On one occasion, a teacher asked a child, “Can you read?” and he replied, “I can’t read, but I can write.” The teacher was surprised and asked him to write something. The boy scribbled and the surprised teacher said: “Let’s see, read me what you wrote.” The boy, astonished by the question, replied: “But I already told you that I don’t know how to read.”
This story, although funny, represents a reality of education: IT IS ESSENTIAL TO LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND TO TEACH.
The focus on which the teacher must concentrate is not how much the student learned about a given subject, but how much good what he learned did him. Based on this, the teacher must understand that communication is not talking, but transmitting the message in the best conceivable way that it reaches the child. And that best way depends entirely on the characteristics of the child. That is why listening to and understanding students is essential. It is not so much a question of how to make them understand the teacher, but of how to understand them.
A great danger that teachers run is when they intend to teach the class they have prepared and do not realize that the best class is the one that precisely breaks the scheme they prepared. Why is this the best class? Well, because this model of methodological freedom allows the teacher to take advantage of each situation and personality that makes up his class.
The main problem faced by a teacher who wants to take advantage of the full potential of his classroom is that human beings learn from a young age to hide the characteristics that make up their character and personality. That is why the teacher needs a resource that will help him explore his pupil, a kind of X-ray of his interior. This resource is play.
There are two ways to play: when the game leads to no end and when its purpose is defined to teach. Despite what many propose, it must be understood that both ways of playing are important. The first is the one that helps each member of the class to explore, while the second is the one that helps to teach through practice and interactions.
On one occasion, a teacher had to teach about a rectangle and was prepared to draw it on the board through a song that described lines and angles. As they drew on the board, all the children began to sing saying, “The rectangle has eyes, it has a mouth and a nose, it has ears and arms, and it looks like you.” The teacher asked who taught them this, and they pointed to one of the children in the classroom. Faced with this, the teacher had two alternatives: demand that they stop and scold them because the classroom was not a place for this, nor the teacher worthy of ridicule, or simply start singing along with them and learning their song. The teacher opted for the latter. The next day, the teacher asked them, “Do you remember the song we sang yesterday?” and they replied, “Yes!” Then, he said to them with a happy face and a mysterious tone: “Well, I know another one, do you want to learn my song today?” The children repeated in one voice, “Yes!” Now they were willing to listen to his plan because he was shrewd enough to learn their song.
With the above base, we must start with some tips to get to know the child in these stages of life. It does not mean that all children will have each of the following characteristics at the same time, but that at some point in this stage of life some of them can be identified in them. To know the child is to answer the question: Why do they say what they say and do what they do?
- When someone is learning, especially children, their brain develops as an organ. The child cannot be expected to learn something when his brain has not created the necessary connection for this. The teacher should see himself as a sculptor who works on the child’s brain to help him develop.
- The most natural thing for the child is to learn, but he will not learn everything. The teacher must discover what he is learning at this time in his life.
- It must be clear that the child is going to choose what has more to do with having an enjoyable time, than with trying to understand something.
- For the child, “having a good time” translates with the word “play.” Play for him is decisions, rehearsal of something, interaction, improvement, discovering the environment and others.
- All children are different, which implies the need to use different methods and content with each one. It is not having a different class for everyone, but the freedom to give everyone what they need in the way they take in. For example, if the parable of the wheat and the tares is taught, some will want to know about the farmer, others about the wheat, some about the tares, and some even about the tool that was used to till. What is important to them is not the main theme of the passage as the center of attention, but the special teaching in which each of them is interested. So, this is what should be used as a vehicle to convey the main theme.
- Each child has skills and talents, it will be extremely important at this age to stimulate each of the pupils in these areas. And refocusing them on the kingdom of God. The church does not need everyone to be missionaries or pastors, but people who collaborate with excellence in certain areas that have already been consecrated to God.
Tips for Tutors and Supervisors of Children:
- Unlike the preschool stage, in this one you have a portion for each week, the same as adults, for a three-year cycle. At the end, it will start again to seek to reinforce teaching.
- As mentioned in a previous section, in DIC we use several biblical fragments for the regular learning process, because of the variety and richness of the topics they present. In the case of this age, each portion must be adapted to the learning characteristics of the children. It is not necessary to delve into each text presented in the portion, but to select the most necessary one for your students specifically.
- We suggest a pair of tutors and one supervisor per class until the end of the three-year cycle, although each institution can make the necessary adjustments in this matter.
- Teachers must be distinguished by generosity, since the child learns more from his educator and how he relates to him and others, than from the content itself. Once the child has valued their teachers, they will appreciate and apply the content in their life.
- Teachers should try to capture the student’s attention before trying to convey content. The class does not begin with the schedule, but when the need to participate has been awakened in its pupils.
- It is extremely important that the “show” of your classroom’s learning process is less important than the outcome of the process itself.
- At this stage, the coincidence of the students’ responses with the teacher is not the goal, but the honesty and humility of their positions in each situation or issue.
- Teachers should not miss their pupils’ need for personal advice, because this is more valuable than any class content.
- Teachers must try to capture the student’s attention before attempting to convey content. The class does not begin with the schedule, but when the need to participate has been awakened in their pupils.
- Teachers must be clear that the best school to learn to teach is the classroom itself. And that each one has its peculiarities. Remember that the best teaching method is to follow the children’s own ability to learn.
- Teachers must be very mindful of the child’s emotions because his emotionless brain will not remember anything. They should also know that depending on what types of emotions something was learned, so will be in the future their desire to use or reject what they learned. Someone who learned to read under scolding and humiliation will find it much more difficult than others to maintain an enjoyable reading. Teachers who fail to create an enjoyable atmosphere in their classrooms will be misshaping the intellectual future of their pupils.
- At DIC-DAC we suggest that this stage of life be ended with a ceremony in which the student shows his maturity and ability to make spiritual decisions. We are not talking here about conversion, although that would be good, but more about the culmination of a life cycle.
It must be remembered that it is important, especially at this stage of life, that the church be able to involve sports and the arts in the educational process. We suggest the implementation of class time with these characteristics, considering the topics that correspond to that portion. We also suggest the placement in the calendar of festivals that have these activities as an expectation.