Page 8 - Teaching Principles and Methods Student Textbook short

Study Section 2: What it takes to become a good teacher- continued

2.1 Connect

In the last lesson, we learned that you are a TEACHER, whether you like it or not. That’s a
grave responsibility. How you spend your money teaches your children how they should
spend money. How you respond to pressures in life teaches them how to respond. You
are a light on a hill, viewed by others as an example.

We also learned you will be held responsible before God in how you teach others. So it would behoove
you to be the best teacher you can be, for God’s glory. We continue our lesson on what it takes to
become just that. Let’s continue.

2.2 Objectives

1. The student should be able to explain how a good teacher understands the students whom
he teaches.

2. The student should be able to explain how teaching is hard work and that most that is
preparation.

3. The student should be able to describe ways to improve teaching skills by thinking outside the box.

4. The student should be able to explain why a teacher’s life must match what he teaches.

2.3 What it takes to become a good teacher- continued

3. Know and understand who you are teaching.

You don’t teach everyone in the same way! Jesus used a variety of methods to teach
those who came to him. Why? Because each person He taught had a different need in
their life, was at differing levels of maturity, and varied in their education, cultural
standing, and position in life. So how he taught depended on whom he was teaching.

For example, in John 3, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. He
was a highly trained member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of
Pharisees and Sadducees of Christ’s day. He was educated in the
Law of Moses and was considered “upper crust” in their society.
Jesus’s response to his questions was to teach him some new and
lofty thoughts about spiritual birth. These things were hard for
Nicodemus to comprehend. But Jesus taught him the purpose for His coming, and the great sacrifice
that would be offered for the sins of mankind. He even said to him, “You are highly educated and you
don’t know these things?”

When the rich young ruler came to him, rather than teach him content, he asked him some questions.
The purpose of these questions was to penetrate to the heart of the man, and to show him his real
motivations. He loved riches. He was not willing to part with them to follow Jesus. With one remark,

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