graphs, diagrams, outlines and lists, the teacher has at his disposal an in finite number of displays, maps, charts, filmstrips and slapboards (an adult variation of the ftanneigraph), not to mention the myrfads of sug gestions offered by the publishers of most Sunday school materials. 3. Variation of curriculum. For many decades the topical lessons have held the ground in Sunday school publications and few have imagination enough to think of any thing different. Alternating topical lessons with a book study might prove to be the change of pace needed to bring a dull class to a state of atten tion. With the advent of adult education in hundreds of high schools across the land, adults have been studying every conceivable subject from auto motive maintenance to zoology. Sun day schools could take advantage of this trend by offering elective courses during one or two quarters of the year. Adults from the entire depart ment would be free to choose the topic they wanted to study for the next quarter. A change of location, teacher and procedure would prove exhilarating. One might take a course in Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, Prophecy, Romans, the Gos pel of John, Soul-Winning, Missions or Church History. Teaching a course in the Gospel of Mark by a method known as inductive Bible study might encourage your class to independent study. Inter-Varsity’s publication, Dis covering the Gospel of Mark by Jane Hollingsworth, includes instructions for the teacher, thoughtful questions on each chapter of Mark, and a chart which each student fills in as he pro ceeds in the study. And increasing numbers of Sunday school publishers have become aware of the needs of adults and are publishing materials to help the teacher accomplish the task of involving them in the study of God’s Word. 4. Personal concern. No.amount of educational technique can outweigh the' effect of a teacher who is per sonally interested in each class mem ber. A friendly, prayerful teacher who takes the time to answer even the most inane question with love and consideration can do more for the kingdom of God than many Ph.D.’s who are armed only with the most modern methods and technological ad vances in pedagogy. Just stopping by to say hello to the family, visiting a sick member at the hospital, or without ostentation assisting in some project will win a hearing for the lesson of the Sunday school ,hour. A teacher who spends time in prayerful
Concern for each student has the key to effective teaching. 5. Spirit-led preparation. It must be carefully noted that the simple mechanical juggling of methods, ma terials, devices and gadgets will never produce spiritual life. If a teacher is called of God to teach, the Holy Spirit will infuse him with the “natural” pedagogy of God Himself. This writer must admit that much o f the gadgetry of twentieth century “ churchianity” has arisen in a feeble effort to make up for a loss in spiritual vitality. This will never advance the cause of Christ. “Human efforts produce hu man results” is an oft-quoted dictum which is never more clearly evidenced than in the Sunday school. Forced by a lack of spiritually qualified and called personnel, the church has for saken quality for quantity. Th$ dras tic results are those outlined above. However, any honest device which will aid us to do our job must not be overlooked because of some pseudo spiritual rationalization which says, “ The apostle Paul never used it, so why should we?” Here Christ Him self can be our Leader in teaching. The Master Teacher used illustration, demonstration, miracle writing in the sand and parable—all accepted peda gogical methods of His day. Christ used the “ visual aid” of the cere monial washings in the Temple as He stood up and proclaimed, “ If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37, 38). Prayerful preparation bathed in re search and study, utilizing all the techniques that God has approved, is the only way to produce effective, life-changing teaching. The Spirit of God led our Saviour as He taught His three-year seminary course to twelve sons of Israel. The same Spirit of God will furnish us with the tools of spiritual teaching when in com plete submission we cast ourselves at His feet, yielding ourselves to be used at His own discretion. The arid wasteland of ineffective adult teaching can be transformed into a lush valley producing spiritual fruits “meet for the Master’s use.” Christ is relevant to men of this cen tury just as He was to the Augustines, Abelards, Wycliffes, Husses and Wes leys of former centuries. Every super intendent and teacher who would give a meaningful witness to men and women today must become silent in awe and wonder and listen for the voice of Jesus Christ, the Master Teacher. Christ will teach through us, but not in spite of us. is
school teacher take to raise the level of learning in his class? Here are a few suggestions: p A ctive participation. Adults, do not want to be lectured; rather, they want to wrestle with issues. They want to be involved. The adult teach er should plan every lesson with a maximum of participation on the part Of the class. To ask a factual question such as “How many chapters are there in Genesis?” is a start, but questions that do not have pat answers are more stimulating for adults. Break your class into smaller units o f four or five and allow them independently to search for specific truths or teachings^ assigning each group a passage of Scripture and a leader to report the findings later to the entire class. The lesson application must never be made hy the teacher but ought to be ar rived at by the class in discussion or reflection. A “preached” lesson appli cation is seldom followed through by the students. Quarterly tests, mimeographed in advance, will help the pupils recall the facts and force them to verbalize the lessons they have learned. Ques tions must ask not only for facts but also for conclusions and understand ings. Discussion after the test will clarify issues and encourage active individual and group participation. 2. The use of visual aids. The chalk board is an invaluable tool for rein forcing verbalized or spoken facts or truths. With such an aid the teacher can punctuate each sentence with a visual tie-in, making the lesson much more clear. Blank charts which the class must fill in by discussion or question-and-answer allow the teacher maximum participation and at the same time provide each class member with a measure of personal satisfac tion from seeing his comment repeat ed in writing before the entire class. After all, learning should be a pleas urable experience; only thus will the students desire to repeat it. In addition to the chalkboard for It is now quite clear that most adult church members (over 90 per cent of the congregation, in some churches) do not possess an adequate knowledge of even the most elementary facts of the Bible, let alone an understanding of the principles derived from the facts. This article points out a way to remedy such an appalling condition and its tragic consequences. Mr. O’Byrne, a graduate of Wheaton College, Wheaton, III., is now director of Christian Education at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Detroit, Mich. He is also a candi date for the M.A. degree in Christian Education at Wheaton. We are appreciative of THE ALLI ANCE WITNESS for permission to print this helpful article. FEBRUARY, 1964
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