Teaching Children's Classes Grade 1 PDF

Teaching Children’s Classes Grade 1 Ruhi Institute Book 3 Teaching Children’s Classes Grade 1 Ruhi Institute Books in the Series: Below are the current titles in the series designed by the Ruhi Institute. The books are intended to...

Teaching Children’s Classes Grade 1 Ruhi Institute Book 3 Teaching Children’s Classes Grade 1 Ruhi Institute Books in the Series: Below are the current titles in the series designed by the Ruhi Institute. The books are intended to be used as the main sequence of courses in a systematic effort to enhance the capacity of youth and adults to serve their communities. The Ruhi Institute is also developing a set of courses that branch out from the third book in the series for training teachers of Bahá’í children’s classes, as well as another set from Book 5 for raising up animators of junior youth groups. These, too, are indicated in the list below. It should be noted that the list may undergo change as experience in the field advances, and additional titles will be added as a number of curricular elements under development reach the stage where they can be made widely available. Book 1 Reflections on the Life of the Spirit Book 2 Arising to Serve Book 3 Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1 Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 2 (branch course) Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 3 (branch course) Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 4 (branch course) Book 4 The Twin Manifestations Book 5 Releasing the Powers of Junior Youth Initial Impulse: The first branch course of Book 5 Widening Circle: The second branch course of Book 5 Book 6 Teaching the Cause Book 7 Walking Together on a Path of Service Book 8 The Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh Book 9 Gaining an Historical Perspective Book 10 Building Vibrant Communities Book 11 Material Means Book 12 Family and the Community Book 13 Engaging in Social Action Book 14 Participating in Public Discourse Copyright © 1987, 1995, 2021 by the Ruhi Foundation, Colombia All rights reserved. Edition 1.1.1.PE published January 1995 Edition 2.2.1.PE September 2021 ISBN 978-958-52941-6-5 Ruhi Institute Cali, Colombia Email: [email protected] Website: www.ruhi.org  Contents A Few Thoughts for the Tutor v Some Principles of Bahá’í Education 1 Lessons for Children’s Classes, Grade 1 35  A Few Thoughts for the Tutor This book brings together two units that seek to build capacity in a growing number of individuals to undertake the highly meritorious act of teaching regular classes for the spiritual education of children in neighborhoods and villages. It is the third in the Ruhi Institute’s main sequence of courses, and the first to open up a specialized path of service for those wishing to pursue it. Participants who decide to do so will go on to study a series of branch courses for teaching children, while continuing to progress, each at a pace suitable to his or her own situation, along the path traced out by the main sequence. In guiding a group through the book, the tutor should keep the above vision in mind, remembering that only a percentage of the participants may choose to dedicate themselves to this area of endeavor. Beyond its immediate aim, then, the book will serve more broadly to familiarize every individual now firmly set on the path of service with some of the concepts and ideas that give shape to the educational program for youngsters unfolding in his or her village or neighborhood. In this, the book hopes to contribute to a heightened awareness within a community, both of its obligation to nurture children spiritually and of the qualities, attitudes and conduct its adult members must display in their interactions with them. From their study of the second unit of Book 2, participants are already acquainted with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statement that education is of three kinds: material, human, and spiritual. Here they will be given an opportunity to further their understanding of the latter type of education, by the aid of which the spiritual nature, the higher nature, of the individual is developed. What should be clear from the outset is that spiritual education for children as conceived in the Bahá’í Faith differs fundamentally from the imposition of dogmatic beliefs sometimes associated with religious instruction. It aims to foster, instead, a love for knowledge, an open attitude towards learning, and a constant desire to investigate reality. It is equally important to acknowledge that, in the education of the young, religious precepts cannot be swept aside, for to do so would be to deny them access to divine truths and spiritual principles, principles that must come to govern their thoughts and actions. Those supporting the claim that youngsters are best left to acquire their own standards and worldviews from their interactions with society, supposedly by free choice, do not seem to appreciate how aggressively political, economic and cultural powers promote patterns of belief and behavior that serve their own interests. But even if this were not so, there is no reason to assume that succeeding generations would be able to create a better world without an education that nurtures the spiritual nature of the individual. Humanity bereft of guidance from the Divine Educator can produce little more than chaos, injustice, and suffering. Bahá’í teachings, then, are central to the six-year program of child education envisioned in this book and in those that branch off from it. That said, the design of the program, particularly the sequencing of the content across grades, opens the way for youngsters of all backgrounds to take part. Lessons for Grade 1 are concerned with the development of v spiritual qualities in children aged 5 or 6—this, in an effort to contribute to the refinement of character. Grade 2 builds on these lessons by fostering the habits and pattern of conduct that give expression to the inner qualities explored the previous year—for example, the habit of praying, through which an inner state distinguished by the desire to draw close to God is expressed. The next grades turn to the question of knowledge. Specifically, to work consciously for their own spiritual development, individuals must be connected to the Source from which the knowledge of God flows. Themes central to the lives of the Twin Manifestations of God for this Day, as well as Manifestations that appeared before Them, are discussed, then, in the lessons for these grades. The final grade provides children with an opportunity to grow in their knowledge of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation, guided by, and benefiting from, the explanations and example of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. It is hoped that this will help strengthen the habit in children of turning to His Writings and utterances as they move forward in life and strive to align their thoughts and actions with Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings. By the time they reach the age of 11 or 12, youngsters are ready to make the passage to the junior youth spiritual empowerment program, in which their rising consciousness will be expanded further through a series of texts, studied alongside an animator, including texts that continue the education they received in Bahá’í children’s classes. Aspiring children’s class teachers should have every confidence that parents who are not themselves Bahá’ís welcome the opportunity to send their sons and daughters to such classes and invariably rejoice in seeing the effects of spiritual education on their tender hearts and minds. As noted above, classes in Grade 1 focus on the refinement of character. It is within this context, then, that the first unit, “Some Principles of Bahá’í Education”, examines certain fundamental concepts gleaned from the Writings of the Faith that have profound implications for education. The initial half of the unit is given over to this discussion, while the remainder looks at what approaches can be taken in conducting the lessons and at the teacher’s relationship with parents. One of the first concepts discussed in the unit is human potential, which is explored through the imagery found in Bahá’u’lláh’s statement that likens the human being to “a mine rich in gems of inestimable value”. Participants are asked to reflect on two immediate implications that can be drawn from the statement—namely, that educational approaches which view students as empty vessels waiting to be filled with information ought best to be set aside and that, without proper nurturing, children will not be able to manifest the many gems latent within their inmost beings. Among the gems with which every individual is endowed, the unit proposes, are those called “spiritual qualities”, seen as permanent structures upon which a noble and upright character can be built. That they constitute a distinct category of “virtues”—a general term used for every kind of praiseworthy attribute, including habits and attitudes as well as skills and abilities—is an essential idea that all participants should adequately grasp. Sections 6 and 7 consider some of the implications of this statement. The tutor will want to make sure that members of the group are able to relate what they are discussing to their study of the third unit of Book 1, where they thought about how spiritual qualities, as faculties of the human soul, must be developed in this life to aid and assist us on our eternal journey towards God. Love of God and knowledge of God are indispensable in nurturing spiritual qualities. It is important for participants to see how the ideas in these two sections set the Grade 1 lessons apart from, say, a course on virtues that treats punctuality and truthfulness as one and the same type of attribute. And, when teachers appreciate this distinction, they will avoid the tendency to view the development of a goodly character primarily in terms of behavior modification. vi  Spiritual qualities, of course, have a dynamics of their own, which the core elements of the lessons—prayer, memorization of quotations, and stories—in particular strive to foster. Participants already have some insight into the nature of these elements from their study of Books 1 and 2, and Section 8 is intended to help them extend what they have learned to the task of teaching children. In doing so, they should recognize that, to cultivate spiritual qualities in youngsters, the lessons put them in immediate contact with the Word of God and inspire them with stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the embodiment of the highest human ideals. Another concept explored in the unit is the fear of God, which is addressed in Section 12. It is, according to the Bahá’í Writings, the “prime factor” in the education of a human being. What is important for participants to understand is that this fear is inseparable from the love of God, for it is a fear born of the desire to please the One we love and to avoid any act that would prevent the bounties of His love from reaching us. In the absence of love, the fear that motivates us to turn away from unseemly conduct is of another kind—fear of chastisement by a wrathful God. This is not an image that should enter the minds of children. While aspiring teachers need to grasp well the relationship between love of God and fear of God in the educational process, they should recognize that it is not a subject they will raise explicitly in class. Rather they must learn to fan the flame of the love of God in the hearts of their students and help them gain the absolute assurance that, having created humanity out of His infinite love, God will never cease to nurture and protect us. It is the love of His Beauty that, in the final analysis, will discourage them from acting in ways contrary to His good pleasure. Discussion on the above concepts and ideas should lead participants to the realization that, ultimately, through a process of spiritual education, children should come to regard the acquisition of spiritual qualities as a reward in itself and the possession of an unworthy character as the greatest punishment. All of this, then, should enable participants to view the modification of behavior in youngsters from a proper perspective—not as a central aim but as an aid to the refinement of character. They will, accordingly, find appropriate ways in their interactions with children to encourage desirable conduct and to discourage unbecoming patterns of behavior, and some of these are mentioned in Section 13. Other concepts briefly addressed in the section are those related to freedom and discipline. While harsh punishment obviously has no place in the education of children, allowing them absolute freedom to do as they wish is equally damaging to their spiritual development. The unit turns next to the question of how to maintain order and discipline in a class while creating a joyful learning environment. The tutor should remember that most participants will have had no previous experience teaching children, and so only a few initial ideas are offered here for their consideration. They may wish to return to the relevant sections after they have taken up this act of service and reflect on the ideas in light of experience. Participants then go on to examine some of the approaches they can follow in engaging children in the activities that make up the lessons. In addition to the core elements of prayer, memorization of quotations, and stories, highlighted above, these activities include songs, games, and coloring. In analyzing the approaches available to them, participants review the first lesson on the spiritual quality of purity. Finally, in Section 26, they consider the nature of the ongoing conversation that unfolds between a teacher and the parents of youngsters in his or her class. This section builds on what participants have already studied in this regard in Book 2, as well as on any experience they may have gained since then as part of a growing nucleus of friends visiting households vii with children who attend classes in their neighborhood or village. The tutor should make sure to give participants sufficient time to carry out the exercise that calls for them to reexamine concepts in this first unit in preparation for their conversations with parents. The exercise will serve as a means for the members of the group to reinforce in their minds many of the concepts and ideas discussed. The second unit, “Lessons for Children’s Classes, Grade 1”, consists of two parts: the twenty-four lessons suggested for this grade and preliminary sections designed to enable teachers to become well acquainted with the content of the lessons, each of which is structured around the development of a spiritual quality. Taking four lessons at a time, the preliminary sections guide participants through a review of the core elements of each one, which they analyze in much the same way they did the first on purity in the preceding unit. A quotation from the Bahá’í Writings constitutes the pivotal element of every lesson. It is accompanied by a short statement that teachers are encouraged to use in introducing the quotation to the children. Though brief, the statement employs a constellation of words and images drawn from the Writings that will help the children start to form a picture in their minds of the dynamics that characterize the spiritual quality addressed. A teacher’s ability to present the introductory remarks in a natural way and assist students in gaining insights into these dynamics will grow through experience and through continued contemplation on the spiritual qualities discussed in the lessons. In this light, participants are asked in the preliminary sections to undertake an initial reflection on the significance of each quality, both in the life of the individual and for their teaching efforts, and a small selection of quotations related to each one is included for this purpose. Having engaged in such reflection, participants next examine the stories that illustrate the qualities they have been considering. Gleaned largely from the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, these are intended to offer children a glimpse of the limitless manifestations of spiritual qualities as attributes of the human soul. To this end, some questions are provided for each story to help teachers look beyond the sequence of events to the spiritual reality it explores. Particularly in the case of stories of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, these questions are formulated so as to ensure that, in their narration, teachers place emphasis on how He manifested spiritual qualities to the utmost perfection and avoid drawing the kind of immediate and superficial correlation that can distract children from seeing the true significance of His actions. After participants have analyzed each grouping of four lessons in this way, they are asked to spend time practicing the various elements among themselves, employing the approaches discussed in the first unit. The importance of the practice component cannot be overestimated. Much will now fall on the tutor to assist the members of the group in their efforts to enhance their ability as potential teachers. The organization of the study of the lessons into sets of four allows for a degree of flexibility in this respect, and some thought should be given by the tutor on how best to proceed, in consultation, as needed, with the institute coordinator for children’s classes. There may be times when it is possible for participants to complete the study of the entire unit, including its practice component, before they take up this act of service. In that case, it is essential that those wishing to hold classes are able to gain experience swiftly following their completion of Book 3, whether by starting one of their own or by working alongside another teacher, helping out with some of the activities. Under other circumstances, however, it may be fruitful for participants to begin acquiring similar experience in teaching after they have completed the study and practice of, say, one or two sets of four lessons. At appropriate intervals, then, the tutor would bring participants back together to study and practice four more lessons in light of their growing experience. viii It should be mentioned here that the organization of the preliminary sections into groups of four lessons does not imply that the spiritual qualities addressed in them are in any special way connected. Irrespective of such arrangements, it is vital for teachers to become thoroughly familiar with the lessons and prepare well for each class period. Children’s classes will be much more successful if the teacher does not read directly from the book but has learned to recite the prayers and quotations by heart, has prepared to introduce the quotation for the lesson, and has practiced telling the story. Aside from preparation of this kind, very little is needed for the classes by way of materials and outside resources, beyond some supplies for games and the coloring sheets and crayons. The coloring sheets, found at the end of the second unit, can be photocopied or reproduced by tracing them out on separate pieces of paper. They can, in addition, be downloaded from the website of the Ruhi Institute in order for prints to be made. Also provided on the website are recordings of the songs for Grade 1, which teachers may wish to use not only to prepare themselves for class but to assist the children in learning to sing them. Those who begin a class for youngsters in their community are encouraged to maintain a notebook dedicated to their efforts, which will enable them to have needed information readily on hand and will strengthen a pattern of preparation and reflection. It is worthwhile to make explicit here that the twenty-four lessons for Grade 1 have been designed with the intent of ensuring that each one can be completed in a single class period, under normal circumstances. Dividing the elements of a lesson between two periods contributes to a tendency to prolong activities unnecessarily. More crucially, however, it can undermine the effectiveness of a process of learning in which establishing a rhythm among activities, each of different levels of intensity, but all revolving around one spiritual quality, is essential. Lastly, a few words should be said about the relationship between the teacher and the students in the educational process, a theme treated in Sections 9 and 10 of the first unit but implicit throughout the entire book. That every teacher should exert the utmost effort to bring to his or her endeavors among children all the spiritual qualities they are studying in Grade 1 is evident. Of these, none will be more important than love, a love that is a reflection of the love of God. This love will be felt in the environment created by the teacher—in the degree of preparation made before class, in the prayers offered at the start of each one, in the language employed in interactions with the students, and in the way students receive encouragement and praise for the progress they are making. ix Some Principles of Bahá’í Education Purpose To explore some of the principles and concepts found in the Bahá’í Writings related to education and to reflect on how to engage children in classes that nurture them spiritually SECTION 1 This third book of the Ruhi Institute introduces to you a most meritorious act of service, teaching Bahá’í classes for the spiritual education of children. If, after studying the book and carrying out its practice component, you decide to dedicate some of your time and energy to this act of service, you will be in the position to begin a weekly class in your community for a group of youngsters entering the first grade of a six-year educational program. While you offer the class, you will, of course, continue to advance through the books of the main sequence. Teaching children is only one of several acts of service on the path you are treading. Even if you choose not to engage in it, you will find the study of this course valuable. In contributing to the community-building process in your village, town or neighborhood, you will interact with small children on many occasions and will be able to draw often on the insights you gain from your study here. Take a moment to reflect on the sentiments that the statement below from the Universal House of Justice engenders towards children: “Children are the most precious treasure a community can possess, for in them are the promise and guarantee of the future. They bear the seeds of the character of future society which is largely shaped by what the adults constituting the community do or fail to do with respect to children. They are a trust no community can neglect with impunity. An all-embracing love of children, the manner of treating them, the quality of the attention shown them, the spirit of adult behavior toward them—these are all among the vital aspects of the requisite attitude.”1 The lessons for the first grade, presented in the second unit of the book, are simple. Each one consists of a set of activities focused on the development of a spiritual quality. The children are encouraged to memorize prayers and quotations from the Writings, listen to stories and explanations of the teachings, draw and color, sing and play. To offer these lessons, a great deal of knowledge of the field of education is not required. Irrespective of whether you have any formal training as a teacher, this course will prepare you to conduct a children’s class effectively week after week. As you study the courses that branch off from Book 3 and gain experience, you will have an opportunity to give thought to many issues fundamental to education. At the beginning, you will probably follow the lesson plans closely but will increasingly be able to enrich them with additional content you yourself elaborate. SECTION 2 Let us reflect on the following words of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, which help us appreciate the work performed by a teacher. You may wish to commit them to memory, so that you can bring them to mind when teaching. “Blessed is that teacher who shall arise to instruct the children, and to guide the people into the pathways of God, the Bestower, the Well-Beloved.”2 “Among the greatest of all services that can possibly be rendered by man to Almighty God is the education and training of children...”3 Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 3  “According to the explicit divine Text, teaching the children is indispensable and obligatory. It followeth that teachers are servants of the Lord God, since they have arisen to perform this task, which is the same as worship. You must therefore offer praise with every breath, for you are educating your spiritual children.”4 1. As you reflect on the significance of these words, fill in the blanks in the sentences below. a. ____________ is that ____________ who shall arise to _____________ the children, and to ___________ the people into the _______________ of God, the _______________ , the ______________________. b. Among the _______________ of all ______________ that can possibly be rendered by any individual to Almighty God is the _______________ and _____________ of children. c. According to the explicit divine Text, teaching the children is ___________________ and _________________. It follows that _______________ are _______________ of the Lord God, since they have ____________ to perform this task, which is the __________ as ________________. You must therefore offer ____________ with every breath, for you are educating your _____________________________. 2. On the basis of what we have studied so far, decide which of these statements are true: Parents, teachers, and the community all share in the responsibility for the spiritual education of children. Every community has an obligation to establish classes for the spiritual education of children. Teaching children can be considered an act of worship. Since children go to school, the community does not need to establish classes for their spiritual education. A teacher of children is raising spiritual sons and daughters. SECTION 3 There are many passages in the Writings of the Faith bearing on the field of education. We will study some of them in this course and in those branching off from it. To begin, read the following words of Bahá’u’lláh: “Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can, alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom.”5 Completing the sentences below will help you meditate on the profound meaning of this statement and commit it to memory, if you have not already done so. 4 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1  a. The human being is like a ___________ rich in gems of inestimable ___________. b. _____________________ can, alone, cause it to _________________ its treasures, and enable mankind to __________________ therefrom. The implications of Bahá’u’lláh’s words for the field of education are vast, and a number of them will be addressed in the sections that follow. For now, let us consider one idea. Suppose you were given some twenty empty jars and asked to fill them with water, spoonful by spoonful. If education were to be conceived in this way—feeding students with bits of information—it would be a tedious task, would it not? Next, imagine a mine filled with hidden gems ready to be discovered and brought to light. Do you not agree that teaching viewed as mining gems is indeed a most joyful occupation? SECTION 4 Let us think further about the above quotation. Can we include qualities such as love, truthfulness, justice, generosity, steadfastness and sincerity among the gems to which Bahá’u’lláh refers? What about the powers of the human mind, its powers to discover the mysteries of nature, to produce beautiful works of art, to express noble and uplifting thoughts? The children you will teach potentially possess all these attributes. Can you mention some others? Will any of them be developed without proper education? In reflecting on these questions, remember the analogy employed in Book 1, that a lamp has the potential to give light but that, to do so, it must be lit. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  SECTION 5 To develop our potential, we all go through various stages of an educational process that, we could say, unfolds until the end of our lives. We are educated at home, at school, at work, and within the community. A question we must ask ourselves here is, What should be the focus of Bahá’í classes for children, particularly in the first grade, as one facet of this lifelong educational process? Certain counsels of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá will assist us in finding answers: “Ye should consider the question of goodly character as of the first importance. It is incumbent upon every father and mother to counsel their children over a long period and guide them unto those things which lead to everlasting honor.”6 “Training in morals and good conduct is far more important than book learning. A child that is cleanly, agreeable, of good character, well-behaved—even though Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 5  he be ignorant—is preferable to a child that is rude, unwashed, ill-natured, and yet becoming deeply versed in all the sciences and arts. The reason for this is that the child who conducts himself well, even though he be ignorant, is of benefit to others, while an ill-natured, ill-behaved child is corrupted and harmful to others, even though he be learned. If, however, the child be trained to be both learned and good, the result is light upon light.”7 “In a time to come, morals will degenerate to an extreme degree. It is essential that children be reared in the Bahá’í way, that they may find happiness both in this world and the next. If not, they shall be beset by sorrows and troubles, for human happiness is founded upon spiritual behavior.”8 Passages such as these have led the Ruhi Institute to focus on the refinement of character in the first grade of its program for the spiritual education of children. Before we go on to explore this aim, you may wish to discuss in your group what you understand by a “goodly character” and write some of your conclusions in the space below. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  SECTION 6 A concept that immediately comes to mind when one thinks of a goodly character is “virtue”. There are many worthwhile programs in the world that seek to develop in the student one set of virtues or another. These programs use the term “virtue” to describe a wide range of praiseworthy human attributes. Some are habits like punctuality. Others are attitudes such as sympathy for those in difficulty. Yet others refer to certain skills and abilities, say, the ability to speak clearly. But there is one category of virtues which stands apart from all the rest—truthfulness, generosity, humility, love, to mention a few examples—that we call “spiritual qualities”. You are being asked to focus your efforts in the first grade on the development of these fundamental attributes of the human soul. This does not mean that, in your interactions with the children, you will neglect other virtues. It is just that the lessons you teach will be primarily concerned with qualities that are essential to the soul’s eternal journey towards God. To appreciate the kind of distinction being made here, consider punctuality as a virtue. Someone who is punctual may also be mean and cruel. Cruelty and meanness, however, cannot be traits of one who has acquired the heavenly qualities of truthfulness and sincerity, love and justice, generosity and forgiveness. For such a person to be punctual too is, of course, highly desirable. You have given some thought to the qualities the soul must acquire in this life in the third unit of Book 1. It may be opportune for you to go back to that unit and review the relevant sections. Then think about what you studied there in the context of the importance of developing spiritual qualities from the tender years of childhood. Below is some space for you to write down your reflections. 6 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1  _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  SECTION 7 In helping children to manifest a praiseworthy character, you will naturally be concerned with their conduct, for virtues must necessarily be put into practice. As a teacher, you will reinforce good behavior in many ways. Praise, encouragement, exhortation, explanation, reward—each of these you will use time and again in following the progress of a small group of youngsters. On occasion, a mild expression of displeasure from you will also serve as a means for discouraging unseemly conduct exhibited by one or another child—this, once you have established deep bonds of love and affection with the students in your class. We will explore some of the issues related to how you will interact with your students in later sections. For the purpose of our present discussion, let us consider an example. In your interactions with the children, you will undoubtedly try to foster in them a sharing attitude and the corresponding habit. What are some of the things you could say and do? Discuss this question with the other members of your group. Now reflect on the following question: Will sharing as an aspect of behavior endure, say, in times of scarcity, if it is not the manifestation of generosity, a spiritual quality that is a reflection of an attribute of God, the Generous, the All-Bountiful? The answer, of course, is that while modification of behavior has its place, the real aim is the development of spiritual qualities which, as faculties of the human soul, must be nurtured by the knowledge of God and the love of God. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá advises us: “Thou didst write as to the children: from the very beginning, the children must receive divine education and must continually be reminded to remember their God. Let the love of God pervade their inmost being, commingled with their mother’s milk.”9 “From his infancy, the child must be nursed at the breast of God’s love, and nurtured in the embrace of His knowledge, that he may radiate light, grow in spirituality, be filled with wisdom and learning, and take on the characteristics of the angelic host.”10 “As to thy question regarding the education of children: it behooveth thee to nurture them at the breast of the love of God, and urge them onward to the things of the spirit, that they may turn their faces unto God; that their ways may conform to the rules of good conduct and their character be second to none; that they make their own all the graces and praiseworthy qualities of humankind...”11 You may wish to memorize at least one of these quotations. Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 7 SECTION 8 The lessons you will be teaching children in the first grade, generally aged five or six, have been elaborated with the ideas we have explored thus far in mind. It may be helpful at this point for you to turn to the second unit and read through two or three lessons, paying particular attention to the initial one. Later you will have an opportunity to analyze all twenty- four lessons in detail. For now, you are encouraged to give thought to their various elements, as noted below, in light of the discussion in the preceding sections. Every class begins with prayers recited by you and some of the children. Immediately after, the youngsters dedicate time to memorizing a prayer with your assistance. Prayer is indispensable to the development of a child who is to be “nursed at the breast of God’s love”. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá tells us that “children are even as young plants, and teaching them the prayers is as letting the rain pour down upon them, that they may wax tender and fresh, and the soft breezes of the love of God may blow over them, making them to tremble with joy.” Take a moment to ponder how this element of the class contributes to the overall aim of nurturing a goodly character in children. Try to articulate your ideas in a few sentences. Certain passages quoted in Book 1, such as the following, will assist you: “The greatest attainment or the sweetest state is none other than conversation with God. It creates spirituality, creates mindfulness and celestial feelings, begets new attractions of the Kingdom and engenders the susceptibilities of the higher intelligence.”12 “Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men.”13 “Spirit has influence; prayer has spiritual effect.”14 “It behooveth the servant to pray to and seek assistance from God, and to supplicate and implore His aid. Such becometh the rank of servitude, and the Lord will decree whatsoever He desireth, in accordance with His consummate wisdom.”15 _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  The theme of each lesson revolves around a quotation from the Sacred Text that the children are expected to memorize. You are asked to do your best to help them gain a basic understanding of its meaning, an understanding which invariably proves essential to the development of spiritual qualities. A question to consider in this respect is whether you could nurture the desired qualities in any meaningful way without the aid of the Word of God. Again, in formulating your thoughts, call to mind some of your reflections in earlier books in the sequence—for example, on the power of the Word of God in the first unit of Book 2. 8 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1 How does the passage below in particular, which you probably know by heart, assist you in addressing this question? “The Word of God may be likened unto a sapling, whose roots have been implanted in the hearts of men. It is incumbent upon you to foster its growth through the living waters of wisdom, of sanctified and holy words, so that its root may become firmly fixed and its branches may spread out as high as the heavens and beyond.”16 _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  Another element of the lessons consists of stories narrated to the children. Most are drawn from the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who, as the perfect Exemplar of His Father’s teachings, embodied the qualities you wish to foster. From your study of the third unit of Book 2, you are already aware of the unique bounty bestowed upon humanity in the Person of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. The stories the children learn of His life play a special role in developing their character, and they should be reminded time and again of His great love for children. As their bond with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá strengthens, you can assure them that, when they strive to follow His example, they bring joy to His heart. How do you think stories from the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, told with joy and reverence, contribute to the development of the desired qualities in youngsters? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  Singing songs is yet another element of the class, one which fills the hearts and souls of children with happiness. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says: “The art of music is divine and effective. It is the food of the soul and spirit. Through the power and charm of music the spirit of man is uplifted. It has wonderful sway and effect in the hearts of children, for their hearts are pure, and melodies have great influence in them. The latent talents with which the hearts of these children are endowed will find expression through the medium of music.”17 Discuss with your group why it is important for children to learn to sing beautiful songs from the time they are very young. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 9  _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  Games and coloring are two other elements of a class. The games are cooperative in nature and are meant to contribute to the development of certain desirable attitudes and habits. The coloring sheets provided for the lessons relate to the spiritual quality on which each one is focused. Coloring, too, strengthens a number of vital skills and abilities necessary for children at this stage of growth. These two activities help create the atmosphere of joy that must be the hallmark of a class for the spiritual education of children. You may wish to say a few words about how indispensable a joyful environment is for the development of spiritual qualities. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  SECTION 9 Over the past several sections you have gained some insight into the aim of the lessons in the first grade and have seen how each element contributes to the refinement of character. Let us now briefly examine the nature of your relationship with the youngsters you will be teaching. First and foremost is the love you will feel towards your students, a love which, as a reflection of the love of God, will embrace all children of every background. How to express this love in a way that reaches each child is something a teacher strives to learn. Your love for your students, pure and free from favoritism, will make it easy for you to discover the gems of inestimable value that have been deposited within the reality of each child by the Hand of the Almighty. You will see every student as a noble being created in the image of God, a truth to which these words of Bahá’u’lláh testify: “Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.”18 “With the hands of power I made thee and with the fingers of strength I created thee; and within thee have I placed the essence of My light.”19 “Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me. For I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon thee.”20 10 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1  You must realize, of course, that love will inevitably be tested. As you teach, you are bound to come across undesirable character traits in your students. On such occasions it is essential you reject the erroneous notion that some children are incorrigible. A teacher of Bahá’í children’s classes must have no doubt that every child has the capacity to know God through His Manifestations and to obey Their teachings. Every child has the capacity to advance spiritually. Every one of the youngsters in your class has been created noble and can, with your assistance, show forth this nobility. Calling to mind phrases used by the beloved Master in referring to children will help you see more clearly their spiritual essence as God’s creation. Below is a selection of such phrases; read them and reflect on how they should shape your perception of the precious beings you will be teaching. − these lovely children − these bright, radiant children − these beautiful children of the Kingdom − these saplings which have sprouted by the stream of Thy guidance − young plants of the Abhá Paradise − plants of Thine orchard − tender seedlings in the garden of the love of God − fresh saplings in the meadows of the knowledge of God − saplings bursting into bloom in Thy divine springtime − the roses of Thy garden − the roses of the garden of Thy guidance − the flowers of Thy meadow − the twigs of the tree of life − young branches growing in the gardens of Thy knowledge − boughs budding in Thy groves of grace − birds of the meads of salvation − candles which have been lighted by the fingers of the Blessed Perfection − the handiwork of the fingers of Thy might − the wondrous signs of Thy greatness − loved ones of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 11 SECTION 10 Alongside love, the relationship you nurture with your students will be characterized by all the other spiritual qualities addressed in the lessons for the first grade. There is no doubt that you will strive to increasingly manifest these qualities not only in your interactions with the children during class but in every aspect of your life. Bahá’u’lláh advises us: “Take heed, O people, lest ye be of them that give good counsel to others but forget to follow it themselves.”21 It is particularly important for children’s class teachers to gain a growing appreciation of the meaning and implications of each quality discussed in the lessons, an appreciation that will assist them in their efforts to train and nurture the tender saplings under their care. As you will have noted, for example, the first lesson focuses on purity. It seems appropriate that classes concerned with the question of character should begin by exploring the quality of purity of heart. Bahá’u’lláh reminds us, “All that is in heaven and earth” God has ordained for us “except the human heart,” which He has made the habitation of His beauty and glory. Cleansing the mirror of one’s heart enables it to reflect all the other attributes with which the soul of a human being should be adorned. To help teachers think about the spiritual qualities addressed in this grade, the second unit includes several quotations related to each one. For now, you are encouraged to read the quotations below concerning purity. Then, with the other members of your group, discuss the significance of this quality in the life of a human being, in general, and to the efforts of those who arise to teach children, specifically. After writing down some of your thoughts in the space provided, you may wish to memorize at least one of the quotations. “O My brother! A pure heart is as a mirror; cleanse it with the burnish of love and severance from all save God, that the true sun may shine therein and the eternal morning dawn.”22 “O Son of Being! Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation.”23 “The more pure and sanctified the heart of man becomes, the nearer it draws to God, and the light of the Sun of Reality is revealed within it.”24 “First in a human being’s way of life must be purity, then freshness, cleanliness, and independence of spirit. First must the stream bed be cleansed, then may the sweet river waters be led into it.”25 _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  12 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1 SECTION 11 Now, you need to ask yourself, as a teacher of young children, how you can help strengthen their motivation to act according to the teachings God has revealed through His Manifestation Bahá’u’lláh and develop the qualities He tells us should adorn our souls. As you seek answers to this question, reflect on the following words of Bahá’u’lláh: “The Tongue of My power hath, from the heaven of My omnipotent glory, addressed to My creation these words: ‘Observe My commandments, for the love of My beauty.’ Happy is the lover that hath inhaled the divine fragrance of His Best- Beloved from these words, laden with the perfume of a grace which no tongue can describe.”26 “Let the flame of the love of God burn brightly within your radiant hearts. Feed it with the oil of Divine guidance, and protect it within the shelter of your constancy. Guard it within the globe of trust and detachment from all else but God, so that the evil whisperings of the ungodly may not extinguish its light.”27 “O Son of Being! My love is My stronghold; he that entereth therein is safe and secure, and he that turneth away shall surely stray and perish.”28 1. Complete the following sentences with words from the preceding quotations: a. We should observe the commandments of God for the love of His _____________. b. The ______________ of the love of God should burn __________________ within our ___________________ hearts. c. We should feed the flame of the __________ of God with the ________ of Divine __________________. d. We should protect it within the ______________ of our ____________________. e. We should __________________ the flame of the __________ of God within the globe of _______________ and ______________________ from _____________ ______________________. f. We should observe the commandments of God for the love of His _____________. The ________________ of the love of God should burn _____________________ within our ___________________ hearts. We should feed this flame with the oil of ________________ guidance. We should protect it within the shelter of our __________________. We should guard it within the globe of _______________ and ______________________ from all else but God. We should feed the flame of the love of God, protect it and guard it so that the evil whisperings of the ungodly may not extinguish its ____________. Whoever enters the stronghold of the ___________ of God is safe and _______________. Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 13 SECTION 12 During the time you spend with the youngsters, you will be striving to fan the “flame of the love of God” in their radiant hearts and make them conscious of His blessings and of the joy of being able to grow through His words. Of course, our love for God and our longing to receive His bounties bring with them the fear that, for some reason, His love may not reach us. What if our wrongdoings act as barriers that prevent us from receiving His blessings? God’s love is the very cause of our existence, and if we were deprived of it for even a moment, our lives would be shattered. This fear, that if we disobey God we may not be able to receive His love, keeps us on the straight path and protects us from the promptings of our ego and from envy, greed, vain imaginings and corrupt desires. In your endeavor to sow the seeds of the love of God in the hearts of the children you must also think of the fear of God, since the two are inseparable from one another. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá exhorts us: “Train these children with divine exhortations. From their childhood instill in their hearts the love of God so they may manifest in their lives the fear of God and have confidence in the bestowals of God. Teach them to free themselves from human imperfections and to acquire the divine perfections latent in the heart of man.”29 It is important to note that fear of God is not a concept to be discussed directly with the children. The only image they must carry with them is that of a loving God, in Whose bounties and bestowals they should have complete confidence and trust. As you strive to nurture in them the love of God, a notion you can introduce is that certain words and deeds are pleasing to God and others are not. You can remind the children from time to time that because they love God, they wish to please Him. They could be told, for example, that having a kindly tongue and being loving towards one another are acts that please God, while using unkind words or hurting others displease Him. The following quotations are provided for your reflection: “It is incumbent upon thee to summon the people, under all conditions, to whatever will cause them to show forth spiritual characteristics and goodly deeds, so that all may become aware of that which is the cause of human upliftment, and may, with the utmost endeavor, direct themselves towards the most sublime Station and the Pinnacle of Glory. The fear of God hath ever been the prime factor in the education of His creatures. Well is it with them that have attained thereunto!”30 “In this Revelation the hosts that can render it victorious are the hosts of praiseworthy deeds and upright character. The leader and commander of these hosts hath ever been the fear of God, a fear that encompasseth all things and reigneth over all things.”31 “Other attributes of perfection are to fear God, to love God by loving His servants, to exercise mildness and forbearance and calm, to be sincere, amenable, clement and compassionate; to have resolution and courage, trustworthiness and energy, to strive and struggle, to be generous, loyal, without malice, to have zeal and a sense of honor, to be high-minded and magnanimous, and to have regard for the rights of others.”32 14 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1  In light of the passages in this and the previous section, write a paragraph or two describing the relationship between the love of God and the fear of God and how the dynamic interaction of the two is vital to the development of a praiseworthy character. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  SECTION 13 As should be clear from our discussion in the preceding sections, spiritual education draws on the force of attraction to beauty and, by focusing on the development of spiritual qualities, properly directs the hearts of children to true beauty—the beauty of a good character, the beauty inherent in the Sacred Word, the beauty of exemplary conduct, the beauty of lofty thoughts, and, most importantly, attraction to the Beauty of the All-Glorious. Ultimately, obedience to the laws of God springs from love of His beauty. Thus children grow up to see that acquiring spiritual qualities is the greatest reward in itself, and possessing an unworthy character the greatest punishment. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says: “The root cause of wrongdoing is ignorance, and we must therefore hold fast to the tools of perception and knowledge. Good character must be taught. Light must be spread afar, so that, in the school of humanity, all may acquire the heavenly characteristics of the spirit, and see for themselves beyond any doubt that there is no fiercer hell, no more fiery abyss, than to possess a character that is evil and unsound; no more darksome pit nor loathsome torment than to show forth qualities which deserve to be condemned.”33 To help children experience the joy of reflecting heavenly qualities, we should encourage them in their efforts to show forth upright conduct and discourage undesirable behavior. Both harsh punishment and absolute freedom, permitting children to do as they wish, should be avoided. As the Universal House of Justice reminds us, “Love demands Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 15 discipline, the courage to accustom children to hardship, not to indulge their whims or leave them entirely to their own devices.” Children, it goes on to say, “must lovingly but insistently be guided to live up to the Bahá’í standards”. And ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains: “Whensoever a mother seeth that her child hath done well, let her praise and applaud him and cheer his heart; and if the slightest undesirable trait should manifest itself, let her counsel the child and punish him, and use means based on reason, even a slight verbal chastisement should this be necessary. It is not, however, permissible to strike a child, or vilify him, for the child’s character will be totally perverted if he be subjected to blows or verbal abuse.”34 In order to follow the guidance of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the teacher should think of ways to praise the children and bring joy to their hearts when they do well. This requires that the teacher be observant and make note of each child’s progress, taking care not to praise the same few children all the time while ignoring the rest. For a child who is accustomed to receiving loving attention from the teacher, then, a simple gesture of disapproval of unruly behavior can be a subtle yet effective means of punishment. Sometimes it may be necessary to go further and express verbal disapproval of misconduct, especially if a child is disrupting an activity. This should be done in a tone of voice that is firm and respectful, without showing the least trace of anger or impatience. In addition, teachers often need to find time outside of class to counsel one or another child. It may happen that, even when the teacher follows the above advice, some children do not behave as expected. In such cases, small and appropriate sanctions may be required. Examples of such sanctions include not allowing a child to color or holding him or her out of a game for several minutes. There are two essential ideas to bear in mind in this regard. The first is that the teacher should explain clearly to the child why he or she is being sanctioned, by saying, for example, “Because you did such and such a thing, you must wait five minutes before entering the game.” The second idea is that the sanction must be applied immediately after the misbehavior occurred; otherwise the child may not be able to connect the punishment to the conduct. Now discuss the above ideas with the other members of your group. Can you devise sentences together that you think would be appropriate to use in encouraging good conduct in children and in praising the progress you see them making, both individually and as a group? What sentences would be appropriate in discouraging misconduct, when necessary? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  16 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1 SECTION 14 To assist children in developing praiseworthy qualities, it is important for you to create a suitable environment in the class, an environment distinguished by discipline and order. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá says: “... the children’s school must be a place of utmost discipline and order, that instruction must be thorough, and provision must be made for the rectification and refinement of character; so that, in his earliest years, within the very essence of the child, the divine foundation will be laid and the structure of holiness raised up.”35 And referring to weekly classes for children, He gives the following counsels: “Thou must certainly continue this organized activity without cessation, and attach importance to it, so that day by day it may grow and be quickened with the breaths of the Holy Spirit. If this activity is well organized, rest thou assured that it will yield great results.”36 Much of the art of teaching consists in knowing how to guide each child so that his or her conduct contributes to a joyful yet disciplined learning atmosphere. Though there are many insights you will need to gain from experience in this regard, we will discuss a few basic ideas to help you prepare yourself from the start. To begin, read the following description of a class period: You give the children a few minutes to organize themselves and sit quietly when they arrive. Once all the youngsters are settled, you take advantage of the calm atmosphere to open the class with prayers. The next activity you introduce is singing songs, after which you present the theme of the lesson and help the children memorize a quotation. Then, having created an atmosphere of anticipation, you tell the children a story. Afterwards they play a game. When they are finished, you distribute the coloring sheets and crayons or pencils and ask them to color in the picture with care. To end the class, you encourage the children to sit quietly and prepare themselves for closing prayers, which are then recited by you and a few of the youngsters. Is there a logic in the sequence of activities? Why do you think the activities are ordered in this way? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 17 SECTION 15 As you may have discussed above, children do not come to class to stay quiet. Neither should it be your intention to keep them that way. You should try to take advantage of their natural energy and channel it into learning. To do this, you will need to plan for quiet moments and for periods of activity and spontaneity. In all cases, organization is a basic element. When a class is well organized, it is easier for the children to concentrate and to learn. It is worthwhile to consider at least the following three points in this connection: 1. Each class period should begin in a clear and consistent way and end in an orderly way as well. 2. A routine needs to be established. Thus, little by little, the children come to know which activity follows which and what is expected of them. 3. The time dedicated to each activity should be flexible and should depend on the enthusiasm and energy of the children. As noted in the description in the preceding section, the activities the children will carry out in every class period are as follows: a. Reciting and memorizing prayers b. Singing songs c. Learning and memorizing quotations from the Bahá’í Writings d. Listening to stories e. Playing games f. Coloring in drawings g. Reciting closing prayers These activities naturally tend to differ in the level of energy and degree of movement they require; some will be very active and others more tranquil. Which of these seven activities involve the most movement? _________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________  Which are quieter activities? ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________  18 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1  There are certain demands that maintaining an orderly atmosphere places on the teacher. Which of the following contribute to the desired atmosphere and which hamper it? Mark them with a “C” or an “H” accordingly. Keeping the space where the class is held clean and organized Remaining calm and patient, no matter the circumstances Losing one’s patience when the children do not listen to directions Preparing the materials for each activity in advance Looking everywhere for the supplies for a given activity while the children wait Explaining clearly what the children are meant to do for each activity Having other activities ready for children who finish their tasks early in order to keep them engaged Helping children transition from one activity to another in an orderly manner Reading the story to the children from the book Learning the story so well that it can be told to the children with enthusiasm and ease SECTION 16 In striving to create an atmosphere of discipline and order in the class, you will need to establish certain standards of conduct. The first few weeks will be particularly important in this respect. Whatever expectations are set during this initial period are likely to be maintained throughout the year. In the beginning, the teacher should choose several standards of behavior and explain them, not more than three or four at a time, in a simple language to the children. Very general standards like “We should behave ourselves” do not help them much, but others like “We take turns when speaking” are easy to understand. Discuss with the members of your group the standards set in the statements below and add a few more to the list. a. We help each other when we play a game. b. We remain united and do not fight. c. We welcome new friends to our class. d. We listen to each other and to our teacher when they speak. e. We speak to one another with a kindly tongue. f. We wait our turn to speak. g. We share our crayons with each other. h. We try to finish our tasks. Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 19  i.  j.  k.  l.  Expectations for behavior, when composed as simple sentences such as these, can be discussed with the children, and the statements recited with them regularly. In this way, the statements can be internalized as standards to which the children aspire and will not be perceived as rules rigidly imposed. When they have become familiar with a given set of expectations, the teacher can gradually introduce others, remembering to avoid adding many all at once. Should a particular difficulty arise during a class, the children can be assisted in creating some simple sentences that address it. In such instances, the teacher should be firm and consistent, yet at the same time friendly and full of tenderness. SECTION 17 In Section 8 we briefly examined the significance of the various elements of the Grade 1 lessons and discussed how they each strive to contribute to a praiseworthy character. In this and the next seven sections we will consider some of the approaches you can take in engaging children in the activities suggested, beginning with memorization. The memorization of prayers and quotations from the Writings is central to the lessons you will be teaching, and in every class period you will be helping your students in their efforts to recite prayers from memory and to learn one new quotation by heart. Before we discuss how you can go about engaging them in this activity, a few words should be said about a common misconception that ought best to be set aside in trying to assist youngsters in memorizing the Sacred Word. You may have heard, or may hear as you begin teaching, comments such as “children should not repeat things”, “they should learn to express their own ideas”, “they should not parrot facts and information”. In fact, so pervasive is the criticism of so-called rote-learning that these ideas are becoming more and more widespread in all parts of the world. It is true that one could memorize an equation in mathematics, the definition of a law in physics, or a piece of prose in literature with little or no understanding of it. But the question you should ask yourself is this: Why should memorization of a profound statement and comprehension of its meaning be placed in opposition to one another? Memory is as much a power of the human mind as are the powers of comprehension, thought, and imagination. They all complement and reinforce each other. We can only imagine how much the memorization of the Word of God, with its endless potentialities to recreate the human heart and mind, will enhance intelligence and understanding in children. Later, as they go through different stages of growth, they will gain fresh insights from the passages they have committed to memory, and all throughout their lives they will be able to draw on the creative, regenerative and transformative powers of the Word of God. Discuss with the other members of your group why it is important for teachers to be convinced that memorization of the Word of God helps to firmly plant in the minds and hearts of children seeds of spiritual knowledge, seeds that will grow over time to bear luscious fruits. 20 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1  _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  SECTION 18 With the above reflection in mind, let us give thought to how you will go about helping your students to memorize passages from the Writings, taking the quotation in Lesson 1 as an example. To begin, you will want to assist them in gaining some initial insights into the significance of the spiritual quality on which the lesson focuses. For this purpose, a short introductory statement is provided for you to draw upon. You are then encouraged to help them acquire a first basic understanding of the meaning of the quotation by selecting the difficult words it contains and using them in situations with which the children can easily identify. Consider this approach as described in Lesson 1, which addresses the quality of purity. Our hearts are like mirrors. We should always keep them clean. Holding a grudge towards someone, feeling jealous of someone, and being unkind to anyone for whatever reason—these are like dust that cover the mirror of our hearts. When our hearts are pure, they reflect the light of God and His attributes—attributes such as kindness, love, and generosity—and we become a cause of happiness to others. To help keep our hearts pure, let us memorize this quotation of Bahá’u’lláh: “O Son of Spirit! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart...” Counsel 1. One day Gerard and Mary were coloring some drawings. Gerard needed the yellow crayon, but Mary did not want to give it to him. The teacher told Mary that she should share. The teacher gave Mary good counsel. 2. Patricia has to decide whether to spend her money on candy or on a storybook. Her parents advise her to buy the storybook. Her parents give Patricia good counsel. Possess 1. Tinaye likes to read prayers before going to sleep. She has a small prayer book to read from. Tinaye possesses a small prayer book. Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 21  2. We grow many delicious vegetables in our garden. We possess a good plot of land that gives us many fresh vegetables. Pure heart 1. Cathy became angry and said unkind words to Agot. Agot was sad but quickly forgave Cathy. Agot possesses a pure heart. 2. Gustavo likes to share his cookies with all the children, even with Jorge, who does not share anything with others. Gustavo possesses a pure heart. Kindly heart 1. When her parents invite friends to their home, Ming Ling happily serves them food. Ming Ling possesses a kindly heart. 2. Mr. Robertson is very old. Jimmy helps him carry his fruit harvest to the market. Jimmy possesses a kindly heart. Radiant heart 1. When I feel sad, my mother always cheers me up and makes me happy. My mother possesses a radiant heart. 2. Obuya became ill and had to spend all his time in bed. He said many prayers, did not become sad, and continued to show forth happiness. Obuya possesses a radiant heart. Of course, you will not simply read the introductory statement and explanatory sentences from the book, and so you will need to prepare well in advance in order to present them in a natural way. As for the prayers the children memorize, it is suggested that you take a similar approach, but it will be left for you to decide which words or phrases may require explanation. You will want to exercise some care in this respect. There are times when it may be sufficient to allow the youngsters to glean the meaning of words gradually from the prayers themselves. Look, for example, at the prayer below that the children begin to learn in Lesson 1. They will readily recognize that both a “pure heart” and a “pearl” are something precious. But, in order to understand that, ultimately, a pure heart is given to us by God, they will probably need to learn what the word “bestow” means. What sentences would you devise for this purpose? “He is God! O God, my God! Bestow upon me a pure heart, like unto a pearl.”37 _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  22 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1 SECTION 19 Now let us consider one approach you can take in helping your students to memorize prayers and quotations. What you can do is divide the passage into smaller parts, which can then be learned one at a time. After the first part has been committed to memory, the second can be added to it and so on, until the entire quotation or prayer has been memorized. You can ask the children to repeat the parts after you, sometimes individually and other times as a group. For example, to teach your students the quotation in Lesson 1, you would begin with the phrase “O Son of Spirit!” and have them repeat it. Then you would combine “O Son of Spirit!” with “My first counsel is this” and ask them to repeat the two phrases together. Finally you would add the words “Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart”. Once the group has learned the quotation in this way, a few of the children could be helped to recite it from memory. Of course, you would need to make sure this exercise is done in a sprightly manner, so the children remain attentive and a joyful atmosphere is maintained. Further, as their capacity gradually increases, they may be able to memorize longer segments in prayers and entire quotations all at once. As you carry out this portion of the class, certain situations may present themselves that are difficult to anticipate, and you will have to learn how to address these through firsthand experience. Still, there are some situations that you would do well to consider as part of your preparations. Discuss the following questions with the other members of your group: − If there are many children in your class, how will you go about helping them to memorize the quotation? − What will you do if some of the children memorize faster than the rest? − What will you do if one or more children have difficulty memorizing? − How will you ensure that, even when a child is unable to memorize a quotation in its entirety during class, he or she still feels a sense of accomplishment? _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  SECTION 20 Children love to sing, and this activity, which precedes the memorization of quotations, is one of the most joyful. The key to success is practice. You yourself should sing the songs Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 23 with someone who knows them, paying special attention to the rhythm and the melody. If you can listen to recordings of the songs, you will learn them even faster. With the children, you will also have to sing the songs over and over until they have learned them well. The words of the songs can be memorized in much the same way as those of the quotations, only this time the words are repeated along with the melody. You may find, depending on the capacity of your students, that some of the songs are too difficult for them to sing. In such cases, it may be possible for you to sing the verses and for your students to join you in singing the chorus. SECTION 21 The next activity we will consider is storytelling. As mentioned earlier, most of the stories in the first grade are drawn from the life of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. These stories serve a very special purpose. They help children see how the spiritual qualities they are trying to acquire were completely manifested in the perfect Exemplar throughout His days on this earthly plane. The reverence shown by a teacher when narrating these accounts stirs heavenly emotions in their tender hearts and awakens their spiritual susceptibilities. Though the stories you will tell the children about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá are short, the spiritual insights they offer are profound. You will therefore want to take your students beyond the events described to help them catch glimpses into spiritual reality. Let us examine the story from Lesson 1 in this light. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá could always tell what was in a person’s heart, and He greatly loved people whose hearts were pure and radiant. There was a lady who had the honor of being the guest of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá at dinner. As she sat listening to His words of wisdom, she looked at a glass of water in front of her and thought, “Oh! If only ‘Abdu’l-Bahá would take my heart and empty it of every earthly desire and then refill it with Divine love and understanding, just as you would do with this glass of water.” This thought passed through her mind quickly, and she did not say anything about it, but soon something happened that made her realize ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had known what she was thinking. While He was in the middle of His talk, He paused to call over an attendant and said a few words to him softly. The attendant quietly came to the lady’s place at the table, took her glass, emptied it, and put it back in front of her. A little later, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, while continuing to talk, picked up a pitcher of water from the table, and in a most natural way, slowly refilled the lady’s empty glass. No one noticed what had happened, but the lady knew that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was answering her heart’s desire. She was filled with joy. Now she knew that hearts and minds were like open books to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who read them with great love and kindliness. 24 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1  Clearly purity is the spiritual quality on which the story—and, indeed, the entire lesson—is focused. The following questions will help you think about how your narration will deepen the students’ understanding of this quality and what it means to strive for it. 1. It will be important for the children to recognize that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s guest was longing to acquire purity of heart. What is the connection in the story between this longing and the glass of water in front of the guest? 2. To attain unto purity, we must, just as a glass is emptied and refilled, rid ourselves of unworthy thoughts and feelings, that God may illumine our hearts with qualities such as love, generosity, and kindness. We know, of course, that nothing can be hidden from the sight of God. How does this understanding help us in our efforts to strive for purity? After discussing these questions with the other members of your group, write down some of your thoughts here. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  There are a few stories in this grade that, although not related to the life of ‘Abdu’l- Bahá, illustrate the significance of spiritual qualities. In them, children are able to see the reward for showing forth these qualities and the consequences of neglecting them. For example, the story in Lesson 4 of the shepherd who cries wolf, well known in many cultures, demonstrates the consequences of lying and, in this way, provides insights into the quality of truthfulness. Children can benefit greatly from the messages conveyed in these stories, which will prove valuable to them in the formation of their characters. SECTION 22 Storytelling is an art. To tell a story effectively, one must be well acquainted with it. In this section, we will study in greater detail the story from Lesson 1 to see how a teacher should go about narrating it to children. We have established that the central theme of the story is the spiritual quality of purity of heart, which is explored through the example of the glass. The first question you need to ask yourself then is, What parts of the story are directly related to this main theme? That ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s words of wisdom cause the lady to think of how much she wants to purify her heart of earthly desire, like the glass in front of her, is one essential part. The instructions given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá to the attendant to discard the water in the glass, which Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 25 ‘Abdu’l-Bahá later refills, is another. What would it be like if you did not mention, for example, that ‘Abdu’l-Bahá asked the attendant to empty the lady’s glass? Now, even though we have identified the essential parts of the story, its other details cannot be forgotten. Would it be a story if you simply said that a guest of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, while sitting at dinner, wished that her heart could be purified in the same way one would empty a glass? There are always details in a story which give it more feeling and make it engaging. What are these? The thought of the empty glass occurs to the guest over a meal, while listening to ‘Abdu’l-Bahá share His wisdom, but she never voices her thought out loud. Though speaking to those gathered at the dinner, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá pauses to address the woman’s unvoiced thought. No one else notices what has happened. The guest feels immense joy in knowing that ‘Abdul-Bahá recognizes her heart’s desire. It should be noted here that every teacher must take care not to embellish the stories in Grade 1 with additional details and other elements, which can divert the children’s attention from the spiritual truths that the stories are meant to convey. Throughout your narration, then, you will want to keep in mind that the purpose of telling a story is to teach something important to the children. When you recount it with joy and feeling, they will understand it better. Children are not going to be interested in a story told monotonously. You must learn to communicate emotions such as happiness, sorrow, disappointment, fear, and courage through your voice, facial expressions, and gestures. The tone and volume of your voice should change according to the story’s development, and your gestures, though simple, should correspond with each part. You need to think, too, about the rhythm and pace of your narration. If you talk too slowly, the children will become bored, and if you talk too quickly, they will not be able to follow the story. Above all, you should remember that you are not playacting and that your feelings must be sincere. Youngsters can easily detect a lack of sincerity. What is desired is to connect with the hearts of the children and to carry on the longstanding tradition of storytelling through which, for millennia now, the store of wisdom acquired by humanity has been passed from one generation to the next. SECTION 23 Now let us consider the two activities that follow storytelling—playing games and coloring. In this section we will discuss how to approach the period dedicated to games, and coloring will be addressed in the next. As mentioned earlier, the games in Grade 1 are cooperative in nature. Many people believe that, for games to be challenging, children need to compete with one another. What we should realize is that, when children are put in situations in which they have to compete, certain undesirable attitudes and habits are cultivated that last well beyond the duration of the game. Further, there is a notion that excellence can only be achieved through competition. 26 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1 You need to examine closely the veracity of this idea. Is it really true that we cannot achieve excellence through cooperation? In competition, some win while others lose; in cooperation everyone feels a sense of accomplishment. Games in the first grade seek to enhance in children the skills of listening to and following instructions. They will also come to see that each game establishes a common goal for the whole class and that, in coordinating their efforts, every one of them has a role to play in achieving it. Above all, it is expected that they will increase the degree of care they show towards one another, learn perseverance, and strengthen the bonds of friendship that connect them. You should remember, then, that they need not play a game perfectly to feel a sense of success. Look, for instance, at the game suggested in Lesson 1. How does it contribute to the desired aims? For the next activity, place a car tire on the ground and then ask the children to see how many of them can stand in it at the same time. If a tire is not available, you could place a mat or towel, or some similar object, on the ground instead. Whatever object you choose, it should be small enough to make the game a challenge for the number of children in the class. The way a teacher introduces a game affects how children play it. Its objective should be clearly explained. Further, when giving instructions to the children, a teacher will often have to demonstrate how to play it and practice it with them. SECTION 24 Artistic activities are important to the development of children’s creativity and mental skills, and from an early age they should be given the opportunity to exercise their imagination through freestyle drawing and other forms of artistic expression. However, in many parts of the world, children will have had little chance to draw prior to the age of five or six, much less have had access to crayons. For them, coloring in the pictures provided with the lessons in the first grade is one of the most exciting periods of the class, and it creates in them the necessary confidence to move on to more complex artistic activities in the subsequent grades. It is also a means to develop their dexterity and a sense of discipline. How are the following abilities, skills and attitudes enhanced in children through coloring? − Appreciating order and beauty − Paying attention to detail − Focusing on the task at hand − Sharing resources with others − Respecting others In addition to fostering certain skills and attitudes, the period of the class dedicated to coloring offers the teacher yet another opportunity to discuss with his or her students the Some Principles of Bahá’í Education – 27 qualities treated in the lessons in Grade 1. By asking the class questions about the depictions in the drawings, teachers can give children a chance to articulate ideas and make connections in their minds as they talk about what is happening in the picture. Look at the coloring sheet for the first lesson and explore with your group how you would introduce it to the children. Write down your thoughts below. _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________  A teacher must prepare adequately for this activity. Children invariably show a great desire to color; yet, this portion of the class can become chaotic if not properly organized. A place for the children to color should be identified, and copies of the drawing for each lesson prepared beforehand. Particularly in the first few lessons, the teacher may need to set a standard for how children should conduct themselves with the crayons and establish with them a sense of discipline and cooperation. Initially, every child could be asked to choose one crayon from the box held by the teacher. When they want to change colors, they can hand in the crayon and exchange it for another. After several classes, when they have become accustomed to having only one color at a time, the box of crayons can be left in a central place. Now, look at the situations below. Which situation in each pair will contribute to the effectiveness of this activity? The teacher allows a child to color outside the lines, so long as he or she is trying to color well. All the children are told to color strictly within the lines. While the children are coloring, the teacher walks among them, giving them help and encouragement. While the children are coloring, the teacher sits and does some of his or her own work. During the time allotted for coloring, the children concentrate on the task at hand. During the time allotted for coloring, the children distract each other. While they are coloring, the children remain absolutely silent. While they are coloring, the children joyfully interact and encourage one another. SECTION 25 Many teachers find it useful to keep a notebook where some basic information on the group of youngsters they teach can be maintained. Two tables are helpful in this regard, one 28 – Teaching Children’s Classes, Grade 1 with the names and ages of the students to record their attendance in the classes and another to keep track of their progress in memorizing the quotations. This latter table can have, for example, the names of the children in the left column and the numbers of the lessons in the row across the top. The teacher can then mark in the appropriate cells which children have memorized which quotations. The notebook can also have a