RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 23811, 15 February 1941, Page 12

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

TEACHERS’ PREPARATION CLASS. “My teachers cannot come to a preparation class. What is tho ‘ next best thing ’ under the circumstances? ” Those words were said recently at a conference of superintendents. The answers given varied, naturally, according to the typo of school, occupations of the teachers, etc. It seems helpful to face tacts and to try to keep principles in view in dealing with this question, which most superintendents have to face from time to time. First of all, I should be inclined to ask, “ Why can’t they come?” Arc they really working overtime every night in the week? It is a curious fact that, in many parishes where the teachers are all hard-working young people, those teachers seem to be able to spare an evening. So very often, where there’s a will there’s a way. I know a't least tiro largo town schools where one particular night in the week is given up to Sunday school preparation; loaders of various organisations have met together and discussed the question, and the result has been that they have been able to come to an agreement, and in both cases Tuesday has come to be looked upon as “ Sunday school evening.” This, of course, is not always possible, but surely more schools might come to an agreement in some such manner. Of course, tho preparation class must bo worth coming to. It should bo more than a mere dictation of lesson notes—teachers can got such notes from a book or from each other. "We must have real help in tho method of teaching, elementary psychology, and child study. Above all. it is the time to pray together, and a time when superintendent and teachers can discuss their work. When it is made really worth while, teachers will, as a rule, make a big effort to be present.

But suppose it really is impossible, what then? We all know' excellent teachers who. by reason of home claims, married teachers with the care of little children, really are tied at home during the evenings. Are wo then to refuse to use such teachers on Sunday? Surely not! Tbo question then arises: What are we to do? One suggestion given was: Settle on a really good lesson book, (keep your teachers for 10 minutes after school, mention any points in the next Sunday’s lesson which need alteration, and deal with difficulties as far as you can. This is better than never meeting them. Aim at a monthly, or oven quarterly, full meeting. Sometimes this will take the form of a devotional meeting for all grades; sometimes each department meeting and discussing (quickly, of course) tbo next few lessons. When teachers begin to understand that teaching needs training, they will make real efforts to avail themselves of any opportunity provided. Whore schools are very poor, and lesson hooks for each teacher out of the question, eyelo-styled or carbonpaper duplicated notes may take their place. fn another largo school where no preparation class was provided the superintendent feeling unable to do it himself, and no one else being available—one of tbo teachers with rather more experience and leisure than the others invited two nr there of the younger teachers to come to her house and gave them practical help with their lesson, class management, etc Most simenntcndents are'only ton glad to allow this help oven if they cannot give it.

A practical objection to even 10 minutes after school Is that, of course, teachers are tired then. This is true. It is not a good time either for superintendents or teachers, but, as has beep said, it is better than nothing, and it may lead teachers to say: “ If only we had longer!” That in turn may lead them to° see whether one hour on one evening in the week might not be given up to learning to do our Master’s work even better. , , on Some schools have found that -0 minutes before the evening service can be .rdvon. Each school must decide the time for itself. A good motto for oui teachers might be; “A little training is better than no training.” And possibly that “ little ” will lead on to the desi'rc for more, until the day will come when it will be the exception to find a Sunday school without its regular teachers’ preparation class. —M. B. Vi right. CHILDREN'S WORSHIP. The following sentences from ‘ Children’s Worship,’ by Ernest H. Hayes, are well worth thoughtful and earnest consideration: — “ The first object of all our training must be to form the habit in the child of ‘ the practice of the presence of God,’ not only at stated times and in certain places, but continuously. For worship is really an attitude of life towards God.” “ Wc must definitely plan our worship so that it will possess sincerity, command reality, and produce reverence on the part of every scholar.” •< A simple, but effective, test question as to the inclusion in the service of any particular hymn, prayer, Bible reading, or address will bo: ‘ Can the children sincerely take part in this?’ a courageous application of this test to even-item in the order of service would make great changes, wc are convinced, in many of the services and Sunday school sessions intended for children.” “The undeveloped child who really stands in need of Gothic architecture and stained-glass windows to foster reverence is expected to worship amid white-washed walls and surrounded by lumber associated with very different activities.” It would he a good resolution at the beginning of this Sunday school year if all schools decided to make a serious effort to raise the standard of worship and make it a real training for the hoys and girls, who meet each week to worship in Sunday school.