Good CurriculumTo

Creative Curriculum

Good CurriculumTo

Creative Curriculum

Questions:My lessons are okay, but how can I make them better?

What are some creative ways to present a lesson?

Good CurriculumTo

Creative Curriculum

Myths:“I am not a creative person”

Gen.1:27 So God created people in his own image

Gen. 1 demonstrates that God is creative, therefore being made like him, we too possess creativity

Good CurriculumTo

Creative Curriculum

Myths:“My curriculum isn’t very good”

2 Tim. 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God…

God ‘s word is very GOOD! We teach the bible not a lesson.

Good CurriculumTo

Creative Curriculum

Step #1

The leader is the lesson

The lesson should be out of the overflow from God’s work in your own life.

The lesson will be only as good at the amount of time spent studying, meditating, and praying over it

Good CurriculumTo

Creative Curriculum

Step #2

Know the students learning styles

Teach to the students “sweet spot”

Everyone has a “smart” learning style

People Smart

Music Smart

Logic Smart

Nature Smart

Picture Smart

Word Smart

Body Smart

Self Smart

People Smart

Are highly social--"people persons" Make friends easily Are good talkers Are keen observers of others Recognize how people feel

Teaching methods that work best for relational learners include:

Calling upon youth to "see things through the eyes of others" Activities that allow them to cooperate and interact with others Leading youth to affirm others or mediate a disagreement

These teens are relational and like group activities that engage them in dialogue and discussions that involves them learning with others.

Music Smart

•Seem more sensitive to rhythm and pitch •Are good listeners •Respond to music with singing and/or movement •Are aided in learning by background music •Have music "playing" in their minds most of the time •Learn new songs quickly and remember them easily

Teaching methods that work best with musical learners include:•Composing new lyrics to an old tune •Listening and analyzing the lyrics of a Christian or secular song •Playing a musical instrument or recording that expresses their faith

These teens are harmonic and rhythmic. They like to sing, play instruments, compose, or listen to music.

Logic Smart

Logical learners like:•Problem-solving •Reasoning responses •Analogies •jokes with odd punch lines (Like, "If a plane crashes on the border of Texas and Oklahoma, where would they bury the survivors?") •Debates

These teens like to organize, compare/contrast, reason, analyze, evaluate, rank, classify, and debate.

Word Smart

Verbal learners like:Listen Read Discuss Answer questions Hear Stories Do Interviews Write Describe

These teens listen, list, write, use humor, tell stories, read, recite, label, and dialogue.

Picture Smart

Visual learners like:•People who are visual in nature like to see things to reinforce their learning.•Often they are artistic and graphic in nature, although they don't necessarily have to be talented in this area.•Some of these learners just like to see outlines, diagrams, photos, pictures, cartoons, and demonstrations. •Others like to be able to draw or create pictures as well.•These learners tend to see things in their mind's eyes as well as in the concrete world.

These teens observe, diagram, draw/illustrate, storyboard, paint, spot, and view.

Self Smart

Reflective learners like:•Meditating: thinking about what they are thankful for; •Contemplation: considering alternatives and consequences of a decision; •Study: spending time reading and thinking about a subject •Personalizing: applying Scriptural truths to their lives.

These teens meditate, evaluate self, journal. Study, contemplate, personalize, dream and set goals.

Body Smart

Physical learners like:•Movement methods, such as moving to an agree/disagree posters; •Putting together items to form a display; •Creating or recreating; •Drama

These teens are active physically. They prefer and are often good at dancing, exercising, recreating, dramatizing, moving, and playing. They are very kinesthetic in their approach to learning.

Nature Smart

Natural learners like:•natural learners crave activities that focus on exploring elements in the natural world. •They enjoy such activities as adopting-a-highway, or participating in an outdoor service.

These teens dig, touch, sort, classify, observe, protect, plant, cultivate, and conserve. They prefer outdoors and are natural in their approach to learning.

Good CurriculumTo

Creative Curriculum

Tips:

#1 – You will need to assess teens learning styles informally. Observe their likes and dislikes, their abilities and their achievements. They will possess two or three primary learning styles.

#2 – create a learning style notebook. Dedicate a page for each student. Refer to it when preparing the lesson.

#3 – use a couple of different styles each lesson and use different ones from lesson to lesson.

Good CurriculumTo

Creative Curriculum

Step #3

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare

Plato never intended for teachers to wait until the last moment to prepare a lesson!

Plato – “Necessity - the mother of invention”