Good Curriculum To Creative Curriculum
Purpose Statement
This is a conference for Youth Sunday School teachers and leaders. The purpose of this
conference is to lead workers on how make lessons more creative and interesting.
Before the Conference
Focal Wall, Room Setup & Decoration Ideas
Select a focal wall in the room if you desire to use Power Point. Set up chairs into 4 groups.
Audio/Visual Needs

Projector (if using PowerPoint)
Preparation Steps: Resources to Collect and Prepare
1. Prepare 4 tear sheets to give to four groups. Prepare them in advance with the Learning
style names and instructions to list activities for each learning style.
During the Conference
Procedure Steps

Questions Answered:
1. What are some creative ways to present a lesson?
Myth #1
“I am not a creative person”
Have volunteer read Gen. 1:27 So God created man in his own image…
Gen. 1 demonstrates that God is creative, therefore being made like him, we too
possess creativity.
2. My lessons are okay, but how can I make them better?
Myth #2 “My curriculum isn’t very good”
Have volunteer read 2 Tim. 3:16 All scripture is inspired by God…
God ‘s word is very GOOD! We teach the bible not a lesson.
1. The Leader is the Lesson
a. The lesson will be only as good as the amount of time spent studying, meditating,
and praying on it.
b. The lesson should be out of the overflow from God’s work in your own life.
2. Know the student’s learning styles
a. Teach to the students “sweet spot”.
b. Everyone has a “smart” learning style.

Learning Styles: Give each group 1 tear sheet. Have the groups brainstorm to list
different activities as examples for the learning style. Have groups report back with the
ideas from their brainstorming.

People Smart: These teenagers are relational and like group activities that engage
them in dialogue and discussions that involve them in learning with others.
Relational learners prefer approaches that engage them in interacting with others,
working in groups, and participating in demonstrations or discussions. Another term for
this approach could be interpersonal or "people smart." Youth who prefer relational
methods usually:
a. Are highly social--"people persons"
b. Make friends easily
c. Are good talkers
d. Are keen observers of others
e. Recognize how people feel
Teaching methods that work best for relational learners include:
a. Calling upon youth to "see things through the eyes of others"
b. Activities that allow them to cooperate and interact with others
c. Leading youth to affirm others or mediate a disagreement
A person in the Bible who could be characterized as a relational teacher-learner is
Barnabas, who encouraged both Saul of Tarsus (Paul) and John Mark.
List on the tear sheet ideas for teaching a People Smart student. Suggestions
could include:

Music Smart: These teenagers are harmonic and rhythmic in their approach to
learning. They like to sing, play instruments, compose, or listen to music.
Musical learners like to sing, listen to music, play musical instruments, or do something
with rhythm. Another term is "music smart." Youth who prefer musical methods usually:
a. Seem more sensitive to rhythm and pitch
b. Are good listeners
c. Respond to music with singing and/or movement
d. Are aided in learning by background music
e. Have music "playing" in their minds most of the time
f. Learn new songs quickly and remember them easily
Teaching methods that work best with musical learners include:
a. Composing new lyrics to an old tune
b. Listening and analyzing the lyrics of a Christian or secular song
c. Playing a musical instrument or recording that expresses their faith
A person in the Bible who could be characterized as a musical teacher-learner is
David, who penned many of the psalms.
List on tear sheet ideas for teaching a Music Smart student. Suggestions could
include:

Logic Smart: These teenagers like to organize, compare/contrast, reason, analyze,
evaluate, rank, classify, and debate. They are reasonable in their approach to learning.
Logical learners like:
a. Problem-solving
b. Reasoning response
c. Analogies
d. Jokes with odd punch lines (Like, "If a plane crashes on the border of Texas
and Oklahoma, where would they bury the survivors?")
e. Debates
List on tear sheet ideas for teaching a Logic Smart Student. Suggestions could
include:

Word Smart: These teenagers listen, list, write, use humor, tell stories, read, recite,
label, and dialogue. They prefer verbal approaches to learning.
People who have word smarts are verbal in nature have a good grasp of language.
Often they are good communicators both in the written and/or oral word, and they
enjoy teaching that uses both.
As teachers, we have often heard that lecture is a poor choice of teaching
methodology, but with this group, there are students who prefer this approach to
learning, as long as it is not overused. These learners like to:
a. Listen
b. Read
c. Discuss
d. Answer questions
e. Hear Stories
f. Do Interviews
g. Write
h. Describe
List on tear sheet ideas for teaching a Word Smart student. Suggestions could
include:

Picture Smart: These teenagers observe, diagram, draw/illustrate, storyboard, paint,
spot, and view. They are visual in their approach to learning.
a. People who are visual in nature like to see things to reinforce their learning.
b. Often they are artistic and graphic in nature, although they don't necessarily
have to be talented in this area.
c. Some of these learners just like to see outlines, diagrams, photos, pictures,
cartoons, and demonstrations.
d. Others like to be able to draw or create pictures as well.
e. These learners tend to see things in their mind's eyes as well as in the
concrete world.
List on tear sheet ideas for teaching a Picture Smart student. Suggestions could
include:

Self Smart: These teenagers meditate, evaluate self, journal, study, contemplate,
personalize, dream and set goals. They are reflective in their approach to learning.
Learning methods that involve reflective learners include:
a. Meditating: thinking about what they are thankful for;
b. Contemplation: considering alternatives and consequences of a decision;
c. Study: spending time reading and thinking about a subject
d. Personalizing: applying Scriptural truths to their lives.
List on tear sheet ideas for teaching a Self Smart student. Suggestions could
include:

Body Smart: These teenagers are active physically. They prefer and are often good at
dancing, exercising, recreating, dramatizing, moving, and playing. They are very
kinesthetic in their approach to learning.
That's physical involvement. Learning methods that involve physical learners include:
a. Movement methods, such as moving to an agree/disagree posters;
b. Putting together items to form a display;
c. Creating or recreating;
d. Drama
In the Bible, I think Thomas may have been a physical learner. When confronted with
the news of Jesus' resurrection, Thomas said, "I'll believe when I can touch the nail
prints in His hands, and put my hand in the wound in His side."
List on tear sheet ideas for teaching a Body Smart student. Suggestions could
include:

Nature Smart: These teenagers dig, touch, sort, classify, observe, protect, plant,
cultivate, and conserve. They prefer the outdoors and are natural in their approach to
learning.
Natural learners like:
a. Natural learners crave activities that focus on exploring elements in the
natural world.
b. They enjoy such activities as adopting-a-highway, or participating in an
outdoor service.
List on tear sheet ideas for teaching a Nature Smart student. Suggestions could
include:
Tips:
1. You will need to assess teens learning styles informally. Observe their likes and
dislikes, their abilities and their achievements. They will possess two or three
primary learning styles.
2. Create a learning style notebook. Dedicate a page for each student. Refer to it
when preparing the lesson.
3. Use a couple of different styles each lesson and use different ones from lesson to
lesson.
3.
Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
Plato – “Necessity - the mother of invention”
Plato never intended for teachers to wait until the last moment to prepare a lesson!
Truth be know, when we don’t properly prepare, we are more likely to be dissatisfied
with the curriculum
Suggestion: Study the lesson on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Then use
Thursday, Friday, Saturday to finalize the lesson with all materials needed. Allow the
Holy Spirit to give you the ideas to make the lesson more meaningful.
After the Conference
1.
2.
3.
4.
Pack resources, materials, etc.
Accept help from volunteers, if needed.
Re-set room before leaving.
Express thanks to church staff and others who hosted the conference.