Training the Teacher Part 44

3. What officers does an organized cla.s.s need?

4. What committees?

5. What are the advantages of a name for the cla.s.s?

6. What is the right relation of such a cla.s.s to the school?

7. To the community?

8. State the benefits of an organized cla.s.s.

Text Questions for Review

Lessons 6 to 10

1. What should be the most important feature of the Sunday-school session?

2. Who should be in a teacher-training cla.s.s?

3. What may the teacher accomplish between Sundays?

4. What is a Workers' Meeting?

5. What is the "Angle Method" of study at that meeting?

6. What are the duties of the financial board?

7. How may a mission-study cla.s.s be conducted?

8. What is usually the measure of a school's power?

9. How may an Adult Cla.s.s be organized?

10. State the benefits of an organized cla.s.s.

NOTE.--This entire subject is fully and helpfully discussed by Mr.

Lawrance in his book "How to Conduct a Sunday School."

APPENDIX

Teaching Hints

#Two years of time# preferably should be allowed for the completion of these lessons. The International a.s.sociation will grant a diploma upon the completion of the First Standard Course, provided at least one study year has been spent in pursuing the fifty lessons.

If the book is studied by a normal cla.s.s, meeting at the time of the regular lesson period on Sunday, only a half-hour will usually be available; and in this case at least one hundred half-hour periods, extending over two teaching years, should be used for the fifty lessons. If full hour periods are available, the course may be completed within one year of fifty lesson periods.

The Book

Although the numbered lessons begin with the story of Adam on page 14, there are two chapters which may be used as preliminary material, if the leader chooses. One of these is "How the Bible Came to Us," by Professor Price, on page 123. There are fifteen numbered paragraphs in this chapter; if there are at least fifteen members in the cla.s.s, a profitable hour could be spent by a.s.signing a paragraph to a member, several days ahead, with the understanding that each one was to read the entire chapter, but to be specially prepared in his a.s.signed paragraph. At the time of the lesson hour pencil and paper could be supplied to each member of the cla.s.s. Then beginning with paragraph 1, all books closed, the a.s.signed member could state from memory the contents of the paragraph, while all the others silently write down wrong statements or omissions--these to be brought out later.

#The chapter on the Bible#, page 11, should also precede the numbered lessons. The chart given is easily remembered and each member might reproduce this chart from memory and tell something of each of the several periods enumerated.

#The Lessons on the Book.#--It will be seen that each lesson is composed of several parts: (a) The historical outline, which is placed first; (b) the geographical work, in a statement of places and an outline map; (c) a paragraph designated "Significance of Events"; (d) the story of the period briefly retold in simple language. Note the following suggestions:

(a) _The Historical Outline._--These outlines, taken altogether, const.i.tute a complete statement of the essentials of Bible history.

They are the framework upon which may be built as elaborate a Bible story as one may wish. The outlines may well be used for memory work and in question drills and reviews.

(b) _The Geographical Work._--In most of the chapters the maps are so simply drawn that they may be used for geography drill, each student being asked to draw (without tracing) the simple map connected with the lesson, and locate the places mentioned.

(c) _Significance of Events._--These paragraphs, taken together, form a concise story of the progress of redemption and revelation, and state the spiritual teaching of each period. The essentials of these statements may be memorized, but students should be required to express the thought in their own language.

(d) _The Retold Bible Story._--Emphasis upon the memorizing of the other three parts of the lesson should not prove an excuse for pa.s.sing by the Bible narrative here given. Without this the other work may prove dry and uninteresting--a task. The student who reads and rereads the narrative with care will find his memory work in the other portions invested with a vitality that will otherwise be missing. The narrative section will furnish abundant material for brief debates, informal discussions, a.s.signed papers on special topics, and many other helpful methods. Bible study of historical facts in rigid outline may be made as dry as dust. Bible study aglow with human interest and enthusiastically pursued by diversified methods may be made the most interesting study that can be undertaken.

#Using the Blackboard.#--The blackboard may be used with great profit as an aid in reviewing a lesson, either at the close of a teaching period, at the beginning of a period following a lesson a.s.signed for home study, or at intervals in the course after covering several lessons. No special blackboard outlines are offered in this book; it is urged that each leader shall construct his own blackboard review from the historical outlines at the beginning of each lesson on the Bible. Such a blackboard review should be accompanied by questions and answers. Here is an ill.u.s.tration of the blackboard use of the outlines of Lesson 1, The Book, page 14, _after the entire lesson has been carefully studied and with all books closed_.

_Leader._--What are the great divisions of the Bible?

_Answer._--Old Testament and New Testament.

(Here may follow a drill on the Books of the Old Testament in their order.)

_Leader._--We will begin with the study of _The Old Testament Division_ (write).

_Leader._--How may this be divided?

_Answer._--Into a prelude and five periods.

_Leader._--What does the prelude tell about? (Write _Prelude_.)

_Answer._--_Story of creation_ (write).

_Leader._--Where do we read about it?

_Answer._--_Genesis 1, 2_ (write).

_Leader._--Where do all things have their origin?

_Answer._--In G.o.d.