Teachers' Training Classes

Teachers' Training Classes

The first two lessons provided for the teachers' training classes of the auxiliary organizations throughout the Church that are to be established in each ward on some convenient day or evening, follow. These classes are designed to embrace the teachers of all the auxiliary organizations of the Church. The lesson to come in book fonn, will cover one year's work on the art of teaching, at the rate of two lessons per month. The first lessons are presented in the Era with the purpose of interesting the teachers and officers of the Y. M. M. I. A. in these auxiliary training classes, in their particular wards, when organized, and they are urged to take an active interest in see- ing that such classes are organized in their wards. It is designed by the joint General Boards to issue, shortly, a manual now nearly completed, containing all the lessons set- ting forth the key thoughts of the course, the subject matter, and the methods to be adopted in teaching. Such teacher's training classes are sorely needed, and will be of incalculable value to all who have to teach young people in the auxiliary organiza- tions of the Church. We trust that no Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association teacher will miss the opportunity of attending these classes; and further, that the officers will urge the organization of such classes in their wards, in connection with the Sunday School, and other auxiliaries. The general reader will also be interested in the scheme, and in the good reading of the introduction and first two lessons that follow:

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A Word About Our Work True teaching is the finest of the fine arts. It deals with the rarest of materials— the human mind and soul. It aims at the highest of results— the perfecting of the mental and spiritual powers of man. Its effects are immeasurable and eternal. Other arts reflect life; teaching develops life itself. Other arts are wonderful in their scope and influence; but they can hardly be so pro- foundly vital, nor so lasting in their consequences. The painter touches the canva9 with colors, and produces an inspiring picture; but the colors fade with the years, and the picture finally must pass away. The sculptor chips with deft fingers the faultless marble and makes it all but speak his thoughts; but the stone in time will crumble and the image perish. The musician pours out his heart in melody that thrills the listener; but the song dies away with the echoes into a sweet memory. Not so with the teacher. He works neither with color, nor marble, nor yet with tones; but with living beings. He plays upon the harp-strings of the human heart and sets its feelings vibrating either in painful discord, or with pleasing harmony. He cultivates the growing mind, training it to think clearly and keenly. He molds the plastic soul and leaves his im- print for good or ill on his pupils' lives forever. This last mentioned phase of teaching is of especial concern to the teachers of the gospel. It is their work to shape and inspire the soul of the divine spirit within the learner. Their business is to lead him to express himself. Their duty is to guide the faltering footsteps of the human being into "the paths of righteousness for His name's sake;" and above all, to create in his heart such a living love of truth as will make him constantly strive to radiate it through sensible, spiritual service for the uplift of humanity. This was the work of Christ, the Master Teacher. His life was spent as a divine artist, striving to make men perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. The success of his teaching is to be measured only by the boundless scope of its influence, which has more than encompassed the earth and echoed down the centuries in the lives of the billions of souls that have been renewed and strengthened and perfected by the magic power of his words and his own perfect life. If any teacher would grow in skill to interpret and vitalize the princi- ples of the gospel, he must follow in the footsteps of the Master. To know his methods thoroughly is to understand clearly all of the funda- mental principles of progressive pedagogy. This being true, we might here dismiss our subject with this divine injunction from the Savior himself: "I am the light and life. Follow me." But this is hardly sufficient for our present purpose. Even the clear words and the plain practices of the Master must be interpreted and trans- lated though practical illustrations into the life of today, in order that we may appreciate their present significance and give them living applica- tion in our every day work. For this reason we purpose first of all, to make a brief survey of the methods of the Master as a foundational basis for the course; and follow- ing this to develop in somewhat systematic order certain fundamental essentials of principles that are directly or indirectly connected with the true teaching as revealed in His work.

Lesson 1. The Methods of the Master

Much of the success of the Savior as a teacher was due to his divine personality. He was a born leader of men. As the Son of God, he pos-

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sessed the attributes of divinity, which gave his words an inherent im- pressiveness and made men listen to them with respect. He spoke "as one having authority, and not as the Scribes." But this was not all. Even Divinity itself must obey fundamental laws to succeed in any calling The teaching work of the Savior is no excep- tion to the rule. It was based on the same foundation stones on which all teaching must be founded to be successful. In studying the elements that made the work of the T.iasier so remark- ably effective, five things at least stand out clearly: 1. He had a love for God and God's children. 2. He had a burning belief in his own mission to serve and to save mankind. 3. He had a clear and sympathetic understanding of the inner hearts of humankind. 4. He had so keen a sense of relative values that he could readily separate the chaff from the wheat of religion. 5. He demonstrated daily his faith by living it consistently and cour- ageously. With these essential qualities what other could he be than a divinely successful Teacher? Love of God's work and of the children of God is the first requisite to success in this labor of love. Otherwise, though one speaks "with the tongue of men and of angels," one is but "sounding brass and tinkling cymbal." No message can ring true unless it comes from a heart that thrills with truth. Children are quick to detect the false notes of insin- cerity. They are likewise keen to respond to genuine love and sympathy. And older people are but children grown. To be truly helpful to others, we must be truly interested in their welfare. To love sincerely the children of God is to love God Himself. In the sweet story of "Abou Ben Adhem," is an instance that points this thought. When that good man awoke and found in his room an angel writing in a book of gold the names of those that loved the Lord, he asked:

"And is mine one?" "Nay, not so," replied the angel. Abou spake more low; but cherrily still, And said, "I pray thee, then, write me as One who loves his fellowmen." The angel wrote and vanished. The next night it came again, with great awakening light, And showed the names of those whom love of God had blest And lo: Ben Adhem's name led all the rest."

If one thing more than another marks the life of the Savior, it is his intense yet sane love for his fellow-men. In every act of his life, he reveals his great-hearted solicitude for them. Particularly towards the weak and lowly were his sympathies shown He bore their burdens, shared their sorrows, healed them of sickness, forgave them of their sins; and all the while, with loving words of kindness, He taught them most impressively the way of life and salvation. It is such a spirit as this that makes the true teacher. To have any profound influence on those we would lead to higher levels, we must be one with them in heart and soul; we must love all of God's children. A burning belief in the gospel of Christ is the second essential that makes for success in our work. Lacking such enthusiasm our teaching can hardly carry over convincingly into the hearts of our pupils. Every lesson in some measure must reflect the spirit of the day of Pentecost.

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Religion not so much a matter of fact as of feeling. It is cannot be measured by any coldly intellectual process. There is in it "a light which never was on land or sea." This light of the Spirit of the Holy Ghost warms and quickens our inner souls, and opens our hearts for God's Spirit to enter. Many of these sweetest emotions of life cannot be ex- plained in words; they are something like the tender afterglow of sunset— too delicate for even an artist's touch to express. Such is the silent satis- faction that follows sincere prayer, or the comfort that comes when one does a deed of loving kindness. The testimony of the gospel enters our hearts in much the same quiet way. It is a spiritual assurance that satisfies the individual soul. That testimony can be radiated to others not through mere words, but through a medium of spiritual communication. This truth is suggested in the words of the Savior where He said, "My sheep know my voice, and a stranger's they will not follow." With a living testimony of truth in his soul, the teacher, like a magnet, radiates a silent yet powerful influence into the souls of all who come in contact with his teachings. They are infused with the spirit he carries. Ability to separate the chaff from the wheat of truth is another essential of success in teething. The Master possessed the power to a remarkable degree. He wasted no time on the chaff of religion. His wrath often broke into righteous indignation over this sort of thing. He was constantly — rebuking the Pharisees for their littleness their excessive attention to empty formalities. "Woe unto you Pharisees!" He said on one occasion, "for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs and pass over judgment and the love of God." At another time He rebuked this tendency as one of "straining at gnats and swallowing camels." Some attention to the outward forms of religion is right and proper. One cannot raise wheat without raising chaff. At the same time wheat is not raised for the chaff. Order and system in any organization call for certain respectful ceremonies; but the ceremony is not the main thing. If is the life-giving elements of religion that mean most in our lives.

Last, but by no means least, He demonstrated His faith by His works. Herein lies the cruical test of efficiency in any teacher's preparation to teach the gospel. How far do you believe the gospel's true? Just so far as you reflect the spirit of the gospel in your daily life. "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me," are the words of the Master on this point. Are you willing to serve, to sacrifice the worldly things to do the work of the Master? Will ye take cheerfully the world's buffets and scorns for the sake of truth? It takes spiritual courage and willingness to sacrifice in order to go "over the top" in the service of the Master. Are you ready to respond to his command, "Follow me?" If you are, you are ready to become a living teacher of the living truth.

Lesson Study

1. Justify the assertion: True teaching is the finest of the fine arts. 2. What phase of teaching belongs particularly to the gospel teacher? 3. What was the main guiding thought in the life of the Master? 4. Why is a study of his methods of vital value in our work? 5. On what essential principles of true pedagogy was the work of Jesus as a teacher based? Give five of the most important. 6. Give an instance from the life of Christ that showed clearly his love of humanity and for God.

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7. Give also an instance from the life of Christ that shows that he — was a practical psychologist with ability to read the mind and hearts of men. 8. Show by illustration his skill to separate the wheat from the chaff of religion. 9. Show by illustration the courage and the consistency of the Master in living his own teachings. Lesson 2. The First Principle of Gospel Pedagogy "For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's the same shall save it." (Mark 8:35.) This divine paradox expresses, in one form, the central principle of the Master's educational doctrine. Translated in terms of the progressive pedagogy of today, it means merely this To perfect our powers, we must ;

exercise them in true service for others. Spiritual development, in other words, can come only through spiritualized self-expression. Without such expression there can be no gospel education. The human being develops mentally and spiritually only as he is given opportunity to transform the truth he feels into words of truth and right action. No thought is ever really impressed until it has been adequately expressed. This great principle of pedagogy is exemplified in all of the teachings of the Master. He was the first champion, indeed, of the idea of education through expression. Even before the foundations of the world were laid, so we are told in Holy Writ, He led the hosts of heaven in the struggle to establish this basic principle of growth and salvation. Christ contended — that it was the divine right of man to express himself that he should be — given his free agency the opportunity to develop his own powers through freedom of thought and action. His will prevailed; but his opponents have never ceased to battle for their unholy cause. In a thousand subtle ways they have kept up the effort to cancel and overcome the rights of liberty divinely won for man. Even in our systems of educations their autocratic hand is frequently shown. As a result our schools are often institutions of repression and suppression rather than of expression. Too many teachers dominate rather than direct the minds of their pupils. Children constantly being driven, not led to learn. This was not the method of the Master. His teaching was ever characterized by the spirit of true democracy. He was always one with his pupils. He did not force the minds of those that came to be taught of him, but he faced them rather towards the truth he would im- press, and left them free to work out the problems in their own way. By stimulating precep: and shining example, he taught them the eternal principles of the gospel, but he let them prove the wisdom of his words and of his ways by their own Spiritual self-expression. Without such expression there can be no growth. The individual, like the tree, grows only as it expresses itself. Education implies expression. The word comes from the old Latin term educo, which means to lead. Edu- cation means to lead out, not to crush out the child's natural tendencies to think and act for himself. Gospel education means t*> open the way for the pupil to learn the truths of the gospel by expressing them In both word — and deed by translating them into terms of true social service. The most, the best, that any teacher can do for the learner is to clear the proper channels of expression and direct the thoughts and feelings of the pupils to flow therein. The following parable, used in another connec- tion by the author, serves also well here to make this point plain: In a certain place there was once a little spring which bubbled forth in a mountain dell and tried to make its way into the valley that lay below. But the waters were checked with sticks and stones and weeds and the

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tracks of animals, and the stream turned into a bog. Its waters evaporated or sank into the ground. A rancher, whose home was not far from the spring, came one day with his spade and dug a channel through the bog and led the waters out. They danced down the canyon till they came to his cabin. For many years he used the stream for himself and his cattle. Then came the people of the village. They wished to establish a system of water works so they purchased the spring from the rancher and laid pipes to it. Today that little spring is helping to supply a whole community with water. What increased the power of the spring to do good? Simply one thing: was given a channel through which it might express itself? The it more perfect the channel was made the more beneficent the work of the spring. In being given an opportunity to serve others it found itself. The central principle of all teaching is to be found in this story of the mountain spring. Every child, every human being, may be likened unto a living spring, which is trying to express itself — struggling to reach the valley of service. But because of obstacles it often fails to get there. Sometimes it is inhibited by bad habits or checked and turned by weeds of sin. Its energies are dissipated and its life-giving waters arrested. If we fail to use our spiritual gifts, we lose them. To keep these best things of life we must give them away. A lamp has light only when it is radiating light. Our lives, likewise, may be kept bright only as we keep the gospel light burning within us. To save ourselves, we must give ourselves. This key-thought of our lesson is most impressively taught by the Master in his parable of the talen s. In that story, the master, leaving his home for a time, gave to one servant five talents, to another two, and to another servant one. After many days the lord returned. The servant who had been given five talents returned to his master ten; he that had two talents, returned four, but he that had received only one talent returned only one, making excuse that because he feared to lose his talent, he hid it in the earth. And the master rebuked him as being a slothful servant. And he took from him his one talent to give to the servant who had ten, saying: "To him that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken away, even that which he hath." The great central principle of education lies in the heart of this parable. Our business as teachers of the gospel is to find and to follow it in our work.

Lesson Outline

1. State in your own words the first principle of gospel pedagogy as developed in this discussion. 2. What is the true meaning of education? 3. Show by illustration, how the Savior was a true teacher. 4. In what ways have you observed teachers at times dominate rather than direct the minds of their pupils towards truth? 5. In what way alone can the pupil's powers be developed? 6. What principle of pedagogy is in the parable of the mountain spring? 7. What lesson of especial value to the teacher is to be found in the parable of talents? 8. Point out the application of the great principle of education you have gained from this lesson to the special gospel work in which you are engaged. 9. Why is it of special importance today that our teaching reflect the great democratic principle of education for which the Savior stood?