What I Learned: Unit 6

I'm not sure how to adapt the following into something that makes sense for everyone NOT in my Christian Education class, so I'll just leave it as is.  This is my "I Learned" post from Unit 6.  It has some really great nuggets in it from my textbook, by Michael J. Anthony.  

I loved this unit!  I am constantly trying to find creative and different ways to teach concepts, and love on kids!  Going through all the different learning styles I could identify people in my life that are Visual/Spatial learners for example, and Musical/Rhythmic learners (my husband!).  I loved the ideas about how to get ideas across in different ways.  For example, on page 144 of the book it says, "...after studying the relationship between God and Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, students listen to nature sounds while recording a journal entry of Adam's or Eve's thoughts."  Cool!  Never would have thought of that, but what a great idea!

Another thought-provoking statement was on page 144, "It has been said that your weakest teaching method is the one you use the most."  I think that I teach from my own learning style.  I talk a lot, because language is my thing.  I also like to use videos to reinforce a story or idea.  But I never even though of the fact that kids need to MOVE to learn...I mean, other than the fact that they get fidgety and need to move for that reason.  To move in order to learn is a new concept to me.  The only examples I can think of for that would be like...acting out a Bible story as we learn it, but that's only the kids that get picked to act it out.  Or, maybe...passing around something that the kids can see and touch and feel, while telling the story.  Can anyone else think of anything that can help incorporate movement in a Sunday School environment?

There was one other thing that really struck me from the book.  Page 145 says, "We noticed that we learned as much from failure as from success.  In fact, the way one learns from success is predictable and leads to repetition, but the way one learns from failure is always different and surprising, rich with nuances to be mined at a later date."  I love that!  I consider myself to be creative in certain ways.  I'm not an artist by any means, I'm not a musician.  But I do try new things all the time with kids...like, I'll think of a game on the spot, and go ahead right then and try it!  If it works, great! If not, we'll move on.  I do tend to keep doing things that work, however, and I should probably try to mix that up a bit.  Keep the kids learning by keeping them guessing!