The Most Effective Way to Teach Children

What is the most effective way to teach children?  I have often pondered this.  

How can I get the teaching into the children's long-term memory?

How can I help kids live out the lessons I am teaching them?

How can I ensure that kids are growing in their faith from the lessons I am sharing with them?

How can I make sure the kids are "getting it?"

Over the years, I have tried different teaching strategies and approaches.  

One day as I was researching the most effective way to teach kids, I came across a game changer.  

It was called the "Learning Pyramid."  It showed a wide array of teaching strategies and which were the most effective.  It reinforced what I had been thinking all along.  Look at it with me. 

Kids remember...

• 5% if you lecture them.

• 10% of what you have them read.

• 20% when you use audio and visual.

• 30% of what you demonstrate.

• 50% of what they discuss in a group.

• 75% of what they do.

• 90% of what kids teach others.

Look at this list closely.

If you are like most teachers, you spend the majority of your time using the least effective way...lecturing. 

If your number one strategy is to be a talking head, the results you seek and get will be minimal.  

The more of the higher percentage methods you use, the greater your effectiveness will be. 

I want to challenge you to look at the lesson you are presenting this weekend.  How much of it is lecturing?  How many of the other strategies are you incorporating?  

If you want to be effective...

Keep lecturing to a minimum.

Instead of reading to the kids...have kids take turns reading the Bible verses to you.

Use audio clips, sound bytes, sound effects, pictures, Power Point, movie clips, etc. 

Bring some object lessons and props into your lesson.

Put kids in small groups and have them discuss the teaching topic.  Use open-ended questions and get kids talking. 

Give kids different scenarios so they can practice living out your main teaching point.

Have kids teach other kids what they just learned in the lesson time.

Take a look at all of these teaching methods again.  

What percentage are you at?  

Are you ready to abandon past, ineffective methods if necessary and begin using the methods that produce the highest retention rates?  

Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone?  

Are you willing to try something new?   

Are you willing to adjust your teaching method?  

Remember...we only have a short window of time to help the kids understand the Word of God.  Don't spend your time trying to use methods that don't work any more.

If you will follow the most effective methods of teaching, you will see the most effective results.