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We each have ways of learning that help the thing being taught "click." Here are 5 practical ways you can help the message you're trying to teach hit home.
This might be our most "go-to" form of teaching. Our culture loves settings where students sit and teachers lecture. Don't get me wrong, though—some students learn best from simply being told information. We do not want to skip this as an essential tool in our classes.
If we use all the other methods of teaching, but forget to actually say, "This is what I want you to learn," then we have missed a vital opportunity.
Find a way to illustrate the lesson. There are so many fun ways to help your students connect visually with the stories of the Bible. As technology expands, there are now even more opportunities. We are not limited to flannel graphs and flip charts. That said, if that is what you have, use it!
Whether you have a Bible with illustrations, a phone with a YouTube video, or even printed images, find a way for the students to visualize the story and lesson.
Some students are wiggly by nature, and for some, this is simply how they learn best. Find ways for them to move and connect to the lesson with their bodies.
Maybe you say, "Every time I say the word 'Samaritan,' I want you to put your hands out like you're ready to serve." You could play a relay game, act out the story, or play charades with different events from the lesson.
Find a way for your students to physically connect with the message.
Bible crafts are a standard in many Sunday school classes for small children. I have found that even older students enjoy getting their "hands dirty" while they learn. And if I'm being honest, so do I.
If I'm learning about being a slave in Egypt, I want to make a brick from straw and mud and be able to see what their job was actually like. Giving students the opportunity to participate in the lives of the people in the text helps connect them to the Word.
This isn't always appropriate, and there are a lot of allergies out there, so take this one with "a grain of salt." Taste and smell can be very powerful memory tools.
While learning about the Passover, I brought my students some roasted lamb and bitter herbs (which were lettuce and cilantro). In class, we made unleavened bread. They not only got to see it and participate in it, but taste it as well.
This helps students put themselves in the place of the people they are learning about.
Teaching children about the Bible is such an important role. Math and English are important for their lives, but their understanding of and faith in God and His Word are of even greater importance for their souls.
Our job is not only to connect them with the people in the Word and the lessons of the past, but also to help them connect with God Himself.
I hope these little tips will help you as you strive to engage with the little ones in your life and make an eternal difference.