Sec. 3.  GENERAL METHOD

The teacher’s aim will be to make this course definitely practical.  The book is not concerned so much with theories of the family as with the present problems of the family, and especially with those that relate to moral and religious education.  There must be a sense of definite problems to be concretely treated in all lessons.  The teacher will therefore encourage discussion, but will also avoid the tendency to drift into desultory conversation.  Direct the discussion to avoid tedious detours on side issues.  Direct the discussion to avoid the tendency to treat superficially all the subject at one session.  It will be necessary frequently to insist that attention be focused upon the immediate problems suggested by the lesson for the day, and to ask the class to wait until the subjects which they in their eagerness suggest shall come in their due order.

Encourage personal experiences as sidelights and criticisms on the text, but remember that no single experience is conclusive.  Beware of the over-elaboration and detailed narration of experiences.

Insist on a thorough study of the text. Students should be so prepared as to make a lecture superfluous and to allow discussion to take the place of review and explanation.  The greatest danger in parents’ classes is that the members do not study; class work becomes indefinite and soon loses value.  Again, the members of the class often are unwilling to be governed by the schedule of lessons, and the class drifts into aimless conversation.  Adult students especially need to be turned from the tendency to regard educational experience as having come to an end with their school days.  The members of this class will need encouragement; they must be stimulated patiently until they have re-formed some habits of study and rediscovered the pleasures of systematic thinking.  The best stimulus will be a teacher so convinced of the supreme importance of the subject to be studied as to lead the members to recognize its importance and the insignificance of any price they may pay for efficient spiritual parenthood.

Sec. 4.  CLASS WORK

At the first session teach chap. i, which is introductory.  Draw out discussion on the points suggested therein, and assign this chapter and the one following for the next session.  The first lesson will give the teacher opportunity to explain and illustrate the method of study, presentation, and discussion.

Assign the work carefully each week, calling especial attention to the “References for Study.”  Secure promises from as many as possible to read at least one of these references and to prepare a written report, on one sheet of paper, for presentation at the next session.  Ask others to look into the special points which will be found in the references given under the heading “Further Reading.”