How do we make the lessons being taught at church desirable to the students? How do we make the passion for learning stick for them? What different forms can that take?
One of the things that stuck out the most to me throughout the entire introduction was how much Losey was trying to send home the idea of making the lessons and questions relevant and exciting to the students. Instead of teaching a lesson and making it a routine and getting into a rut with it, we need to make a lesson exciting and we need to be interested in it. After all, if we aren't interested in something, why would they want to be? If we aren't excited by what we're teaching when we're studying it, then they will see that and won't really care about what is being taught. We need to be careful what we teach and how we teach it so that it stays fresh and interesting to us and the students. If we can do that, we can lead the students into asking questions of their own that will help their relationship with God deepen. I have seen this done by using a night where the discussion is driven by questions the students have or discussing the current events. The more exciting and real the topic is to them, the more likely they are to dig deeper for more answers on their own.
-Tyler Gentry-
ReplyDeleteI think you are exactly right Ben about how we, as the leaders, have to excited about what is being taught. To add to that, I think it's very important to not settle for "That will work." or "That's good, enough.It's just teens (or kids, ect.)" I have found so many times in ministry we just throw together some random game that may or may not be fun, or some activity that will just fill time until we get into what we really want to teach. I think if we want students to care about our lessons we have to go all the way in the rest of what we do. If we only give a half-hearted attempt during game times, activities, ect., how can we expect students to give us anything more when we teach? When students see us giving our all in all the aspects of ministry they will be more likely to let our teaching sink in.
Carly Haas
ReplyDeleteThere were so many good points in both the post and Tyler's comment. I completely agree that we need to be excited about what we are teaching the kids, and keep up the excitement in the "classroom" or wherever we teach them. It is also important to stay in touch with, just as Ben said, the current events. Making the topics relevant seems to be huge right now with teens, and even with my little kids (o-5yrs) I try to keep them interested by not telling them the same stories every week, but keep it fresh and "new" to them. (Sorry, I got side tracked...)
Anyway, Good points guys.
Sara Cover
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you all of you, we need to keep in mind that when we teach lessons or plan events it is not about us but about what the students are craving to learn. If they cannot see how they can apply to their life or situation then they will not gain as much from it. We need to focus on making the lessons and games relevant to them, help them see that the lessons in the Bible are not just good in some situations but everyday life.
Emalee J. Dunkle
ReplyDeletePracticality is IMPORTANT! Starting out as an education major has had its benefits because they nail into you that if your lessons are not adapted to the students’ interests, abilities and developmental levels then there is no possible way that the lesson is going to benefit the students. Being practical cannot bring down the quality of your program, is unacceptable. Quality and practicality go hand in hand.
Since we are all students and have been students, it is easy to understand that relating content of lessons, games, activities and special events are all important, if you are not interested in the event, you are not going to benefit from it in a positive way. This includes students of all ages, the outcome of an event needs to be positive in a way that it impacts those involved while also being understandable.
Tyler Cheek
ReplyDeleteWhile it is important for us as educators to keep the lessons we teach, as Ben put it, "relevant and exciting to the students" there does come a point where we have to be careful. Relevance for the sake of relevance can sometimes hinder as well as other times help. I have been in church services where some of the Biblical content was given a contemporary flare and it really took away from the boldness of the text. Many pastors will turn a passage of Scripture into common terms so that it can be practical in the eyes of those who are listening and unfortunately, in the mean time, take the verse or passage out of context. Being relevant shouldn't change the root of what is being taught. I really liked how Emalee said, "Quality and practicality go hand in hand."
Rachel Elder
ReplyDeleteYou need to know the students that you are teahing so then you have a better idea of how to interact with them and get their attention. The comments on relating and gaining the students attention by using current events is a good tactic, but you can't let that become the main focus of your lesson. Also you can't be a teacher who only talks in monotone and is boring because then you just lose the focus of everyone in the room. A teacher who is loud and interactive with their students will help them become more interested in what they are being taught, and keep them involved and learning.
Mike Smith
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Tyler Cheek brought up the point of being careful with focusing too much on relevance because it is so true that we can sugar coat something in order to make it relevant to our lives and lose the actual value of the content. The relevance should be a secondary option if the group is really missing the point of the lesson. In order to keep the interest of the students, the teacher can, one - being excited about teaching the lesson, two - allow time for recreation, and three - allow the students to ask questions so you can see if the students are understanding the lesson.
Justin Metz
ReplyDeleteI think Ben makes a good point when he said, "After all, if we aren't interested in something, why would they want to be?" At the same time I also like where Tyler was going about going to far from what the scripture is trying to tell us. Maybe being excited about the lesson and being pumped about the material enough to get the teens interested and at the same time not trying too hard to make the scripture into something it's not just to try to get the teens a little more interested. I think the best thing a leader can do is have a general excitement about the scripture and what the group is doing. To make sure that you as a leader have a genuine passion for the duties that come with being a leader for teens.
Keith Sharier
ReplyDeleteKeeping things fresh and interesting as you put it ben are for sure key elements to keeping kids coming back week after week and keeping them hungry for more. allowing/leading them to discover things seemingly on their own will make it so they begin to develop some ownership for the things they learn. keeping things relevant is so very important as well, so that they will actually be able to relate to what is being put forth their way... especially when it's plain and simple enough that they can actually apply it so some part of their life.
Colby Layton
ReplyDeleteI think everyone's points are great. But what was not hit on at all is how to make the lesson relevant to them. I have found in the past is to just ask them what they want to learn about, when you make the lesson specifically from requests from the students they will be more excited about coming back week after week to have their lessons and the lessons of their friends. And like was stated multiple times above the teacher must also be excited. And I agree with Tyler Cheek that the Scriptures cannot be watered down to get it to the people's level, we need to get the students up to the level of the Bible. That will provide them with so much more because they will not only be able to understand that lesson, but will be able to go on and read on their own and have the ability to understand the Bible on their own.
Great comments! The goal of educators is to help students learn. The following were mentioned as ways to be effective in this process:
ReplyDelete1. Be relevant
2. Don't lose the content as we try to be relevant
3. Be interested in what we are teaching
4. Give 100% as we prepare and teach the lesson
5. Keep our students in mind as we plan
6. Know your students--interests, abilities, what they want to learn
7. Plan simple, practical, and experiential lessons that will help the learner be engaged
These are all great ways to aid in the learning process. Keep all of these ideas in mind as we continue to learn how to implement recreational activities in our lessons.
1. All that has been said above are good points. To me I think the most important thing is getting the messages across to the children. Kid are so busy and are easily destructed to move on to the next thing. To get them stick with what is being taught like as been mention above it has to be fun and engaging for them to stick around long enough to even get what is being taught. I also think that it is important to include objects in the point of teaching, something memorable and so obvious that they will have some connection to. Like teaching them the stories in the bible, teachers has to try games, mini plays and craft so that it will be joyous for them and of course it has to be relevant.
ReplyDeleteRobby Wrench
ReplyDeleteIt looks like everything was covered in response to Ben's post. I think it is important that lessons be taught in a relevant way either by relating it to a contemporary story or by giving the historical context of the passage and an opportunity to imagine what it was like for the people of that time. Of course, truth should never be sacrificed for the sake of relevancy, but there is some benefit in giving part of the truth and allowing others to work their way up or the teacher to slowly introduce it. Like Emily Dickinson said, "Tell all the Truth but tell it slant — Success in Circuit lies Too bright for our infirm Delight The Truth's superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind."