Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Sept/71

Contributor - Albert Vredeveld

Title - The Role of the Sunday School Teacher

Topic - Sunday School

The purpose of this brief presentation is to discuss the functions and responsibilities of a teacher in a Sunday or Church school. That is, a discussion of the role of the teacher - what is he expected to be and what is he expected to do.

Teachers in different Sunday Schools will have different roles, depending upon a number of factors, not the least of which is the role which a Sunday School plays in the educational efforts of the church or the way its role is viewed by its members. For example, if the Sunday School is viewed merely as a Sunday morning baby sitting service, its teachers may become merely unpaid (and probably) unsatisfied babysitters. If the Sunday School is viewed as a means to fill students with so much truth or fact, the role of the teacher becomes that of a talking Biblical Encyclopedia. If the Sunday School is seen as an organization to help its members gain a knowledge and partial understanding of God and how they may serve Him, its teachers will have quite a different role from the above.

In this case the teacher assumes responsibility for the spiritual growth and welfare of individual students and it is this role which is felt to be the ideal. A number of points for discuss' arise at this point. To what extent is the teacher responsible and how does one measure spiritual growth. As far as responsibility is concerned, the responsibility does not of course, fall solely on the teacher. Parents have promised at the baptism of their children to nurture them in the Christian tradition and Pastors also bear accountability. Teachers may therefore not be primarily responsible, but responsibility remains, and the teacher should have a clear realization of it.

The teacher is responsible to impart facts but more significantly to help pupils to discover the personnel significance of the facts, by any method deemed necessary to convey these to pupils. He is also responsible for his own faith, its growth and richness. This necessitates continual studying, training and attendance and participation at Sunday School meetings and regional meetings.

To sum up the discussion to this point we can say that the function of the Sunday School teacher is the same as that of the entire Church, which is to communicate the Christian faith. To communicate this faith and insights in such a way that his pupils become aware of them and understand. The problem of measuring spiritual growth is a difficult one. This problem of measurement should not be confused with an inability to see some kind of progress in understanding and discussion, with time, of each pupil. Progress, i.e. growth should be observable and if it is not perhaps the teacher is at fault. Report cards were scrapped to a large extent at Hamilton First Reformed. If used at all they are used to inform pa-rents on behaviour, attendance and perhaps the ability of the child to cope with a term's work.

This leads to another problem, which can be discussed: the relationship between teacher and parent. How does a teacher communicate with parents and to what extent is the communication necessary? Formal methods such as report cards and informal methods such as a talk, a telephone call or a letter should be encouraged because it is in the home that most attitudes are formed including attitudes towards Sunday School and the Christian faith. Perhaps parents could be invited to a Sunday School class. Adult classes could be formed. What is needed is to spark the interest of all parents and pupils. Perhaps this could be done by performances, exhibitions of work in the way of Christmas Concerts, etc. These spark even the apathetic and are vehicles of communication between teacher, parent, child.

Another question which- could be raised concerns the question of the status of teachers. Should teachers be communicant members? Arguments can be raised pro and con. Teachers who are not communicant members may receive faith through teaching. These teachers may be qualified. Why should they be excluded? However, teachers need to be committed Christians and if they are not communicant members the question could legitimately be asked, "Why is there a reluctance to make a profession of faith?" The status of teachers is usually hedged on, as in Hamilton's Sunday School constitution which states that "Teachers should preferable be communicant members Communicant membership does not necessarily correlate with good teachers.

In summary it is hoped that some discussion may have been stimulated, some questions answered. Perhaps Paul to the Colossians summarizes our position when he writes: "He (Christ) it is whom we pro ' claim. We admonish everyone without distinction, we instruct everyone in all the ways of wisdom, so as to present each one of you as a mature member of Christ's body. To this end I am toiling strenuously with all the energy and power of Christ at work in me."

Col. 1 : 28-29 - N.E.B.

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