One of the most important things for a teacher to consider is creating an environment that allows them to better understand the students, so they can identify each one’s needs and project through them when delivering their content.

For example, it’s difficult for a child to enjoy a book they have to read just for an assignment. But if the teacher can identify the student’s inclinations or particular interests, this could be key to sparking their interest. From there, the teacher could use this to suggest a book that will help them with an assignment or problem. Similarly, in the case of the church, children enjoy stories and comics, but they may become disinterested if we read a biblical story solely in a literary format meant for adults. It’s interesting to see how much they can learn from biblical stories through formats more suitable for their age. I am an example of this—I remember as a child reading non-stop illustrated pamphlets like “Elijah, the Prophet of Fire.”

The teacher should also teach depending on what the disciple needs and what attracts or interests them. It should be clear that curiosity and interest are the most important elements for developing learning. These will keep the learner focused on the topic being taught; otherwise, their brain may become exhausted and begin to wander into unrelated thoughts simply because they don’t find the topic important or interesting.

Furthermore, it’s beneficial for the educational process to create positive interpersonal relationships between the teacher and each student, as well as among all class members and God. This is truly how a sense of belonging can best be developed within the group, while also providing an environment that helps meet their individual and collective needs.

Another aspect to consider when teaching is the method of memorizing content, as repeating something that isn’t understood or interesting will make learning tedious and frustrating, leading to the loss of student interest. Conversely, if you create an environment where learners are motivated by discovering something new, that experience of discovery will enable their brain to process all the necessary mechanisms to retain and label that information as important.

In conclusion, the teacher should always remember that part of their task is to continuously maintain or attract the attention of the learners, so they always feel enjoyment and surprise when reviewing the content, thereby motivating them to further investigate it.

Author: Mesac Martinez Mora