The Circle of Life (Education)

No, I’m not talking about the Lion King! That’s a funny way to think about things…

In Christian Education circles though there is something that is called the Natural Learning Process. This offers a great means through which students learn. Learning style expert Bernice McCarthy (1996) has fostered this theory in which she suggests that each student has a unique way of learning. In order to successfully promote great learning we, as teachers and youth pastors, ought to lead students through the entire process. She posits four steps in the Natural Learning Process.

The first step in the process is to engage the Collaborative Learners. These are the students who always begin their learning from what they already know. They often times want to engage with ideas from their experiences because these provide context for what they are learning. As you might guess from this stage, these learners need to be collaborative. That is, they are connectors, relational, and people-oriented so they learn by listening and sharing ideas. The more they discuss ideas the more they learn and make further connections.

The second step is to recognize that there are Analytical Learners among you. These folks want to learn something new, and they do so best in an environment that is teacher led. They want to hear from the “expert” and be taught in the traditional format of lecture or formal preaching. These students thrive on teacher affirmation about their knowledge. For these students they are collecting information to catalogue and recall later on.

Third, a lesson needs to engage the Common Sense Learners. These folks require the freedom to test and experience what they are learning. Action and doing are their primary means for learning, so they need to be able to move during their learning. The key for these students is that they want to know if what they are learning makes sense towards a useful application. They want to know how things work.

Finally, the fourth step of the Natural Learning Process is for the Dynamic Learner. These are the students who think about things in terms of the future. That is, they want to know what good the learning is for what is next in life. They are asking, “Does this apply?” and “What are we going to do with this knowledge?” As a result they need flexibility in their learning to try new things and see if it works in real life. These students have experimental attitudes and are not bothered by uncertainty or ambiguity in their creativity.

Characteristics of Collaborative Learner:
Learn by listening and sharing ideas
An observer of human nature
Dislikes long lectures and memorizing
They are idea people
Value people and friendship above product

Characteristics of Analytic Learner:
Like information presented logically and sequentially (i.e. lecture)
Enjoys debates
Thinks in terms of correct and incorrect answers
Enjoys listening and taking notes
Reads the Bible for concepts and principles
Generally are impersonal

Characteristics of Common Sense Learner:
Needs to move during the learning process
Engages ideas with action and practicality
Learns through demonstration and engagement
Does not enjoy lectures
Sees skills as knowledge, therefor faith needs to be of action
Reads the Bible to get hands on information

Characteristics of Dynamic Learner:
Generally are leaders who enjoy student-directed classrooms
Enjoy people
Decide based upon intuition and creativity
Require flexibility in learning so that they can test ideas
Enjoy drama and art to allow individuality

For those of us in ministry, what’s the educational/ministerial take-away? Learn your students! Be sure to have a sense of who is in your group, understand what kinds of learning styles they most line up with, and then be sure to teach to each of these styles through the Natural Learning Process. These principles require us to be creative in our teaching methods rather than defaulting to the norm – lecture and/or preaching. Our students learn in a multitude of ways and we need to teach using various methodologies. After all, this is how Jesus taught!

Jesus encouraged critical thinking, engagement around ideas that were already known and shared, and problem solving (Matthew 21:25, 31; 22:43-45; Luke 7:41-42; John 6:5-6). Jesus taught with clarity and sought to explain things in clear ways to his disciples (Matthew 13:10-17). Jesus used a variety of methods and objects in order to engage his hearers (students) in various ways accordingly – he used metaphor, hyperbole, parable, stories, example, demonstration, challenge, practice, lecture, preaching, criticism, nature. Dan Lambert (2004, p. 196-202) suggests the following ways in which Jesus might teach today’s student: to make disciples, to be obedient to God’s commands, in a welcoming manner (especially those who are not part of the “in” crowd), using a variety of settings, according to the crowd’s/group’s needs, in a theologically precise manner, to raise expectations, to increase careful and correct thinking, with authority (which you have in Christ!), to invite response from his students, holistically.

For Further Study
Dan Lambert, Teaching that Makes a Difference: How to Teach for Holistic Impact, (El Cajon, CA: Youth Specialties Academic, 2004).

Marlene LeFever, “Learning Styles” in Christian Education: Foundations for the 21st Century (p. 131-138), Ed. Michael J. Anthony, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001).

Bernice McCarthy, About Learning (Barrington, IL: Excel, 1996).

Don Shepson specializes in Christian education and spiritual formation, and currently teaches in the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies and Philosophy at Grove City College.