One Thing that has Improved Your Teaching Experience

[Brian Hansbrow]

If there were one thing (technique, skill, or method) you could pass on to a new teacher that has improved your own teaching experience, what would you share?

[Holly]

The most important thing I've found, hard as it is, is to RELAX and Have FUN! We Love the Gospel, and we need to show it. And if we show it, eventually it will rub off on our students, whether they are adults or teens. In fact, it probably works better on teens.

[Bob Wall]

Vist your classroom before the class begins and place the chairs in a circle. If it is a large group in a large room, place the chairs in several rows of semi circles to promote discussion. A classroom with the chairs in rows facing forward is a lecture format. Lecture teaching is the weakest form of teaching.

As you prepare the lesson, make an outline of the main concepts you wish to discuss on a card you can hold. This card should be your only notes. Your attention should be directed toward class members, not detailed notes. You should already know the lesson from your preparation.

Under each main concept list several questions and scriptual references that refer to the question or possible answers. Keep the questions revelant to the life experiences of the members of the class.

Next to each main point list the actual time when that concept should be brought up. Plan out your class time by knowing to the minute when the class is scheduled to start and when it is to end. Be flexible as the class discussion develops, but use the time budget to keep the discussion generally on task

Seek inspiration and prepare to bear a revelant part of your testimony at the conclusion of the class.