Do we Need to Change the Way we Teach?

Posted on Thursday, 17 November 2011

I think there is no need for further words. Happy watching!



Questions to Ponder

  • Would you agree with Ken Robinson? Why?
  • How does his theories reflect in the church and our ministry with students?
  • What will be some of the things we could do to change?

    • Think! Share! Discuss!

    3 thoughts on “Do we Need to Change the Way we Teach?”

    2. This is great stuff. Very challenging too, specially as we think about the way we are used to train students and the way our churches are structured. As I was watching, it reminded me of a nightmare I had when I got pregnant: I dreamt that my British husband and I were trying to raise our bilingual child. And in my dream, I had a massive argument with her English teacher at school. The teacher argued that, despise the fact she was bilingual, she had failed her English test because "she didn't know enough grammar"
      Often I get frustrated when training students and I feel like "teaching grammar", if you know what I mean. I agree with Robinson that most of our training is more focused on achieving goals that we can measure ("let's make sure we teach about Personal Evangelism, let's make sure our programs include tools for Inductive Bible Studies...") than in getting the best out of the students in those areas. And I believe, more often than not, the students come out with brilliant ideas that had never crossed my mind, if we give them the chance.
      Some of the problems I see are:
      - part of our work in ministry is training. But we neither have the "training" ourselves to do it and feel out of our feet, not the time to face the challenge. So we hold to the ways we find easier. We try to be realistic.
      - students themselves come from a system that doesn't encourage creativity. But I do believe most of them will embrace a training that would help them to grow, even if it was completely new to them
      - we love Inductive Bible Studies. We believe in them. And, again, we use IBS guides that help us to run them. But, in the process from us to the students and from them to other students, creativity is killed at some point ("let's get to the next question...") I've found Manuscript Bible Study a good tool to avoid this and to respect each person's way of learning (listening, visual, reading...) But I'd love to grow in this area, both using more resources in my studies (visual, music, ...) and learning to encourage the students to do it themselves
      - the model of teaching in most of churches (forgive me anyone whose church is different) don't even think about this. We seat, we hear stuff from 20 minutes to 1 hour (depending what your culture you come from), that stuff is sometimes based on the truth (the Bible) and sometimes is based on the preacher wisdom, we sing, we leave. Some preachers are a bit more aware of these facts and try to include music, films and books into their teaching, which is quite refreshing. But I still have never seen any "interactive sermon", where listeners can interrupt, ask questions, participate... I wonder how was Paul's teaching in Athens. We are so used to the traditional model that we don't even question it; but try to bring along a friend who's never been to a church before and watch his face during the service.
      I feel people in ministry (pastors, student workers, etc..) are a lot more trained on Bible than on teaching. And that's right (I think it's the right balance) But, being a journalist by default, I know you could have the most vital truth in your hand but, if you don't know how to communicate it, is wasted. On the other hand, you could share the most trivial fiction in an effective way and that would transform someone's life (not necessarily for better)
      So I find lots of questions, challenges and personal limitations. I guess we need to grow more into giving students the skills and the motivation to find the truth by themselves and less in spoon-feed them with the truth.

    3. Great, great reflections Raquel! Please share, when you have a chance some of the things you could implement to reverse this situation. Thanks!

      Others, we want to hear you too!

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