Article February 18, 1950 Issue

Lesson Assignments for Older Pupils

That their pupils may be earnest students of the Lesson-Sermon is doubtless the desire of every teacher in the older groups. The subjects for our Lesson-Sermons were designated by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, under divine guidance, and teachers know from their own experience that regular and systematic study of these lessons is indispensable to spiritual progress.

The question is frequently asked, Is it helpful to give the pupils special assignments to be used in connection with their study of the Lesson-Sermon? Whether or not special assignments shall be used and what the nature of the assignments shall be are questions for the demonstration of the individual teacher. Some teachers occasionally recommend special reading from the Bible, from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" or other writings by Mrs. Eddy, or from other authorized works on Christian Science, which will encourage the pupils to put into practice the truths presented in the Lesson-Sermon and so help them to understand the importance of the study.

Sometimes these assignments are given in advance so that pupils may read them before coming to Sunday School. At other times it is thought well to give assignments relating to certain topics as they arise in class. In the course of an interesting discussion pupils usually respond readily to an assignment which promises more information or more food for thought on the subject. For example, in the case of a helpful discussion based on a portion of the writings of Paul, pupils might be asked to read something about Paul's experiences, perhaps among other episodes his conversion, as related in the ninth chapter of Acts. In this way pupils have learned to love the Bible. One teacher states that after following this plan for a time her pupils began voluntarily to read certain chapters, sometimes even an entire book of the Bible in which they had become interested while studying a current Lesson-Sermon.

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