Principles of Teaching Part 17

3. To meet special needs.

4. My att.i.tude should always be one of prayerfulness.

This matter of organization may be diagrammatically ill.u.s.trated as follows:

_Random Thoughts_ _Organized Thoughts_

The hymn

The song ______________ | | What is the use | FOCUS | I. What is Prayer?

of prayer? | or | | AIM | II. Why should I pray?

Are prayers answered? | | | To establish | III. How Should I Pray?

How often should | prayer as a | I pray? | life habit. | IV. When Should I Pray?

|______________| What are the characteristics of a good prayer, etc.?

In short, organizing involves the search for thought and the bringing of order out of chaos. Having selected the aim, the main headings, and the sub-headings, we now face _step four_--the enriching of these sub-headings in ill.u.s.tration, incident, etc., so that we may link up these thoughts with the experience of our pupils. We may think of so much stimulating material that during the ordinary cla.s.s hour we can cover well only one of these questions. Our purpose and the needs of the cla.s.s must determine the extent of our detail. The actual material that could be used to enrich this lesson on prayer will be given in the chapter on ill.u.s.tration.

_Step five_ involves the problem of application, or "carry-over into life"--a subject to which another chapter will be devoted. Of course, we ought to say here, in pa.s.sing, that application is not something added to or "tacked on" a lesson. It may be emphasized at the close of a lesson, but in reality it pervades and is inherent in the whole lesson.

QUESTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS--CHAPTER XV

1. What is meant by calling teaching a composite process?

2. Point out the essential advantages in outlining lessons.

3. Show how outlining is not in conflict with inspiration.

4. Name the essential steps in lesson organization.

5. Choose a subject from one of the manuals now in use in one of our organizations and build up a typical lesson.

HELPFUL REFERENCES

Those listed in Chapter XIV.

CHAPTER XVI

ILl.u.s.tRATING AND SUPPLEMENTING A LESSON

OUTLINE--CHAPTER XVI

The force of ill.u.s.trations.--Three kinds of ill.u.s.tration material: 1. maps; 2. pictures; 3. incidents.--The force of maps and map drawing.--The appeal of good pictures.

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS

Ill.u.s.trative material for a lesson on prayer.

Having discussed the organization of a lesson together with the formulation of the aim, let us now turn to the problem of ill.u.s.trating and supplementing a lesson. In organizing a subject for teaching we drive the nails of major thoughts--through ill.u.s.tration we clinch those nails so that they will be less likely to pull out of the memory.

The three chief cla.s.ses of ill.u.s.trative and supplementary material are:

Maps, pictures, incidents--actual, imaginary.

It is clear that in the lesson outlined on prayer, in chapter fourteen, we should have little occasion for the use of a map. We can, however, in connection with that lesson, point out the force of pictures and incidents.

Maps naturally are of greatest service in lessons with historical and geographical background. The journeyings of Israel mean so much more to us when we can follow them from place to place on a good map. So the Book of Mormon account clears up if we are similarly guided. Had we authentic maps of the lands named in the Book of Mormon, how much clearer and more interesting the history would become! We would know the exact spot on our present-day maps where Lehi and his family landed from their heaven-directed barges; we would know where to find the land Bountiful; where may now be found the ancient site of the City of Zarahemla; where flows the River Sidon; what country is indicated by the "land northward"; the journeys of the Nephites as they were being driven; what states saw there continued struggles against their inveterate enemies, the Lamanites, and how they reached their final battle-ground near the Hill c.u.morah. To visit with Jesus in Palestine adds a charm to the New Testament that is really hard to evaluate, and surely the travels of our own pioneers call for the aid of a good map.

Thoroughly to appreciate all that they did requires that we travel over the wonderful trail they followed--that being impossible, the next nearest approach is to see actually drawn out the magnitude of their achievement. The appeal to the eye couples so forcefully with the appeal to the ear that no cla.s.sroom ought to be without its maps. Perhaps it is not beyond possibilities to conceive that at a not distant date we shall have made available films for cla.s.s use to intensify the great lessons we draw from history.

Pictures make a wonderful appeal, particularly so to children. It is impossible to measure the inspirational appeal that a single masterpiece exerts on a cla.s.s of boys and girls. A theological cla.s.s in one of the Sunday Schools of Salt Lake County was once blessed with a most magnetic and powerful teacher. Upon his death, the cla.s.s had his picture framed and hung on the front wall of the room in which he had taught. From that day to this the silent inspiration of that picture has stimulated scores of young men and women to the high ideals for which he stood.

More generally applicable and more easily available, of course, is the _Incident_. The ability to tell a story is one of the finest attainments of the teacher--particularly if he will take the pains to find vigorously wholesome and appropriate ones. May we repeat the warning that stories ought not to be told merely to fill out the hour, nor to tickle the ears of the cla.s.s, but to intensify and heighten the truths contained in our lessons.

Included under the heading _Incident_ may be listed short poems and all kinds of literary bits that fit in appropriately as spice to a lesson.

On the subject Prayer, the following are some possibilities:

Under question I, "What is prayer?" the hymn, "Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire."

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed; The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast.

Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, When none but G.o.d is near.

Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try; Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high.

Prayer is the Christian's vital breath, The Christian's native air; His watchword at the gates of death; He enters heav'n with prayer.

Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice Returning from his ways, While angels in their songs rejoice, And cry, "Behold, he prays!"

The Saints in prayer appear as one In word and deed and mind, While with the Father and the Son Their fellowship they find.

Nor prayer is made on earth alone,-- The Holy Spirit pleads, And Jesus, on the Father's throne, For sinners intercedes.

O thou by whom we come to G.o.d, The Life, the Truth, the Way!

The path of prayer Thyself has trod; Lord, teach us how to pray!

The two songs: "Sweet Hour of Prayer," "Did You Think to Pray?"

"For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart, yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads." (Doc. & Cov., Sec. 25:12.)

The following selection:

"Prayer--sweet breath from out a joyous heart wafting grat.i.tude to Heaven.

"Prayer--a sacred confidence between a fearful soul and G.o.d.