RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 22004, 13 April 1935, Page 4

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

[By Forward.]

THE TEACHER’S COVENANT. With the desire to make my work for the Master, in my capacity as teacher in the Sunday school, as helpful as possible, and also with the desire to help raise the standards of the work done in the Sunday school, I covenant with the Master and with the other teachers of the school to do my best this year (1) To be regularly in my place as a teacher unless prevented by some very important engagement, in which case I will notify the departmental leader or the general superintendent. , (2) To be punctually in place, which means at least five minutes before the opening hour, both because of the necessity of so doing to meet the class, and also to co-operate with the superintendent in making the Sunday school efficient. " . (3) To be as regular as possible in my church attendance, conscious of the example it sets before the members of my class. (4) To devote a worthy amount oi time each week to preparation of the lesson, and to take some advantage of the opportunities of teacher training that arc offered. (5) To read at least one book a year on Sunday school problems and work. CREATING RIGHT ATTITUDES. Not infrequently in the course of Christian history leaders have found difficulty in dealing with a new problem because there was apparently no precedent. For instance, when Government authorities sought to stamp out the smuggling of goods into England many manifestly Christian people continued the practice, because, they said, there was nothing said in the Bible against smuggling. The same could be said about a great many other things, for in modern life people constantly _ find themselves confronted by_ new situations, and there is no written word to which an appeal can be made. It is important to remember that Christianity does not consist in following a certain set of facts and obeying sundry rules. It lies rather in the development of a certain attitude to life. It has frequently been pointed out that Jesus never hesitated. The questions with which men sought to entangle Him were met with a ready answer. Jesus did not hesitate because His attitude to life was perfect. As Christians grow in grace they will be guided, not by slavishly following any set rules, but by the spirit of Christ within. In ‘ How to Teach Religion ’ Professor Betts points out that in the religious education of children the imparting of knowledge is not by any means the only thing required, important as that is. Religious knowledge must lead to the setting up of right attitudes to life, and those attitudes are not at, tained by simply learning a number of facts. There must bo a growing religious life keeping pace with the physical and mental development of the child, and this life within, rather than something imposed from without, will be the guide in meeting the problems of life. There are vexed questions and awkward situations which Christians face to-day for which there seems to be no precedent, but whore a right attitude to life has been cultivated new problems will be met am) solved in the right way, RE-TELLING THE STORIES. It is well that beginners enjoy having their stories. re-told, for small children cannot grasp the full meaning at the first hearing or the second. Then, too. beginners’ memories are usually short (however well they may remember the less important details at times), and a story only once heard is soon forgotten —with the lesson it contains. Tire beginner sometimes has a wonderful memory for details. He likes to have the story told in the same way each time; he listens for familiar words and phrases, and resents any slight changes which may creep in, through shortness of memory on the part of the teacher. Probably every teacher of beginners has been checked up at times by her hearers when she has varied slightly in her method of telling the story. For instance, a teacher when > retelling the story of the Good Samaritan, spoke of the “ horse ” upon which the unfortunate traveller was placed. One of her scholars promptly corrected her: “ But it was a donkey.” Then she remembered that she had mentioned the donkey when telling the story previously. The child had a definite picture in his mind, which, naturally, he was unwilling to change, knowing that only one version could be the correct one. Most teachers re-tell each Sunday the story of the previous week, before the new story is told. Sometimes a 'child is asked to tell what he remembers of the story, or several children may each tell a part of it. If the children do not remember well, the teacher may use questions or suggestions to help them with it. When a series - of stories, all on the same general theme, has been completed, a review lesson is held, and some or all of the stories are retold. Of course, when a new series has begun it is not necessary, and would only be confusing to re-tell any of the stories dealing with the previous theme. Since our stories are to be told net merely once, but several times, we must be particularly careful in preparing them to see that they are told in the best possible way; we must see that the same general form is followed at each repetition, and we must give the details such careful attention that even the most exacting beginner will be satisfied. It is not hard to tell a story always in the same way if certain rules aro followed. Every good storyteller has a mental plan of the story divided into parts; the introduction, which describes the characters and the scene; the action leading up to the climax, and the climax itself. If she is really interested in her story (and she must be if she would tell it well), she will herself live the story as she tells it. She will have a clear picture in her mind of ail that took place, and the details should be as real to her and as easily remembered as if she herself had actually been present. ' j When a picture is used to illustrate the story, as is usually the case, the teacher should refer to it when planning her story. Artists use a certain amount of latitude in expressing their ideas of events and scenes—even in the case oft Bible stories—and the teacher should! see to it that there is nothing in hers version of the story which disagrees; with that of the artist. Children are 1 quick to notice any differences of this nature, and one little slip may be very upsetting in its effect upon them. One teacher found this out very much to her dismay. She had described Jacob as being a small boy. not much bigger than her scholars, thinking to make the story more appealing to them. She had not given any particular attention to the picture roll, and when, at the end of the story, the picture was shown, she was confronted with a Jacob who was full-grown and bearded. Naturally she was greeted with puzzled inquiries:

“.But where is Jacob? Where is the [little boy?” Rather a difficult situation to explain satisfactorily ! 1 Obviously the picture should be consulted when preparing the story.—Kate pordly.'