Stories from the olden time: Teacher's text book, course IV, part I

by Josephine L. Baldwin

The Pupil’s Book for Work and Study

This book guides the pupil in his Bible reading and study, indicates verses or passages for memorization, and through the handwork furnishes him an opportunity for making the lesson his own. There are several reasons why this book is of high educational value. One is that it serves to fix the facts clearly in mind and facts are the basis of ideas. Ideas cannot be clearly seen until the facts are mastered.

But the book does much more for the pupil than to put him in the possession of knowledge. It gives him an opportunity to practice obedience in a different way from anything to which he has been previously accustomed. In the Primary Department the children do an increasing amount of handwork, but they do it with the help and under the supervision of their teachers. The nine-year-old child must learn to work by himself and to obey printed instructions.

Teachers examining this work for the first time may think that the pupils’ books for the first year are so stereotyped as to leave no room for originality. That is true in a sense, and the work has been prepared purposely in this way, for before the pupils can do original work, they must have a certain basis of knowledge. They must learn how to follow printed instructions carefully, and be able to make themselves do the thing they are told to do at the time they are told to do it. If through the books of the first year the pupils should learn to be both accurate and punctual, we might feel well repaid even if no other results come from this study. But the fact is that while doing the work exactly as it is assigned they will get the greatest benefit from the lesson themselves, for the spirit of obedience generates an atmosphere in which all the Christian graces possible to a child can best develop and flourish.

The work book ministers to the child’s growing sense of responsibility. If he accepts the responsibility and honestly tries to meet its requirements his character is strengthened thereby. If he shirks his duty his moral nature is weakened.

No teacher can afford to allow the children to neglect the work book. If they do not do the work there outlined, they cannot learn the lessons, no matter how well the stories may be told in class. The child learns not by hearing but by doing. On the other hand the book must never be thought of as an end in itself, but only as a means to an end. In one school the most perfect work book shown in the exhibit represented the most abject failure from the standpoint of religious education. It was made by a boy whose mother had compelled him to do the work and supervised it rigidly. He hated it with his whole heart because he was never permitted to play until that work was done. The mother was exceedingly proud of the book. To have it completed and neatly done was the end she had been seeking, and that she had attained. But the book was well-nigh worthless in the teacher’s estimation because it did not represent the child’s own initiative and volition. When the pupil, incited by example and suggestion and rewarded by commendation, chooses to do the work, the book becomes one of the important means by which the great end of character building is accomplished for him.

The teacher should always have a copy of the Pupil’s Book for Work and Study and do the work in it just as he would like to have the children do it. Of course it should be better done than any child can possibly do it. If the teacher colors the pictures with water colors, uses illuminated initial letters, and writes neatly and plainly, his book will be a great incentive to the children to do the very best possible work themselves.

In the beginning of the first quarter’s work the teacher should remember that these children are still to all intents and purposes Primary children unaccustomed to working alone. It is exceedingly important that each teacher should meet the children of the class during the week after teaching the first lesson and show them how to cut out the pictures for that first lesson and paste them in the book. The children would then be certain to start right, and though it may not be true that “well begun is half done,” a good beginning is so encouraging to the child that he is much more likely to keep up the work and to find it enjoyable. But if he makes mistakes or neglects to do the work at the beginning it is doubly difficult to interest him later. The week day gathering to start the children on their handwork might be called a Work Book Social, ending with games and light refreshments. When the children arrive have them take their books and read carefully with you the instructions on pages 2 and 3 before doing the pasting and writing for Lesson 1. Suggest that the picture sheet be handled very carefully so that the pictures needed for later use may not become marred or defaced in any way. Encourage the children to keep the book clean and neat. In order that the cover may not be soiled from use, it is well to make a cover for each book from manilla paper and place the picture sheet between the manilla cover and the cover of the book so that there will be no danger that the pictures will be lost as the book is carried home. Explain that the reading is to be done each day just as indicated in the book. Great stress should be put at all times upon the doing of these specified tasks regularly and keeping strictly up to date with them, in order that the children may form the habit of daily Bible reading and study.

Incentives and rewards will be found necessary as means for inducing the children to choose to do the work. Juniors do not love work, but are interested in the attainment of results, and when wisely led will learn later to love work for work’s sake. Among the incentives there should be a department Honor Roll, and a Class Banner. The first year children who complete their books satisfactorily should be given a social or outing at the end of each quarter. They like public recognition of every kind, so the prospect of having the book appear in the exhibit on promotion day is a strong inducement for doing good work.

Because of the necessary wear and tear on the book and the danger that it may be lost in carrying back and forth, it is not best to have the pupils bring their books every week to the school all through the year; but in the beginning it is desirable to have the book brought each week so that the teacher may see how the work is being done. After the children are well started the teacher can use his own book in the class in giving any necessary instruction.