used as a reference for moral instruction and stories.
It's crucial to note the lack of specialized materials like projectors, computers, or even readily available supplementary books. Pioneer teachers were incredibly resourceful, often supplementing their limited resources with materials they created themselves or gathered from the surrounding community. Their success depended heavily on their ability to adapt and improvise.