Episcopal Diocese of Albany - Christian Education

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The Seven Laws of Teaching: Part One

by The Rev'd Laurie Garramone-Rohr, Christian Ed Coordinator
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Intermittently, I am going to do an article about one of the "Seven Laws of Teaching" complied by John Milton Gregory in a book by the same name. They were first published in 1884, but they clearly apply to all ages, and all sizes of groups. The wording is a little dated, but still very rich, so I will present them in their original wording and break them down into practical chunks for application.

Rule One: "The Teacher must know that which he would teach."

This reminds me of a phrase from the book of Isaiah: "Prepare the way of the Lord;" because when we teach--or preach-we are preparing the way of the Lord in the hearts of the people around us. We are scattering the palms before the king, letting Him know that we honor Him through our study and preparation. So before I walk in to teach a Sunday School class or bible study, I should have prepared myself. His word should be inscribed on my heart as well as in my mind.

Sometimes we get lulled into a false security by a curriculum or study guide, and it may seem that we only need to follow the instructions or outlines in the book. Whether the group before us is young or old, whether we speak before a small group or in front of an auditorium full of people, our preparation and familiarity with the material will stand as a testament of our love and respect for God and His word.

How do we effectively prepare for teaching? Study the material ahead of time. For most Sunday School or Bible studies, read through all prepared materials at least a week before the scheduled class.

Then, spend time with the focus scripture. Go directly to the source-pull out the Bible and read the passage. Then read the passages just before and just after the focus material. Re-read the passage several times. What jumps out? What words stand out? What bugs you? What touches your heart? What reminds you of something in your life? In other words, what is God saying to you that you may need to tell people about?

Now we need to live with the word. We can take those phrases or words that stand out and write them on a Post-It note. Stick the note on a mirror, a steering wheel, or the refrigerator…you get the idea. We need to live with the Word for a few days, pray with the Word, ask God to reveal His message so that we can share it with others.

Once we have the word in our heart, we can use other bible references or do Internet research to help get a historical perspective or deeper understanding. I often talk about the lesson with my husband and he helps me see new ideas or gets me back on track if I seem to have wandered. Current news or our own remembered stories might also help us figure out how or what we need to teach. What kind of insight do we have that will help others apply God's words to their own lives? In other words, how does the Word change the world or how can the Word change the world? How can it impact or change the lives of the people we teach? When we know this, we know what we need to teach.

We've all heard the phrase "You can't give what you don't have," and this is kind of what John Gregory is saying in this first rule. My son's fifth grade Math teacher, Mrs. Quinn, teaches by having kids figure out the amount of tax on items like skateboards or video games. She made them plan a monthly budget based on a certain amount of income. She isn't just making connections between a learned skill and real life; she's letting the kids discover how math and their lives intersect. She comes in with knowledge and a plan, and she lets the students discover truths she already knows. It has given us some interesting discussions about money at home. How can we do the same thing with God's Word?

Curriculum outlines and notes important. We all need to have good resources and tools. We also need freedom to learn and teach the way we know best. I have to write things over obsessively and gradually distill my thoughts into an outline. I write notes in the margins of curriculum to remind me to add in things that aren't there. I bring in objects to show people or stories to share that might make the words come alive. "Wow!" I think, "I am so prepared!" Then I think of 1 Corinthians 13: 1 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging bell."

When we prepare our hearts as well as our minds to teach Scripture, whether it's a Disciple course or a multi-generational Sunday School, we are not simply teaching His Word, we are breaking it apart, much like the bread at Eucharist, so that we can share it with others.

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