Decide on the subject to be discussed and get a panel of two or three experts in the field you will probably find these in your church congregation but don’t be afraid to look wider. <P>
Before the event get the young people to write questions they want answered from the panellists on the day, if you don’t you could end up with long silences. <P>
Split your group into two and give each group the senario; for example one team is a young person the other a youth worker. <P>
The young person is given a senario that their Grandad has just died, the youth workers briefing is they are doing detached and to strike up conversation with them. <P>
On the word they must go and act it out. <P>
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This method has three simple rules which are as follows:
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Tell them what you are going to tell them.
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Tell them.
Tell them what you have told them.
It sounds stupid but it works really well, I will explain each section a little.
For this you need to write the answers to questions on a white board or stick on cards to the wall. <P>
It is easier if you have several answers that have lots of questions for example my lessons had been on festivals from different religions so I wrote Advent, Christmas, Divali, Ramadan and Hanukkah on the board then prepared 20+ questions that related to these answers. <P>
Tell the whole class that they are one team and you are they other and write this on a score board. <P>
Then tell them that you are definately going to win. <P>
Then explain the rules, you are going to read a story be it from the Bible or where ever and then ask them questions. <P>
If they answer right they get one point, answer wrong you get the point. <P>
When you set up your room put tables out covered with blank paper table cloths and a good selection of felt tip pens. <P>
Encourage the young people to feel free to doodle if they wish whilst you talk, after the session you will be amazed at how many of the doodles reflects what you have been teaching on. <P>
For some this will be the difference of listening or not. <P>
At the start of your session introduce your subject and affirm them by saying that there is no such thing as a stupid question. <P>
If they have a question then the likelihood is others do as well. <P>
Before you start to teach get them into groups and get them to come up with five questions they want you to answer during your talk oÂn the given subject. <P>
