1. Preparation
    1. Knowledge of Subject Matter Content: Students will look to you as the expert to help them learn the material. Spend adequate time to learn the material well. Read the textbooks yourself. Prepare your lecture notes and the activities. Students will listen more to someone who is prepared.
    2. Syllabus: Have a detailed syllabus that answers all the questions for the students. List the course objectives and connect them to specific assignments and activities. Explain the assignments and requirements in detail. Set the standard high and students will reach it.
    3. Be Organized: Organize your lecture material so that students can easily follow it. Provide them an outline of the material or handouts so they can follow the ideas. Prepare discussion questions ahead of time. Work far ahead so that you have time to live with the material and let it change you personally. Spending the time in preparation will make the actual class time better for everyone.
  2. Creativity
    1. Story Telling: People like to hear stories. Tell about your own life, others, Bible stories, stories from history. Tell a joke once in a while to lighten the atmosphere of the classroom.
    2. Prepare Discussion Questions: Craft these in such a way that students will be required to think. Avoid “yes” and “no” type of questions.
    3. Small Groups: Divide the class into smaller groups where they can discuss among themselves. Give a specific assignment or question. Give them time to discuss. Then, have them report back to the class what they discovered.
    4. Types of Assignments: Be creative in the types of assignments: small group discussions, class presentations, prayer journaling, projects in the local church or community. Tests and essays still have value but may not be the best way to test knowledge in some locations or some courses.
    5. Case Studies: Have the class work through real or parable scenarios from ministry in the local church.
    6. Real Life Practices: Have students practice what they have learned by going out into the local church or community. Do this as a class assignment. The person or group can report back about their experience.
  3. Fairness
    1. Course Assessment: Be objective when grading students and avoid favoritism. Have clear expectations that are outlined in the syllabus. Use grading rubrics (charts) where the criteria for grading is spelled out clearly.
    2. Be a Role Model: Practice what you teach. Students will respect you more as a teacher if what you teach them works in real life. Be involved in ministry and model the ministry you are teaching the students.
    3. Classroom Management: Begin on time. This shows to those who come on time that they are important. Waiting for the last person to come shows that those who made the effort to be on time wasted their time. Soon, the whole class will be late.
  4. Delivery
    1. Motivate Students: A lot of teaching is caught by watching the teacher live. By being a role model, you will be motivating your students. Be positive and affirming. Build up the students. Never say anything critical about a student but find constructive ways to help them improve.
    2. Be Clear: Take time to develop your pronunciation and enunciation skills so that the students can understand what you are saying. Speak loudly or use an amplifier to project your voice to the room. Use eye contact so that the students know you care and are speaking to them, not the ceiling or back wall. Although teaching is different than preaching, teach with the same attitude as preaching: you are communicating important truths for the students to know.
    3. Coach not Guru: Remember that the students already come with knowledge and experiences. Help them grow in what they know. They may know more than you about some topics. You are not the guru expert but the coach who inspires them to grow in their own abilities and knowledge.
    4. Self-discovery: Be a learner yourself. Be humble and let the students know when you don’t know the answer. They will respect you if you are humble and a learner. Help the students discover the truths themselves. The truth will sink into their lives more this way.

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