Start Here: Teaching and Learning With Adults [Perfect Paperback]

Barbara Bruce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2003

It's hard to know which is more intimidating: a roomful of wiggling pre-schoolers or know-all adults. "Adult students come with their own agendas and will connect learning to what's going on in their lives," writes Bruce. "They learn what they want to learn." Both facts present challenge and great opportunity to teachers, according to Bruce. "Adults are eager to learn and are searching for meaning, but we must break through their initial reluctance to encourage them to think, question and make connections." Based on some of the latest theories about faith development and learning, Start Here offers practical, down-to-earth strategies designed for teaching adults. Whether you're a Sunday school teacher, a Bible study teacher or a teacher in another setting, you'll find instruction in creating environments where adults grow in faith through your guidance. Topics in Start Here include:
* planning a lesson
* dealing with disagreement in class
* information about adult faith development
* creating an environment that galvinizes faith formation and faith sharing
* methods to engage a variety of learning styles
* the latest data in how adults learn
* using learning hooks to increase participation
Discussion questions at the end of each chapter are included.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

An educator, writer and national speaker, Barbara Bruce serves on the Older Adult Ministry Team for the Western New York Conference of The United Methodist Church and is a freelance curriculum writer. Barbara is the author of numerous books and articles about faith formation with children, youth, and adults.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Discipleship Resources (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881773034
• ISBN-13: 978-0881773033
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,155,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Useful & practical guide for Laity Leading Christian Education Groups, September 23, 2011

By 

Kevin Quinley "GeezerJock" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Start Here: Teaching and Learning With Adults (Perfect Paperback)

I read this book in preparation for an advanced Lay Speaking course I was taking. I lead a variety of adult Christian education courses at my Methodist Church in the Washington D.C. area. This slim book was and is the only required text for the weekend workshop.

"Start Here" offers useful suggestions for laity leading adult Bible study and Christian education. It intersperses the chapters with self-diagnostic quizzes and discussion/thought questions that can help any lay adult education leader strengthen their ability to facilitate Bible and related studies.

I was glad to see at the end some brief discussion of harnessing technology - computers, Internet, remote learning. Capabilities in these areas will likely grow, especially with the advent of social media, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, blogs, etc. These tools may offer creative new avenues for use in delivering or supplementing adult Christian education.

As a mild criticism, I would have liked to have seen discussion on very real classroom small group challenges, such as:
* Managing the "over-sharer" who dominates discussions
* Engaging those who are non-participative
* Battling group attrition
* Corralling the "joys and concerns" discussions in ways that allow it to flow but prevent it from getting out of hand
* Ways adult education leaders can avoid burnout themselves

This book does not pretend to be a comprehensive guide to leading Christian education. Overall, though, author Barbara Bush's book is a useful and practical guide for those, especially lay leaders, who lead Adult Christian education offerings.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars disappointing, July 20, 2007

By 

Christian A. Left (Saint Paul, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Start Here: Teaching and Learning With Adults (Perfect Paperback)

I was hoping I could find something useful for a college level course entitled Teaching Adults that represented the Christian perspective on adult learning theory and practice. I found this book quite shallow. Perhaps it can be used in a church setting--which is unfortunate to say. We expect so little in terms of academic rigor from fellow Christians.