C H R I S T IA N E D U C A T IO N
If You Are A Sunday School Teacher
Whether you teach toddlers or adults here is a how-to-do-it masterpiece that you'll want to read . . . and then put into practice
•B y E sther E llinghusen
D o you have trouble getting your Sunday school pupils to study at home? If you’re like most teachers you probably do. But have you ever stopped to consider the cause of this flaw in your teaching setup? There is a reason when Johnny doesn’t have his lesson done. You must re member he is a busy young man. His day school studies are many and hard. Other things take his in terest too — sports, hobbies, clubs, friends, etc. Sound hopeless? Maybe, but it isn’t. Whatever you do, don’t give up; there is a solution. But it will require much prayer, patience, fortitude and ingenuity if it is to be solved. Here are a few hints that have worked for others. Setting an example If you want your class to do good work (which you all do), set them an example! Study your lesson so that when you teach, the Bible comes alive. Teachers, beware lest by lack of study your teaching be comes lifeless and monotonous. You may drive your pupils away from the Bible instead of stimulating them to study it with a desire to find .out what God has said. Do the work assigned in the pupils’ books before you teach the lesson
to stress the importance of care of the book. It is a tool to be used every day with the Bible. The presentation of the manual to the class at the beginning of its use is all important. Never just hand out the new books! The pupils do not know enough about them to appreciate them. They don’t know how to use them. Do not call them “workbooks.” Call them “ study books” or “ study guides.” Explain that the Bible is our text book and these books guide us in the study of God’s Word. We want the use of these books to help the pupils form the habit of daily study. Pre-school children To make the books for the pre school children of the greatest val ue, it is ideal if you can personally deliver the book to the home of the child with an explanation of its use. If this is not possible every quarter, arrange to give the new book to the parent who calls for his child. Draw attention to “Notes to the Parents” if these are included, and ask their cooperation in read ing the stories and following the suggestions. Since this age child cannot yet read by himself he learns by means of the story that is read to him. CONTINUED
so that you can give any needed help or explanation. Let your pupils know how im portant it is to you to read and study the Bible. One young lad, up to the time he was in junior high, refused to do any home study. When a returned serviceman, whom the boy greatly admired, be came his teacher, the problem was solved. His explanation was, “ If it is important to Mr. Hudson to read and study his Bible, it is'important to me.” The teacher’s example was the solution. Introducing the manuals Write the pupil’s name and ad dress -as well as your own in the book before handing it out. If pos sible, for pre-school and primary children, make gay covers of wall paper; for juniors covers of plastic A bout th e A uthor Esther Ellinghusen is associate editor of Gospel Light Press, Glendale, Calif. After a rich background in the public schools she joined Editor Henrietta Mears at Gospel Light some 25 years ago and has been with this Sunday school publishing house ever since. For a number of years she has been head of the Junior Department at the huge First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood.
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