The Teaching Trunk
When I think of a trunk, I begin to picture an old trunk packed with wonderful treasures and beholding each treasure as I look through the trunk. I lift the lid of the trunk and discover the wonders and beauties of hidden away items, that bring joy on my face as I touch each item.
The Teaching Trunk is the same concept. It is a place in which I store all my teaching ideas that I use. In courses that I teach, I share "Teaching Experiences" with my students. They are concepts that I use with students and they experience them as we use them together, then they can take the same concept and use it immediately within their own teaching ministry context. Hands-on-teaching is critical for passing on the mantle to others around us.
I have kept a list of teaching items for years. I have a box of supplies or teaching tools; such as a ball of multicolored yarn, a large key, a candle, different kinds of Bibles, pictures, books, cards, tools, and a variety of "props" that help me in the process of teaching God's truth to others. These items have made the stories come alive and God's truth was declared with images and concepts to the listener.
The Teaching Trunk has been helpful to my personal teaching ministry within the church and the academy. I am expanding that trunk to include online teaching, in which the trunk will not be an actual trunk, but a virtual trunk in which I will store my ideas for online teaching, hopefully to share with others who are also teaching in online education. It can be an open Teaching Trunk in which we can share together ideas, dreams, and concepts for online teaching.
The Online Teaching Trunk Idea #1 - Students will blog in one week of the course, then the next week write another blog. Then the following week, write a summary of the two blogs to share with the course. Then they will create questions in which other students will respond and they will have the opportunity to monitor or teach the concepts of the blogs. Then there will be two blogs selected at the end of the session that will be submitted to an actual blog spot, so that the students would be published with their blog.
What are your ideas or concepts of teaching online, especially with Christian education and teaching God's Word?
