Basic principles of teaching are to go from known to unknown, simple to complex and practical to theoretical. Pastors should do that in religious education.
So many pastors present lessons in religious education that is as exciting as watching the grass grow. It is time for many students to have a good sleep.
Many pastors are not teachers and think that their job in class is to copy on to the blackboard exerpts from the Bible that bear no relation to modern living.
They have no idea of how to present problems from the present in terms of what we read in Scripture.
The pastor is stuck in the past from 2000 years ago to tell the students how God spake unto someone with no attempt to teach what we have to learn about living today.
An effective pastor has to teach solutions to modern problems with reference at the end to what Scripture has to say on the matter.
In all modern schools in Papua New Guinea, there is a subject Personal Development that teaches students all about family living from grade 6. There is a progressive build-up for students as far as grade 12.
Students learn about family, relationships, marriage, gender equity, having children, discipline, rights, responsibilities, employment and community.
I wish that pastors would study this subject too so as to couch their teachings on modern problems.
They start with the modern problem, address the issues and then refer to any related insights from Scripture. They then know what is going on in a related subject that has a far greater impact on students.
We read in the media that some so-called expert has recommended religious education in schools. What does this person know about modern education with "watch the grass grow" religious education?
Many pastors in PNG schools have no idea of how to teach modern family living with rights and responsibilities of husbands, wives, children and members of the extended family. They need to teach about living among peers.
The pastor may live in the old testament and talks about Israelite culture of past ages. Men slew their enemies, had many wives and invaded other lands. All the while God spake unto them.
So many students sit in class with all the other cult members who worship Satan with the cult leader sitting amused by the pastor.
No student speaks but simply copies words down from the blackboard. They are forbidden to speak by the cult leader.
The subject is not assessed. The headmaster never asks the pastor to explain his progress. What a waste of time.
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