South Texas Bible Ministry

Training Center

RED. 312 Effective Teaching Week 6

Ricky Joseph, Ph.D.

Effective Teaching Objectives Week 6

• Review an example of a knowledge Aim lesson to include: Aims for the quarter, unit, and lesson, identifying how to begin with interest, provide an overview, organize the material summary and review, and finally evaluating a review assignment or project

• Discuss factors related to teaching Knowledge to include the teacher and learner’s knowledge, learner’s motivation and purpose, knowledge as facts and meaning, and the four level of learning

Aim for the Quarter

• The quarterly aim is this: "To seek to lead my class members to master (1) an outline of the life and ministry of Jesus, and (2) a chronology of the major events in His life and ministry."– The teacher will select which events are major. All

four Gospels would be included in this study. A knowledge aim series would always (or almost always) last for a period of three months or longer. The teacher, in consultation with class members, should determine when to use the knowledge aim.

Aim for the Unit

• The unit aim is this: "To seek to lead my class to master the major events in the pre-Galilean ministry."

–Again, the teacher would determine what to include in each unit and how many lessons would be in the unit.

Aim of the Lesson

• The lesson aim is this: "To seek to lead my class to master the major events surrounding the birth and infancy of Jesus."

–Once again, the teacher determines what to include in this lesson.

Begin with Interest

• "The rest of you, call out how long you have been coming to Sunday School since you were a teenager." (Write their numbers on chalkboard.) Continue: "During that time, each of you has studied the life of Jesus for at least three months each year. Some years we study the life of Jesus for six months." Using the numbers class members have given, calculate on the chalkboard how many times most class members have studied the life of Jesus.

• Now, I want to ask you a question. How many of you can give me an outline of the life and ministry of Jesus?“

• "I don't want you to go into great detail, just give a broad outline."

Overview

Overview for demonstration lesson:– Pre-Galilean Ministry– Galilean Ministry– Journeying to Jerusalem– Withdrawal into Perea– Trial, Crucifixion, and Resurrection

• The teacher should use two techniques to help class members understand these divisions more clearly.

• This first technique is map study. Using a map large enough for all to see easily, locate Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. Show them where Israel is located in relation to Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. This also helps them relate the Bible to current events.

Overview

• The second is a brief study of unit divisions. The following are examples:

Unit 1. The Pre-Galilean Ministry: Jesus had a very brief ministry in Judea before going to Galilee. Locate both areas.Unit 2. The Galilean Ministry: Jesus spent most of His timeand had His major ministry in Galilee.Unit 3. Journeying to Jerusalem: The teachings and ministry on His journey from Galilee to Jerusalem.Unit 4. Withdrawal into Perea: Locate Perea on the map. Theteachings and brief ministry on the other side of the Jordan before His final journey to Jerusalem.Unit 5. The Trial, Crucifixion, and Resurrection: The last week of Jesus' life and ministry.

Organizing the Material

• the arrangement of this material must be logical. It must be logical as to content and it must be logical as to chronology. Since this is the first lesson of the unit, it is necessary to point out to the class the subdivisions of the unit.

• Unit I. The Pre-Galilean Ministry– The Birth of John the Baptist– The Birth, Infancy, and Youth of Jesus– The Baptism and Temptation Experience– The Early Judean Ministry(asked 17 questions about the birth and infancy of Christ)

Summary and Review

• In this first lesson of the quarter we have covered a lot of material. We have covered the birth of John the Baptist, the birth of Jesus, the date of His birth, the visit of the wise men, the trip to Egypt, and finally, the trip to Nazareth. However, the one thing I want you to master from today's study is the outline of the major divisions in the life and ministry of Jesus. To aid you in mastering this outline we will review one more time.

Assignment and Project

• For the assignment, ask Larry to look up John the Baptist in a Bible dictionary in the church library and see if he can find any information about the early life of John growing up in the deserts, (Luke 1:80), and give a one-minute report next Sunday.

• For the project the teacher, using legal-size paper, should have prepared the outline of a map showing Galilee, Samaria, Judea, the Jordan River, and the northern part of Egypt. Do not put the names of towns or cities or countries on the map. One of these should be given to each member at the beginning of the first class. It is the task of each member to locate and write in (or print) the name of each town or city, river, mountain, country, and so forth, that is significant in the life and ministry of Jesus

Factors Related toTeaching Knowledge

• The Teacher’s Knowledge– Obviously teachers must have some knowledge of

the material to be taught. They also must be willing to engage in some serious study. These two factors may create such a great fear within teachers that they will be unwilling even to try to teach with a knowledge aim.

• if we claim to be "a people of the Book," then we ought to be willing to engage in some serious study of the Bible.

The Learner's Knowledge

• A general idea of what learners already know about the area they will study is needed. This knowledge will vary from class member to class member. On the one hand, the knowledge the teacher is seeking to teach must not be so technical or complex the members become confused and then lose interest. Yet the material should not be so superficial that the study fails to stimulate their thinking.

• The teacher's challenge is to guide the study between these two extremes—being superficial and being overly complex.

The Learner’s Motivation and Purpose

• The teacher must motivate class members and help them develop a genuine purpose for their Bible study. Remember, the learner must do the learning. The teacher may be deeply interested in and highly desirous for the class to engage in a serious study of some portion of the Bible. The teacher may use correct techniques and approaches, but unless the members have a desire and are willing to put out the effort necessary to learn, no positive learning will take place.

Two Types of Knowledge

• Knowledge as Facts

– Our ultimate objective is not learning Bible facts, but these facts are very helpful.

• Knowledge as Meaning

– A knowledge aim series may have as its objective to learn the meaning of the Book of Job, or the meaning of the Book of Hosea. Or the teacher may lead in a study of the meaning of one or more of the great doctrines of the Christian faith.

Four Levels of Learning• Awareness

– knowledge a person is aware that sometime in the vague past she has heard of a place, a fact, or a bit of infor-mation.

• Recognition– the individual recognizes the fact, the place, or the bit of

information, and it has some significance for him or her.

• Memorization– one learns something for the purpose of instant recall; for

example, the multiplication tables. Although the amount of knowledge the members are expected to memorize will be very limited, it is also very important.

• Understanding– when the knowledge being taught or studied involves

meaning, it is imperative that the learner understand that meaning.

Presenting New Ideas

• The teacher who uses a knowledge aim should present new ideas gradually.

• Presenting new ideas too rapidly often blots out the ideas already presented.

• It is better to lead the members to master a few ideas rather than expose them to a large number of ideas.

Using Various Methods

• Those who teach with a knowledge aim should use a wide variety of methods depending on their teaching aim

– lecture

– ask questions and lead in discussion

– give an example

– tell a story or give a personal illustration

– use the chalkboard, maps, and other visual aids.

Review

• Review is taking another look at (re-viewing) material previously covered in order to deepen understanding, reveal new meaning, or achieve mastery.

• The teacher must carefully plan review to be sure that it is interesting and meaningful to class members.

• Review must involve all the members.

Function of Review

• Review helps members organize the material• Review helps members relate new knowledge to

what they already know. • Review helps members remember what they have

studied. • Review helps members learn new material. • Review helps class members clarify points they

have misunderstood. • Review helps class members determine how much

they have learned.

Opportunities for Review

• Near the opening of the class period

• Throughout the lesson

• Near the end of the lesson

• At the end of each unit and quarter

Drill

• Drill is a repetitive activity designed to insure that the learner is able to make swift and accurate responses. Drill obviously involves memorization, as in memorizing the multiplication tables.

• What knowledge needs drill? Only that knowledge for which one desires automatic response.

• Drill should be a group activity. The teacher, as leader, should avoid embarrassing class members.