I don't normally get teaching ideas from listening to my pastor, but this morning he inspired me. Reviving a segment of the service he calls Pastors Pals, Brother Elmer called all the little ones down to the altar to hear a child specific lesson on what the Lord's Supper was all about. For anyone who doesn't know, the Lord's Supper is a symbolic ceremony where church members eat bread and drink wine (or grape juice) to represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We do it to remember the sacrifice of our Savior.
Most adults know what the ceremony is all about, but children don't understand until they first comprehend what symbolism is. Brother Elmer had the children crowded around him, and he explained that he wanted to help them understand what the Lord's Supper was all about. He pulled out a set of flashcards. The first was the McDonald's arch. He asked the children to tell him what the picture on the card meant. Young hands went up and shouted answers,"That's McDonalds!" "Cheeseburgers! Fries!" "Playing!" "Toys!" The congregation laughed. Elmer explained that when they see that picture, they think of all sorts of things. The picture helps them remember stuff about McDonald's. Then, he moved on to his next card- a Nike swoosh. They knew all about that one too. Kids yelled out various things about the company, sportswear, and athletics in general. Next he pulled out the Xbox symbol. Kids were practically jumping out of their seats in excitement. They knew all about Xbox, and they were thrilled to share their knowledge. He closed with the Lexus symbol, which a couple kids knew, and most did not.
What I really liked about his lesson this morning was that it was easy to understand and appropriate for all levels of learners in the sanctuary. He pulled in various symbols that would stimulate connections from both youth and adults alike. It gave credence to the cultural background of the children, and made them feel intelligent by giving them something they already knew something about. It was a brilliant lesson that I felt was worth sharing. I may just steal it for my tenth graders.
But this lesson can teach educators something too. The world is filled with learning opportunities and learning lessons. Education doesn't just happen within the confines of the school system. It is everywhere. Pay attention to the world and you may just find some brilliant ideas.
Most adults know what the ceremony is all about, but children don't understand until they first comprehend what symbolism is. Brother Elmer had the children crowded around him, and he explained that he wanted to help them understand what the Lord's Supper was all about. He pulled out a set of flashcards. The first was the McDonald's arch. He asked the children to tell him what the picture on the card meant. Young hands went up and shouted answers,"That's McDonalds!" "Cheeseburgers! Fries!" "Playing!" "Toys!" The congregation laughed. Elmer explained that when they see that picture, they think of all sorts of things. The picture helps them remember stuff about McDonald's. Then, he moved on to his next card- a Nike swoosh. They knew all about that one too. Kids yelled out various things about the company, sportswear, and athletics in general. Next he pulled out the Xbox symbol. Kids were practically jumping out of their seats in excitement. They knew all about Xbox, and they were thrilled to share their knowledge. He closed with the Lexus symbol, which a couple kids knew, and most did not.
What I really liked about his lesson this morning was that it was easy to understand and appropriate for all levels of learners in the sanctuary. He pulled in various symbols that would stimulate connections from both youth and adults alike. It gave credence to the cultural background of the children, and made them feel intelligent by giving them something they already knew something about. It was a brilliant lesson that I felt was worth sharing. I may just steal it for my tenth graders.
But this lesson can teach educators something too. The world is filled with learning opportunities and learning lessons. Education doesn't just happen within the confines of the school system. It is everywhere. Pay attention to the world and you may just find some brilliant ideas.
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