Stairway

                                                                       Stairway:

Constructing learning goals in a stairway structure where each step applies an “understanding equals a progressed ability”. The process of making my student “understand” something will depend on the “activity”.  the activity that will make them know and analyze where the steps of the lesson-ladder is going. Making appropriate steps as a teacher should be thought seriously.  The activities that I would be bringing in should define my goals in every teaching task. These should refine my students understanding onward.  I should always consider the “edge” of what a well-thought activities can do in leading me and my students together in the stairway of learning.

                                                                      Imagery:

The discipline of making my students to practice their “creative imagination”.  To think of the  ways  that would help them process their understanding and that would aid them to recall the highlights of the lesson falls under sparking the practice of "creative imagination".  I do this technique as a student and yes, it will be great to share this technique to my students. I would like to make them learn this as soon as possible. However, I believe it will take time in order for them to be comfortable with this technique. It is like having a big box with other small boxes in them.  Discovery and tireless digging in "images" that would create an "imagery" of what is the meaning behind each knowing.

                                                                     Work-home habit: 

I remember one beautiful principle of classroom-learning that learning does not evolve only inside the classroom. It should be brought in at all places of life.  Same with letting my students take-home the values learned in church to their respective homes, schools, play time and even to their inner selves.  However, there should be a “visual” or evidential task to easily assess the students application of the learning/principle gained.  Maybe it is better if I will make my students’ to be aware of the “target” values. Values to be emphasized and to be applied.  Though it may look an intentional-learning, monitored or dictated but, that is where a “habit” comes from—the “always-ness” of doing or practicing.  What is wrong on starting with intentionally “working on” with a good sense of valuing “values” right into their ‘homes’?

“Away pero bati”/” Enemies but not foes”:

This is a good motivational learning.  I will consider this in my teaching approach where “friendly debate” will be exercised.  I have not tried this ever in my years of teaching in the church.  I think this is a worthy technique to consider.  Example of a paired topic I will use for this is: “Which is better praying aloud or praying in silent?”  This is a good start up-activity in the theme of “Praying” or “Prayer”.  This exercise will also empower the students for strong resistance against not being sports minded.  They will have also a framework of having intelligible reasons on their decisions in the future.

                                                             Anger management: 

Being in an angelic mood every time is not realistic.  There are moments that a student's attitude or character would try your patience. Yes, I admit that they were scenes when my anger had reached to a “feverish” level. I noticed that even these anger-moments have produced positive effects on my students' attitude.  It gave them a signal that a teacher does get mad. The teacher is as serious on what she says about the rules and so they need to believe and obey.  On the other hand, showing anger to my students will not always be a healthy option to encourage obedience.  Maybe to be consistent with implying rules is still the best thing to communicate about the ‘seriousness’ or the truth that we set inside the classroom.

Railroad whisks

 Pattern Maker

Something that is created beautifully is something that is worth of preserving.  A practice/skill that possesses viability is something worth keeping and that’s where “good modeling “comes in, a teacher becoming a pattern maker for his students to follow or imitate.  I think this is an important element of teaching the students.   The mystery of the “hidden curriculum” where it does not have to be intentionally shown but it is naturally revealed.  Nevertheless, it is an advantage if the “pattern” that the teacher and the school is “making” is worth keeping.  But what a pity and a shame if it is the other side around. My point is, the way a life is lived in the classroom and inside the school speak a lot in shaping the interior image of the learner.  As the responsibility of the academe, how “creative” are we to care and to dare to evaluate those “exterior” elements that will shape up something that is worth keeping?

Using tools to birth life

  I noticed that any tools in teaching that was created or is used, it is important that at the end of an activity, insights and connections between the subject and the learner must be established.  It is like making the “tools” speak to the learners so that “new” learnings will be born.  I think creative tools in teaching are the powerful and effective drives for learning cultivation. But flaws could happen if they are not used appropriately. Learning may not be nurtured, it may be malnourished and it could be… lifeless.   Furthermore, as I apply this knowing as a teacher, I am more motivated to use these tools wisely, appropriately, timely and effectively to birth and discover always a new life of learning. 

Drawing into the world 

Christians, sometimes, tend to be too fanatic with how we use “biblical” and “Christianized” materials in our in the church.  But I believe that “creativity” and “beauty” are not bounded from these markings alone.  There are many beautiful literature, songs, dance’s steps, paintings that are waiting to be appreciated and acknowledged.  There are still part of God’s revelation of Him being the “Creator”. I think, when teaching in churches, I would like to take this stance, that drawing modest, honorable, an ethical works from the world for spiritual nourishment-outgrowth is I think still significant.

The railroad’s whisk 

Lesson plans are lessons planned in advance or may be steps/topics in line when teaching.  But lesson plans should have a “railroad’s whisk” distinctive too.  Meaning, the teacher should be flexible and be ready for quick switching of ideas.  The switching will depend on the interest, opinion or questions raised by the learners.  During this moment, the path of the lesson may need to take a little curvy move but I think when this happens, the direction or the goal is what should always be kept in mind.  For example, to use opposing reactions or opinions of the learners triggered by a certain topic.  The teacher may dwell from the existing reaction/opinion to emphasize the 'planned' objective.  As a teacher, I should be sensitive with the pre-assumed ideas of my learners that might just bubble-up during the discussion and use these clumps to move back in relearning and learning new things as the discussions go along.

All about movements

 Learning is moving from one place to another.  Creative teaching is all about movements.  All the entities of the human form and all the things that surround man are paved to move and to shift: to create, to strategize, to organize are all movements to stir interest and to transmit a definite motion of learning.  As a teacher, my aim shouldn’t be just to maneuver my class to move towards the objectives of my lesson plan but to particularly involve them to the unseen rhythmic structure of learning which is to transpose measurable learning into an unforgettable and timeless one.

Dirty Ice Cream

Modification

Modifying my teaching styles according to the learning style of my learners.  This would be a challenge for me as a teacher.  I have to pay close attention with each of my student’s learning styles.  What I realized is that creativity in lesson plan’s execution is not enough to meet this expectation by being complex in our teaching. As I see this, sometimes “simplicity” does well to some learners.  What is really needed is to fetch where their “understanding” or “level” is processed even if we think they're level is on 'simple' or 'low' stage. But please don't misinterpret my point, I am not saying that being “creative” is not necessary but sometimes, it only addresses on the wholeness of our approach to the entire teaching process.  It is like a “shallow fashion” to beautify our teaching. An outside appeal. But let me tell you this,  I have learned that the beauty of teaching does not lie beneath the “fashion” but with how we sew the loose threads of our individual-learner’s understanding.

Daily Routine profile

Daily assessment to my student’s is vital.  This is what I aspire for a long time and I found out that it is possible.  One of the things I have learned about learning and finding meaning is, it has to be “personal”.  I think, the same thing works with teaching.  In order to make our teaching meaningful, it has to be personal too.  Actually, I have my own journal for my children where I write significant moments about them.  Anything that is worth remembering—funny, sad, discouraging, amazing…etc. And now, I wonder, wouldn’t that be nice if I will have a journal too as a teacher in church? Where I will tell stories about my students like, “How Rommel learns today?”; “Fides got frustrated when the pages her scrapbook stuck together because she put too much glue?”; “Ron-ron enjoyed the dance class last Sunday but not on the acting class today.”  I may say, that this would be really “personal” that through this as a teacher I get to record the “life” and the “moments” of each of my students.  I believe also that this habit has a prospect of enhancing the perspective of a healthy student-teacher relationship.

Leveling in and leveling up

Yes, it is good to level my teaching styles according to my student’s need and capabilities but it should not always stay that way.  I should also expose them to other challenges.  Teaching levels should not remain stagnant—they have to level up.  Let me share to you my own experience. I have 2 kinds of learners in my class, the difference is measured by their family-environment and  background wise, they are really big factors in contributing on the learner’s stance in education.  The way they process things, their perspectives, and discipline are factors caused by how they were brought up.  Now, in the space of my territory as their teacher, I should address this 2 sets of learners.  With this 2 sets of learners in mind, I should improvise ways on how I could prepare them to the real world. I know, each of the kind will I give a different approach.  Each approach would be a unique and contextualized one.  In both ways,and together, I should have a goal of making them be honed with good standards and a quality-holistic training learning environment and be leveled up on the place where they should be in the future!

Not only receivers but producers

Yes, I agree.  As a teacher, supplying my student’s valuable learning is really my sure aim.  But, I should be aware also that learners shouldn’t just be receivers or takers in every learning time.  My learners should be the “givers” too.  Meaning, I should give them a space to contribute to the lesson being discussed because they have vital ideas to share too.  Plus, the learning evidence will also be fruitful if my learners will also be the “producers” too.  Meaning, they will be able to create a “new” synthesis out of the lesson acquired.  This is a very brilliant task!  It molds the “young” learners “critical” thinking.  It sharpens their minds to be “forward” and “innovative”.  It develops their “pro-active” senses. Where they base their “newly produced ideas” out from their own context and experience.  I think this is what we need today in our society.  Education have been producing persons that are only "receivers".  They only mind themselves.  The "takers" of our society where wealth accumulation, isolation of prestige and power grabbing are the big words to categorize them.  I think, education has a big part on shaping the character of our society.  It has a big role in shaping the future generation to be the "givers" and the good contributors of our world.  The aim of shaping their hearts and their character where education directs them to think and to act on what they could offer to make our world a better place to live in where learning's aim is not "for me" but for "us" in the spirit of love.

“Dirty Ice Cream”

This is the way I describe a teaching approach when a teacher provides choices for his/her students to fulfill a certain task.  I chose the “dirty ice cream” to define my point because there is a good principle that we can find in this.  First, the principle of its ‘mobility’: the cart has wheels and the vendor can go and move where the ‘eaters’ are.  Same as in making learning tasks, there should be a characteristic of mobility.  It has to fetch the learners.  The second principle that we can learn from the “dirty ice cream” is the characteristic of providing the customers to have choices.  In any dirty ice cream cart, it has always 4 flavors to offer, it has a variety of cones to choose from.  I like to take that stance as we apply this principle in our teaching approaches.  As a teacher,I have to offer my students choices in fulfilling their task.  Another good principle that we can get from this metaphor is in this kind of approach, it displays respect to our students as we acknowledge and recognize their student’s uniqueness and differences.

“Wise Buy” The Learner’s Market: A good offer for our Church’s Education

The Teacher’s perspective:

“The best way to learn is to teach it.”

The teacher couldn’t teach what he does not know.  He could not transfer learning of the knowledge and skill that he has if there is nothing to transfer.  The teacher has to be prepared so that he/she could pass all that he/she has in a given time.  According to our Professsor, Dr. Son, during our class, only the 20% of the teacher’s knowledge is being consummated in the process, given a specific amount of time in discussing them.  That is why it very important for the teacher to set himself in a way that he could consume the teaching and learning process wisely.  As church leaders/educators, we sometimes take our teaching ministry for granted, we should take this ministry seriously because the way we teach the church how to learn is by the way we teach them too.  How do we teach them, if I may ask?

“It allows the teacher to know the students.”

In the Learner’s market, students are given a chance to display and demonstrate their “unknown” skills and talents.  This is a good opportunity also for teachers to find ways in encouraging the students to further utilize their skills as they teach.  The teacher should think and know how could this learning process to be more productive.  Otherwise, the exercise or the teaching method would not be satisfactory.  In our churches, how do we give chances for our church members to utilize their skills?  How do we know them first and foremost?  Handling fellowships using the market learner method is the best way to fulfill this aim!

“It is in doing not a talking way of teaching”

Someone had said that most of the teachers are weak in teaching demonstration.  I think I agree with that.  This is a crucial thing to be undermined especially with the digital age where all information is just being supplied instantly, this kind of method should not be put aside.  Learning by doing is better than just listening on how to do something. Physical Movements, psycho motor skills, mind and body coordination are important elements in considering a holistic learning.  I believe that church education should not only be limited with “spiritual matters”.  Sit down and listen then say, "Amen!" type of learning.   Church education should have connectivity with the world.  There are things in life that we could not afford not to enjoy, there is a thing that we call “clean fun.”  This would also eliminate the notion that being a Christian or church life is “boring” and “lifeless”.

The Learner’s Perspective:

“It is a Student-oriented learning”

         The learners have the freedom to discover the new learning. In a way, it develops the student’s confidence, it boosts up his self-esteem. It also harbors a sense of responsibility and accountability.  This kind of method is the counterfeit of “the teacher-knows it all” thinking.  In this exercise the teacher also learns from the students by observation.  It is a good reminder also that as pastors/leaders/educators of the church, we are not experts of everything.  Let us give other’s a chance to teach us, let us give our members a chance to learn from one another.  Each one of us is a unique creation.  We all have gifts to share.  We are to be a blessing to one another.

“Learning has to be transferred”

         Through experiencing this type of learning, it rekindles the curiosity of the learner to try and pursue the new learning.  It may spark the learner’s loss of interest and may have an option to harness the skill again.  In other words, through Learner’s market the transferring of knowledge/skill has a huge probability for the learner to continue or to progress from the new learning discovered.  That is why it is vital for the teacher to think of ways on how learner’s interest could be channeled into a formative and educative procedure.  In line with church education, how do we mold our learners not to stay as “learners” for the entire age of their Christian life?  How do we encourage our learners to develop their skills so that they could be "teachers" and could teach others too?

“Bonding is geared.”

         Because of the freedom and opportunity to impart one’s skills, everybody is qualified.  Everyone has the chance to be the “star”.  It encourages a sense of belongingness and the silent type personality will be enthused to talk and to share.  This is a good moment for the church attendees to be active in church.  People who share the same interest go well together and thus fuels good relationships. As teachers, to be creative and innovative to think of ways of making our area of ministry fruitful and colorful are skills too.  They need to be exercised. God is providing us a lot of “learning of how to's”.  All we have to do is to do them, is to try them, and to use them to the fullest.  That is what learning is all about—is it not? It is in “doing”.  This is a good reminder also to us ministers on the way we demonstrate our teaching. If we are saying in the pulpit, “behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity”, then, why not try to provide a way for this statement to be demonstrated through the “learner’s market” method?  It is a “good buy”, is it not?

The 'Art' Beat of Teaching

               Teaching is art. 

               It is a skill acquired by experience, study or observation.

               Yes, it is an art.  Teaching is the conscious use of skill and creative imagination.

               A teacher possesses the quality and a state of being artful.

               Teaching is produced through an artistic effort.

               It is an art form.

 It is formed by the unending flow of passion in bring forth knowledge

It springs from the deepest place of one’s heart. 

               If teaching is an art,

  So, it is an expression. 

Now, if it’s an expression.

It denotes feelings… emotion.

It is indeed in need of a “heart”. 

A heart that beats in every form.

It includes intellect,

Personality,

Disposition,

Courage and

Most of all

Should it be beating in “love”?

How does our teaching beat???

Does it beat off joy?

Or does it beat out the beauty of life?

Teaching is life!  It is an art that beats! It is felt…it is seen…it is created…it is lovely.