Learning to Teach

[3dawgnight]

Hi everyone,

I think this is the right forum—mods, feel free to move this if needed.

This semester, I began teaching junior high Sunday school at my PCA church. At our church, the junior high, senior high, and adult classes all work through the same passage each Sunday—right now, we’re studying the Gospel of John. I’ve taught children’s classes (2-year-olds through 3rd grade) for years using set curricula, but this is my first time developing and teaching lessons without a pre-established plan. I can confidently say that God has used the preparation and study to bless me just as much—if not more—than the students!

When I started, I received some excellent advice here (shoutout to @Jack K!) to keep the focus on Jesus—His work and His glory. That counsel has been a tremendous help.

Now, I’d like to sharpen my overall teaching skills. I’m not looking for ways to make the lessons flashy or entertaining—the Gospel doesn't need that help. Instead, I want to improve my ability to make the lessons clear and understandable so that I get out of the way, and the students see only the Gospel.

So, my question to the board is: What resources (books, videos, podcasts, lectures, courses, etc.) have helped you become a more effective teacher?

Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

 

[RamistThomist]

Hi everyone,

I think this is the right forum—mods, feel free to move this if needed.

This semester, I began teaching junior high Sunday school at my PCA church. At our church, the junior high, senior high, and adult classes all work through the same passage each Sunday—right now, we’re studying the Gospel of John. I’ve taught children’s classes (2-year-olds through 3rd grade) for years using set curricula, but this is my first time developing and teaching lessons without a pre-established plan. I can confidently say that God has used the preparation and study to bless me just as much—if not more—than the students!

When I started, I received some excellent advice here (shoutout to @Jack K!) to keep the focus on Jesus—His work and His glory. That counsel has been a tremendous help.

Now, I’d like to sharpen my overall teaching skills. I’m not looking for ways to make the lessons flashy or entertaining—the Gospel doesn't need that help. Instead, I want to improve my ability to make the lessons clear and understandable so that I get out of the way, and the students see only the Gospel.

So, my question to the board is: What resources (books, videos, podcasts, lectures, courses, etc.) have helped you become a more effective teacher?

Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

Some of his advice is aimed at college students, but it is all very good. And some library apps will hve this course for free.

The Great Courses

www.thegreatcourses.com

Make sure your lessons have a clear aim (objectives) and what steps you will use to help the students get there.

 

[Charles Johnson]

Hi everyone,

I think this is the right forum—mods, feel free to move this if needed.

This semester, I began teaching junior high Sunday school at my PCA church. At our church, the junior high, senior high, and adult classes all work through the same passage each Sunday—right now, we’re studying the Gospel of John. I’ve taught children’s classes (2-year-olds through 3rd grade) for years using set curricula, but this is my first time developing and teaching lessons without a pre-established plan. I can confidently say that God has used the preparation and study to bless me just as much—if not more—than the students!

When I started, I received some excellent advice here (shoutout to @Jack K!) to keep the focus on Jesus—His work and His glory. That counsel has been a tremendous help.

Now, I’d like to sharpen my overall teaching skills. I’m not looking for ways to make the lessons flashy or entertaining—the Gospel doesn't need that help. Instead, I want to improve my ability to make the lessons clear and understandable so that I get out of the way, and the students see only the Gospel.

So, my question to the board is: What resources (books, videos, podcasts, lectures, courses, etc.) have helped you become a more effective teacher?

Thanks in advance for your wisdom!

The most important thing is just practice. New teachers are, for the most part, poor teachers.

It can be helpful to have an outline of what you intend to communicate. Start with the most basic, general concepts and work your way to the details, then give any applications.

The outline is for you, though, not for them. I.e. don't give it to the students in the form of a handout or powerpoint. Given written materials that say the same thing as you're saying is permission for students to zone out or not take notes.

Periodically ask students questions to make sure they're following along.

Don't ask "Any questions" though. They'll say they don't have questions even if they didn't understand a thing. You should ask questions that will give you a good idea of whether they've grasped what you've said so far in order to be able to move on.

Avoid sharing more information or more minute details than the audience can reasonably by expected to remember or grasp.

Highlight the logical connections between your point. The whole presentation should flow logically in a way that makes it easier to remember. No one is going to remember a list of unrelated ideas.

For example, if you were going to talk about justification, a reasonable order would be 1) why we need to be justified; our guilt and condemnation. 2) what is justification. 3) what justification is not / common misunderstandings. 4) why it matters. 5) what steps the listeners should take to be sure of their own justification.

When you transition to the next point, make that clear. Listeners should be able to tell that you're talking about something different now. This allows them to re-engage, and mentally organize the material. You can signal the transition with a question. "But what is justification?" "How are we justified?" "Can our good works justify us?" "Why does this matter?"

 

[Pomopu]

Some of his advice is aimed at college students, but it is all very good. And some library apps will hve this course for free.

The Great Courses

www.thegreatcourses.com

Make sure your lessons have a clear aim (objectives) and what steps you will use to help the students get there.

Any courses on this "great courses" website that have been helpful for you, and that you recommend? As a whole, do you think it is worth it to learn from that website?

 

[student]

I'd recommend Make it Stick (Peter Brown et al) to go through how to, well, make your teaching stick. The short is that right after you teach each concept/small chunk etc, you start forcing students to recall (oral quizzing, paper quizzing, whatever), and make students responsible for everything they've learned, including last lesson, last month etc. Having a "scope and sequence" to know what they should know helps there. Reteach what they don't know.

Having a good and honest mentor sit in on your classes is invaluable. Ideally, they describe what they see happening and give concrete steps to improve your teaching practice. Be humble enough to take their feedback without defending yourself, and try to implement their suggestions.

Each teacher is different, and where one is a spell-binding lecturer, another might be better at relationships, and a third at making concepts clear. Be yourself, be relatable, but prepare very thoroughly and know your stuff.

 

[RamistThomist]

Any courses on this "great courses" website that have been helpful for you, and that you recommend? As a whole, do you think it is worth it to learn from that website?

Any particular subject?

All the ones by Allit are good.

 

[py3ak]

Dr. Lloyd-Jones advises moving from general to particular and from negative to positive, as an order of teaching.

 

[Pomopu]

Any particular subject?

All the ones by Allit are good.

Allit, ok! Pretty much anything. philosophy/literature/theology/art/history/politics I guess Thanks for revealing to me this site existed.

 

[Parakaleo]

Lots of good advice, here. I'd add this:

- Say what you taught last time
- Check their learning (review)
- Say what you're going to teach
- Teach it
- Check their learning
- Say what you taught
- Say what you're going to teach next time

The more you teach, the more you will learn to naturally add in illustrations, anecdotes, insights, discussion questions, etc., "off the cuff" that you hadn't even planned. This, to me, sets apart advanced teaching from those who are trying to get through a list of teaching objectives.