08 VI. DRILLS, HANDWORK, AND RECREATION

VI. DRILLS, HANDWORK, AND RECREATION

Chapter VI DRILLS. HANDWORK, AND RECREATION

Some educational practices come into disrepute be-cause of misuse. This is true of the question and answer method of teaching. Some educators denounce it, in spite of the fact that it was used by the world’s greatest teachers, such as Jesus, Mohammed, and Socrates. It is a good method of teaching if used in the right way, and not used to the exclusion of other methods. We might say that it should not be THE method of teaching, but that it should be one of the methods used in any class or by any teacher. The catechetical method of teaching was used for decades by the older denominations for the purpose of instructing people in the tenets of that church. The catechism is a book containing questions with the answers printed immediately beneath each question. The answers are given by the church authorities, whoever they might be. The pupil is not supposed to think for himself, and is not allowed to explore and find out anything on his own initiative. All the answers are determined beforehand. This was found to be a good method of keeping up the membership in the denomination. It was used primarily with the children and young people. By its use the denomination got its teachings into the minds and hearts of the young, so that the continuance of the church seemed assured. This method is not used to the same extent as formerly. The coming in of the public schools and their taking the place of the church schools brought about a change in methods. Modern psychology appeared, anc with it new methods of instruction. The old catechetical method was replaced by more “modern” methods. The child is now encouraged to find out things for himself, to explore, and reach many conclusions on his own initiative. Experiments that were formerly privileged for only college students are now carried on by young students. The “socialized recitation” in which every pupil was encouraged to express his own opinion came in. Along with it came the “Project Method,” in which nothing was supposed to be taught by the teacher, but in which the pupil was supposed to go to source materials, and then to reach his own conclusions. The old copybook and catechetical methods were discarded. Of course, we all recognize the superiority of these modern methods. But there were good points in the old question and answer method. Primarily there were two weaknesses of the catechetical plan of teaching. It was sometimes used exclusively and permitted no exploring by the pupil. As stated above, the question and answer method was used by the teachers who have exercised the greatest influence on the thinking of mankind. As stated elsewhere, the development of Christian character is our primary aim in teaching the Bible. It is true that we cannot do this by just teaching for facts. We must teach for attitudes. We must teach so that the pupils will be nurtured, But it is also true that all teaching must have a background of facts. Facts are the framework on which we build our lives. They are important because they are the basis of everything. Since this is true, we should spend a part of our time teaching facts. A good way to learn some facts is by the old method of Bible drill. As stated above, this should not be THE method of any teacher, but it should be A method of all teachers. By this method a lot of facts can be learned in a minimum of time. It is an old method, but it should not be discarded just because it is old. All methods of teaching should be studied and the method or combination of methods that seems best suited to the immediate situation is the one that should be used. The drill method has its use in the vacation Bible school. Not the principal method, but used as a sup-plement to others that may be used. It has been previously stated that the last twenty minutes of the school day may be employed in a drill unless the time can be profitably used for singing as formerly outlined. This drill should be used for the entire school while assembled in the auditorium of the church building. It has been found by experience that these drills can be made enjoyable for all, and that all will participate in them. Even the adults and the preschool children can get good out of the drill and enjoy it.

Short drills will also be found profitable if used by each teacher in the classroom. These should be different from those employed for the entire school when it is assembled together. Even the preschool children can learn a surprising amount in this way.

It might be helpful to give a drill and the details of the procedure in conducting it. This one is on the plan of salvation, and has been used in a number of places. You will have some in the school that are the right age to obey the gospel, and others who will be reaching that age shortly. These should be thoroughly conversant with what God expects of them in their accepting Christ as their Savior. Even the church members need information on this subject. While they know what to do to be saved, they could not tell another where the scriptures are to be found that give that information. You will probably find that ninety- five per cent of the school will profit from this drill. Scriptures on each step of man’s part in the plan of salvation are used and gone over in drill fashion. Here are the instructions, The first day place the following scripture references on the board (a blackboard should be provided for each room and a large one for the auditorium): John 3:16; Romans 5:1; Galatians 3:26; Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31; John 8:24; Hebrews 11:1; Hebrews 11:6. The director should read each of these references, and if possible quote each of them. The subject for each of them is “Faith,” and the pupils should be made aware of that fact. He should then lead the class in saying this list. (Not in quoting each of them, but just repeating the references.) After doing this for about three times, give the class one minute to study them silently. Tell the class that you want them to be able to place these scripture references back on the board after you erase them. Be dramatic enough to get attention. After one minute erase the references, and ask for volunteers to come to the board and rewrite them. Some bright pupil will probably volunteer. He may not be able to get all of them the first trial. Have the class tell this pupil those that he fails to recall. Compliment the pupil on the effort. As the next step have the class take another good look at the board and then erase again. Ask for volunteers to replace them. Someone will now probably be able to rewrite all of them. Repeat the procedure as many times as the time will allow. Ask each pupil to be able to repeat at least one of these references from memory the next day. On the second day

Begin your drill by asking that someone repeat from memory one of the scriptures given the day before. Place this scripture on the board. Continue the asking until you have all the scriptures on the board. If there are any references not memorized, the director should quote them and place them on the board. Erase the references and call for someone to come and rewrite them. Continue in this way for the remainder of the period. On the third day place the following on the board:

Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19; Acts 17 31; 2 Corinthians 7:9. Proceed with these references on “Repentance” in the same way as you did with those on faith. There are not so many of them,, and the pupils being more accustomed to the method should respond more readily than previously. Also ask that each pupil memorize one of these. It is well to spend a little time on the references used the first day so that they will not be forgotten. On the fourth day drill: On the references on repentance as you did with those on faith the second day. Give time for memory work to be given by everyone that will participate, but do not embarrass anyone. On the fifth day:

Place these references on “Confession” on the board and proceed as you did with the others. Matthew 10:32; Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9-10; 1 Timothy 6:13. Take time each day for memory work and to give a brief review of the first two lists of references. Always see that the drill moves along at a good pace. If you handle the situation properly, you will have no trouble keeping up interest, On the sixth day:

Complete the drill on confession as you did the others. Give an even briefer period each day to the first sets of references. On the seventh day:

List the following on the board: Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:3; 1 Peter 3:21. Of course, you recognize these as being on “Baptism.” Use the board and proceed as before. Use the eighth day as you did the second day on each of the other subjects. By the close of the eighth day the pupils should have a fairly good knowledge of the plan of salvation. All should be able to give from memory at least one scripture on each part of the plan. They should now be able to direct people to the scriptures that tell how to be saved. A variation can be used for a complete review on the ninth day. Have a drawing ready on the board of four steps as if they were leading into a building. Write the word faith on the lower step, the word repentance on the second, confession on the third, and baptism on the fourth. Have all the references that you have been using on the board, but have them “scrambled”—that is, in no order. Ask some pupil to come to the board and pick out all those on faith. Place these where they belong. Ask another to do the same with repentance, another with confession, and a fourth with baptism. This will prove interesting and help the pupils to recall the necessary scriptures.

On the last day of the school you may be so busy with examinations that you will have little time for the drill, but if possible you should take time to go over it in preparation for using on the closing night’s program. Each pupil should have a slip with all of these references on it to preserve. It would be better for him to have them in a notebook if he has been keeping one. Of course, there are other drills that can be used in the same way. Drilling on books of the Bible is profitable because all need to know where to find any book of the Bible they might need, and that without undue delay. Drilling on the names of the apostles is not so useful, but a little time might be spent on it. Learning the names of the twelve tribes of Israel is of little value. A profitable drill can be arranged out of the “Beatitudes” as found in Matthew 5. Still another useful drill can be .arranged from the seven Christian “graces” found in 2 Peter 1:5-8. Drills on the proper division of the word and the dispensations of Bible history are good. A drill on miscellaneous facts of importance found in the Bible is also excellent.

Each teacher should drill in her class as she may find time. A brief review of some of the facts that have been previously learned is useful.

Unless the last period of the day is used for singing, some such drill as that given on the plan of salvation should be used.

Handwork

Making things with the hands is recognized as a part of modern educational procedure. It is essential to tying up theory with action and gives the child an opportunity to express with the hands some of what has been learned in the classroom. It is natural for the child to desire this expression. The argument for the practice in the vacation school is the same as it is for the public school. In the Bible school the pupils learn of kindness, love, and service. There ought to be provided for them an opportunity to express kindness, to show their love, and to render service to others.

Handwork in some vacation schools takes on such forms as the making of birdhouses, kites, and small articles for the home or classroom. Such things as these are for the boys. The girls make doll clothes, doll furniture, and small articles that can be used in the home. Or they may make something for a needy girl or family in the community. Sometimes they make aprons, or dresses, or other articles for the children of the orphans home. Certainly there is no objection to these things being done.

Sometimes the handwork has to do directly with the course of Bible study being used. In many courses map study is essential to a complete understanding of the lessons. The making of a map, or maps, that will help the pupil to remember the lessons learned should be a part of the required course. A good way to carry out the map making is to mimeograph outline maps and give one to each pupil. Have only the bare outline of the section of the world covered in the outline map. Have the pupils fill in the names of the sections of the country, the principal cities, rivers, mountains, etc. If the study is on Acts of Apostles, the map should cover the portions of the world in which Paul made his tours of preaching. Have the pupils fill in the principal places as they come up in the lessons. Have them draw some kind of lines showing the journeys Paul made. The different countries, etc., should be colored differently. Neatness and completeness should be the aim of this project. If the life of Christ is studied, the map should be of Palestine. If it is on the Old Testament, the map should show the portion of the world covered in the study. The handwork may be posters that call attention to some principle learned in the class. With the smaller children it may be the coloring of pictures outlined by the teacher in advance of the class. A mimeograph may be used for these outlined pictures if one is available. Otherwise some sort of duplicating device used by the public schools is all right. The pictures may take the form of cutouts of animals, or houses, or a cradle, or some other article that will help in impressing a lesson on the children. One of the primary principles that can be taught these smaller children is that of love. They should learn that God loves the animals, but that he loves them more. They should learn to show their love for others.

Another piece of handwork that might come in connection with the course could be the making of a small model of Noah’s ark, or of the tabernacle, including its furnishings, tents shewing where the various tribes tamped, etc. If the study is from the Old Testament, these should be required. The question is not so much the desirability of en-gaging in this handwork as it is in finding the time without taking it from something more important. The schedule, as we have it set up, does not allow time for handwork except such as map making, and things that have to do directly with the study of the Bible. If handwork is to be engaged in to any great extent, there must be more time provided. This would not seem advisable for the first school in any community. After getting the congregation entirely sold on the school, the time might be extended to where more handwork could be included. The vacation Bible school should be a place where the Bible is studied. The time is so short that it would seem best to spend the principal part of it in doing the one thing most needful.

If the teacher has the time and is interested enough to stay longer, or to come back in the afternoon, or even to meet at her home, or that of some pupil, it would be a fine tiling to do. Otherwise, it would seem best to confine the handwork to those projects that have to do directly with the lesson.

Several other things handicap us in doing much handwork. There is the matter of materials, their cost, and the difficulty of securing them. The church does not have the tools necessary. In general the teachers have had no training for this work. For the handwork to be poorly done, in comparison with what is done in the public schools, is to place the church in an unfavorable light in the eyes of the youngsters. There is already too much of that without inviting more. An untrained teacher would also have difficulty in getting and lidding the interests of the pupils in very much handwork. 

It is to be hoped that the churches will gradually awaken to the idea of making the church building more useful by equipping them better and making them roomier. When this is done, we can come nearer holding our children. When this is done, we can carry on a real program of teaching the year round. We will then have a vacation Bible school that will run most of the summer instead of two weeks. But, for a beginning, we will have to make the best of what we have. Let us make the start, and then grow as we have the experience necessary to proper growth.

Recreation The word “recreation” comes from the same word as “recreate,” It means to make over again, “Recreation” means that which makes over or really recreates. Winston’s Dictionary: “Refreshment of mind or body; any occupation that diverts,” Jesus, when tired with teaching, healing, and working with the multitudes, withdrew to the mountain and spent the night in prayer. This, of course, was true recreation for him, for it refreshed him in spirit and in mind. Amusement that does not refresh is not truly recreative. If the amusement tears down the mind, body, or morals, it is not true recreation. That which tears down one part of the body is not in the long run true recreation for any part of it. In the vacation school the purpose of recreation is to give the pupils some needed rest from the grind of the classroom; give them a chance to get better acquainted, and develop the social quality of being able to get along with others. They also learn to work together, and to obey the rules of the game. They learn through play that unless they obey the rules they will lose the contest. This is a valuable lesson which it is best to learn early in life. In play they learn self-control and submission to authority. In a game that requires some sort of a referee they learn that they can be penalized, that it is best to submit. It is natural for children to play. Up to a certain age they live in a play world. Everything to them is some sort of game. Play has great value in addition to the joy derived from it. So far as the time is concerned the pupils cannot be expected to stay in the classroom for two hours. It would be unprofitable for them to do this even if they would accept it. The time spent in physical activity during the recreation period is time well spent.

How shall the time be used? Who shall be responsible for the activities of this period? In what games shall the school participate? These questions need answering. The time should be spent in games that are enjoyable and that employ the body. Games that require sitting are not appropriate for people who have been sitting for some time. All those attending the school should participate in some way. It is suggested elsewhere that the adult class take time to serve some such food as a cookie and a glass of milk to the smaller children. This is a good suggestion and the adult class should be glad to engage in this activity. The cost of providing for this simple repast may be borne by the parents of the children jointly, or it could be counted as a part of the cost of the school and paid by the church, This would provide diversion for the adults as well as make the school more attractive for the youngsters,

Games should be played that are truly recreative to the group taking part in them. Unpleasant games, those which the group does not like, should not be attempted. A part of the recreation connected with the games is the joy derived from them. Usually the games should be those that require cooperation, those in which there are two sides. There are desirable games that do not have this feature, but they should not be used too much. There are games of this nature that are rather common to all sections. Games should be suitable to the age of the group participating. Games suitable for small children would not appeal to junior high boys and vice versa. Gaines should not be too complicated.

Usually each teacher should care for her own group on the playground. If there is some adult that does not teach who can, and will look after a group, it would relieve the teacher, but this often cannot be. This ability to direct play should be considered when selecting the teachers for the school. Really, teachers need this contact with their pupils. They also need to get outside and get some physical exercise. They need to develop an interest in activity of this nature, if they do not have it. Probably the director of the school will have to take general supervision over the recreation period. At a meeting before the school begins, this matter should be thoroughly discussed. The place of each group on the playground should be determined and the person to direct each group selected. It might be possible for two groups of about the same age to play together. Often the senior high group will not take part in the play. One of them might be found who can take charge of some group.

One important item in getting children to play, is the way directions for the game are given, especially if it is one with which they are not acquainted.

Here is a set of rules worked out by the Recreation Service of the federal government:

1. Know the game yourself.

2. Get the attention of everyone. Stand where everyone can see you—within the circle.

Use whistle sparingly. Speak so ycnu can be heard.

3. Describe the game clearly and concisely. Watch the faces of listeners closely to know if they understand directions.

4. Demonstrate, Watch for errors and make cor-rections, explaining so all may hear.

5. Play the game.

There will be some games the children already know and like. If they have some they desire to play, it is well to use them. The teacher may also know some games of the right sort that are not listed here as suggestions. If the details of the games are not known, you will find them in most any book of games in a public library.

Games for preschool and primary children:

Satan’s TrapAnimal Chase Cat and RatTrain Drop the Handkerchief Squirrel in Trees Games for juniors:

Jerusalem and Jericho Hunter, Fox, and Gun Games for older boys:

Flying Dutchman Numbers Change Lemonade (Trade)

Birds Fly

Pig in the Pen

Tug-O-War

Relay

Red Rover

Touch Objects As stated above, thes are only suggestive. It is always wise to let the boys and girls make suggestions. Do not play some game they do not enjoy. Do not try to force them to play a certain game just because the teacher likes it. We should give careful consideration to the time a game will take. We will not have more than about fifteen minutes for it after all get out to the playground. Use games that can be gotten under way quickly. The teacher should enter into directing the games joyfully, and not as though she were doing a task that is unpleasant. Let us endeavor to make our recreation period count in real recreation, so that the boys and girls will go back to their last class period refreshed in mind and body. We should also remember that we have here an opportunity to show boys and girls how to have a good time without talcing part in anything that is wrong or even the least bit questionable.