The Boy and the Sunday School: A Manual of Principle and Method for the Work of the Sunday School with Teen Age BoysAlexander, John L.
Religion
The Boy and the Sunday School: A Manual of Principle and Method for the Work of the Sunday School with Teen Age Boys
Alexander, John L.
Sunday schools
The problem of the Sunday school, then, can be solved by men teachers
for boys' classes. The more masculine the Sunday school becomes the
deeper will be the boy's interest. A virile, active Christianity will
challenge the boy; and all other things being equal, the man teacher can
present such a Christianity. In some places this will not be possible
because of the dearth of men due to the lack of any sense of Christian
obligation on the part of the males of the community to the growing boy.
Where real men are missing, we will be forced of necessity to fall back
on the big-hearted women that have so long stood in the breach. It may
be well, also, to add that merely being a male does not constitute a man
or manhood. Some men will need to strengthen themselves to do their duty
as the leaders and teachers of boys in the Sunday school.
None but the strongest teachers should be selected. A boy of high school
age quickly detects weakness in a teacher. Selection of just "any one"
to teach a class is sure failure. The most important element in
organization is leadership. The teacher should aim to become more of a
leader than teacher. Boys' classes should be taught by men, and women
should teach classes of girls. It is impossible for a man to lead girls,
and just as impossible for girls to be led by a man.
With the period of adolescence come problems which can be understood and
solved only by those who have passed through the same experience. Manly
Christian leadership will help boys to grow naturally into Christian
manhood, while only the kind, sympathetic touch of the conscientious
Christian woman leader can help the girl in developing normally into
honored and respected Christian womanhood.
The conscientious Christian leader will keep in mind his obligation to
the individual members of the class. By reading and study he will become
acquainted with the characteristics of the teen age life, with a view to
planning such activities, for both the Sunday and the mid-week session,
as will eventually result in the development of stalwart Christian
manhood.
The successful teacher of the teen age class--
(a) Always sees and plans things from the viewpoint of the pupil.
(b) Teaches the scholar and not the lesson.
(c) Knows personally every member of the class--the home, school,
business, play, social and religious life of every member. This is often
accomplished through an invitation to dinner, a walk, a car ride, or
some other plan, which will bring the scholar and teacher together
naturally. With this knowledge in hand, the teacher can prepare the
lesson to fit the individual needs of the pupil.
(d) Visits the parents.
(e) Is always on hand, unless unavoidably prevented, in which case the
president of the class is notified.
(f) Has a capable substitute teacher to supply in the event of such
absence.
(g) Realizes that the function of his office is that of friend and
counselor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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