From a Teacher's Notebook
_Birthday Letters._--Little children will prize highly a cordial,
loving letter written to them by their teacher on their birthday.
Doubtless the very oldest scholars in the school will prize such a
letter as much, if not even more. There should be no preachment in
these letters, no hitting at peculiar sins; just fill them with
Christian sunshine. A birthday prayer in the class, short, simple,
earnest, will clinch to the scholar the lessons of the day.
_Class Letters._--When the teacher is away on a vacation or for other
reasons, a letter sent each week to some member of the class, taking the
scholars in order, will be shared with the other scholars, and will
strengthen the bond that the absence might have weakened or broken.
_Teaching by Correspondence._--When the teacher must be absent, if she
cannot find a good substitute, and the class is of a suitable age for
the plan, let her send a letter containing a few thoughts on the
lesson, together with many questions, which the class are to discuss,
and for which, after joint consultation, they will prepare written
answers, to be sent to the teacher.
_The Lesson Message._--Do you fear that the central truth of the
lesson may not be impressed on your class, either through your
forgetfulness or because you lack time? Then write out for each
scholar a sentence or two of exhortation, with a request that he read
a certain appropriate passage of the Bible. Place these messages in
envelopes, and distribute them at the close of the lesson.
_A Teacher's Loan._--If you have found a book that would be especially
helpful to your class, by all means, if you can afford it, buy a copy,
circulate it among the class, and, after all your scholars have read
it, present it to the library.
_Birthdays of the Great._--Utilize in your teaching not only
Washington's birthday and Lincoln's, but the birthday of any great man
whose life may help to point the moral of the day's lesson. For this
purpose, one of the many "birthday-books" is of value for reference.
_A Magazine Club._--The members of a Sunday-school class have similar
interests, and an ideal magazine and paper club may be organized among
them. Incidentally, it will enable the teacher to direct much of their
reading. The periodicals subscribed for are to be passed around in a
specified order, kept at each house a definite time, and each finally
retained by some member of the class.
_Class Names._--It will prove an inspiration to any class to have a
good name, such as "Earnest Seekers," "Willing Workers," "The Joshua
Band," "Daughters of Ruth."
_Five-Minute Preludes._--Brief preludes on current topics or
practically helpful points connected with the lesson theme may be
found valuable in the Bible class, just as similar preludes have
proved useful in the preaching service.
_Independence._--Occasionally request the class to prepare so
thoroughly that they can leave at home the quarterly, lesson leaf,
even the Bible itself. The teacher also will do this; and if he
improves his opportunity, this thorough storing of the mind may result
in a recitation so delightful that the class will adopt the plan
enthusiastically for the future.
_Her "Funny Box."_--A teacher tells how she lightened the occasional
sickness of her scholars by carrying to them what they called her
"funny box," which held fruit and flowers, with scores of merry jokes
clipped from the papers, peanuts marked with comical faces, and a
Bible verse or two on the inside of the cover.
_A Review Picture-Gallery._--If you have been using the blackboard
during the quarter, try a blackboard review. Draw twelve
picture-frames, and call up the scholars one by one, asking each to
fill in one of the frames with what he remembers of the blackboard
work of that lesson. It may be necessary for the teacher to remind the
scholar what the design was, and to help him draw it, or the entire
class may be asked to give this assistance.
_An Essay Review._--Divide the lessons of the quarter among your
scholars, so that each will write an essay on some one lesson; or, if
your class is too small for that, assign two lessons apiece to some of
the scholars. Limit them as to time, but let each choose his line of
treatment.
_Silent Prayers._--If we always word the children's prayers for them,
they will be unlikely ever to word prayers for themselves. Often
request them to bow their heads and in silence to ask the Father for
what they need and thank him for his kindness.
_Class Prayers._--Why should not every class recitation be opened with
a brief prayer, and often close with one? Yes, and when the talk in
the middle of the lesson becomes especially earnest, prayer is the
best means of binding the truth to the lives of your scholars.
_A Prayer Calendar._--This is a list of the scholars in your class,
plus the name of the teacher, divided among the days of the week, that
of the teacher falling on Sunday. The whole is headed with a promise
to pray each day for the persons named for that day. Each of the
scholars has a copy, and signs it.
_Pegs._--Draw a good-sized map of the country you are studying, and
mount it on a board. With a gimlet bore holes wherever there is an
important town, mountain, lake, or other geographical feature whose
location you wish your scholars to learn. Fit pegs into these holes,
and color the pegs white for the mountains, red for the cities, blue
for the bodies of water. Teach the scholars, as you call for Hebron,
for instance, to place a red peg in the proper hole, and thus to use
the map.
_Dissected Maps._--Paste a good-sized map of the desired country on
thick cardboard or pasteboard. If you cannot get a large enough map,
draw one yourself, and in the process you will learn much geography.
Then cut the map into irregular pieces, and present it to the younger
classes for them to fit together.
_Putty Maps._--With a board foundation and a good map for a guide, any
teacher can build up a relief map of Palestine out of putty. Paint the
water blue, the sandy portions yellow, the fertile plains green, the
mountains white or gray, the cities red. Letter with black.
_Colors and Places._--A good way to aid the children's memory as to
the location of the various lessons of the quarter is to write on the
blackboard the title of each lesson as it comes, using each week a
different color, and pinning to an outline map, at the same time, a
scrap of paper of the same color. Of course, if a later lesson falls
at the same place, the old color will be used in writing its title.
_Home Drawings._--Some teachers wisely require their scholars to
reproduce at home what they can remember of the blackboard work of the
day, and bring in the result the next Sunday. The test is one for the
teacher's blackboard work as well as for the scholars' memory.
_Utilizing your Reading._--Every teacher should keep either a
wide-margin Bible, or an interleaved Bible, solely to note the helps
on Bible texts he may note in his reading. If the book or periodical
is your own, simply set down the page opposite the Bible verse. Some
may prefer a system of envelopes, one for each book of the Bible, in
which clippings may be filed, as well as slips of paper containing
references to books.
_One Way of Preparing._--Cut up the Scripture text found on a lesson
leaf, and paste the verses on large sheets of paper, leaving liberal
space around each. In this space write your own comments, and the
suggestions you glean from your reading.
_On the Spot._--If one of your scholars is reported sick, why not
pen--or _pencil_--a little note immediately, with the aid of the
class, and send it to the sick scholar at the close of the school? A
message thus written will move graciously upon the class as well as
upon the recipient.
_Prompt Investigation._--"A stitch in time saves nine." Apply this
maxim to your scholar's _first_ absence, and look him up at once.
_Lookout Committees._--Divide each class into three companies. Company
A will seek recruits for the class, Company B will hunt up absentees,
and Company C will do hospital service among the sick. Require regular
reports.
_Reports of Study._--Some teachers issue to their scholars blank
reports, which they return, filled out, each Sunday. These reports
tell whether they have studied the lesson for ten minutes each day,
_and what verses of the lesson they do not understand_.
_Reports to Parents._--The work done in Sunday-school should be so
definite that it can be reported. Certain points should be required to
be learned in each lesson, and when they are well recited, or when
they are not recited, the parents should know of it. Regular monthly
or quarterly reports, sent by postal-card, will stimulate the scholar
to learn better, the parents to help him study, and the teacher to
teach with system, definiteness, and persistency.
_Collection and Record._--Give the mother, for her child, fifty-two
little envelopes in which to put a year's pennies or nickels. Each
child's envelopes are given a number, so that the collection is also a
record of attendance.
_More than a Straight Mark._--A simple but complete record may be made
by a few strokes of the pencil. A cross has been suggested. The upper
arm signifies "present"; the lower arm, "prompt"; the left-hand arm,
"the lesson learned," according to a definite standard; the right-hand
arm, "present at church." If the scholar has failed in one or more of
these points, the corresponding arms are omitted from the cross.
_Class Photographs._--With your own camera or some friend's take a
group picture of your class once a year. You may give them at that
time a pleasant "photograph party," or take an excursion together to
some place, there to be photographed. Each scholar should have a copy
of the resulting picture. It will be delightful if all the classes can
thus be photographed, and an exhibition arranged of the entire series
of pictures, which then becomes the property of the school.
_Holidays Together._--A teacher especially successful in holding
together a class of boys is in the habit of taking them with him on
all sorts of excursions,--to libraries, museums, points of historical
interest, on sleigh-rides, to hear illustrated lectures. And often he
arranges for them merry parties at his home.
_A Class Symbol._--Some concrete token, presented when the new scholar
joins the class, will greatly help to cement the relationship. This
may be a little book, a ribbon book-mark, an illuminated Scripture
card, a simple emblematic pin. Whatever it is, it should be the same
for all, that it may serve as a sort of class badge.
_Introduction Cards._--These are of use to make new scholars acquainted
with their classmates. The card contains the names of Sunday-school,
teacher, and all the scholars, that of the new scholar being last, with
the date of entrance. The whole is of immediate service to the new
member, and is sure to be preserved as a pleasant memento.
_A Work for Each._--Enlist each of your scholars in some definite and
individual work for Christ. One may gather up old periodicals for the
seamen, one may be interested in a children's hospital, one may collect
partly worn garments for the poor. At each meeting of the class call for
brief reports of these special lines of work. There could be no better
commentary on the lessons your scholars are studying.
_Substitute Teachers._--The teachers should obtain their own
substitutes, whenever possible. If the superintendent makes it clear
that he expects this, it will usually be done. In the process of
obtaining the substitute, too, the teacher will probably gain fresh
sympathy and consideration for the superintendent.
_A Class Historian._--Appoint one scholar to this office. Ask him to
keep track of the old members, and report any interesting news
concerning them, at the same time keeping a record.
_Essays._--Your scholars will appreciate the honor if asked to prepare
essays now and then on special points in the lessons, such as "Jewish
customs regarding Sunday," "The city of Antioch," "What the Bible
teaches about temperance." Such essays should be very brief.
_Supplemental Lessons._--The very interest aroused by the International
Lessons calls often for supplementary lessons, dealing with such topics
as the origin of the Bible, Bible geography, the Christian doctrines.
Ten minutes preceding the regular lesson may be spent on such themes,
and a great deal thus learned in the course of the year.
_An Expedient._--If a boy is especially mischievous and restless,
make him an usher and set him to keeping the rest in order.
_A Study Outline._--Each member of a certain class was furnished with
a copy of the following excellent programme for home study of the
lesson: "1. Intervening events. 2. Time. 3. Place. 4. Persons. 5.
Incidents. 6. Parallel passages and Scripture references. 7.
Difficulties. 8. Doctrines and duties. 9. Central thought. 10.
Personal application--to myself, to others."
_Question-Books._--Blank-books in which questions on the lesson have
been written, with spaces for answers, may profitably be used even in
very young classes. The answers should be written immediately on the
conclusion of the teaching, or even, question by question, as the
teaching proceeds. In older classes, the questions may be set before the
class a week later, and may introduce the next lesson, by way of review.
_Home-Made Question-Books._--To induce your scholars to study at home,
provide for each of them two little blank-books. Write a question in
one, and request the return of the book next Sunday with the answer
written out. Exchange it for the second book, and so alternate. Wise
teachers will slip into such books many a personal word of praise or
exhortation.
_A Question Formula._--Ask each member of the class to bring you,
every Sunday, written answers to a set of questions so general that,
once dictated, they will serve for all lessons; for instance: "When
occurred the events of our lesson? What is a brief synopsis of our
lesson? What is its principal teaching? Which is your favorite verse
in it, and why?" These answers should be discussed in the class.
_Trained as Questioners._--In most schools there is no normal class,
and if the teachers do not train their scholars to teach, the next
generation of teachers in that school will be untrained. The class
should be taught how to ask questions, and probably the best way to do
this is to have them occupy a few minutes at the beginning of each
recitation questioning one another on the previous lesson.
_A Choice of Questions._--For this exercise the teacher writes a
number of questions, which she brings to the class. Each scholar in
turn is permitted to select a question, which he will propound to any
of his classmates he may pick out.
_The "Bible Library."_--This is a help to learning the order of the
books of the Bible, and consists of sixty-six wooden blocks, painted and
lettered to represent books, and varying in thickness with the size of
the various books of the Bible. The poetical books are "bound" in the
same style, the minor prophets in a different style, and so with other
"sets." These imitation books are kept on shelves, from which they are
taken by the children, to be replaced in the correct order.
_Bible-Reading Lessons._--Many scholars read the Bible wretchedly;
they have never been taught how. If this is the case with your class,
have them read the lesson, verse about, before you discuss it. After
the reading, criticise it, and have them repeat it.
_Two Bibles._--If the scholars will not bring their Bibles to
school,--and the boys especially are likely to think it will look
"goody-goody,"--the next best plan is to give each of them a second
Bible for his own use during the school hour.
_Marked Bibles._--Teach the scholars to mark their Bibles, writing,
for instance, the "key-word" at the beginning of each book;
underscoring the leading sentence of a chapter; marking with red all
passages referring to Christ as our Saviour; writing a P after every
promise; "railroading," or connecting with a neatly drawn line,
phrases that are antithetical or mutually explanatory, etc. One set of
colored inks will answer for the class. The scholars will delight in
the work, it will induce them to bring their Bibles to school, and
will teach them how to use the Book.
_Bible Dialogues._--Where the lesson text includes conversation, get
the scholars to read it in dialogue form, or to come with it thus
written out.
_Home Bible-Reading._--The school may be set to reading the Bible at
home, if lists of readings for each day of the week are written on
cards by the teachers, and given out, to be returned, signed, in token
that the reading has been accomplished.
_A Divided Primary Department._--In large schools, where the
superintendent of the primary department teaches the lesson for ten or
fifteen minutes, and then hands the classes over to her assistant
teachers, it is best for those teachers to spend their time in
eliciting from the children, by questions, the facts and truths just
taught them. Thus you will make sure of something gained.
_A Week-Day Meeting._--It has been proved possible to sustain, in
connection with a primary department, a week-day meeting for special
and supplementary teaching, including singing, mission studies, and
Bible history and geography.
_Introducing Prayer._--This little verse, recited in concert, is used
in many primary departments just before the prayer service:
"We fold our hands that we may be
From all our work and play set free;
We close our eyes that we may see
Nothing to take our thoughts from thee;
We bow our heads as we draw near
The King of kings, our Father dear."
_The Essentials._--Every child, before leaving the primary department,
should know the Commandments, the Beatitudes, the Twenty-third Psalm,
the Apostles' Creed or some simple statement of Christian faith, the
books of the Bible by name and order and something of their origin,
the principal features of the map of Palestine, the chief events in
Christ's life. Some of the Old Testament history will of course be
added,--creation, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Samuel, David, Solomon.
_Primary Prayers._--No prayer for the children is so good as prayer by
the children. Ask them, one after the other, to name things for which
they are grateful. Then give them the formula, "I thank thee, Lord, for
...," and let them offer prayers of thanksgiving for what they have
mentioned. Again, ask each to tell one thing he really wants, and follow
with prayers of petition, with the formulas, "Help me, dear Jesus, to be
...," or, "Give me, dear Jesus, ..." Teach short Bible prayers. Offer
longer prayers in brief sentences, which the children reverently repeat
after you. For example: "Our dear heavenly Father, ... we thank thee for
this beautiful day, ... for our homes and fathers and mothers, ... for
our sisters and brothers and friends, ... and all that thou hast given
us to make life happy.... Teach us to be helpful to those that are
without these blessings.... Make us more kind and patient.... Help us to
do everything thou dost want us to do.... For Jesus' sake. Amen."
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Transcriber's Notes:
Page 37 - "bioggraphy" changed to "biography". (... low plane of mere
facts, history, biography, when it should be ...)
Page 112 - Diacritical marks left in "cooperate" and "zoology" left as
printed.
Page 271 - "degress" changed to "degrees". (... Christ's university,
the highest of all degrees, Masters of ...)
"every-day" and "everyday", "new-comers" and "newcomers", "note-book"
and "notebook", "practise" and "practice" are left as printed.
Reformatted the advertisements for plain text.