Teaching and Remembering

Most teachers and preachers attempt to cover too much material in one session of teaching.  We can tend to believe the more information we carry into a classroom, the better.  However, it is better to teach less material in a way the class will remember it than to throw out many impressive facts that will not be remembered in five minutes.  This kind of thinking is not a license to prepare less, but rather a reminder to truly teach so the students can remember what is taught.   

Teaching so students will remember what is being taught involves several facets: 

1.  Do in-depth study and research for the lesson you are going to teach.  You will find normally find more information than you will need.  

2.  Cut out everything your have studied except the absolute key ideas your class or group needs to be taught.  This is a critical stage.  Remember, it is not the number of thoughts you take into the class that matters, but rather the number of ideas the students leave with.  

3.  Focus and focus again on these key thoughts you have chosen.  The earlier in the week you decide what these thoughts are, the more creative time your mind will have before you teach on Sunday.   

4.  Be sure these thoughts are listed in a simple way that can be easily taught and remembered.  If the thoughts are complicated and hard for you to remember, they will be close to impossible for the students to remember.     

5.  Arrive at your class or group realizing that curriculum only gives information.  Ultimately, curriculum does not communicate.  Communication is left in the hands of the teacher.  

6.  During your teaching time, use the five senses and other means for the new truths to take hold.  Help them to hear, taste, smell, see, and even feel with a touch what you are teaching.  

7. Do not simply give out information and go on to a final prayer to close your class.  Repeat and repeat again the simple truths they need to take with them.  If need be, play a game or take time for people to describe what something would feel like or smell like.  For example, tell your class the passage you will be teaching on next Sunday and ask them to come and share some details as to what they see in the story.  

In short, none of us have prepared enough, unless we have prepared a way in which people will remember our teachings.  This is how Jesus taught.  In learning, people still want to experience truths rather than be told the truths exist.  Many times, Jesus taught by telling a story.  He only gave a few truths at a time in His stories, but the impact was so powerful some of his followers remembered enough to write a gospel.  Others were so impacted they ultimately crucified Him. 

A prayer for all of us is, “Dear God, not only help me to prepare but, when I am finished, help them to remember what was taught.”