5 Ways To Make Your Teaching Memorable

One way to make a lesson or talk memorable is to remember to S.M.I.L.E.

Of course, our facial expressions are an important way of engaging with our audience, but the “SMILE” in this case is a means of remembering some helpful points.

Nora Reed, writing for professional logo designers, once asked a question.

Is your logo-
Simple?
Memorable?
Inviting?
Limited in references?
Exciting?
Nora Reed

What better goal could we have with the kids (or indeed teens or adults) we teach, than to remember the word SMILE?

Happy chidren with hands raised in joy — Happy children will remember more. Image courtesy of iStockphoto.com

It is as effective in Christian ministry as it is in the commercial world. Each of Nora Reed’s points can be a reminder to us of what we may aim for when teaching.

1. Simple

Have one, or at the most two, teaching points clearly explained and reflected in different ways throughout your session.

2. Memorable

Use verbal Illustrations that make the link from what they know to what we hope they will learn.
Use visual aids to focus the attention of the listeners and also help them to remember.
[We have some free PowerPoint teaching for you to download.]
Have physical activities and worksheets that reinforce the main teaching point of the lesson.
Use music to sing the truths into their memories and hearts.
Have review games to go over the lesson in a fun way. [We have a number of review games which are free to download, both PowerPoint and printable. ]
Model in our own lives the truths we want them to remember. They may forget the details of a lesson, but years later, still remember clearly what we were like and how we treated them.

3. Inviting

Have a warm, caring, environment with fun, that draws them back week after week.
Ensure that discipline is fair and every child has a chance to enjoy the class or meeting without disturbance or any other hindrance.
Try to know the name of each child and welcome them by name.

4. Limited in references

This means not confusing our kids by referring to too many Bible texts in one lesson. Be selective.
Instead of using many Bible texts in your talk, paraphrase the Bible language now and again, in words the children understand. Of course, we always make it plain that the Bible is our source.

5. Exciting

If we are excited and enthusiastic, that will communicate to the kids.
If we are fresh in our teaching material, varied and even unpredictable in the programme of each session, that will excite them too.

There are many ways to make our children SMILE. What would you like to add to the list?

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