"PREPARING THE LESSON.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18509, 21 March 1922, Page 8

"PREPARING THE LESSON.”

TALK TO SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS. The monthly meeting of the Dunedin Presbvterian Sabbath School Union was held m First Church Hall lust night, the president, Mr D. Kaye presiding. In spite of the weather there was an excellent attendance, including a large representation of teachers of other denominations. Prior to the consideration of the subject for the evening, Mr J. Farquharson (president of the Otago Council of Sunday School Unions) extended a hearty invitation to all teachers to attend a Sunday School Conference, to be held in tho crypt of St. Paul’s Cathedral on the evening of Anniversary Day, March 23. Mr 8. G. Macfarlane, M. A., then addressed the meeting on "The Preparation of the Lesson.” Every week, he said, the Sunday school teacher was faced with the difficulty, “ How am I going to prepare this lesson?” The following he suggested as fundamental in the preparation of a good lesson:—!. Prepare early. Too much time cannot bo spent upon it. 2. Prepare prayerfully. 3. Prepare with class in your mind. 4. Prepare with general aim of Sunday school teaching in view. 5. Have foundations firm. The lesson should not be treated as unrelated to what his gone before. This should bo kept in mind for the purpose of illustration. Coining to the actual preparation lie suggested; (a) 3 . Read Scripture through very carefully, making sure of complete understanding by reference to concordance, etc. 2. Look up all Scripture references. 3. Allow mind frcelv to work out without reference to lesson helps what the passage is meant to teach to your class, (b) Road devotional passages and ask what light they throw on the lesson, (c) Read explanatory notes dcalin-r with geographical and historical points. (d) Decide how to. begin the lesson —how to interest them in tho story before it is read from the Bible. It is better for the teacher to read the passage than for the children to read it without understanding, (o) Complete the preparation! and get thoroughly familiar with ifc. Mr Maofarlane’s talk, which was kcqnly appreciated, was followed bv considerable disc-ussion, and the lecturer satisfactorily answered a number of practical questions from the audience. At tho close lie was, on tho motion of the chairman, accorded a very hearty vote of thanks.