Are you looking for a good way to get ready to teach your class?
Do you want to find a process that works for you?
There are many valuable approaches for preparing to
teach. In this post, I describe one of the most effective processes for lesson
preparation. The approach suggested here has
stood the test of time.
It was developed by Dr. Lawrence O. Richards (1931-2016), a teacher and author of more than 200 books on education, leadership, and Bible studies. Richards called it the Hook, Book, Look, Took method in his text, Creative Bible Teaching (1970).
Here are the four steps of lesson
preparation.
·
Get the attention of
class members (Hook).
·
Identify what you
want to teach and the activities for doing it (Book).
· Apply the lesson to life (Look and Took).
Following is a description of each step and a sample lesson planning worksheet.
A good “Hook” is a question or
statement or activity that snags the attention of group members. It is one of
the first things to do during class time. Hooking involves:
·
Connecting with the life
interests of learners.
· Cultivating curiosity.
The “Book” step refers to the
content and process of class time. This is where a Bible passage is read and
discussed, Bible stories are told, videos are watched, presentations are made,
or learners are involved in other learning experiences. “Book” takes the majority
of class time and includes:
·
Information and
activities related to the lesson topic,
· Initial hints about the relationship between the information and the lives of the learners.
“Look” begins lesson application.
During the look step the teacher is interested in:
·
Ideas in the lesson
that seem most relevant for meeting the needs of learners,
· Involvement by participants to define for themselves ways of applying the lesson.
“Took” asks, What should learners
take away from class? How does the lesson impact the attitudes, behaviors, and
commitments of group members? This step addresses:
·
Attitudes: In what
ways might learners be encouraged to think and feel differently?
·
Behaviors: What could
participants be asked to do as a result of the lesson?
· Commitments: What life decisions could learners consider making?
LESSON PLAN WORKSHEET
Date______________
Lesson Title/Theme___________________
Hook: words and activities to engage learners.
____________________________________________________________
Book: content and activities for information,
attitudes, and/or skills to be presented and experienced.
Content_____________________________________________________
Activities____________________________________________________
Look: Ideas most relevant to the learners.
___________________________________________________________
Took: Attitudes, behaviors, and commitments to
take-away.
___________________________________________________________
Name of person leading the lesson:_________________
Post meeting notes:__________________________________________
This has been an overview of lesson planning. It is based on the book Creative
Bible Teaching. You are invited to further pursue this approach. The
original text by Lawrence O. Richards is out of print and has been replaced
with an even-more-comprehensive revised edition that includes the same four steps.
For purchase information about the book, click here.
To watch a YouTube video related to this topic, click here
