Teaching vs. learning—do you know the difference? This section focuses on any situation wherein there is a dissemination of information by one or a few persons to multiple hearers / learners. Teaching is anything similar to speaking, lecturing, presenting, or preaching. Learning is simply remembering, practicing, and applying the information.
MUSIC EDUCATION. As an undergraduate in a music education, teacher-preparation degree, I was taught the barest beginnings of how to teach music (the art of teaching). An undergraduate degree provides only introductions, and this is why graduate education is required before permanent teacher certification is granted. An undergraduate degree is comprised of 50% general education courses to round out one’s broad knowledge base and 50% specific music courses in one’s chosen specialty. Within my specialty area, I had two music teaching methods courses, one for elementary and one for secondary (middle school and high school). However, as a beginning teacher, I felt for many years as if the students and I were hopelessly lost. It was like wondering around directionless in a dense fog. So the first thing I addressed was improving my teaching skills.
TEACHING VS. LEARNING. Later I found out the art of teaching is only one side of the education coin. The art of learning is the other. The art of teaching involves the personality and skills of the teacher, and the art of learning involves the subject matter’s learning sequences applied expertly to the students’ learning styles. I was not taught in undergraduate, and nor was I even made aware of, the two primary considerations of the art of learning: (1) research-specific learning sequences that must be enacted on students to learn music and (2) different learning styles of the students.
Successful teaching happens when the art of teaching and the art of learning are masterfully combined. Every teaching situation must operate both simultaneously to be successful. Let us compare the art of teaching and art of learning to pastors and their typical training.
BIBLE EDUCATION. Among numerous positions I have filled, I am currently an adjunct music education professor in a well-known Bible college and seminary. Bible students receive specialty courses on systematic theology, Greek, Hebrew, church history, Old Testament, New Testament, plus general knowledge courses like Math, English Lit, Sociology, Psychology, and several other electives. The best Bible colleges also require that students use every weekend to put their spiritual knowledge into outreach practice, somewhat like pre-service student teaching.
Similar to music education, undergraduate Bible seniors (also graduate ministerial students masters and doctorates) are also taught how to present. The different settings of a sermon, homily, Bible study, devotional, and so on (homiletics), may require different methods of study and organization of materials. For these different settings, there are several commonly recognized presentation styles: (1) expository (exegetic explanations or commentaries on a Biblical text); (2) topical (one certain subject with multiple texts—line upon line and precept upon precept); (3) thematic (a series around a central theme); and (4) narrative (Biblical parables in illustrations and applications). Thom Rainer reports these styles from one to four are most preferred to least preferred.
Unfortunately, I cannot find any materials that explain research learning sequences for practical theology. I cannot find any training for taking congregations through hearing to seeing to doing, as in the Chinese proverb listed in a previous section. Traditional pulpit sermons do not address visual or kinesthetic learners, but only aural learners. (80% of all learners are visual, while aural and kinesthetic comprise the remaining 20%.) As a result of this, may we ask a few questions?
Pastor, whether you are new or veteran, are you in need of direction in the dense fog of “leading a church”? Do members’ little to no improvement year after year frustrate you? At what competency levels do your members practice Ephesians 4:11 spiritual gateway skills? Is your focus more on teaching than learning?
Your Belief System and Your Church: (1) Introduction
Your Belief System and Your Church: (2) Your Paradigms
Your Belief System and Your Church: (3) Bondage or Freedom
Your Belief System and Your Church: (4) Gateway Skills
Your Belief System and Your Church: (5) Teacher Accountability
Your Belief System and Your Church: (6) Talking About vs. Doing
Your Belief System and Your Church: (7) Student Accountability
Your Belief System and Your Church: (8) Assessment
Your Belief System and Your Church: (9) Bury Dead Tradition
Your Belief System and Your Church: (10) Teaching vs. Learning
Your Belief System and Your Church: (11) Teachers' Three Phases
Your Belief System and Your Church: (12) Excellence is NOT a Goal
Your Belief System and Your Church: (13) My Teaching Limits Were Their Learning Limits
Your Belief System and Your Church: (14) Unlearning Creates Success
Your Belief System and Your Church: (15) Pioneers vs. Settlers
Your Belief System and Your Church: (16) Real and Lasting Learning
Your Belief System and Your Church: (17) Problems With Memory
Your Belief System and Your Church: (18) Ownership Creates Success
Your Belief System and Your Church: (19) Not Perfect, But Honest
Your Belief System and Your Church: (20) Take Risks and Give Away Control
Your Belief System and Your Church: (21) Out of a Job
Your Belief System and Your Church: (22) KCAASE and Proverbs 24
Your Belief System and Your Church: (23) Responding vs. Reacting
Your Belief System and Your Church: (24) Only When Performed
Your Belief System and Your Church: (25) A Supervisor's Vision
Your Belief System and Your Church: (26) Glimpses Into the Spiritual
Your Belief System and Your Church: (27) One Reason Alone
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Hmm... Believing, accepting, being baptised, believing, going, praying, going, praying, preacing, ministering, helping, praying, witnessing, baptising others. Just rambling a bit came up with something that threatens to confuse and that I have done only in part. Curriculum that gives me a reason and confidence to get off my seat would be helpful. Go for it Dave!
Dear Pastor Susan,
I think the "fix" is having a sequenced teaching curriculum of all spiritual "doing" activities. I'm about to plunder the Bible of all its "ing" words to find out exactly what active participation looks like in God's perspective. Then I want to write a cycling and spiraling curriculum of addressing these "ing" words through all age categories and spiritual growth levels. We already know all the Bible's concepts of inerrancy, trinity, propitiation, sanctification, salvation, etc.
Music has it concepts that are rhythm, melody, harmony, meter, style, form, articulation, and timbre. These concepts are related to each other sequentially. (Could this be the same for theological concepts?) Then, since music is an aural art form, it has to be performed with active participation "ing" words such as listening, singing, chanting, moving, playing, performing, improvising, creating, arranging, manipulating, describing, and evaluating. I am certain the Bible has its own set of "doing" words. As James 2:18 points out, I can show you my faith by WHAT I DO.
What would you think if I told you I'm about to embark on a project of writing a spiritual curriculum equal if not greater than the music curriculum I have already written? (You can see it at www.classroom-music.info.)
Blessings, Dave K.
This is perhaps the closest to explaining my current frustration! In respect to actually being effective ministering, it is like digging a hole with a teaspoon. I am not seeking a "quick fix", but a way to accomplish the purpose God has given me. There is no replacement for the call and empowerment of the Holy Spirit for any God-given purpose, yet there must be something that a person can do to increase their skill level.
Replies
Dave
I think the "fix" is having a sequenced teaching curriculum of all spiritual "doing" activities. I'm about to plunder the Bible of all its "ing" words to find out exactly what active participation looks like in God's perspective. Then I want to write a cycling and spiraling curriculum of addressing these "ing" words through all age categories and spiritual growth levels. We already know all the Bible's concepts of inerrancy, trinity, propitiation, sanctification, salvation, etc.
Music has it concepts that are rhythm, melody, harmony, meter, style, form, articulation, and timbre. These concepts are related to each other sequentially. (Could this be the same for theological concepts?) Then, since music is an aural art form, it has to be performed with active participation "ing" words such as listening, singing, chanting, moving, playing, performing, improvising, creating, arranging, manipulating, describing, and evaluating. I am certain the Bible has its own set of "doing" words. As James 2:18 points out, I can show you my faith by WHAT I DO.
What would you think if I told you I'm about to embark on a project of writing a spiritual curriculum equal if not greater than the music curriculum I have already written? (You can see it at www.classroom-music.info.)
Blessings, Dave K.
This is perhaps the closest to explaining my current frustration! In respect to actually being effective ministering, it is like digging a hole with a teaspoon. I am not seeking a "quick fix", but a way to accomplish the purpose God has given me. There is no replacement for the call and empowerment of the Holy Spirit for any God-given purpose, yet there must be something that a person can do to increase their skill level.
Thanks again!