Episcopal Diocese of Albany

Business Office: 68 South Swan Street - Albany, NY 12210 - (518) 465-4737
Christ the King Spiritual Life Center: 575 Burton Road - Greenwich, NY 12834 - (518) 692-9550

The Seven Laws of Teaching: Part Five

By Rev. Laurie Garramone-Rohr, Christian Ed Coordinator.

This is the fifth in a series about 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.

Rule Five: “Teaching is arousing and using the pupil’s mind to grasp the desired thought or to master the desired art.”

“Who has not read a whole page with the eyes, and at the bottom found himself unable to recall a single idea that it contained? The senses had done their work, but the mind had been busy with other thoughts.” John Milton Gregory

In other words, you need to be engaged and interested in something to really learn it. And, in order to engage our minds, we need to find out how to connect God with our lives. Wanting to learn springs from two desires: curiosity and need, and the greater drive by far springs from need.

When we taught, well, encouraged, my son Alex to learn to walk, we did it by placing things he wanted or needed just out of his grasp. If he wanted to get the little red fireman he loved so much, he was going to have to let go of the couch to get him! We tell him this story over and over, because he did just that. He let go of what he knew and learned something unfamiliar, even uncomfortable, to help him solve a problem. He was incredibly determined because the solution was useful to him, even though it involved hard work.

How can we do that in our classrooms? How can we help children and adults understand that the information they learn in bible study or Sunday School is valuable, useful, problem-solving material?

First of all, figure out what the problems or needs are. I remember learning in a college classroom that all advertising is based on the premise that we have a problem that advertisers can solve with their product: deodorant, mouthwash, a new car, McDonald’s Big Macs—the list is endless. But advertisers have done lots of research so they know not only our problems but they also know how to target solutions to our lives so that we will buy what they want to sell.

How can you get a group to ‘buy’ what you’re ‘selling’ as a teacher? Well, what kinds of problems do you think your group would like to have addressed? Ask them! Try not to plan curriculum or classes that have been chosen because it’s the most popular current program, or because you have someone who can teach it. Try to teach classes that address key needs in the lives of the congregation.

What are issues in elementary school kids’ lives? Divorce, anxiety, friendship, security, war.

What are issues in junior high kids’ lives? Body image, dating, parent-child relationships, independence, academics.

What are issues in senior high kids’ lives? Time-management, graduation and college, fear of the unknown, depression and suicide, sexuality and its consequences.

What are common issues in adult lives? Loneliness, marriage, job stress, parenting, money.

While not exhaustive lists, these give us an idea about the problems that people are dealing with in our congregations. Is your church providing the solution to these problems? Do you believe that can faith impact these problems? Do you believe that knowing God changes the solution or the problem in a positive way?

Study the programming offered at your church and ask the question “Does our education programming answer real life needs in our congregation?” Give out a survey asking people what their common concerns are in their daily lives, not just in their faith lives. The best teacher arouses a student’s mind by providing real answers to real problems. Just like in math class, we’re all looking for methods and strategies that work to help us solve problems. When we understand that Jesus is always the answer, we are hungry to know more about Him, we bring Him with us, and we end up teaching other people about the ways that He can answer the needs in their lives as well.

If you would like to find out specific ideas for programming at your church that addresses some of these needs, contact me here

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