Seven Laws of the Learner Summary

Teaching Dynamics

Seven Laws of the Learner

The First Law of Learning: The Law of the Learner
Seven Learner Maximums 1. Teachers are responsible to cause the students to learn. 2. Teachers will stand accountable to God for their influence. 3. Teachers are responsible because they control subject, style, setting, and speaker. 4. Teachers should judge their success by the success of their students. 5. Teachers impact more by their character and commitment than their communication. 6. Teachers exist to serve the students. 7. Teachers who practice the Seven Laws of Learning can become master teachers. Seven Learner Maximizers 1. Love your students consistently and unconditionally. 2. Express the subject in terms of the students needs and interests. 3. Alter your style regularly according to each situation. 4. Rest in your talents and gifts and be yourself. 5. Note constantly your students attitudes, attention, and actions. 6. Excel by using your strengths to compensate for your weaknesses. 7. Rely on the Holy Spirit for teaching that is supernatural. Key Concepts 1. The teacher who makes little or no allowance for individual differences in the classroom is an individual who makes little or no difference in the lives of his students.

2. To look is one thing. To see what you look at is another. To understand what you see is a third. To learn from what you understand is still something else. But to act on what you learn is all that really matters. 3. God holds people accountable only for that which is in their control. 4. Give students choices when giving assignments. 5. The Law of the Student: The student is responsible to learn regardless how bad the teacher is.

Seven Laws of the Learner Summary

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The Second Law of Learning: The Law of Expectation

Seven Expectation Maxims 1. Expectations exist in everyone about everything all the time. 2. Expectations impact ourselves and others. Remember section 2. 3. Expectations are rooted in the past, influence the present, and therefore impact the future. 4. Expectations are exposed through our attitudes and actions. 5. Expectations influence the future whether stated or unstated. 6. Expectations impair others if set too low or too high for too long. 7. Expectations empower others if guided by love. Seven Expectation Maximizers 1. Employ opportunities (to communicate high expectations) purposely. 2. Express high expectations creatively through prayer, indirect compliments, cards, phone calls, and gifts. 3. Pick your words precisely. Make them look good before others. 4. Establish eye contact directly. 5. Communicate high expectations with your body language carefullylean forward, palms up. 6. Touch others appropriately. We all crave human touch. 7. Set high expectations confidently. With the proper encouragement, people usually arise to the occasion. Key Concepts 8. Both he who expects great things of others and he who expects little, will receive what he expects. 9. If silent expectations have a direct impact on othersand they dojust consider how multiplied an impact a positive expectation that one vocalizes can have. 10. People who are out to find fault seldom find anything else. 11. Encouragement is oxygen to the soul. 12. The higher the expectation and the lower the reality, the greater the disappointment. 13. Interpersonal intelligences has a higher correlation with success than any other, including verbal or mathematical.

Seven Laws of the Learner Summary

Teaching Dynamics

The Third Law of Learning: The Law of Application

Seven Application Maximums 1. Application is the central reason for Gods revelation. The goal of the Bible is change. 2 Timothy 3:16,17 2. Application is the responsibility of the teachernot the Holy Spirit. The goal of application is transformation. 3. Application and information should be appropriately balanced with between 50 and 70 % application. 4. Application focuses Scripture on the students needs. One of the greatest needs of our day is the application of the Word of God. 5. Application has maximum influence when the student personally sees its Biblical basis. Change is strengthened when learners come face-to-fact with Gods Word. Job 34:4 NIV 6. Application that has impacted the teacher tends to impact the student more effectively. Teachers need to apply it in their own lives before teaching it to others. 7. Application must ultimately lead the student from studying the Bible to obeying the Lord. God is more interested our relationship with Him than our work for Him. Seven Application Maximizers 8. Ask God to develop in you an appliers heart. Learners are not changing because teachers are not applying. 9. Prepare applications in relation to your students needs. 10. Plan all parts of the lesson to contribute to the application. Pick out the most important concept and relate everything to it. The point of teaching is life-change. 11. Lead your students beyond general application to specific steps of obedience. Allow them to see how to apply the general principles through specific applications. 12. Illustrate the application with Scripture, history, personal experience, and imagination. Use word pictures. Application becomes alive when it is illustrated. 13. Employ an appropriate style when calling for commitment. Rebuke when learners need rebuke. Exhort when learners need exhortation. Encourage when learners need encouragement. 14. Strengthen application with student accountability. Dont teach until they know it, teach until they do it. Change is brought about by persuasion: Are you going to do this? Will you tell God you will do this? Teaching for life-change leads to holiness, sanctification, power, restored marriages, and children who have their lives together. Key Concepts 15. The Scriptures were not given for our information, but for our transformation. D. L. Moody 16. People run wild when the truth is not applied. 17. Each time Jesus explained a truth He told how that truth was to impact the lives of His listeners.

Seven Laws of the Learner Summary

Teaching Dynamics

The Fourth Law of Learning: The Law of Retention

Seven Retention Maximums 1. Retention of facts by the student is the teachers responsibility. The teacher is responsible for causing student to remember facts. 2. Retention of facts is effective only after they are understood.-Where the rubber meets the road. 3. Retention increases as the students recognizes the contents real-world relevance . The Bibleits not just for church anymore. 4. Retention requires the teacher to focus on the facts that are most important. Separate the important from the unimportant by prioritizing the content and forgetting the dirt. 5. Retention arranges the facts so they are easy to memorize by incorporating acrostics, alliteration, charts, graphics, illustrations, and outlines. 6. Retention strengthens long-term memory through regular review. Illustrations are an effective way to rehearse information without being boring. 7. Retention minimizes time for memorization to maximize time for application. The goal is to teach twice the material in half the time. Seven Retention Maximizers 1. Represent the facts in a picture. A picture is worth a thousand words. We all have visual/spatial intelligence: Parables. Photos also supports naturalistic intelligence. 2. Express the facts with logic. We all have logical/mathematical intelligence: Romans. 3. Transfer facts by the alphabet. We all have verbal/linguistic intelligences that appreciates alliteration, acrostics, and word-crafting: Psalm 119; Proverbs 4. Associate facts with objects and actions. We all have body/kinesthetic intelligence that learns best with hand motions and association. 5. Impress the facts through drama and role-play. We all have interpersonal/relations intelligence that learns with others: Passover, Lords supper, Baptism. 6. Note the facts through music. We all have musical/rhythmic intelligence that learns through jingles and songs: Psalms. 7. Summarize the facts with graphs and charts. This supports interpersonal/reflective intelligence as well as visual/spatial intelligence. Key Concepts 1. It s not what is poured into the student, but what is planted, that counts. Seminary is supposed to be a seed-bed of theological ideas. 2. Teachers must present the whole before its parts to help students master the irreducible minimum.

Seven Laws of the Learner Summary

Teaching Dynamics

3. There are three things to remember when teaching school: (1) know your stuff, (2) know whom you are stuffing, then (3) stuff them elegantly. 4. Incorporate case studies and problem-based learning in your active learning. 5. The teacher should enable students to enjoy maximum mastery of the irreducible minimum. 6. Master teachers dont teach subjects; they teach students. I havent taught until all my students have learned to obey. Five concepts for enhancing learning in chapter 4, The Law of Retention in Almost Every Answer for Practically any Teacher! 1. The Power of Memory: We remember by subconscious association. Mnemonics. There is no limit to the capacity of the memory. There is no such thing as a bad memory; there are only trained or untrained memories. 2. Memory Joggers: (1) Write a memorial book of Gods victories and faithfulness in your life and rehearse these to your children for their own battles ahead. (2) Share with your children the events, people, victories, and struggles that God has used to shape and mold you. (3) Collect and display the Bible verses that most powerfully direct, comfort, and correct you. (4) Celebrate spiritual birthdays, holidays, victories, and Christian heritage days. (5) Write a book on how God brought you through the hills and valleys of your life. 3. Secrets to Strengthen Your Memory: (1) determine your learning style: audio, visual, kinesthetic, (2) clarify your motivation for memorizing, (3) focus your concentration, (4) tap into your emotions, (5) visualize what you read, (6) read the material aloud and tape it, (7) listen to yourself on a tape recorder, (8) look for any patterns, (9) make up an artistic outline of the material, (10) develop symbols to associate with the material, (11) associate as much as possible*, (13) use body movements in your memorizing, (13) review what you have memorized. 4. Improve Your Memory in Seven Easy Steps: (1) external memory, (2) chunking, (3) mediation, (4) associations, (5) reliving the moment, (6) mnemonic pegboards, (7) weaving it into the web by connecting it to the many related items you already know. 5. Why Do Students Fail Tests: (1) there is simply too much material to retain. (2) The important material receives no greater emphasis than other material. (3) The presentation of the material lacks general organization and clarity. (4) The material is presented with such a lack of vigor that the student is not captivated. (5) The exam is too long. (6). The questions are ambiguous. (7) Teachers teach one way but test another. (8) Teachers do not clearly spell out their expectations. (9) The questions are too long and too complicated. * Things can be associated by (1) being placed on top of the associated object, (2) crashing or penetrating into each other, (3) merging together, (4) wrapping around each other, (5) rotating around each other or dancing together, and (6) being the same color, smell, shape, or feeling.

Seven Laws of the Learner Summary

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The Fifth Law of Learning: The Law of Need

Mindset steps to meeting needs: (1) Seize attention. (2) Stir curiosity. (3) Stimulate felt need. (4) Surface real need. (5) Satisfy real need. Seven Need Maximums 1. Need building (worries, fears, concerns, and problems) is the responsibility of the teacher. 2. Need meeting is the teachers primary callingnot teaching the Bible. //books have no needspeople do. Ask, what are the problems faced by my students and how can I hep them find the Biblical answer? 3. Need building is the teachers main methods to motivate students. Always address the students needs to take them where you want them to go. Use the correct bait; if the class isnt interested, change your bait. 4. Need motivates to the degree it is felt by the student. It does not matter if you like the bait do they like it? 5. Need building always precedes new units of content. Before beginning a new series, build the need of the people until they feel it intensely. Unless they are dying for the answer, dont give it to them. A good fisherman hides the hook. 6. Need should be built according to the audiences characteristics and circumstances. They are struggling with worries, fears, concerns, problems, relationships, parents, work, conflict,
disappointment. How did your lesson help them with these struggles? 7. Need building may be hindered by factors beyond the teachers control. Build the need: The teacher should surface the students real need before teaching the content.

Five Steps of the Need Method (1) Find the need. (2) Focus on one need. (3) Forecast the need. (4) Feel the need. (5) Fulfill the need. Seven secrets to helping students feel the need: 1. Describe the need in a factual presentation information. Find facts that are shocking. Present facts form a new perspective by using graphs or charts. 2. Express the need through storytelling identification. Use word pictures. The key is that the students must identify emotionally with the story. Nathans story. Prodigal son. 3. Sensitize to the need through drama involvement and monologue. Act out the3 feelings of the personbecome the prodigal son, the father, the brother, the servant, the pig, or a tree. Argue with someone in the audience. Get two or more arguing while you make comments. 4. Increase the need through your delivery intensity. Use your voice, eyes, hands, body to communicate anger, sarcasm, depression. Vary intensity to move your audience. 5. Raise the need through music inspiration. Amazing Grace, Chariots of Fire, Hallelujah Chorus, Rocky.

Seven Laws of the Learner Summary

Teaching Dynamics

6. Exhibit the need with a diagram. You can talk to your drawing in ways you cannot talk to a live person. 7. Symbolize the need with a picture. Photos can communicate emotion. E.g. Word pictures in Revelation. Represent the facts in a picture. A picture is worth a thousand words. We all have visual/spatial intelligence: Parables. Photos also support naturalistic intelligence. Key Concepts 1. A great teacher is not simply one who imparts knowledge to his students, but one who awakens their interest in it and makes them eager to pursue it for themselves. He is a spark plug, not a fuel pipe. The basic problem most people have is that they are doing nothing to solve their basic problem. If attendance is down, you are not meeting needs. The lesson does not have a needthe students do. The lesson is only the tool you use to meet the needs of your students. 2. The Bible is equally inspired, but not equally relevant. Lest ten positive effects of learning this truth and ten negative consequences of not learning it. You cant meet the need until you find the need. Everyone wants Gods answers, and few are giving them. Dont give the answer until they are hungry for it. Feedback Questions: (1) The biggest struggle I have at work is (2) When my wife and I argue its usually over. (3) When I get angry or depressed its usually over (4) If I could change one thing in my life (5) I guess you could best characterize my spiritual life as (6) When I get ticked with God it is when He. (7) The sin that always seems to trip me up no matter how hard I try, is 1. How to Successfully Motivate Students. Get students physically involved. Brag on them. Give credit to student ideas. Let them taste success. Let them teach. Show enthusiasm. Use positive peer pressure. Try something new: question-and-answer, discussion, drama, research, debate. Build rapport. Expect success. Give feedback. Use unannounced rewards. Show relevance. Get to know them. Make them feel important. Pray for them. 2. How Kids Learn. Reinforce you students strengths, rather than continually pointing out mistakes caused by their weaknesses. Provide for different learning styles and include visual, auditory, and kinesthetic/tactile approaches. 3. The Need for Suspense. The missing link in most teaching is intrigue, suspense, or tension. Suspense traps the mind. The introduction must turn voluntary attention into involuntary attention. Suspense makes learning enjoyable. Suspense is the backbone of the inductive method of communication. Build suspense with life-related problems, conflict, a striking statement, change-tension, a story, Christian fiction, and humor. 4. The Art of Listening. Listen in an active manner (paraphrase, clarify, and give feedback to what they say), with empathy (seeing the situation from their point of view), with openness (as an anthropologist), and with awareness (asking probing questions).

Seven Laws of the Learner Summary

Teaching Dynamics

The Sixth Law of Learning: The Law of Equipping

Seven Equipping Maximums 1. Equipping is the responsibility of the teacher. 2. Equipping occurs best when the teacher assumes the biblical role of coach, not just a dispenser of information. 3. Equipping is best evaluated by what the student does after the class is over. 4. Equipping should impact both character and conduct. 5. Equipping should focus more intensely on the most committed (2 Tim. 2:2). 6. Equipping requires knowledge, skill, and long-term commitmentit takes time. 7. The ultimate goal of equipping in independent equippersthe goal is that they will not only do the ministry, but train others to do it as well. Five Steps of the Equipping Method 1. Instruct: 2. Illustrate: 3. Involve: 4. Improve: 5. Inspire: Prepare the information. Preview the information. Practice the information. Perform the information. Perfect the performance. I tell you. You watch me. We do it together. I watch you. Keep it up.

Seven Equipping Maximizers 1. Train your students until they are successful, independent uses of the skill. Dont teach until a person know; teach until they do. 2. Reproduce yourself by focusing on students skill, not your style. Let them use their own personality. 3. Alter equipping according to your students characteristics and circumstances. Make allowances for individual differences. 4. Increase student motivation by relationship, retribution, and reward. What is rewarded is repeated. 5. Nail down the basics before developing advanced skills. 6. Encourage students more frequently during early training. 7. Reaffirm students value independent of their level of performance. Affirm effort even when it is not successful.

Seven Laws of the Learner Summary

Teaching Dynamics

The Seventh Law of Learning: The Law of Revival

Five Steps of the Revival Model 1. Commissioned: Believe that God sends me to people in sin. Prepare them by building a need by telling a story-word picture. 2. Confront: Name the sin specifically. Say it out loud to them. Point it out. 3. Commandments: Bring the sin to the Bible. Prove 4. Consequences: Help them to see the negatives of sin. A vain imagination sees only the benefits of sin. Talk about the future. Perils. 5. Confession: Profess. Seven Revival Maximums 1. Revival is spiritual restoration and is the spiritual teachers responsibility. 2. Revival is possible only for those who have first experienced the second birth. 3. Revival is not a completed event but a continuing activity. 4. Revival can occur in the life of an individual, group, or nation. 5. Revival always requires true repentance and the forsaking of known sin. 6. Revival always results in seeking and serving Christ with renewed fervency. 7. Revival reestablishes lifes central priority systemyour relationship with God. Five Steps of the Revival Method 1. Revelation: Gods Word. Double-edged sword. 2. Reprove: Rebuke sin. Confront sin, commands violated, consequences in the future. 3. Repent: Change of mind. Conviction, contrition, confession. 4. Recommit: Do what is right in the future. Nail it down. 5. Restore: Joy, courage, strength, victory. Seven Revival Maximizers 1. Realize that revival is needed by most Christian most of the time. 2. Earnestly seek revival through intense and persistent private and public prayer. 3. Vary your delivery according to your students spiritual response. 4. Instruct your students in the knowledge and practice of the spiritual disciplines: Bible intake, prayer, fasting, worship, service, evangelism, solitude, journaling. 5. Verbalize the final call for revival clearly and expectantly. 6. Anticipate revival to be accompanied by intense spiritual warfare. Expect satanic opposition in your life and theirs. 7. Lay yourself before the Lord as a clean vessel committed to revival.