There are two problems with a straight lecture class. One of them is that students tune out the drone of a lecture. The other problem is that lectures do not teach students how to think. Lots of information can be imparted with a lecture. Some classes and topics call for lecture because a lot of facts must be taught. Chemistry comes to mind, so do History and Grammar. Bible class is different, however, because students do not need to learn just facts about the Bible, but how to make it the main part of their lives.
A Bible class should teach students how to think like a Christian, not just what a Christian thinks. That goes for any topic covered in the class. Facts are great. Especially for playing Bible trivia games or if someone is on Jeopardy! But Christians need to understand how those facts apply to their lives. A teacher can tell students, “Don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t dance, etc,” for an hour, but then the student leaves class and goes out on his own. Sooner or later they will be in a situation that is not exactly like the one talked about in class. If they have not been taught HOW to apply biblical principles and reason out the problem, they will not be able to make the right decision. Teachers cannot make every decision for their students, so they have to teach students to make proper decisions in real time.
Paul talks about thinking like a Christian and making God-like decisions in Romans 12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Notice that there is a pattern both for the world and for God’s way of thinking. If students learn just facts about the Bible or answers someone else tells them, they do not learn God’s pattern. In fact, they only learn how to put Bible facts into the pattern of the world. Instead, Christians should transform their minds, renew them to think like God so they can put things from the world into God’s pattern. When a Christian knows how to think and view things the way God views them, he can test, he can prove, he can reason out what God wants him to do.
That is difficult to do in a lecture class because the students do not have to follow the reasoning to the conclusion. They only have to hear the final answer. It is much easier to teach the thinking process in a discussion-style class. In that setting, a teacher can better understand what the students think about the topic; consequently, the teacher can not only give them the right answer but can also guide them to the proper pattern of thought. In this way, the teacher can show students the process of how to reach the truth rather than simply handing them conclusions.
Next week’s article will cover how to conduct a discussion-style class.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
How to Teach a Better Bible Class: Pray for the Lesson by Josh Hardin
Prayer is the simplest way to ensure that a Bible class goes well and achieves its goal. Many people, however, avoid prayer except in times of distress. Some people forget to pray, some have only certain times of day that they pray, and some think God should not be bothered unless the problem is too big to handle without Him. None of those reflect the Bible’s view on prayer. Prayer is effective in any situation, no matter how great or small, and God tells Christians to use it continuously. It is a first act of preparation, dedication, and guidance, not a last resort when human effort fails. A Christian’s instinctive reaction to a problem of any size should be to stop and pray.
Prayer asks for God’s help and guidance, and puts a Christian in the proper mindset of acceptance of His aide rather than reliance on personal effort. People can fail. God does not. This is true for even the simplest situations and smallest decisions. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3). A negative example of this is found in Joshua chapter 9. Joshua and the Israelites made a treaty with people they met. It seemed like an easy decision, but verse 14 says they “did not inquire of the Lord.” Joshua later found out that the people lied, but he couldn’t go back on the treaty. The Israelites regretted that simple decision for years because they did not think to ask God first. Bible class is a perfect example of that same need to seek God’s guidance first. It is something so simple, something that a person can do without help, but it is imperative that God be a part of it. A Bible teacher should teach God’s Word, not their own. There is no better way to make sure that happens than to ask God. He will help; and the teacher will go into the class understanding that the students benefit from God’s Word, not the teacher’s effort.
Prayer does not have to be complicated. It does not have to generate a feeling of awe, or devotion, or peace. It does not have to be long. It can be and often should be very simple. A prayer for a Bible class can be as easy as “Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to teach these students the right way. Let me teach your Word and not mine, and let them learn what they need to learn. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.” It can be prayed on the way to worship service, before the lesson is studied, or right before a teacher walks through the door to class.
It is not easy to see how God helps through prayer, but the Bible says that He always does help when a Christian asks in the right way. “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). That goes for any situation, great or small, including Bible class.
Prayer asks for God’s help and guidance, and puts a Christian in the proper mindset of acceptance of His aide rather than reliance on personal effort. People can fail. God does not. This is true for even the simplest situations and smallest decisions. “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed” (Proverbs 16:3). A negative example of this is found in Joshua chapter 9. Joshua and the Israelites made a treaty with people they met. It seemed like an easy decision, but verse 14 says they “did not inquire of the Lord.” Joshua later found out that the people lied, but he couldn’t go back on the treaty. The Israelites regretted that simple decision for years because they did not think to ask God first. Bible class is a perfect example of that same need to seek God’s guidance first. It is something so simple, something that a person can do without help, but it is imperative that God be a part of it. A Bible teacher should teach God’s Word, not their own. There is no better way to make sure that happens than to ask God. He will help; and the teacher will go into the class understanding that the students benefit from God’s Word, not the teacher’s effort.
Prayer does not have to be complicated. It does not have to generate a feeling of awe, or devotion, or peace. It does not have to be long. It can be and often should be very simple. A prayer for a Bible class can be as easy as “Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to teach these students the right way. Let me teach your Word and not mine, and let them learn what they need to learn. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.” It can be prayed on the way to worship service, before the lesson is studied, or right before a teacher walks through the door to class.
It is not easy to see how God helps through prayer, but the Bible says that He always does help when a Christian asks in the right way. “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). That goes for any situation, great or small, including Bible class.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
How to Teach a Better Bible Class: Start the Class by Requiring Thought from the Students by Josh Hardin
Class sessions that are the most successful require thought from the students. The earlier that thought is required, the better. When students have to think, when they are forced to take an active part in the lesson, they are more likely to pay attention and learn. Each class session should begin with something that requires thought from the students and focuses their minds on the lesson topic.
Many classes begin with lecture or a scripture reading. There is nothing wrong with either, but they do not require anything from the students except that they listen. Listening is the hardest thing for a student to do, especially at the very beginning of a class period. Students may have just gotten out of bed, or they may be thinking about what happened at school or work or what they must do for the next day. What they need is something that will bring their minds to the lesson at hand, and listening to another person talk will not do it.
It seems like a normal thing for a teacher to talk and to tell the students things they need to know. Most people, teenagers and even adults, tune out the drone of a lecture. Everyone who has sat through a class has done this. The teacher’s voice becomes just a dull roar in the background. Their words turn into nonsense sounds just like the teachers on Charlie Brown. (Wak wa wak wak wak, wa wa wak.) If a class period begins with the teacher talking for five minutes, a large number of students will stop paying attention. The teacher may not get it back for the rest of the class time. It is much better to get the students’ minds thinking right away. Once their attention is fixed, it is harder to lose it.
A student’s mind needs to be warmed up for the learning ahead. Just like an oven must be preheated or a car takes a few minutes after startup before it runs smooth, the brain has to “get going” on a train of thought in order to really work right. The teacher can help this by opening up the class with a small activity or thinking question that relates to the main point of the lesson.
These activities do not have to be complicated. For instance, if the lesson is on peace, the teacher might ask, “What do you think of when you hear the word ‘peace’?” Each answer can then be written on a chalkboard for reference later in the class. For a lesson on patience, the teacher can ask the class to think of people they know who are patient and what makes them patient. Some activities might require a little preparation before class, while others need none at all. In either case, the students’ minds will be focused on the topic and ready to think about the lesson. Not only is this easier on the teacher, but the students will learn more from the Bible study.
Many classes begin with lecture or a scripture reading. There is nothing wrong with either, but they do not require anything from the students except that they listen. Listening is the hardest thing for a student to do, especially at the very beginning of a class period. Students may have just gotten out of bed, or they may be thinking about what happened at school or work or what they must do for the next day. What they need is something that will bring their minds to the lesson at hand, and listening to another person talk will not do it.
It seems like a normal thing for a teacher to talk and to tell the students things they need to know. Most people, teenagers and even adults, tune out the drone of a lecture. Everyone who has sat through a class has done this. The teacher’s voice becomes just a dull roar in the background. Their words turn into nonsense sounds just like the teachers on Charlie Brown. (Wak wa wak wak wak, wa wa wak.) If a class period begins with the teacher talking for five minutes, a large number of students will stop paying attention. The teacher may not get it back for the rest of the class time. It is much better to get the students’ minds thinking right away. Once their attention is fixed, it is harder to lose it.
A student’s mind needs to be warmed up for the learning ahead. Just like an oven must be preheated or a car takes a few minutes after startup before it runs smooth, the brain has to “get going” on a train of thought in order to really work right. The teacher can help this by opening up the class with a small activity or thinking question that relates to the main point of the lesson.
These activities do not have to be complicated. For instance, if the lesson is on peace, the teacher might ask, “What do you think of when you hear the word ‘peace’?” Each answer can then be written on a chalkboard for reference later in the class. For a lesson on patience, the teacher can ask the class to think of people they know who are patient and what makes them patient. Some activities might require a little preparation before class, while others need none at all. In either case, the students’ minds will be focused on the topic and ready to think about the lesson. Not only is this easier on the teacher, but the students will learn more from the Bible study.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
How to Teach a Better Bible Class: Know the Lesson by Josh Hardin
The best way for a teacher to conduct a good Bible class is to study the lesson before trying to teach it. This sounds obvious, and most teachers will say, “Sure, I know that.” But many teachers still neglect to spend enough time in study before the class session. Weekly schedules are hectic. Our brains just want to shut down and rest after a day at work. Saturdays are filled with odd jobs to do around the house. Sunday sneaks up and the lesson still has not been studied. Any teacher who has run out of time and thought, “I know enough. I’ll just wing it,” knows what that experience is like. The class is rarely helpful and is often frustrating for both students and teachers. Those are the Sunday mornings when students fight to stay awake because it is obvious the teacher is not sure what to say or where the lesson is going.
The good news is that it really does not take long to prepare for a Bible lesson. The hardest part is the decision to start. A total of two hours of study time the week before will be enough. It can be thirty minutes a night, or an hour Friday and Saturday. It is also easier to study if a few points are kept in mind.
• Decide upon the ONE MAIN POINT you want to get across.
• Think about what the students need to think about in order to learn.
• Think about possible questions the students might ask.
• Write down passages of scripture that relate to the topic. Even if you are teaching from a book of lessons, try to find passages that the book does not give. It will help you understand the lesson and be more prepared to teach.
Many of these things can be done on the way to and from work. Think through the main points of the lesson, what needs to be said, and what the Bible says about the topic or passage. Think about how you, the teacher, came to understand the lesson and if there are questions you had or still have. This type of preparation takes up little time, helps students learn and stay interested, and gets easier with practice.
Preparation not only makes a Bible class more interesting and thoughtful, but it is also pleasing to God. Instructing others about the truth of the Bible is a serious matter. Teachers have a responsibility to God to give their very best for Him. In Malachi 1, God tells the people He is displeased with their offerings because they are second-rate. “Try offering them to your governor!” (verse 8). A boss or job supervisor would not be pleased with a worker who came to work unprepared, overdue on deadlines, or unfamiliar with what had to be done. Not only is it helpful for a teacher to be prepared, it is also a duty to give the very best effort to God.
The good news is that it really does not take long to prepare for a Bible lesson. The hardest part is the decision to start. A total of two hours of study time the week before will be enough. It can be thirty minutes a night, or an hour Friday and Saturday. It is also easier to study if a few points are kept in mind.
• Decide upon the ONE MAIN POINT you want to get across.
• Think about what the students need to think about in order to learn.
• Think about possible questions the students might ask.
• Write down passages of scripture that relate to the topic. Even if you are teaching from a book of lessons, try to find passages that the book does not give. It will help you understand the lesson and be more prepared to teach.
Many of these things can be done on the way to and from work. Think through the main points of the lesson, what needs to be said, and what the Bible says about the topic or passage. Think about how you, the teacher, came to understand the lesson and if there are questions you had or still have. This type of preparation takes up little time, helps students learn and stay interested, and gets easier with practice.
Preparation not only makes a Bible class more interesting and thoughtful, but it is also pleasing to God. Instructing others about the truth of the Bible is a serious matter. Teachers have a responsibility to God to give their very best for Him. In Malachi 1, God tells the people He is displeased with their offerings because they are second-rate. “Try offering them to your governor!” (verse 8). A boss or job supervisor would not be pleased with a worker who came to work unprepared, overdue on deadlines, or unfamiliar with what had to be done. Not only is it helpful for a teacher to be prepared, it is also a duty to give the very best effort to God.
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