Talbot the lesson time, for these, too, are indicators of what they are thinking. By means of them you may know it is time to alter the direction of your remarks and seek to meet a new need. Too many teachers consider conver sation in class an interruption, where as it may be the very thing needed to show you whether or not the class is following your train of thought. If the class is not with you, what sense is there in continuing that par ticular line of reasoning? Visitation. Have you made a con centrated effort to visit the home of every student under your care? Just by walking into the house, and per haps into his own room, you can ob tain a wealth of material to affect your treatment of him in the Sunday school classroom. Once every six months, at least, you should visit each home. You might go at one time when you will find him home, and he can show you around. Again, you might go when he will be at school and you can talk with his parents. No one, not even the pastor, can possibly get as close to the student’s parents or guardians as you can, for you work intimately with him every week. As a representative of the church, you need to see your respon sibility to co-operate closely with the other two great character-building agencies, the home and the school. This leads us to the fact that you ought to also make an appearance at the Parent-Teacher Association meet ings now and then to visit with your students’ teachers. New facts concern ing each one will come to light. By visiting the gymnasium while your teen-age student plays basketball, you will likewise learn new facts to help unravel his personality and patterns of thinking. Adults ought not to be neglected, either, in the visitation program. Teachers in the adult department are apt to overlook the opportunities to be welcomed into the homes of their “stu dents.” Three words — observation, conver sation, and visitation — may seem like abstractions at present, but. if you ask God to make them come alive in your own teaching experience, you will find they give an impetus to your effectiveness which you never knew before. They will revolutionize your teaching!
by Gordon G. may be fairly well assured that things are going well for him. Greet him with a big smile, ask how he is, and let him know you share his general sense of well-being. Knowing he is in good spirits, you might suggest that he lead the class in prayer at the proper time. He could possibly even be asked to give a testimony of God’s goodness. By observing his pleasant nature, you have prepared the way for an expression of praise to God. Observation, of course, is an end less job, for every time you see any of your students you will want to pick up new information about him or her. The chance encounter downtown, at the ball game, or on the highway will give you new clues to the personality involved. Some people act much dif ferently during the week than they do at church on Sunday. A total pic ture requires astute observation. Conversation. Have you ever made a Concentrated effort to carry on a conversation with each student under your care? Most pupils are rather in ept at concealing their feelings if you engage them in conversation that is pointed directly at finding out their needs, problems, and interests. From the ages of four or five years and upward, you will find many persons who are anxious to talk to you about themselves. Their thoughts will come tumbling out, hungry for expression. By arriving at the classroom early, the instructor may be on hand to talk with pupils as they come in. An ex perience related to the teacher from that week may be the very thing needed to catch the attention of the class and motivate it toward the main principle' to be considered in that day’s lesson. Even if conversation does nothing more than serve to establish rapport with the students, it is worth while. Conversation need not be limited to the student himself, for you can find out a great deal about him by tactfully talking with his friends. He may be too modest to mention an honor he received at school, or he may be unwilling to tell you about bad conditions in his home. But his friends will give you deeper insights concerning his life and the way he thinks. Your pupils should feel free to ask questions or make comments during
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reason Christ was the world’s greatest teacher was because He could read the minds of men. Since
we are not divine, however, we must find other ways to “read” the minds of our students. How may we find out what their needs, problems, and interests are? It is a matter of observation, conser vation, and visitation. The formula is easy to learn, but working it out in your own particular situation involves much time and energy. Observation. Have you ever made a concentrated effort to observe close ly each student under your care? A child will express his inward feel ing through his outward behavior much more openly than an adult, but any person reveals his thoughts some what by his appearance. Timidity, forwardness, joy, resentment, bore dom, and many other characteristics will show in the facial expressions of students. Most teachers are so busy getting prepared for the day’s activities that they lose good opportunities for ob serving their pupils. By reaching to the church early, a teacher may get the room ready in time to watch the stu dents arrive. Their moods are gen erally apparent to the keen observer, and these will affect the manner in which the instructor greets each one. If the primary girl walks briskly about the room with her shoulders high and a sparkle in her eyes, you might sus pect that something wonderful hap pened the past week. Ask her to tell you if something good took place. She might reply that her dress is new, her report card was tops, or her fav orite uncfe is coming to visit that afternoon. By observing her, you have found a key to open up her mind that day. If the teen-age fellow comes in with a long face, shuffles to his seat, and slumps into it dejectedly, you do not want to greet him with a resounding, cheerful remark. Assume a serious pose and gently ask him if he had a rough week. He may reply that his team lost the game the day before or that his girl stood him up on a date Friday evening. By observing his bear ing, you have discovered a need and moved to meet it. If the adult strides in, grips your hand warmly, and walks purposefully off to his seat in the classroom, you
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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