Bruce Wilkinson, 7 Laws of the Learner: Law 1b Maximisers

Law 1:
The Law of the Learner
Method and
Maximisers

Thursday 14 October 2010

Sometimes a class
goes really well -
and at other times
rather less well!
This section is
designed to help
you understand
why and what to do
about it.


The Learner method

What does there need to be in a
Christian classroom for the teaching-
learning experience to take place?


1. Students


1. Students
2. Subject - content / skill to be learned


1. Students
3. Style - how it will be taught, method,
manner


1. Students
manner
4. Speaker - the instructor


1. Students
manner
4. Speaker - the instructor
5. Holy Spirit


These are the ultimate causes of
learning - the way you manage these
determines success or failure in the
classroom
Each one of these controls a different
part of the teaching-learning process. If
you have a problem it is essential to
look at these.


The Learner method:
3 major relationships

These deal with how the teacher relates
to your:
subject, students, style


Who
Student
Character
What Mentor How
Subject Style
Content Climate
Message Method
Speaker
Teacher

Note the arrows all start with the teacher -
and end with the student. The learner
method (LM) focusses on how the three S’s
work

Who
Student
Character
What Mentor How
Subject Style
Content Climate
Message Method
Speaker
Teacher

The Subject represents the what, The
Student the who, The Style is how
Teaching is how to teach what to who!

Who
Student
Character
What Mentor How
Subject Style
Content Climate
Message Method
Speaker
Teacher
Each teacher is strongest in one of the areas -
the content of the teaching, the character of a
student is affected, others have an excellent
method of teaching (room climate)

What Who How
Subject Student Style
Content Character Climate
Message Mentor Method

Which is your strength?
Rank the three based on the following
descriptions.


What Who How


What Who How

Subject oriented: love the content, more
material than needed, often hurry to
ﬁnish a class, enjoy explaining things,
like to research, sometimes have to
avoid over complicating.


What Who How

Student oriented: love the students,
think of them as friends, interested in
them in and out of class, like an
extended family, can tend to stray from
the subject because you want to help
them so much


What Who How

Style oriented: love what takes place in
the process of teaching / learning, love
seeing a class that is ‘alive’ with
excitement and interest, like to be
creative in class, never boring,
spontaneous, varied, simply loves to
teach

TheRelationship 1:
Speaker to the Subject
If the subject is your greatest
strength:
You think about the material
most, love the ‘deep’ things
Students call you a ‘scholar’,
think you are smart, probably
think you expect too much
from them, some run ﬂat out
to keep up


TheRelationship 1:
Speaker to the Subject
Jesse Owens, May 1935,
strength:
broke three world records
You think about the material
in the space of 70 minutes.
most, love the ‘deep’ things
1936 Berlin Olympics, he
Students call you a ‘scholar’,
won four gold medals: 100
think you are smart, probably
meters, long jump, 200
think you expect too much
from them, someand ﬂat out
meter sprint, run 400
tometerup
keep relay.


weakness:
Insecure about content, depend
heavily upon your notes, prefer
not to answer questions, other
peoples material always seems
better than your own


TheRelationship 2:
Speaker to the Student
Relating to students is your
strength:
Students think you are ‘in
touch’ with them, cool, an
encourager, you care for them
You think students are more
important than content, you
share your life with them, eat
with them etc.


If the student relationship
is your greatest weakness:
Not comfortable around
students, arrive as class
begins, leave quickly, refer
to you by title not name.
Could be thought of as
aloof or proud, theoretical
not practical, concerned
about content, only know a
few names half way
through the course!

The
Relationship 3:
Speaker to the Style
Students think you are a good
communicator, motivating, time ﬂies by in
class, like your variety and creativity
You love to communicate and love a good
response, love to work on stories ,
illustrations etc. you teach with all your
heart & energy, like different methods to be
used, won’t lecture


If the style is your greatest
weakness:
Lecture is your middle
name, you stand and
deliver - nothing more or
less
Students feel bored, class
is predictable, attention
not held - sleep might
follow


Identifying the problem

Problems in the classroom are shown by
students attitudes - they tell you what is
wrong.
Look at the following examples - identify the
root problem, then read the potential
solution.


1. I can’t stand my teacher. I don’ think he
knows my name. I’m not going to study in
his class. He doesn’t care about me

Problem: Student relationship - feels the teacher
is uncaring
Solution: Demonstrate using personal stories and
public afﬁrmation that you do really care


1. I can’t stand my teacher. I don’ think he
knows my name. I’m not going to study in
his class. He doesn’t care about me

Memorise and use student names
Problem: Student relationship - feels the teacher
Use more personal stories - including failures
is uncaring
Compliment students in class and on papers
Solution: Demonstrate using personal stories and
Make eye contact -that you do really carewho
public afﬁrmation especially with those
might seem isolated and unattached
Give out an anonymous questionnaire


2. Lecture, lecture, lecture - that’s all my
teacher does

Problem: style - teacher only uses one
Solution: introduce some variety


2. Lecture, lecture, lecture - that’s all my
teacher does

Record % of time spent lecturing
Look at; what you do in class, what your students
Problem: style - teacher only uses one
do, what you do together
Solution: introduce some variety
Open and close classes with something creative
Introduce special visiting speakers or ﬁlms or...


3. My teacher’s head is in the clouds - none
of us understand what they are speaking
about most of the time

Problem: subject - too complex, too much
material
Solution: stop covering the subject and start
teaching the students - and make sure they
understand it


4. We have no discussion in class, if we
want to ask questions we are told to wrte
it down and it will be answered in the next
class. I could have just read the textbook.

Problem: style
Solution: ﬁnd styles that suit the needs of the
students - help them to grow


5. Class is so simple - we learn stuff we did
two years ago - we never learn anything
new.

Problem: subject - teacher does not know the
students level
Solution: reduce reviewing old material -
introduce new - talk about how the new stuff will
help their lives


6. I can’t believe our teacher expects us to
read these books - they are way ahead of
our level - I have to look up every other
word in the dictionary

Problem: subject - teacher is out of touch with the
ability of the students
Solution: change the way reading is assigned -
basic, intermediate, advanced - encourage
students to read books just above their ability
level - teach at the level below the to 10% and
offer challenges for the more advanced students


7. Class is out of control - people throw
things, no respect for the teacher - the
teacher yelling at us and sometimes crying

Problem: student - teacher has abandoned their
job and the students rule
Solution: establish rules for behaviour in class -
along with consequences for disobedience.
Practice is consistently


Learner Maximisers

7 tips aimed at further helping you to use the law
and thus get the most out of the method. They
will make you more skilled in using the law.


1. Love your students consistently
and unconditionally
Matt 22:37-40 - love God, love your neighbour
Wilkinson says this is the most important
maximiser in the whole of the book.
Apply 1 Cor. 13 to your students - when did you
last sit in a class and think this is all about the
students?
Wilkinson also suggests that love includes
passion, intensity, fervency - sadly lacking in
many classes.


What might you love about teaching?
Content, Communication, Lifestyle
Jesus was so passionate about
communicating with his class that he left the
glory of heaven in order to sacriﬁce himself
for them - that is being passionate with love
for your students.


2. Communicate the subject with the
students’ needs and interests in mind

Become people sensitive
when you teach.
Are you aware of what
your class needs - is
your hand on the pulse?
[The Law of Need will
address this later]


3. Alter your style regularly according
to each situation

Can you change style
depending upon the
occasion - or are you one
dimensional?
Can you; talk pastorally
on different levels (e.g.
confront and comfort);
preach and lead a small
group deeper in God?


According to Wilikinsons own research 80%
of students he questioned said they were
bored in class the majority of the time.
This is not about the student or subject - it is
about the teacher.
Good teachers make a ‘boring’ subject
interesting - it comes alive.


4. Rest in your gifts and talents - be
yourself

Do not preach another
persons sermon - or in
their style
No matter how much
you admire someone
else or their gifting Be
Yourself not a copycat


5. Constantly note your students’
attitudes, attention and actions

Read them and their
body language - many
times you don’t need
words, just read the
non-verbal clues


6. Excel by using your strengths to
compensate your weaknesses

Good sportsmen play to their
strengths - limiting the areas
their opponent can play to.
A batsman does not spend all
his time practicing bowling.
Php 3:13 - one thing I do...
Don’t try to do everything well -
you don’t need to.


Improve weaknesses
until they are not
irritating to other people
Use your strengths to
compensate for your
weaknesses


1 - At the end of the day
2 - Fairly unique
Improve weaknesses
3 - I personally
until they are not
4 -irritating to otherin time
At this moment people
5 -Use your due respect
With all strengths to
6 -compensate for your
Absolutely
7 -weaknesses
It's a nightmare
8 - Shouldn't of
9 - 24/7
10 - It's not rocket science


7. Rely on the Holy Spirit for teaching
that is supernatural

This is above your natural ability.
HS was also described as one of the major
causers of learning.
The most powerful learning occurs when human
and Divine teachers move in cooperation - Holy
spirit bringing revelation into the hearts of the
students


This is shown in there being 3 levels of teaching:


Selﬁsh level - teacher uses their natural gift,
responsible for covering material but nothing
more.


more.
Servant level - teacher serves the students with
all his energy and focusses on them and their
needs


more.
Servant level - teacher serves the students with
all his energy and focusses on them and their
needs
Spirit level - as with servant but also in
cooperation with HS in all aspects of the lesson -
this launches things to a new level in God


Bruce Wilkinson, 7 Laws of the Learner: Law 1b Maximisers

Recomendados

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

La actualidad más candente

La actualidad más candente (20)

Destacado

Destacado (9)

Similar a Bruce Wilkinson, 7 Laws of the Learner: Law 1b Maximisers

Similar a Bruce Wilkinson, 7 Laws of the Learner: Law 1b Maximisers (20)

Más de Richard Chamberlain

Más de Richard Chamberlain (20)

Último

Último (20)

Bruce Wilkinson, 7 Laws of the Learner: Law 1b Maximisers