Practicum Report #1 Phillip Telfer
A. Time Spent in Class this Week 2.5 hr.
(Sunday School – 1 hr, Worship Service – 1.5 hr)
B. My Class This Week
1. Lesson on Temptation. The Sr. High class has recently begun a detailed discussion of the book of James. Today we read from James 1:13-18, and talked about temptation. Some of the input from the youth included the time temptation regularly occurs (when we are tired à early morning and late evening), and who gets blamed for our temptation (siblings, parents, classes, friends, and God). With this generally accepted view on God the one at fault for our temptation, the Sunday school teacher noted that God does not tempt us. James tells us in chapter one that temptation comes from the evil desires within ourselves. I thought about this for a while. If temptation comes from the evil desires within us, and God does not tempt us, then how was it that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness? Was Jesus not perfect? According to this passage, He must have had evil desires in order to have been tempted. I thought about this question in class, but I waited until after the service was over to pose my question to the Sunday school teacher. He did not have an answer for me, but I know God does.
2. Temptation of distraction. When working with a senior high Sunday school class, one must realize the personal development that is occurring in each of the student’s lives. Both girls and boys are learning to deal with their emotions as hormone banks are overflowing. Mood swings, self-esteem, and relational aspects are typically inconsistent with these young people. Considering this emotional rollercoaster along with added stresses of school, family, and life in general, it can be hard for high schoolers to focus their attention in classroom settings. I saw some of this taking place Sunday morning. Although it was rather minimal, most of the teenagers’ tendencies were to sit in the back row and speak only when spoken to by the teacher. Others were happy to join in the discussion, but their contributions were random and off-target. It was quite interesting to see everyone tried to pay attention to the lesson as they each struggled with the temptation of distraction.
A. Time Spent in Class this Week 2.5 hr.
(Sunday School – 1 hr, Worship Service – 1.5 hr)
B. My Class This Week
1. Lesson on Temptation. The Sr. High class has recently begun a detailed discussion of the book of James. Today we read from James 1:13-18, and talked about temptation. Some of the input from the youth included the time temptation regularly occurs (when we are tired à early morning and late evening), and who gets blamed for our temptation (siblings, parents, classes, friends, and God). With this generally accepted view on God the one at fault for our temptation, the Sunday school teacher noted that God does not tempt us. James tells us in chapter one that temptation comes from the evil desires within ourselves. I thought about this for a while. If temptation comes from the evil desires within us, and God does not tempt us, then how was it that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness? Was Jesus not perfect? According to this passage, He must have had evil desires in order to have been tempted. I thought about this question in class, but I waited until after the service was over to pose my question to the Sunday school teacher. He did not have an answer for me, but I know God does.
2. Temptation of distraction. When working with a senior high Sunday school class, one must realize the personal development that is occurring in each of the student’s lives. Both girls and boys are learning to deal with their emotions as hormone banks are overflowing. Mood swings, self-esteem, and relational aspects are typically inconsistent with these young people. Considering this emotional rollercoaster along with added stresses of school, family, and life in general, it can be hard for high schoolers to focus their attention in classroom settings. I saw some of this taking place Sunday morning. Although it was rather minimal, most of the teenagers’ tendencies were to sit in the back row and speak only when spoken to by the teacher. Others were happy to join in the discussion, but their contributions were random and off-target. It was quite interesting to see everyone tried to pay attention to the lesson as they each struggled with the temptation of distraction.
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