RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Evening Star, Issue 21742, 9 June 1934, Page 5

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

[By Forward.] HOME AND SCHOOL WORKING TOGETHER. For some time past, attention of Sunday School workers and others have been focussed on the important question of how the home can be made to co-operate more fully with the work of the Sunday school. The following article, by Mrs Alma M‘Ribbon, deals with one phase of the problem, and is printed here in the hope that it will prove helpful to all. Persons who, like the writer, occupy the dual .role of teacher and parent in the church’s programnle find it easy to see- that lack of understanding is often the chief cause for the seeming indifference of parents to the work of the church school. To bring about a better understanding should be one of the main purposes of all church school workers. It is the purpose of this article to suggest some ways by which tiiis can be done.

It might be helpful first, if a view of the problem were taken from both sides. There is the parent’s side of it. If the teacher will remember these facts about the parents of her; children,' it will help greatly in solving their common problems:— All normal parents are interested in their children and in anything which they feel is making a definite contribution to their lives.

Parents do not expect or want the Sunday school to duplicate the dayschool experiences of the child. Parents appreciate personal contacts of the- teacher with them and with the children.

Parents want to see what is being done in the church school, as well as to hear about it.

There are different kinds of parents depending largely on environment and education.

Most parents will welcome an opportunity to have a part in a well-organ-ised programme which will help to make religion real and -vital to the child. . . Parents have a right to expect guidance from the church as to' effective ways of ; interpreting religion to their children. The teacher’s viewpoint must also be considered; the parent should know these facts; —

Most v teachers are busy people who are giving their time to the church school because of devotion to the task of Christian education.

Teaching a Sunday School class requires many more hours than the time on Sunday. Teachers need the encouragement which interested parents can give them. The church school programme is an essential part of the education of the child, and cannot he neglected. A very small part of religious education can be given on Sunday. It is the daily learning and living . that counts. , A weekly homework, correlated with the Sunday school lesson, in which the parents take an interest, would greatly help the child’s development and assist the teacher. , _ The parent’s attitude toward Sunday school exercises a large influence on the child’s attitude.

Religious nurture is a home responsibility, and cannot be entirely transferred to some other person. What, then, can the church school do in order that the parents may have a better opportunity to help in the work? The following suggestions might be used in large organised schools and adapted to meet the-needs of other types'. ’ . A Mothers’ , Circle.—-This group _will be composed of mothers of pre-school children, meeting monthly with carefully planned programmes. The programme should be concerned for the most part with the religious needs of the small child. This group will have committees, which function in the church school as assistants to the ciadle roll and beginners’ superintendents. They may help in sending out letters, in visiting sick children apd new babies, and may at times be called upon to help on Sundays. There, will also be programme and social committees, which function within the group. A Parents’ Club.—This group wdl be composed of fathex's and mothers ox school children. It will have its regulai meetings also, with a programme suited to its needs. There should be, of course, a wide field in the choice of topics for discussion, but a carefully planned programme under the direction of a programme committee will lie found to be most helpful. This club should be not only an organisation which has interesting meetings for parents, but one organised for co-operation with the church and actively helping it in its work.- > .

TEACHER-PARENT CONTACTS. The home room plan could be used to advantage here. There would be a mother and an assisting mother to represent the parents in each department. They would meet with the teachers and help plan the year’s work. They would help the teacher in keeping in touch with all the parents within the group through letters, etc. It must be remembered that mothers should not be expected to leave their liomes and children too often. Care should be ta.kea that the minimum number of meetings which require her attendance are hell. It is probable that a meeting of the teachers and officers and the assisting mothers in a department at the beginning of the year, one in the middle of the year, and one towards the last of the year will be all of the group meetings necessary. Then a relationship can be built 'up between the parents and teachers of a particular age group and the mother who represents that group. The important thing is that a feeling of actually working together built up between parents and teachers. Statements regarding the teaching plans of the department should go lo the parents regularly, probably at the beginning of each, quarter. Definite plans should be made early in the year for a church school day, when parents may visit the school and see the worn which the children are doing. There will also be careful plans made to meet the needs of fathers and mothers for more extensive training. We must not forget the inspirational needs which are often very’ real to parents. One teacher felt that her class of young mothers should be 'discussing their own everyday problems in relation to their children, and she tried many times to give opportunity for such a class discussion. It never succeeded. Finally a few of them came to her and told her that they had left their children in the beginners’ department and had come to her for spiritual guidance. They’ said they had many helps on management of children, but what they wanted was enrichment for their own lives so that they could give religions guidance to their children. Anyone who has talked to parents in churches knows that their need is great in these times. Some churches may feel that their parents are in need of guidance along other lines. AVherever the need is, there should the church be with her helping hand. It is important that the home help the child to think of religion as an everyday experience, and for that rea-

son special effort should be made on the part of both parent and. teacher to see that opportunities for practising the ideals that are presented on Sunday be given during the week. A list of Bible material used in the, church school during a month will .help the parents. A suggested list of stories and books will also be helpful. Many times books prepared by the children to illustrate songs and stories form a link between home and, school. _ The important, thing is that the teachers should, take for granted the fact that parents want to help in every way possible, and. proceed oh that basis. The teacher should be sure that suggestions for home co-operation have real worth and meaning. There has been too much talk about “ helping mother set the table,” and not enough talk abput the presence ,of the Heavenly Father in the lives of both great and small. Children, of course,, must learn to act properly and. to be helpful in the simplest details of life, but they must also learn to live as in the presence of God, and that requires far more guidance on the part of parent and teacher. It means a wide knowledge of life both in its practical and beautiful aspects. It means that “ the things of the spirit ” grow more and more meaningful. For this task all the combined •skills and consecration of both parent arid teacher are necessary. :