Introduction: Opie is having some trouble with his history lessons at school, and Andy tries to make him feel better. Unfortunately, Opie misinterprets what his Paw says, and Andy gets in hot water with the teacher, Miss Crump.

Lesson Points:
The Importance of Teaching – Ephesians 4:11-13, James 3:1
    By What You Say (and What You Don’t Say) – James 3:2
    By Your Actions (Both Good and Bad) – 2 Timothy 2:23-3:9, Luke 17:1-2
    By Seeking God’s Will – 1 Timothy 5:17-21
    By Continuing God’s Plan for Your Life – Matthew 28:18-20

The Importance of Learning – Romans 12:1-8
    By Seeking God’s Will – Psalm 143:10
    From God – John 6:45-46
    From Teachers, Parents, and Peers – Proverbs 10:17
    On Our Own – Proverbs 10:14, Proverbs 15:14
    It Takes Dedication and Hard Work – Hebrews 10:35-38
    It Should Never Stop – Psalm 25:5

Tips for Good Communication – Proverbs 18:20-21
    Choose the Right Words – James 3:1-12
    Be Humble/Speak From the Heart – Ephesians 4:2, Matthew 12:33-37, Pr. 10:32
    Listen Carefully and Understand Fully – Isaiah 6:9-10
    Watch for "Unspoken" Signals – Proverbs 3:5-6, Mark 4:10-12
    Don’t Jump to the Wrong Conclusion – 1 Samuel 1:9-17
    Prevent/Reconcile Misunderstandings – Col. 3:12-13, Isa. 55:6-13, Luke 17:3-10

Discussion:
1) Why do you think Opie didn’t want to eat his breakfast that morning? When Miss Crump confronted him about doing his homework, he retaliated by bringing Andy into it. But hadn’t Opie already made the decision about doing his homework before breakfast?

2) What exactly did Andy say to Opie when he learned about his school troubles? How did Opie interpret what his father said? Did Andy give Opie bad advice? What mistakes did Andy make that morning? How could he have made better progress with Opie?

3) Why was Miss Crump so angry with Andy and the boys? Why did she double the boys’ homework, but not for the girls? What did she say to Andy? Was she wrong? What should he have said to her? Did he hold a grudge against her?

4) At first, Opie didn’t want to learn and that made Miss Crump not want to teach. Have you passed up good chances to learn something new because you were too lazy or had some other excuse? Have you failed to teach effectively because of your bad attitude?

5) What was Andy’s new approach to the problem? What was Miss Crump’s way to handle it? Was her speech "thoughtful" or "angry"? What would be a better strategy?

6) What would have happened if Miss Crump had not gone to smooth things over with Andy? What do you think he said (in his defense) while walking her home?

Final Thought:
Andy: I reckon you do have to be careful what you say around young’uns.
Miss Crump: They will try to turn it to their advantage.