Teaching & Learning in Sunday school

Sunday School: Terry Beasley
Friday, May 1, 2009

Teaching and learning are the foundation of Sunday School ministry. While we can enjoy the "fellowship" aspect of our time together, we must not forsake the teaching of God's Word. Though we need to take time to show concern for our members and prospective members-reaching out in prayer and ministry-we do so with a strong understanding of the Bible and God's instruction on how to minister in Jesus' name.

You may have noticed that I used the words "Teaching" and "Learning". Is there a difference? As a Sunday School teacher-what is your responsibility when it comes to teaching and learning?

Teaching is the act of sharing what you know so that others can share your understanding. The teaching act can take on many forms-lecture, large-group or small group-discussion, question and answer, hands-on activities, etc. Regardless of the form it takes-good teaching begins with prayer and preparation. Teachers-do you pray weekly for the members of your class? Do you ask for their prayer as you study and prepare for the Sunday lesson? You should-on both counts! Prayer is followed closely by preparation. The teacher who waits until the 11th hour on Saturday night is not doing justice to their teaching nor are they bringing pleasure to God. Certainly, this may happen in emergency situations but it must not be the norm. Begin preparing early in the week-meditating and praying over the scripture passages for the upcoming week.

Another important aspect of teaching is understanding the learning needs of your class. Generally, we teach the way we are comfortable teaching-which is not necessarily the best for our learners. Balance is the key. Every lesson should include some lecture, question and answer, small group discussion, and practical application. Variety in the teaching act is essential.

Learning is the responsibility of the student. However, it is greatly dependent upon the effort of the teacher. Do you ask questions to see if your class understands the teaching? Do you refer to prior lessons to encourage application of those concepts which have been previously introduced? Do you arrange your classroom so that all class members can participate comfortably in the lesson? Look at your room: is it easy to see the teacher and each other? If you are going to encourage participation in the class-the chairs should be arranged so that classmates can see each other. Have you removed the "clutter" from your room lately? Is the bulletin board the same as it was 6 months ago? We do not want these secondary issues to detract from the primary tasks of teaching & learning.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Associational Flight School (Sunday School teacher and director training) - Monday, August 24th 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Wichita.