Guiding religious growth : a manual for primary teachers in vacation schools

Front matter

GVIDING RELIGIOVS GROWTH

A Melnuel for Primary Teachers in Vacafion Schools

By | MARIE WwW. McDONALD

Preface

It is commonplace to say that profound changes have taken place in the concepts, objectives, organization, curriculum, and teaching methods. of religious education. It is commonplace also to note that a number of churches are rapidly coming to the realization of the need of an expanded program of religious education. The traditional Sunday morning session of one hour has been found wholly inadequate for developing Christian ideals, attitudes, habits, and control in Christian living. Many churches are extending the Sunday session into midweek and vacation schools.

In the light of present-day knowledge it is assumed that learning is the outcome of doing and that there is no real learning except through the — medium of experience; therefore an ideal program of religious education is one that provides for richer, fuller, and more abundant living. We are just beginning to realize the tremendous influences of these changing concepts of religion and education on the practice of the Church school. The old type Sunday school, based on memorization of subject matter, is rapidly dying, and in its place is arising another type of school; new in theory, new in curriculum, and new in practice.

Notwithstanding the obvious nature of these considerations, the educational situation is frequently quite puzzling to classroom teachers and supervisors who are responsible for the details of planning the courses of study and methods for classroom procedure. These teachers and supervisors know ' that scientific research in education has revealed principles and facts which condemn many time-honored school practices. They realize that in many respects old theories and practices in education have passed away and all things have become new. As a result of this realization many teachers are earnestly seeking for suggestions and directions in the selection of curriculum activities which will help them in applying these new theories and methods to actual classroom practice.

Educators further recognize that the forces which have brought about these radical changes are still active and that more changes are likely to come as the result of continued study and experimentation in the field of education. Therefore, in this manual, no attempt is made to put down hard and fast rules; nor is there any attempt to give definite outlines of classroom methods of procedure. Emphasis is given to the discussion of religious education as a process of daily living, the nature of learning, and the general principles of teacher guidance of purposeful activity.

The author has been privileged to work for many years with primary children in both public and Church schools. During these years she has come in touch with many superior teachers of little children. These pages have been the result of much experience and study. The observations and reports of classroom work given in this volume have been worked out with groups of average children in average situations and average conditions.

Two units of work or major projects are described: How We Get Our Food and Shepherd Life of Bible Lands. The preliminary plans are given as worked out by the teachers, in collaboration with the author. The reports and descriptions record the actual happening, or what actually occurred in working out these plans. It is not expected that these plans will be followed in detail; but they are given in order that they may serve as aids to primary teachers in the selection of units of work which contain religious value and that may also serve the teachers in guiding the children in the selection and successful completion of the various enterprises which are undertaken by the local groups.

Part I Chapter I Introduction

Your Church has decided to enlarge its program of work and to extend the time given to the religious education of children and youth. This expansion may take the form of a two-hour session on Sunday morning or one or two sessions during the week, or it may take the form of what is commonly known as a Vacation school.

You have been asked to assume the responsibility for the work with children six, seven, and eight years of age, this group commonly known as the Primary Department in the Church school organization. It is hoped that you have approached this task with an earnest searching of heart and with a desire to prepare yourself in the highest possible way for the privilege and responsibility intrusted to you by the Church.

It may be that you are a superintendent. Or you may be a classroom teacher or an assistant. Certain questions or problems, such as these suggested below, will arise in your mind as you begin preparation for your duties.

1. What can be accomplished in the lives of boys and girls through a Vacation school?

2. Why has the Church decided to extend the time into the week-day or vacation sessions ?

3. Why have I been selected to teach or supervise in the Primary Department?

4. What is my attitude to a Vacation school?

5. What shall I do first?

6. What course of study or curriculum shall I use?

7. What is meant by an experience-centered curriculum? Units of work? Projects? Learning through activity?

8. Can sound educational principles and methods be applied in our situation: with average children, untrained teachers, and limited leadership and equipment?

9. Where can I secure definite guidance in selecting a course of study, organizing the groups, securing supplies and equipment?

can GUIDING RELIGIOUS GROWTH

10. Where can I get help in classroom methods? 11. What equipment will be needed, such as rooms, furniture, supplies, books, stories, songs, and pictures?

12. What place has worship in the week-day and Vacation schools, and how can it be made a vital part of an experience-centered curriculum with primary children?

Please do not become dismayed over such a formidable array of problems. You have overcome at least half of the difficulties of the task when you have taken time to analyze the problem, for you know what you have to face. It is impossible in a book such as this to attempt to consider all the problems of an expanded program of religious education, or to discuss in a scientific way the principles and methods of educational procedure. However, an effort has been made to approach the subject from the newer viewpoint of education, and some attempt has been made to give the primary teacher the result of long experience and study in the application of these principles and methods of religious education to the actual classroom work with primary children. The author has endeavored to keep constantly before her the great number of splendid, earnest workers who have not had time or opportunity to read many technical books on educational principles and yet who desire definite guidance in applying these principles in their work. No effort has been spared to make this book definite and practical and to indicate ways in which any good teacher may guide and direct the religious growth of primary children according to the commonly approved standards and methods of education.

Why Have Midweek or Vacation Sessions in the Church School P

Many teachers have not considered this question. They are content to continue along the same lines and methods under which the Sunday school has operated since they were children. Apparently they have never realized © that the twenty- or thirty-minute session once a week is totally inadequate to help the child adjust himself to the problems of the highly complex social order of to-day and to help him make religion a vital force in his life.

There are others who have been very active in the administration and teaching of the Vacation school of the past and have come to the honest

INTRODUCTION 2, conclusion that the results do not justify the time and effort and money which the Church has put into them. These teachers are frankly discouraged. The scarcity of trained, skilled teachers and leaders, the indifference of parents, the vagueness and indefiniteness of objectives and methods of administration and teaching, poor equipment, and the lack of suitable and practical curriculum materials have cast some into a Slough of Despond out of which they are not able to arise.

There are others who enter blithely and confidently into the preparation for a Vacation school without stopping to consider the problems and value of such an undertaking. They have never asked themselves what it is all about. For them it is sufficient that the pastor and director of religious education have undertaken such a movement, or that the Church has always had a Vacation school, or that some other worthy denomination in the community has had such schools for some years. These teachers take a book and follow it slavishly and blindly without question and do their work without much thinking. To them the Vacation school is just another time to drill the child in memory work and stories and to do a great deal of purposeless and often brainless handwork.

There is still another class: those who for some time have been burdened with the great need for more definite objectives, better curriculum and methods, and greater opportunities for helping children to meet the daily problems of life and thus secure greater control in living the Christian life. They too have experienced the divine discontent, but these difficulties have become stimuli in driving them on in the quest of the truth. They are not willing to give up until they have found some means by which they can meet and solve some of the problems with which they are confronted. It is largely for this class of teachers of primary children that this book has been written, and to them the discussion will be addressed.

The First Step

Get in touch at once with the leaders who have the responsibility for planning and carrying out the vacation enterprise for the whole school. This may be the Board of Education, the administrative staff of your local church, or a special vacation committee. It is highly important that all the departmental agencies of the Church school work out an integral program which shall not duplicate efforts or which may not cause undue friction. One of the greatest criticisms of the Vacation schools of the past is that they have not geared in with the educational program of the Church. Try to get the feeling of unity or oneness with the movement as a whole. If you are the superintendent, you should have had several conferences with the board or committee in charge, and together you should have worked out some general objectives which will harmonize with the program of the Church. Such meetings will be invaluable in developing an esprit de corps and enthusiasm for the proposed project.

Secure from the pastor, director of religious education, or board a list of books, pamphlets, or other helps on the Vacation school which will aid you in working out the details of organization and administration. If these people cannot give you this help, write to your Conference Sunday School Board office or to the headquarters of your General Sunday School Board and ask for information on this subject. A list containing sources of information as to books, pamphlets, and other, helps is given on page 15. Read this book carefully; complete it before beginning your plans. Then call a meeting of the primary teachers and proceed to work out with them the specific objectives for your department, these, of course, to correlate with the general objectives of the school.

Objectives of the Primary Department

It is desirable that the officers and teaching force work out their own departmental objectives. These should be worked out after careful study of the interests, needs, and capacities of the child. The individual teachers and officers in the local departments are in better position to know the religious needs of their children than anyone else. Begin early to observe the children in class, in the assembly, and in their homes. If possible, visit the schools and playgrounds of the community and study the daily lives of these children. Make note of such things as the following:

Do the children show a tendency to share with others? Do they work well together as a. class group?

Do they work well with other groups than their own?

INTRODUCTION 11

Is there continual quarreling?

Is there a disposition to let others in the group do the hard work?

What is their attitude to their parents and their relationship to their homes?

What ideals have they concerning truth-telling? Honesty? Fair play? Controlling the tongue? Temper?

What is their attitude to the Church and Church schools?

What training have they had in worship?

What ideas do they have of God?

Does prayer mean anything to them, or do they think of it as formal incantation of words, or as a magic formula which will induce God to yield to their requests?

Are the children in your Primary Department developing an increasing Christian concept of God and a realization of his will and purposes?

Are they growing in power of control of their conduct according to the Christian attitudes and standards of living?

These are a few points a teacher of religion should keep in her confidential notebook, and she should use this information in checking and planning for the spiritual needs and growth of children. After such a study a group of primary teachers worked out the following objective.

Objective: To provide such opportunities and materials for primary children as will aid them in developing an increasing Christian concept of God as revealed by Jesus, a deeper realization of their relationship as members of God’s family, whole-hearted loyalty to God’s will, and greater joy and satisfaction in communion with him.

So to guide the children in their daily living that they may develop attitudes, appreciations, interests, and skills which will make their present life richer and more meaningful and give them greater control in living according to Christian principles. |

How Can the Aims or Objectives Be Realized?

This very practical question will have to be considered next. How can we get the children of our church to attend the week-day or vacation sessions? How can we bring the parents to cooperate with the Church school authorities in seeing that the children attend regularly and punctually? In other words, how can we secure their sympathetic and intelligent assistance in the work of the school? These problems and plans no doubt will be considered by the Board of Religious Education of the Church, and some general program of publicity will no doubt be worked out for the enterprise. Keep in close touch with the plans of the board and the pastor and cooperate in every possible way. Remember that many parents are eager and willing to do all they can for their children, but they have to be informed as to the objectives, organization, materials and activities, and religious values of these activities. |

In addition to the general program of publicity, the primary workers should meet and work out an intensively related publicity program. The press, the telephone, and the mails are of course valuable means of publicity, but these must be accompanied by close personal contacts. Put on a visiting campaign. If possible, go into every home and talk with the parents. Present the matter in a clear and enthusiastic and convincing manner. Go into the aims and methods of the Vacation school and suggest definite ways by which these parents can assist the teachers in securing the finest results. Try to meet in an earnest and tactful way the various objections and difficulties which parents might offer as to the attendance of their children. In some types of Churches the children will live some distance from the church, and transportation must be provided. These problems should be very carefully worked out by the Board of Education, and they will then be explained to the parents. In many schools the children will come from other churches and denominations. Special courtesy should be given to these children. Go into their homes and get acquainted with their parents and study the home conditions and religious needs of these children.

What Shall Be the Length of the Session of the Vacation School P

This question can be answered only by the authorities of the local schools. Many local conditions and needs will have to be considered: such as the public school session, the seasons, the climate, the finances, the available corps of workers and leaders, and the curriculum. While a number of schools run two weeks, the best results are obtained by a longer session. It is difficult to undertake worth-while activities and to lead children to successful completion of these activities in two weeks’ time. However, some schools have conducted successful two-week sessions. These of course were limited

INTRODUCTION 18s.

as to the nature and number of religious enterprises undertaken, and they will require careful and definite planning in order to make the best use of the limited time. The length of the school, of course, should be determined before the course of study and materials are decided upon.

The Type of Primary Organization for Vacation Schools

Only the general principles of organization can be indicated here, as many factors must be considered before giving any detailed plans of organization, such as the selected aims and objectives, the type of curriculum, the number of children, the available teaching staff, and the type and arrangement of the building. One individual should be selected by the Board of Education or other authority, who will assume responsibility for the work of the Primary Department. She may be called superintendent. It shall be her duty: to interpret to the primary teachers the aims and ideals of the Church’s program, to act as chairman of the primary teachers’ meetings, to outline plans of organization and administration, to suggest means of carrying out these purposes, to help secure necessary materials, to direct the teaching procedure, and in every way to aid the teachers in maintaining a high standard of work.

1. The Primary Teaching Staff —The number of teachers will depend, of course, upon the number of children enrolled and also upon the number of trained and qualified teachers available. It is possible, under favorable conditions, for a teacher to handle twenty-five children. Many public school teachers are handling this number, and more, successfully. But it must be recalled that work in the public school is done under more favorable conditions as to trained teachers, good buildings, and other equipment. If the Church school can secure a well-trained primary teacher, it will be best to let her have a larger group than to divide them into smaller groups with mediocre teachers or poorly trained ones. ‘The teacher should have a helper for every ten or twelve children. This person may assist the children when necessary. See page 38.

The new type of school, with the curriculum based on child-interest, demands teachers who understand the place of the teacher in the teaching process and who can always keep before themselves the fact that the teacher is the guide rather than the dictator, one who is able to modify the environment, stimulate the children’s interest, and guide them in choosing, executing, and judging worth-while Christian activities. Frequent meetings of the primary superintendent and teachers will be necessary in planning and carrying on the work.

2. How SHALL THE CHILDREN BE GroupEep?—A few Church schools may be fortunate in securing the regular Sunday school teacher or other well-trained teachers for the three classes of primary grades. In that case the classification will follow naturally the regular grades or groups commonly known as Primary Grades I, IJ, and III, with their respective teachers, who will have separate rooms. These will carry on their group activities as individual classes, with frequent opportunities for inter-class activities.

A larger number of Churches, however, will find it necessary to combine all the primary children in one class, under one teacher or superintendent, with the sufficient number of helpers. While this plan has many disadvantages and problems, it does provide many excellent opportunities for children of different capacities and experiences to work together in a common purpose. Some of the progressive public schools are removing the old hardand-fast line of gradation and are making it possible for children to move with greater freedom from one group to another. The units worked out in this book follow this plan.

There are many units of work or enterprises which will call for knowledge and skill of varying degrees, and in these the younger and older children can be listed and at the same time be conscious of working for a common purpose. In some cases it may be best to combine the seven- and eight-year-old children into one group and the six-year-olds in another.

Under normal conditions there seems to be no valid reason for the separation of primary boys and girls. Most of the reasons offered for such a classification are on the side of making discipline easier for the teacher. The following have often been given as reasons in favor of the separation of boys and girls: the boys will not work with the girls; there is a deep-seated antagonism between boys and girls; the boys possess a superior attitude to girls and will not listen to stories about girls or work on a level of equality with them. The earnest teacher may well ask herself this question: Do these objections not reveal a definite need of providing opportunities for boys and

INTRODUCTION 15

‘girls to work together? In some of our best Junior Departments and in the public schools both sexes are harmoniously working together in group activities. In normal life men and women work, play, and worship together. The school which emphasizes sex differences in life activities is setting up artificial standards.

‘Books for the Teacher

The books which the teacher will need in working out the units of work are listed under the respective units and in the Preliminary Plans which are given for the sessions.

GENERAL READING

Myer: “What Is Religious Education?”

Kilpatrick: “Foundations of Method.”

“Education for a Changing Civilization.”

Shaver: “The Project Principle in Religious Education.” Mossman: “Teaching and Learning in the Elementary School.” Moore: “The Primary School.”

Keelor: “Curriculum Studies in the Second Grade.” Lincoln Staff: “Curriculum Making in an Elementary School.” Johnson: “Toys and Toy-Making.”

Knox: “School Activities and Equipment.”

McKee: “Purposeful Handwork.”

Primary: Closely Graded Courses I, II, III. - Lewis: “An Adventure with Children.”

Play

Bancroft: “Games for the Playground, Home, School, and Gymnasium.’ Kingland: “Indoor and Outdoor Games.”

Johnson: “Education by Plays and Games.”

W orship Blashfield: “Worship Training for Primaries.”

Religious Education, October, 1925: “Symposium on Worship.”

b

Music

Leyda: ‘‘Melodies” ; “Carols.”

Adams: “Worship Songs for Primaries.”

Danielson and Conant: “Songs and Plays for Children.” Fryberger: “Listening Lessons.”

16 GUIDING RELIGIOUS GROWTH Victor Company, Camden, N. J.: “Music Appreciation with the Victrola for Children.”

Shields: “Worship and Conduct Songs for Beginners and Primaries.”

The Room and Equipment

The ideal room for primary children is a bright, attractive room, preferably on the first floor. The floor space should allow seventeen square feet per child to prevent overcrowding. If separate classrooms are available, such a large assembly room will not be necessary. There should be separate cloak room and toilet if possible.

The assembly room is the common meeting place for the group. The room and furnishings should suggest informality, activity, and social intercourse. It should be a place to which children delight to come. It should be bright and clean and should have a few well-chosen pictures, flowers, and growing plants. There should be tables, chairs, a low cabinet for keeping material and unfinished handwork, a piano or victrola. There should be seating equipment for every child, with a few extra places for special needs. It is best to have a sufficient number of chairs for two sets, one for the group conferences and worship periods and another for work at the tables or in the classrooms. Old chairs may be collected, and the legs can be sawed off to the desired height of twelve and fourteen inches.

Extra tables for reading, construction work, lunches, exhibits, and nature work are often needed. The trestle table, of well-cured plank of white pine or other light wood and supported by trestles or “saw horses,” may be used for construction work, lunches, exhibits, and all the rough work, such as hammering and sawing. Old tables and stands will often answer for this purpose. The legs should be sawed off to the desired height. If the frames or supports press against the knees of the children, these should be cut away in order to give the needed space. The height of the table should be in proportion to the chairs. For the chairs twelve to fourteen inches the table should be ten or eleven inches higher.

INTRODUCTION _ 17

Screens

Screens will be very valuable in the primary room. Special groups of children may be separated in the corner of the room. They may be used for mounting exhibits, pictures, charts, and for dramatization. If the screens are uniform in size, color, and height, they will present a more attractive appearance, and they can be more quickly assembled. Each classroom should have a screen. A folding screen is more practical, as it can be easily stored when not in use.

Bulletins

A bulletin board can be used for practically every type of school activity. It may be used for notices, pictures, clippings, posters, or for anything of mterest to the children. This may be suspended from the molding, or it may rest on an easel, if not built in.

Store or Supply Room

A supply room or closet is necessary. The amount and variety of the material will of course vary according to the units of work and the types of activities engaged in. Material will be listed under the different units of work. A general list of supplies will be given, with sources and suggestions for securing these supplies.

Equipment and Material for Nature Study

Insect cases can be made in various ways. A shoe box covered with wire or gauze makes a temporary cage for crickets, caterpillars, etc. Screen wire may be rolled into a cylinder, leaving a flap of about an inch. Cover with a tin pan. Glass jars make good cages for insects. Fasten gauze or net over the top with a rubber band.

Cages for animal visitors may be made of wooden frames covered with screen wire. Wire bird cages may be borrowed from friends.

Aquarium.—A galvanized laundry tub will make a good temporary aqua- ‘rium. The outside should be painted with automobile paint. Butter crocks and glass fruit jars also make good small aquariums. These may be brought from the homes or loaned for the sessions of the school. An aquarium should be kept out of the direct rays of the sun.

18 GUIDING’ RECIGIOUS*GROW [i

Nets for catching butterflies may be bought from a scientific supply house, or they may be made. Directions for making these may be found in U. S. Farm Bulletin 606, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

Garden tools will be needed, such as a spading fork, four tines, four- or five-inch hoe, six-inch rakes, six-inch trowel, but get only a few at first and keep them clean and sharp.

The following will also be helpful: a magnifying glass and a microscope, a sprinkler or watering pot, other pots and jars, a ball of twine, and window boxes.

Boxes

The school with little money to spend can always secure boxes, which may be used for many different purposes in projects of construction. Wooden boxes, such as packing, cigar and canned goods boxes, and fruit crates, are strong and durable and lend themselves to many uses.

Paper boxes may serve also for many purposes. These can be more easily handled by the younger children. Odd pieces of hat, suit, and shoe boxes of cardboard make good paper pulp when soaked. It would be well for each child to have such a box for his own effects. Tin cans and boxes make useful containers.

Boxes as suggested above can be easily secured from stores where they have been discarded. The small ones can be stacked in the larger ones in order to conserve storage space in the supply room.

Materials for Construction Work

Bogus paper; 250 sheets to package; size, 9x12 inches.

Manila paper; No. 20; size, 9x12 inches; 1 ream, 500 sheets.

Construction cover; No. 3; size, 9x12 inches; different colors.

Industrial Bond; size, 8x12 inches; 100 sheets.

Construction paper; drawing paper, No. 20; manila.

Bradley tonal paper; 33 standardized; uncoated hues or colors (mounting). Bradley’s tinted drawing paper; heavier and more expensive. Poster-construction paper.

Charts—Heavy Melton mounts; size, 22x28 inches; 15 cents per sheet. Photo mount; all sizes.

Oak tag or manila board; size, 22x28 inches; 5 cents per sheet; in tans and grays.

INTRODUCTION ny

Crayons.

Bradley’s True Tone crayons; 8 in box; 25 cents.

Water Colors: Devoe water colors and water color brushes.

Bradley’s Tonal Tempera poster colors.

Calcimine; Walco.

Alabastine.

Calcimo; deep colors; blue, green, yellow, deep red, white, brown, black.

Brushes.

Paste and Glue: Lepage’s white paste, for mounting pictures; Lepage’s glue and paste brushes, extra ones.

Stainlac.

Dennison supplies.

Cloth suspension rings; No. 121.

Card holders; No. 37.

Scissors.

Punch.

Hammer and nails.

Small hack saw.

Paint and paint brushes.

Roll wrapping paper.

Plain newspaper, obtained from the local newspaper.

Roll of architects’ blueprint paper.

Crépe paper; several different colors.

Brass paper fasteners; two sizes, Nos. 23R and 24R.

Clay flour; one box, 5 lbs., 40 cents, Milton Bradley.

Bradley’s Cementint; made in the following colors: natural, gray, yellow ochre, Indian red, green, burnt umber, burnt Sienna, raw umber, and raw Sienna; price, per package, 1 lb., 9 oz., 40 cents.

Yardstick, rules, and tape lines.