Creative Teaching Methods: Goin’ A.P.E.
Make every minute count!
*Infuse your lessons with creative teaching techniques.
*Motivate children to listen, learn, and enjoy class time.
*Teach according to your students’ abilities — their “God-given” bent.
*Enhance your existing programs.
*Create effective and engaging lesson plans.
*Use effective memorization techniques.
Some people believe Proverbs 22:6, “Train children in the way they should go, and when they grow old they will not depart from it,” is a promise from God that if we do our jobs well — as parents or educators — our children will eventually follow him. Others interpret the verse has to do with recognizing the “God-given abilities” or “bent” of our children, and then fostering those skills and gifts, so that when they are old, they will not depart from them. Ted Hildebrandt, of Grace Theological Seminary, suggests this verse has to do with initiating a late adolescent into his official capacity and responsibilities of society. “According to his way — or in the way he should go — meant according to the standard and status of what would be demanded of him in that culture.”
People learn in different ways — visually, auditorily, verbally, kinesthetically (touching, feeling, moving), solitarily or socially. With this in mind, the Active Participation Experience (A.P.E.) provides children with a method of learning educational truths according to their bent. I believe this is in keeping with the intent of Proverbs 22:6. I also think there are fundamental strategies parents and teachers can do to spark their children's creativity, thereby enhancing their lesson time, making it more productive for children, teachers, and parents.
