a teacher, have a real responsibil ity to do all in your power to cul tivate and develop this habit in your pupils. Many times it requires an added word of encouragement or a tangible expression of approval. One junior high teacher planned a beach party for her girls who completed their books during the quarter. Another teacher sponsored a dinner in Chinatown for all her senior high girls who finished their books. One man took all his boys on an overnight camping trip— every boy finished his book so he could go and enjoy the fellowship. One final word! When you make a promise of any award, keep that promise most faithfully. Never fail! Teacher, pray and work inces santly. Put forth every method that every member of your class may search the Scriptures daily; that they may become real Bible stu dents, “ approved unto God, a work man that needeth not to be ashamed.” Then, indeed, will each one rise up and call you blessed!
of accomplishment. Follow the prin ciple of “No responsibility without accountability.’’ Make use of the pupils’ books in class. In the review period ask ques tions pertaining to the lesson they were assigned to study. Use the re sults of the home study each week. 3) How to follow up the assign ment at the end of the quarter. Aft er giving ample time for the ma jority of the class to complete their books, take them home and care fully check the mistakes. Give each book a grade. Be generous but fair in your grading. You may wish to raise the grades for those who cor rect the errors you checked. If your class is too large and it seems im possible for you to go through each book, at least show by a red mark, a seal or whatever you wish, that the lessons are well done. Awards as motivation Since the habit of daily Scripture reading and Bible study is so im portant to Christian living, you, as
every Thursday evening and ask a question which he should have stud ied earlier in the week if he has done the required work. If the hoy gives the right answer, he can col lect 10 cents if he comes to Sunday school the coming Sunday. If the first boy cannot give the correct answer, the teacher calls a second boy and the question is then worth 20 cents. On each call the reward is increased by ten cents. Even boys who have paper routes hurry home on Thursdays so as not to miss a call should their chance come. 2) How to follow up the assign ment the following Sunday. Pupils like to do things well for several reasons. 1. To impress the teacher — so be impressed! 2. To achieve success. Of course not all the books will be excellent. They will vary according to the nature of the pu pil, according to his ability, his in terest and his willingness. Praise those who have done well; show your appreciation and approval. Help your pupils to enjoy the thrill
We would not think of going to class in our secular schools with our homework unfin ished; how much more ought we to study God’s Word which builds us up not only for time but for eternity? I can recommend regular preparation of Sunday school lessons. Like everything else it is enjoyable and profitable only when we do it in a regu lar and systematic way. It pays too, in the knowledge one has that God is pleased with our concern for His Word. “ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9).
and week by week. We feel that the combina tion of our Sunday school les sons, training union topic preparation, prayer meeting, Bible study, the Sunday ser mons and our family worship gives us a well-rounded work ing knowledge of the Bible, and so we fulfill: “ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly di viding the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). Our Sunday school teachers come prepared to teach. Is it not right that the class be pre pared to make the most of the lesson period with their help?
our household tasks. Natural ly, we have to be reminded by mother and dad once in a while that we can’t play ping pong or read a Christian story until these other duties are out of the way, but down in our hearts we don’t resent this assistance. This routine procedure may seem a bit boring to some, for all of us know of Sunday school pupils who never have their workbooks up-to-date. But we enjoy it as a part of our preparation for the Lord’s Day, and more than that, it teaches us discipline in the study of God’s Word as we do it systematically day by day
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