Article September 17, 1960 Issue

Teaching Pre-teens

When pre-teens begin studying the Lesson-Sermons, outlined in the Christian Science Quarterly, many do not seem able or willing to study the whole lesson. So it sometimes seems advisable at first to interest them in reading a portion of the Lesson-Sermon, and then they gradually study more until they read all of it daily.

A teacher in a branch church Sunday School was endeavoring to find a practical way of gaining the pupils' interest in studying the Lesson-Sermon. In praying about the problem the familiar poem " 'Feed My Sheep' " by our Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, brought much inspiration, and then the answer unfolded. She decided to start the pupils on one section a week. As she read through each lesson she would choose a section which seemed best suited to awaken the youthful thought, and she also prepared a few thought-provoking questions which were given to the pupils to be used in their study during the week.

Most of the children were soon reading the section, giving well-thought-out answers in class and also asking intelligent questions. To a pupil who seemed reluctant to participate to the fullest, the teacher pointed out that when one attends a picnic, one naturally takes along a lunch in order that he may best enjoy the activities of the outing. But if one forgets his lunch, then he must be content with that which other picnickers care to share with him. Carrying the metaphor further, the teacher told the children that the messages given in the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, are spiritual food and that we partake most satisfactorily when we bring our unfoldment of the messages to the class on Sunday.

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