Creating a Learning Church

Preaching or teaching in church carries the responsibility of understanding the learning process. However, for most of us there is a gap between teaching and learning: what we hope to teach or learn and what is actually learnt are often two different things.

This fascinating and absorbing book is about closing that gap and creating a learning church where everybody embarks on a journey of learning with God that is not only life-long, but also life-changing.

The material draws on research concerning how we learn and applies it to the church context. It suggests a range of simple strategies and techniques for improving teaching and learning-some fairly easy to introduce, others needing to be introduced more slowly.

Each chapter shows what the insights mean in practice, followed by at least one worked example for sermons, youth work, Sunday club, children's talks, drama, reflections, prayers, quiet days, Bible reading or Bible studies.

Margaret Cooling is author of over 40 books on RE. She has taught at both primary and secondary level and trains teachers and clergy to work in schools. She preaches, writes drama and Bible studies, leads Sunday schools, house groups and quiet days and runs training days for church leaders.

From: Journal of Christian Education - May 2006

Effective communication of the Christian faith within local churches is frequently assumed but seldom realised. Those of us who are professional educators within Christian faith communities often cringe to see the potential power of biblical revelation and of the Gospel message being received ineffectually because of those entrusted with its communication fail to 'deliver the goods' in meaningful ways.

Margaret Cooling has sought to address this issue in Creating a Learning Church. Her book is basically a compendium of the theory and practice of teaching for effective learning in the faith community context. The book comprises seven sections with a total of 23 short chapters, each chapter covering a significant aspect of learning theory. The scope Cooling covers is remarkable: she ranges over the meaning of 'learn' and how we know learning has happened, barriers to learning, effective learning through making connections, 'whole brain' learning, emotions and learning, learning styles and multiple intelligences, and more!

Most of the chapters follow a similar format: a page or two of explanation of the theory, in layperson's terms; a section 'what does this mean in practice', usually noted for its sanity, realism and relevance ("Please treat my insights as guidelines, not unbreakable rules", p11); and one or two worked examples demonstrating the chapter topic. User-friendly, indeed - reflecting Cooling's wide (and well received) experience as a 'learning enabler' for church leaders involved in equipping people across the age spectrum in the context of relatively formal learning, like sermons in church services and age-group settings of Sunday schools and youth groups.

There is little new in this book for educational professionals. We have covered most of it in our own training, and it is not primarily aimed at us. Despite this, however, I find it an invaluable little handbook, because in the sheer simplicity (not simplism, note) of its summaries of learning theory and meaningful illustrations of that theory in practice, I have good reminders of what so often I fail to practice consistently. So I have already adapted, and used to good effect, a couple of Cooling's examples.

I doubt that Creating a Learning Church will stay on my book shelves. No, I'm not planning on throwing it out. For me, its usefulness lies in the confidence I have that Cooling has effectively communicated important learning theory in a manner which will be readily understood by those in my faith community who are not familiar with the theory I live with as part of my teaching profession. So this is a book I am going to be passing around to those who are responsible for teaching in my church, whether they are involved in ministry to children, youth or adults. I will be encouraging the book's use in the ongoing training opportunities I have with those key communicators of the Christian faith. And as I do this, it will be with gratitude for Margaret Cooling's ability in this book to teach for more effective learning.

Reviewed by Allan Harkness, Dean of the Asia Graduate School Theology (Malaysia/Singapore/Thailand), Singapore and former editor of the Journal of Christian Education

Creating a Learning Church is a very readable book. This would be very helpful to those who lead and teach our children and young people. Reading through this would certainly deepen their understanding of the learning process.

I found the section on what stops us learning very useful along with the sections that remind us (and hopefully those who teach us) that we learn indifferent ways. It certainly helped me understand my own learning processes and how to enable learning in others.

This is a book packed with practical ideas linked to the different sections. It could be used for refresher training with a group of children's work leaders.

Reviewed by Mike Bossingham

From: Morovian Church Youth & Children's Newsletter Spring 2005

How do you know whether the children have learnt anything from the sessions you've just done with them? What's the best way to help them discover new ideas? If you've explored anything about learning styles you will know that a sermon is not the best way to help people learn - yet we continue to preach in the churches long after other people have changed their methods. But what is the best way? In this book Margaret Cooling looks at how people learn and then looks at ways of encouraging learning throughout the church.

It's a fascinating and absorbing book and could bring a new approach to worship in our churches. My main concern is that most ministers are too busy preparing their sermons to read it.

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