Engage your students by telling stories and asking questions
02/07/09 10:28 Filed in: Engaging
instruction
Question: What are engaging
instructional strategies you can use to help your
students connect what they study and what the Bible
teaches?
Answer: Storytelling and asking questions. These are a time-tested, user-friendly strategies that students find engaging.
Question: How can you use storytelling and asking questions to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Answer: Tell a story that’s related to your lesson content, and then ask questions about the story that encourage your students to make connections to the Bible.
For example, imagine your students are studying “How Much Land Does a Man Need?”, a short story by Tolstoy in which a farmer’s greed kills him. Have your students read the Parable of the Rich Farmer (Luke 12:16-21). Then have your students reflect on questions: What happens in this story? How do you feel about the rich farmer? How does greed affect us? Reflecting on these questions should help your student connect “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” to what the Bible teaches about being content and guarding against greed (Luke 12:15).
Or, imagine your students are studying Night, a Holocaust memoir by Wiesel in which the protagonist reflects on his experience in a concentration camp. Read the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35) to your students. Then ask them: What happens in this story? How do you feel about the priest, the Levite, the Samaritan? How can we love others? Why do this? In order to help them connect what they are studying in Night to loving others and helping the needy.
Finally, imagine your students are studying The Analects, in which Confucius shares his learning. Have your students read the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:24-27). Then have your students discuss 3 questions: What happens in this story? How do you feel about two builders? What’s the foundation of your life? Reading the parable and discussing the questions should help your students see that God wants them to obey Him, not Confucius.
Meet your students learning needs. Use engaging instruction. Tell a story and ask some questions. Today.
Answer: Storytelling and asking questions. These are a time-tested, user-friendly strategies that students find engaging.
Question: How can you use storytelling and asking questions to help your students connect what they study and what the Bible teaches?
Answer: Tell a story that’s related to your lesson content, and then ask questions about the story that encourage your students to make connections to the Bible.
For example, imagine your students are studying “How Much Land Does a Man Need?”, a short story by Tolstoy in which a farmer’s greed kills him. Have your students read the Parable of the Rich Farmer (Luke 12:16-21). Then have your students reflect on questions: What happens in this story? How do you feel about the rich farmer? How does greed affect us? Reflecting on these questions should help your student connect “How Much Land Does a Man Need?” to what the Bible teaches about being content and guarding against greed (Luke 12:15).
Or, imagine your students are studying Night, a Holocaust memoir by Wiesel in which the protagonist reflects on his experience in a concentration camp. Read the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35) to your students. Then ask them: What happens in this story? How do you feel about the priest, the Levite, the Samaritan? How can we love others? Why do this? In order to help them connect what they are studying in Night to loving others and helping the needy.
Finally, imagine your students are studying The Analects, in which Confucius shares his learning. Have your students read the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders (Matthew 7:24-27). Then have your students discuss 3 questions: What happens in this story? How do you feel about two builders? What’s the foundation of your life? Reading the parable and discussing the questions should help your students see that God wants them to obey Him, not Confucius.
Meet your students learning needs. Use engaging instruction. Tell a story and ask some questions. Today.