The School Lesson
(Full text)
- by Rev Gilbert Wong
Text:
Proverbs 1:8-19;
Luke 2:47-52
11 January 2004 |
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Introduction
A
teacher said to a precocious 6 year old boy: “So your mother says your prayers
for you each night? Very commendable. What does she say?” The little boy
replied, “Thank God he is in bed!”
Besides children wearing their shoes, they also wear off parents and teachers.
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The first in a series of instruction to kids
The
child who is being raised strictly by the book is probably a first edition.
The wise teacher is very serious about bringing the children by the Old
Testament – the book of the community.
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Instructing the kids in ways of wisdom
The
purpose is to teach children in the way of wisdom. Children by nature are not
born wise – they have to been taught and shown the way of wisdom.
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The backbone of Proverbs 1-9
This
really is the backbone of what is unfolding in chapters 1 to 9 of Proverbs.
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To learn the style and content of teaching
More
importantly for us though is to understand and learn the style of content of the
wise teacher. And there are three recurring theme in the entire first 9
chapters of Proverbs. With this recurring theme, you would be able to learn
much more from the first 9 chapters.
1. Appeal For Attention
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Teachers as father and mother to pupils
Teachers have always played a very important role in the primitive society and
it remains so till this very day. They are like fathers and mothers to pupils
and these pupils are not the teachers’ children. The children are given to
the care of the teacher to be brought up properly.
By
being the fatherly and motherly figures that teachers are, the teachers play
roles similar to that of the children’s parents.
Those of us who are teachers know how difficult sometimes it is to teach our
school children because their parents either do not co-operate or do not quite
teach the same thing. As a church however things ought to be different. We
all share the same book. And the first of the three recurring theme is that
teacher should appeal for attention – earning the right to speak. We cannot
say to them: do not do what do, do what I say.
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Teachers in same line as parents
Teachers are really parenting. The whole concept of godparents, and sponsors
in our Baptism and Confirmation is precisely for this purpose that we help out
in the parenting process of the children in our Christian community. It
cannot be left to only a selected few.
As
real parents, we are sometimes afraid of what our children would pick up from
friends by way of values. So we hope the friends, parents, grandparents of
our children could help us with the parenting while we are at work.
Sunday School teachers play this role as well.
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Teachers as extension from the home
Teachers also are seen as an extension from the home. As parents, we must not
separate home and church too much. The values taught in Sunday School should
be upheld at home and whatever is upheld at home would be support in Sunday
School. This dual way would reinforce the biblical values and build up a
stronger community within which our children can grow.
For
example, respecting others is a case in point. I remembered a group of rowdy
children in one of previous parishes rushing for food as soon as grace was
said. Probably, parents at home are quite open to such behaviour at all and
the church also has not said very much to counteract such rowdy behaviour.
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Teachers claim parental authority
Teachers finally also claim parental authority but this authority I do not
mean that teachers could act like parents. But to say that teachers have to
take the Sunday School children as though they are their own. The teachers
must appeal to biblical and good reasoning in the disciplining of the mind.
It is the repetitive nature of teaching that would reinforce much of the
biblical value into the young minds.
The
same message has to be taught. A woman and her 4 year old son were at
church. Her son yelled out, “Mommy, I have to go wee wee.” She said, “Shhh,
we don’t say that. We say “I have to whisper’.”
Her
son said, “Okay.”
The
very next week the little boy and his father were at church. The son leaned
over and said, “Daddy, I have to whisper.”
His
dad replied, “Just whisper in my ear.”
So
having the same value is important for both teachers, and parents.
2. Advice For The Foolish
“The
further backward you can look the further forward you are likely to see”
(Winston Churchill)
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Do this, do not do that
This
appeal is expressed in the form of advice. By advice I do not mean that we
give them too many choices and that the children would be spoilt for choice.
Rather, advice in a straightforward manner – does this and do not do that.
There are many biblical teachings that take a black and white line of
reasoning. For example in the area of respect or our parents – one of the ten
commandments. Children are to respect their parents. There is no two-way
about it.
You
either do or don’t.
Teachers are to reinforce such biblical directives that are uncompromising.
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Not merely parental advice
That
is why I mentioned earlier that biblical vales are not merely advice as though
you can either take it or leave it. They are values to be embraced and taught
and teachers have an awesome responsibility of their hands. And not only them
but also the larger community that you and I are a part of, we must play our
parts.
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Directives to be obeyed
So
directives are to be obeyed not compromised or find a way round it.
Besides the recurring themes of appeal, advice, we now move to final third
point – that of motivation.
3. Consequential Motivation
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Why and Why Not?
Children are to be told why a certain thing would cause problems. Every act
has a consequence – either good or bad. Caning is one such consequence and
not the only.
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Persuade children to live wisely
Persuade children to live wisely.
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Appeal to good sense of children
Appeal always to the good sense of the children – fear, rewards, and good
sense. All are ways of teaching children the best is still good sense. That
would stay with them for the rest of their lives.
As
teacher, and parents we cannot ensure our children’s behaviour to be
definitely good. We do our level best to look after them but ultimately they
decide. However, the grounding has to start young. Sunday School can only
teach them but the values have to be reinforcing at homes, and schools.
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What count most is good sense
Any Pattern?
•Appeal
•Advice
•Motivation
•Approaching
the above from all angles
Let us pray.
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