AM I AN IGNORANT TEACHER?

I have just completed an intense block course of two weeks on Creative Teaching. The question “Why I teach” trigger me thinking.. and my answer is, I have never want to be a teacher by profession at all. But again when I became a mother of two and proficient in accounting work, it allows me to share my knowledge and experience. Due to my love to share my knowledge and skill, I was invited and paid for by client to teach their staff. It is a natural process and can do it without stress. But when I’m called to be a Life Group leader, I realised I cannot just teach them head-knowledge but the duty to share God’s word. Hoping that they too will long to draw near to God and be transformed by Him just as He has done in me progressively. I reckon that changes can only be the work of Holy Spirit. So honestly speaking, like a frog living in the well, I did not expecting much from this course. The need to complete one more module to get my basic Certification of Theology is the reason why I am in this class.

 Well, it is not the case at all!!! I have come across a few methods in this class that I should adopt. What was taught make some logical sense in me that I can be more efficient when imparting my skills and knowledge and very importantly hoping to impact lives with quality and in quantity for God. I am not gifted in “teaching”, so a lot more afford to practice are required. I must intentionally force myself to put together and apply what was taught so that I can be more creative and effective overtime. Below are points that I would like to share on what I can make me a better “teacher” that  serve like a vessel for God blessing to flow.

Firstly, the one thing that is absent from my teaching is the focus point that term as “Big Idea”. One positively stated short sentence with single idea that can be easily recollect by learners. From here that help me to derive a “learning goal”. What I did all this while was to feed them with a big chunk of aimless words thinking it is better to let them know more. My first few try during class time was a no where close to satisfactory. Though disappointed I but cannot give up because I realised I need more prayer and time to prepare in order to be led to getting the God directed “Big Idea”.  From here, I can work towards leading to a doing or action that allows learners to commit to it. Next, using Hook, Book, Look and Took plan (HBLT) is good lesson organizer. It bring can help bring out the “Big Plan” in steps which eventually lead to highlighting learning goal using the 8 step plan. Take (T) home an action plan that keep them spiritually awake and eventually life changes. It is a good time management tools too. Last point to share what was highlight to me was phrase “We teach who we are” by Parker Palmer. That make me recalled a few teachers in ACTS College that fit into the term. They are humble and very focus on nurturing the students. Thank you Teachers!

Will just end here and take this opportunity to thank you my classmates for your word of encouragement when I am weak and fumbled when I was delivering my project. All I can say to cheer myself now is “Jiayou”.

Why Do I Join and Stay Part Of a Community?

Being a Life Group Leader & Befriending Team Leader etc, I am hoping to be more efficient not only to get things done, most importantly is to see that the members be rooted In Christ and equipping them to be ready for God’s ministry. As much as we want to let them learn, their respond can be just lukewarm. In this “Learning in Christian Community” class, though we learn quite a few big terms in theory but I also do a lot of soul searching and brain storming.  Bro Francis shared that “we need to learn to unlearn to relearn” which I want to give him a high five. Yes, indeed I may sub-consciously resist improving or to change or not knowing there is a need to change. So are my cell members or the people whom I minister to. The article by Graham Cheesman on Making Wine caught my attention. Indeed, I would be moved by someone’s compassion and care, secondly, work out together to identify the cause of the problem and direct me into meeting the need. It resulted in life transformation that I wish to share with many others the joy inside me.

What makes me a happy learner?
 Being an adult, yes, a combination of instruction, construction and co-construction paradigms allows me to learn, explore to learn and exchange and share to learn with view of others. I need to adopt the Meta-learning where I’ve to know what I am learning for allows me to be more aware the progress and in control of it. With Collaborative learning, explain with associating with something, can help me relate, reflect and remember better.  So, to identify my need and purpose to learn can be a good head start for me.

What can help me convert the learned knowledge or belief into value?
Even by putting myself with the community that practices it or initiates to practice it can be too big a term to me to live it out. Church has been sending us to talks hoping that we can use it to serve but how many percent of what we learned is up and running? Bro Casey shared the A(agency must be strong as in collective decision, action and interdependence), B(belonging), C(cohesion in working together) & D(diversity where we can embrace others differences and unite to form a body) model do help me to be more practical, lessen frustration and disappointment. I tend to fail or fall out when I overstate my expectation without preparing for the unexpected. But again, I’ll never make good progress as my blind area can be my obstacles.  The Johari Window model can help do my blind spot checked with feedback check from people I closely knitted with.

What practices can sustain me in a Christian community?
Yes, why sustain me and not others? Matt 7:12 “...do to others what you would have them do to you..” So, by knowing what sustained me in a community, I will know what to do to others.  Christine D. Pohl stressed on the practice of truthfulness and hospitality and keeping promises and show gratitude. Of which, I would choose to share here about the challenges of being truthful. The statement “to speak the truth in love” in real scenario may cause our friendship even fidelity is track and motive of doing it is check beforehand. Therefore, I must not disagree if someone who comes to tell me something what he or she claimed to be speaking the truth, I should learn to pray over it as I may not agree with the spoken truth on the spot. Trust that God will vindicate the truth telling messenger at His timing. 


Bro Casey also prompted that we must know who we are in God’s plan and we are members that are of one body in Christ with different function citing Romans 12:3-5. Indeed I am called to be ambassador of Christ, how could I not participate in the community? I must have faith that being heir to our heavenly father, He can strengthen me so that I can live it out instead of enslaved by my own narrow mindset.