Wiggle Worms Q. In Sunday school how do you combat the wiggle worms and the ones who change the subject while the story is going on? A. “While the story is going on” sounds like you are telling the story while the uninterested children sit and presumably listen. This meth od of teaching Sunday school is usually poor at its best. Why don’t you let the boys and girls have a part in the story? Why not let them take the roles of Bible characters and act out the story? Do you use visual aids such as flannelgraphs? You probably need to learn how to get your pupils to take part more if you expect to hold their attention. Remember: some children have short attention spans and some have longer ones. You should gear your teaching to take in children with shorter attention spans. When they are beginning to get restless, change your routine and move into something different. Sunday School Discipline Q. To what extent should discipli nary measures be taken in my Sun day school group, ages 12 to 15? A. All boys and girls need to know what the standards of conduct are for Sunday school classes. You should discuss these standards free ly with them. Make sure they know why the standards are important. Review them from time to time. If a child consistently misbe haves, arrange a parent conference at home in order to better under stand the child’s environment. Of course you should talk and pray with him individually. Perhaps you are not using good teaching techniques and materials.
If these suggestions do not produce good results, refer the child to your department head or to the Sunday school superintendent. The young ster may need professional help. Disciplining Juniors Q. In a junior group in Sunday school, would discipline be a prob lem if the teacher’s lessons were interesting and well prepared? A. No. If the lesson is interesting it means it is geared to the children and that they are enjoying it. If the teacher has prepared her lesson well, she has more freedom to no tice the reaction of the hoys and girls and to do a better job in the classroom. Of course there are some boys and girls who are severely dis turbed and who will not respond to any type of instruction. They should be referred for professional study. Racial Discrimination Q. What do you think about racial discrimination in America? A. Wherever you find people, you find discrimination. In a given country one minority group may be discriminated against, while in another country a different group is discriminated against. Discrimina tion is not limited to any one coun try or to any particular race of peo ple. There are two basic causes of dis crimination: 1) ignorance and 2) an unchanged human nature. Ignorance may be dispelled by accepting the facts and becoming acquainted with fine people from other races. However, a person’s nature may be changed in only one way — by accepting Christ as one’s own per sonal Saviour. “For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be- lieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pet. 1:4). There is racial discrimination in America, as in other countries, hut very little on the part of consecrat ed, informed Christians. Such dis crimination appears to the extent that lives may not have been yield ed to and regenerated by the cruci fied and risen Son of God. Love for everyone is the absolute require ment and nature of the real Chris tian. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14). If through spiritual maturity and enlightenment you have thrown off many of your racial prejudices, fine. But don’t be too impatient with people who haven’t. It takes quite a while to change people’s at titudes, especially if they are deep ly entrenched. Dating Q. When is a boy or a girl old enough to start dating? A. Dating readiness is not based on how many years you have lived but on your ability to get along with other people. Social development as well as physical development deter mine when you are ready to date. Most boys and girls are dating by the time they are in their middle teens. Readers are invited to submit questions to both Dr. Narramore and Dr. Talbot. Address questions to them c/o The King's Business, 558 So. Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, Calif. 39
SEPTEMBER 1956
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