One Good Idea
for Teaching Confirmation Class
“One good idea. I’m not looking to be overloaded more than I am. Just give me one.”

This month a new four-part series, “One Good Idea,” begins in Teach the Word. Over the next four months, Pastor Dan Schroeder of St. Peter Lutheran Church in Modesto, California, will share one idea for teaching adults, youth, children, or confirmation. Although each group has different learning needs, the one good idea for the month may spark ideas for teaching in other age groups. This month’s article starts with confirmation.



Pastor Dan Schroeder serves as pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Modesto, California. He previously served in Jackson, Wisconsin; Chula Vista, California; and as Bible Study Editor at Northwestern Publishing House.
They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. — Acts 5:42
Adult Education: Additum
12 Tools for Building Review Activities

Reviews reinforce learning. A quick verbal question-and-answer review at the beginning of a lesson can bring learners back into contact with important points from previous lessons. But if a Bible study teacher wants to make use of other review activities, options abound. Some of the tools for review activities suggested in the link below may provide different approaches to review for Bible study teacher and learner.

Teaching Toolbox
10 Ways to Get People Talking

How can you help people talk, have dialogue, and engage with one another and with you, the leader, in a Bible study?

Getting learners to connect with one another (and themselves!) in the classroom is critical for ensuring learning. Try incorporating one of the ten suggestions from this article in your next study.


Curriculum Connection
Growing in Grace

Not all students enter our confirmation classes with a solid foundation of Bible history knowledge. The two new catechism curricula written by Pastor Tim Shrimpton strengthen that foundation as the catechism is being taught. Designed for youth confirmation instruction, each lesson is based on a Bible story or a longer section of Scripture. In addition to strengthening or expanding the students’ knowledge of Bible history, this format helps the students see the relationship between the doctrines taught in catechism class and God’s plan of salvation.
 
Growing in Grace is a 32-lesson course that takes the students through the six chief parts of the catechism. Growing in the Word is a 58-lesson course that presents the Bible history lessons in chronological order while bringing in the catechism parts where applicable.

This month we have the opportunity to see samples of Growing in Grace. 

Teacher’s Guide Sample
Student Lesson Sample

Order the Teacher’s Guide
Order the Student Lessons
Teaching Tip


Don’t fear silence! Learners will eventually talk. While we may think the silence is long, learners need time to process your questions and come up with answers. Give them a chance to think and they will eventually talk. In fact, you may want to silently count slowly to 10 or 15 to force yourself to wait long enough for students to think and respond.
  Teach the Word  is a collaboration of Northwestern Publishing House,
Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, and WELS Adult Discipleship.