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PART I.
The

Teacher's
Teaching
Work.

CHAPTER 4.
Methods
of the

Process.

of a kindly disposition, or of a surly one? of a generous, manly nature, or of a selfish and unlovely spirit? Is he of a tender heart, quick to respond to any appeal to the feelings? or is he of a cold and Teaching sluggish temperament, not likely to be swayed by his emotions? Is he easily influenced by others? or has he marked independence of character? These questions, and many a similar one, can be answered by yourself, after a brief period of observation of the scholars, separately and in comparison with each other, in your class; and their answering will go far toward giving you a knowledge of your scholars individually.

You can know.

Week-day study of scholars.

But there are many things which one needs to know about his scholars, which cannot be learned in the class, or on Sundays; they must be ascertained during the week, and in or near the scholars' homes, or places of employment; or, again, where the teacher and the scholar are by themselves, in freer social intercourse. Has the scholar a good home, or a wretched one? Is he the child of godly parents? or bas he no parents living, or worse than none? Is he at school; and, if so, what is his standing there? Has he some outside employment; and, if so, is he faithful or slack in its duties? Do his home and business and social surroundings work with the influence of the Sundayschool, or against it? How does he spend his evenings, or his other spare time? To what kind of reading does he incline? What temptations seem

Weighed in the Balances.

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PART I. The Teacher's Teaching Work. CHAPTER 4. Methods of the Teaching Process.

most to beset him? What would seem to be the strongest inducements to his well-doing? What are his prevailing tastes and ambitions and weaknesses? Some of these things are to be learned by one's own observation; others of them may be better learned through inquiry of the scholar's parents, or employers, or neighbors, or companions; or again by free chats with the scholar himself, as he is seen at his home, or his place of occupation, or by the wayside; or in the teacher's home, when he is invited there. The scholar is already known to some persons. Why should his teacher be unable to ascertain his true measure? Emerson says, of the sure disclosure of one's character and characteristics, under the observa- Many judgmenttion of his sharp-eyed fellows: "The world is full of days. judgment-days, and into every assembly that a man enters, and in every action that he attempts, he is gauged and stamped. In every troop of boys that whoop and run in each yard and square, a new comer is well and accurately weighed in the course of a few days, and stamped with his right measure, as if he had undergone a formal trial of his strength." What should hinder a teacher from ascertaining the common judgment which has been passed upon his scholar, by those who know that scholar best?

liefs.

Then, as to the scholar's present attainment in Personal beknowledge, as to his present standards of conduct, and as to his present personal beliefs. Some scholars know a great deal less than their teachers suppose;

PART I.
The
Teacher's
Teaching
Work.

CHAPTER 4.
Methods
of the
Teaching
Process.

Doctrines

and words.

A wet

blanket needed.

others know a great deal more.
Some have correct
views at one point, and quite incorrect views at
another point. Skillful questioning must be directed
to the ascertaining of the truth, in each case. When
Paul asked certain disciples at Ephesus: "Did ye
receive the Holy Ghost when ye believed?" their
answer was, "Nay, we did not so much as hear
whether the Holy Ghost was given." That showed
Paul the special need of those scholars; and he was
thus enabled to minister to them individually. Simi-
lar questioning to this, would bring out as great
need, and as unsuspected lack, in many of those
who are under religious instruction at the present
time. This is as true in morals as it is in doctrine.
If a scholar is a total-abstainer, but is inclined to
profanity, he ought to be addressed differently from
a scholar who is pure and reverent in speech, but is
inclined to tippling. If he is not honest, not truth-
ful, not regardful of the Sabbath, not inclined to
honor his parents, the teacher ought to know that
fact, as preliminary to his wise teaching. It is a
familiar story, of a colored brother saying to a new
preacher, before his first sermon: "Jus' please don't
talk nuffin 'bout stealin', here to-day. Dat would be
a wet blanket on dis whole congregation." A "wet
blanket" has its place in putting out a smothering
fire, as well as in keeping ice from melting; and
preacher or teacher ought to have such a knowledge
of the condition of his class or of his congregation as

Seeing and Doing Duty.

would enable him to know if now is the time for that agency. If, again, the hospital visitor had noticed that the patient, whose pale face so interested him, had lost both his legs, he would hardly have given him that tract against dancing, as the story goes.

115

PART I.
The
Teacher's
Teaching
Work.

CHAPTER 4.
Methods

of the

Teaching
Process.

for all this.

To pursue this study of the individual scholar as preliminary to his intelligent teaching, brings no small demand on the teacher's time and ability; but there is no possibility of an intelligent teaching of the individual scholar without the results of such Finding time study. Study of this kind is done by the best Sunday-school teachers; it ought to be done by all. As to its importance and practicability, the truth is concisely stated by a Baptist teacher in Philadelphia, who says, "With a class of twenty-five scholars, and a busy daily life, I find time to know generally each one's daily work, and pretty largely their personal needs, so that Sunday finds me prepared for them separately, as well as for them as a class. The way I do it is twofold: first, by considering its duty quite as important, and its work quite as necessary, as my ordinary business; secondly, by encouraging the scholars to consult me as to their daily troubles, as well as their spiritual needs."

success.

He who cannot find time, and find a way, to study The way of his scholars individually, will not have time, and will not know a way, to teach his scholars intelligently.

PART I.
The
Teacher's
Teaching
Work.

CHAPTER 4.
Methods
of the
Teaching

Process.

knowing

how.

II.

HOW TO STUDY A LESSON FOR ITS

TEACHING.

What Solomon and Paul would Need; What Studying a Lesson Means;
Having a Plan of Study; Old-Time Plans and Later Ones; The
Order of True Study; Not Attempting Too Much; Testing One's
Preparation.

NEXT to a knowledge of the individuals to be taught, comes a knowledge of the special truth to be taught those individuals. How can that knowledge be obtained? To know a thing so as to be able to teach it, requires special preliminary study. How to study a subject, in preparation for its teaching, is an art—an art with which every teacher ought to be familiar, but of the very existence of which very many "teachers seem not to be aware.

It is not a question of spiritual preparedness for the office of a teacher, but one of special preparation The need of for a particular act of teaching, that is here involved. If a man were as experienced as Moses, as wise as Solomon, as devoted as Paul, and with all the religious fervor of the prophets and apostles combined, he could not teach what he did not know; nor could

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