The Art Of Teaching Series

DISCOVERING YOUR GIFT; THE ART OF TEACHING

I TIMOTHY 4:14-16

ONE OF THE MANY DEFINITIONS OFFERED UP BY MERRIAM WEBSTER FOR THE WORD ART IS “THE USE OF SKILL AND IMAGINATION IN THE PRODUCTION OF THINGS OF BEAUTY.” WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THE BEAUTY THAT EMERGES WHEN A STUDENT GRASPS A CONCEPT THAT THEIR TEACHER HAS PRESENTED INDEED A WORK OF ART HAS EMERGED. TEACHING IS AN ART EXPRESSED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, AS IN THE WAY OR DIFFERENT WAYS THAT TEACHERS TEACH VARIOUS SUBJECTS AND PRINCIPLES TO STUDENTS. THE VARIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL BRANCHES OF TEACHING STYLES CONFIRM THE CREATIVENESS IN TEACHING. A TEACHER THAT ASCRIBES TO THE AXIOLOGICAL PHILOSOPHICAL BRANCH OF TEACHING THAT EMPHASIZES THAT THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THAT HOW ONE LIVES LIFE BASED ON THE KNOWLEDGE THEY GAIN IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE QUANTITY OF KNOWLEDGE THEY RECEIVE WILL SEEK CREATIVE WAYS TO DEPLORE THEIR VIEWS.

WHILE TEACHING IS AN ART, IT IS A SCIENCE ALSO. AS AN ART “HOW” A TEACHER TEACHES VARIES. HOWEVER, TEACHING IS A SCIENCE IN THAT CERTAIN FACTS THAT LEAD TO A GIVEN CONCLUSION CANNOT BE MANIPULATED. THE TEACHER THAT IS CREATIVE IN HOW THEY TEACH MATH CANNOT IN KEEPING TRUE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF MATHEMATICS ALTER THE GIVEN LAWS OF MATHEMATICS WHEN IT COMES TO THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COUNTING, ADDING, SUBTRACTING, MULTIPLYING, DIVIDING, OR ANY OTHER FUNCTIONS OF DOING MATH.

AS A SCIENCE, TEACHING INVOLVES PUSHING STUDENTS TOWARD THE FUTURE THROUGH THE USAGE OF TECHNOLOGY. AS A SCIENCE, TEACHING INVOLVES STUDENTS DEVELOPING BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT COMPARTMENTS OF THE BRAIN. THE RIGHT SIDE THAT CONTROLS THE LEFT SIDE OF A PERSON’S BODY IS REFERRED TO AS THE CREATIVE REGION OF THE BRAIN. IN CONTRAST TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN THAT CONTROLS THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BODY, THE LEFT REGION OF THE BRAIN REFERRED TO AS THE COGNITIVE OR LOGICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE BRAIN CONTROLS THE RIGHT SIDE OF A PERSON’S BODY.

THE RIGHT SIDE OR THE CREATIVE SIDE OF THE BRAIN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PERCEIVING AND LOOKING AT CONCEPTS IN A GENERAL FASHION AS OPPOSED TO VIEWING CONCEPTS IN A PARTIAL MANNER. THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BRAIN DEALS WITH ORIGINALITY, CREATIVITY, RANDOM ACTS, INTUITIVENESS, AND SEEING THINGS IN A SUBJECTIVE MANNER.

THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BRAIN WHICH IS MORE RATIONAL, OBJECTIVE, AND CONFORMING DEALS WITH PROCESSING INFORMATION IN A LOGICAL AND SEQUENTIAL MANNER. IN SOLVING THE MATH PROBLEM OF 2 APPLES + 2 ORANGES, THE RIGHT BRAIN THAT FOCUSES ON THE WHOLE OF SOMETHING WILL SAY THE ANSWER IS 4 PIECES OF FRUIT. THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BRAIN THAT IS MORE ANALYTICAL AND DETAIL ORIENTED WILL TELL THE BRAIN WE HAVE 4 PIECES OF FRUIT COMPRISED OF TWO APPLES AND 2 ORANGES.

A PERSON’S ABILITY TO RECALL GENERAL DETAILS ABOUT AN EVENT IS SAID TO BE USING THE RIGHT PORTION OF THE BRAIN. THE ABILITY TO RECALL SPECIFIC DETAILS ABOUT A CERTAIN EVENT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE LEFT REGION OF THE BRAIN THAT DEALS WITH MEMORIZATION. AS A SCIENCE, TEACHING INVOLVES LEARNING THE ANALYTICAL PROCESSES INVOLVED IN ARRIVING AT A GIVEN CONCLUSION THAT IS UNCHANGEABLE.

TEACHING – ART, SCIENCE, GIFT.

TEACHING IS A GIFT THAT INVOLVES COMPLETE COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THE INSTRUCTOR AND USING SKILLS THAT GO BEYOND A COOKIE-CUTTER APPROACH, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE INDIVIDUALITY OF EVERY STUDENT. AS A TEACHER ONE MUST LEARN HOW TO STAY FOCUSED AND AVOID DISTRACTIONS, HOW TO “READ” EACH STUDENT, UTILIZES VARIOUS COMMUNICATION METHODS, AND “COMMANDS” A SITUATION. TEACHERS MUST NOT ONLY TEACH ETHICAL BEHAVIOR . . .

PAUL – TIMOTHY. . . BE CAREFUL HOW YOU TREAT YOUR GIFT . . .

PAUL – TIMOTHY – ETHICAL BEHAVIOR –

CHURCH AT EPHESUS – PLAGUED WITH FALSE TEACHERS (HYMENAEUS, ALEXANDER) – PLAGUED WITH TEACHERS (II TIM. 4:3) PREACHING TO PEOPLE WITH ITCHY EARS . . .

PAUL – TIMOTHY – COUNTER – UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR

STUDY GOD’S WORD

TEACH GOD’S WORD

LIVE GOD’S WORD

STUDY GOD’S WORD

II TIMOTHY 2:15 “STUDY . . .”

I TIMOTHY 1:7 “STUDY, SO YOU WON’T BE LIKE THOSE WHO TALK . . .”

MATT. 12:1-8 JESUS’ ENCOUNTER WITH THE PHARISEES OF HIS DAY HE ASKS, "HAVEN’T YOU READ . . ."

TEACH GOD’S WORD

I TIMOTHY 1:3 . . . “STOP THOSE WHOSE TEACHING IS CONTRARY TO THE TRUTH. . .”

II TIMOTHY 2:2 “TEACH THESE TRUTHS TO OTHER TRUSTWORTHY PEOPLE WHO WILL BE ABLE TO PASS THEM ON TO OTHERS (ISRAELITES) . . .

II TIMOTHY 3:16-17 “ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD AND IS USEFUL TO TEACH US WHAT IS TRUE AND TO MAKE US REALIZE WHAT IS WRONG IN OUR LIVES. IT CORRECTS US WHEN WE ARE WRONG AND TEACHES US TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT. GOD USES IT TO PREPARE AND EQUIP HIS PEOPLE TO DO EVERY GOOD WORK.”