| Instead of thinking of yourself as a teacher, think of | | | | are accustomed to good group discussion for 2 hours |
| yourself as a learning session designer. | | | | and have prepared for the class -- you can probably |
| The objective of any Bible study, lesson, or | | | | pack a lot in. If you have a 10 minute devotion |
| devotional time is to help people grow in the grace | | | | opportunity with Jr. High students during the half-time |
| and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. | | | | of the SuperBowl, you'd best keep it simple and |
| Here are six questions that will help you think about | | | | relevant. |
| how to design the opportunity to maximize the | | | | There is a principle, however, that I think all Bible |
| potential to learn: | | | | teachers should keep in mind: Keep 'em hungry for |
| * How do you set up the room? | | | | more. |
| * What questions generate more learning? | | | | Prepare for less content, with such quality and clarity, |
| * How can you use illustrations to give people | | | | that leaves them feeling that you could have shared |
| something tangible or memorable, and increase | | | | more with the class. Their retention will be much |
| retention? | | | | higher, and they will look forward to future classes. |
| * What kind of handout materials will improve | | | | You can invite them to dive deeper on a topic on |
| interaction and sustain attention? | | | | their own (and give them a starter to do this outside |
| * How can you set up the timing of the parts of the | | | | of class -- put suggested reading or questions to |
| lesson or study so people don't get distracted or | | | | consider on your handout). During the class time, |
| bored or overwhelmed? | | | | leave space and time for the Holy Spirit to work. |
| * How can you inspire them to do pre- or post- | | | | Mark Twain famously wrote a long letter to an |
| work to learn more on their own? | | | | acquaintance, closing with comments like this: "I'm |
| Why do I recommend you work through these | | | | sorry I have written you such a long letter. I did not |
| questions? Because often when we think about | | | | have time to compose a shorter one." It takes some |
| ourselves as the teacher we get too focused on -- | | | | effort, dear teachers, to pare down your lessons to |
| you guessed it -- ourselves. Thinking about how to | | | | the best stuff. This means that you can't share |
| best to design a learning session puts our focus | | | | every great insight the Lord has given you, or show |
| where it needs to be -- on the students. | | | | off the depth of your knowledge about this Bible |
| Now for the seventh question: | | | | passage. |
| All of us who are humbling studying and praying to | | | | But this isn't about you, it's about your students, and |
| put together lessons tailored for our students at this | | | | glorifying God. Teaching to change lives means giving |
| time have to wrestle with the question: "How much | | | | your students content set up to maximize their |
| do I try to cover in this lesson?" | | | | retention and comprehension. |
| There's no hard and fast answer, because it depends | | | | Your answers to these seven questions will really |
| enormously on the students and the setting. If you | | | | help you, and your students will praise God! |
| are working with a group of mature Christians who | | | | |