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The Lesson Exchange here at rotation.org has THOUSANDS of Workshop lesson plans, some of which are "better" than others.

The following post was made by Neil MacQueen lesson contributor and editor. You are very welcome to respond and make suggestions.

A CHALLENGE TO LESSON WRITERS and CONTRIBUTORS

to IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LESSONS

Having read and helped edit hundreds of lessons up here, and posted dozens of my own, let me issue a strong challenge to all Rotation lesson writers, contributors, (and myself):

REDUCE the talk, and INCREASE the use of your workshop's media to express what needs to be introduced, read, asked, and prayed about.

Do not view the creative activity as solely what you do "after you're done talking" or studying the Bible.  That's the traditional model's bad habit!

Instead, look for ways to use the workshop's medium to DO the study, introduce the questions, make your point, lead the reflection, offer the prayer.  

FOR EXAMPLE:

You might also....

• Show art to introduce the lesson and express your point in the Art workshop
• Use or make a video clip to make or ask a discussion question in the Video workshop.
• Do a skit to make your point in Drama. Or dress up as a character to tell the story.
• Use a "game" to reflect in the Game workshop. (See ideas in that workshop's manual.)
• Use body movements, or art, or photos in the prayer at the end of the lesson.
• Read from the Bible on the computer, rather than going to it "after" the study.
• Use an object lesson to introduce the day's Big Bible Question in the "Science" workshop.
• Wherever the written lesson says "SAY," think of ways to "DO," "SHOW." 
• Use the workshop's media YOURSELF, instead of just directing the kids to use it.

Our Workshop Design Forum is FULL of teaching techniques which can be used at any point in the lesson plan, and not just "after" the study.

If you need more "complete" or "polished" Workshop curriculum that's been peer-reviewed and comes ready to hand to your teachers, then go straight to our Writing Team lessons.  They have been written by experienced workshop teachers, edited by a professional curriculum writer, and formatted to "published curriculum" standards.  Actually, they exceed what is often published!  ...And they're free to our Supporting Members.  

That said, even the WT lessons could use more of this post's advice. Let's all do more to BELIEVE in the power of creative multiple-intelligence teaching techniques, --by using them throughout our lessons.

Your thoughts are welcome.

<>< Neil