SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26120, 24 May 1950, Page 3

SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS

TRAINING SCHOOL OPENED A training school for Sunday Schoo' teachers has been organised by the inter-denominational Sunday School Teachers’ Association. Nearly 30C teachers from eight denominations have made application to attend the ' school, which will be held once a week ' until August. At each session there will be two speakers. One will deal j with the art of teaching and the other ; with understanding tne child. The lec- ' turers are all well-known religious oi ! social workers and educationists. The . organiser is Mr A. B. Allen. I The opening session was held lasi ; evening in St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church. Mr W. Grant, headmaster ol , the Shirley Intermediate School, spoke i on the subject: “Children are Individuals.” Quoting from a book 1 by Johr Adams for Sunday Schoo] teachers, he I said: “the aim of the Sunday School I teacher is not so much to impart know- ; ledge as to mould character. . . . The I teacher must know not only his Bible, but his boy.” Really knowing a child was not easy, but it was essential, Mr Grant said. “We adults tend to underestimate what children know.” Mr Grant continued. -‘The average adult cannot tel] at any age what a child is thinking It is only by looking at the world through the eyes of the child that we j can dea] with the world in relation . to the child.” i Sneaking of some of the characI teristics of children of which use could | be made in teaching. Mr Grant said I that a child was restless and consumed with curiosity. Without curi--1 osity a child would not develop. It was : the job of teachers to keen him curious. He was credulous and believed ; what he was told provided he did not 1 know much about the subject. At the I same time he was also critical. He i had a vivid and uncontrolled imagina- | tion. Often a child was accused of 1 telling lies, when it was merely his ; imagination working overtime.' Mr ' Grant said. “If you don’t use his imi agination in your teaching it will work ; to your disadvantage,” he added. i “Children respond continually and i always to cheerfulness and humour.” I Mr Grant continued. “A teacher should also be enthusiastic. If he was not, the child would know. The child : ppreciated firmness and fairness. Boys and girls do not want to be pests. As a general rule they want to be pleasing and acceptable. If they are not so, tl ere is a purpose in their conduct. It is our business as teachers to find that purpose. “Be yourself and be your age whatever it is.” Mr Grant continued. “It is fatal to get amongst youngsters and pretend to be a child.” The Rev. Raymond Dudley spoke on the spiritual preparation of the teacher.