Do you have what it takes to be a super teacher? I do think there are natural-born teachers, but there are also many tasks anyone can master if there is sufficient desire.
I have used a number of suggestions to direct and encourage teachers who want to be super teachers. Here is one suggestion to get started: If I gave you one sentence and no other help, could you create an entire thirty minute lesson plan around that one thought? Some of you could do a great job with no further help. Some of you would get started on some ideas and then ask for additional inspiration. Maybe you are one of the ones who is not sure where to start, or how to direct a lesson. Some of this depends on the purpose of the lesson. School and Sunday School lessons usually have different methods because of different purposes. Think about the goal of your lesson before you start to create the actual plan. What is the one main point you want to get across to the students in this lesson? That’s your goal. The poorest teachers are those who read or repeat pre-written lessons without calculating the needs of the audience in front of them.
Here is one way to get started: Think of a visual example of your subject goal; this is where object lessons work best. Demonstrate sin in our lives by cutting open a bruised or rotten apple. It may still look good on the outside, but the inside is useless for nourishment. Next, make an auditory connection with your subject; let your pupils hear the goal stated, using an illustration if necessary. The good apple has been harvested right from the main tree, without exposure to the “world” of other apples slowing degenerating in a barrel. Third, create a tactile application connection with this lesson. Don’t forget that tactile doesn’t always mean craft. It can be acting, puppets, or other activities that are hands-on, which includes music, games, or role-playing. These three simple steps can get you started on a great lesson.
Most important in any lesson is feedback. Ask your students what they learned, why they should listen and how they should respond to today’s lesson, and ask them to remember this for next time. One of the great successes of the AWANA Program in instilling a heart for the message of the Bible is that children memorize Scripture, not just clever sayings, poems, or words from a coloring page, and repeat those Scriptures many times. If we hide His Word in our hearts, it will guide our conscience against sin (Psalm 119:11).