Active Learning in Scripture Courses

I first began using multiple-intelligence theory to respond to the variety of gifts in my students. For example, students who rarely participated in class discussion expressed themselves freely in artwork, music, or role-plays. I soon found that the use of multiple-intelligence theory and active learning strategies enhanced learning and theological reflection for all my students.

Theological reflection is not too weighty for high school students; it simply means that students reflect on their own life experience in light of the Christian tradition. This reflection process is especially important when teaching a class on the Scriptures. We can communicate important information to the students about the Scriptures, but it is of central importance that the students meet God in the Scriptures. The students must learn how to pray with the Scriptures, listening for the ways that God speaks to their hearts. They must understand how biblical themes, principles, and stories can help them make sense of their life experiences.

Active learning encourages such prayer and theological reflection by requiring that all students participate in the learning process; students cannot sit back and allow others to carry the discussion. Active learning can either invite students to reflect more deeply on their own lives or open the biblical texts so that students can engage more meaningfully with them. Using multiple-intelligence theory facilitates this discovery process because it challenges students to think in different ways. The following examples come from The Catholic Youth Bible Teaching Activities Manual.

• By reflecting on their own lives, students can allow God to speak to them through the Scriptures. The sixth chapter of John's Gospel includes the miracle of the loaves and fish, as well as Jesus' statement, "I am the bread of life." For this activity students bring in breads from around the world, eat together, and talk about the traditions associated with the breads. The discussion highlights human dependence on bread for survival, and sharing bread creates a community-building experience for the students. This activity is connected to an article in The Catholic Youth Bible about the Eucharist. When the students reflect more deeply on Jesus as the "bread of life," they are also invited to contemplate the sacramental mystery that nourishes us spiritually and builds us together into the Body of Christ.
• Before contemplating Ruth's moving statement of fidelity to Naomi (Ruth 1:16–17), students find song lyrics that speak of loyalty.
• To prepare for a study of the effects of jealousy in Saul (1 Samuel, chapters 18 and 19), students must find an object that symbolizes jealousy and explain their choice to their classmates.

Students need time to explore their own life experiences and "warm up" before they approach a passage. These kinds of activities create a readiness in the students to receive God's word.

Some activities in the manual facilitate theological reflection by opening up the biblical text for the students. Here are some examples:

• An activity for the Gospel of Mark requires students to create small "flipbooks" for the different miracle stories. (Flipbooks are small books of pictures that closely relate to one another so that when one flips through the book, the illusion of movement occurs.) This is certainly an enjoyable and creative way for the students to become familiar with the miracle stories, and follow-up questions make this activity extremely valuable. Some examples: In which flipbook picture is the miracle actually taking place and why? In which picture is the miracle completed and why? Because of the separate frames in a flipbook, the students have to identify when the miracle happens and what causes the miracle. The process of exploring the answers to these questions requires students to look at Jesus and the people he encountered at a deeper level. The students must grapple with the issue of how God acts in our lives and how we participate in that action.
• In Genesis, chapter 12, Abram and Sarai journey to Egypt. Abram asks Sarai to pose as his sister to save his life, and because she does, Pharaoh's men recruit her for his harem. The students must write journal entries that reflect Sarai's experience and God's feelings about the situation. They must also write an apology letter from Abram to Sarai, and discuss the reconciliation between them.
• For the Book of Job, the students must test retribution theology by examining the local newspaper and observing whether the stories reflect that theology.

When the students move beyond reading the text and are required to engage with a passage actively, as in the examples given here, God can surprise them with insight.

The Catholic Youth Bible Teaching Activities Manual uses a variety of active learning styles. When the students become more accountable for learning, the teacher relinquishes the full responsibility of teaching. The teacher listens to students' experiences, invites students to go deeper, affirms spiritual growth, and facilitates discussion based on the gifts that emerge in the classroom. When true theological reflection is occurring, we can stand back in awe and watch God teach.

Christine Schmertz Navarro is the editor and coauthor of the The Catholic Youth Bible Teaching Activities Manual. She has taught high school religious education for six years and is currently spending time at home with her daughter, Francesca. She and her husband, Rudy, live in Tacoma, Washington.