The Rotation Model of Christian Education was developed using the Multiple
Intelligence theory. According to the work done by Howard Gardner, educational
research professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education, each person
possesses eight "Intelligences". The Intelligences’ that were identified are
listed as follows:
- Linguistic/verbal - the capacity to use words effectively, orally or in
writing.
- Logical-Mathematical - the capacity to use numbers effectively and to
reason well. This includes sensitivity to logical patterns and relationships.
- Spatial - the ability to perceive the visual-spatial world accurately and
to perform transformations upon those perceptions. It includes the capacity to
visualize, to graphically represent visual or spatial ideas.
- Bodily-Kinesthetic - the capacity to use one's whole body to express ideas
and feelings and the facility to use one's hands to produce or transform
things.
- Musical - the capacity to perceive, discriminate, transform, and express
musical forms.
- Interpersonal/relational - the ability to perceive and make distinctions
in the moods, intentions, motivations and feelings of other people.
Sensitivity to facial expressions, voice and gestures.
- Intrapersonal/introspective - the ability to act adaptively on the basis
of self-knowledge. Being aware of one's inner moods, intentions, motivations
and a capacity for self-understanding.
- Naturalist - with this learner there is a connection to nature, they enjoy
animals, plants, outdoor activities and simply being outside.
The Rotation Model fits nicely here Pebble Hill, we are able to use the gifts
of the congregation to teach our children. We spend 3-4 weeks learning a story
in many different ways. One week you may be in the kitchen baking bread, while
learning about the Last Supper, or in the art room, making a prayer shawl as we
learn the Lord’s Prayer.
The "ROOMS" we use for Church School are:
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- Tabernacle: is where the Bible story is heard, read and experienced through
games, puzzles, quizzes, book searches, maps, newspapers, reading different
translations, etc. [Linguistic, Logical -Mathematical]
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- Drama/Storytelling, Catacombs, is a place where children sit around the camp
"fire" dressed in costume, outside of a tent and hear a storyteller relate the
story, as the Hebrews would have done through oral tradition.
[Bodily-Kinesthetic, Linguistic, Spatial]
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- The Art Room, Media Place, gives children the opportunity to respond to what
they are hearing and experiencing in some art form (not a craft!) while hearing
the story or theme of the unit. Some items could be: Making Joseph's Coat of
many colors (we made tie dye shirts), creating a banner for Pentecost, making
items to give to others in need, creating a table runner reminding us of Jesus’,
making our own oil lamps when studying about the bride and the bridegroom, etc.
Some of these items are to give to others, take home or stay for enhancing the
learning environment. [Spatial, Logical-Mathematical]
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- The Hallelujah Chorus Room (Music and Movement): You won't find peace and
quiet very often at this workshop. Instead you will hear voices raised,
instruments played, and bodies moving in praise to the Lord. Some days children
will be singing and playing authentic historical music; sometimes they will be
preparing for special musical productions to be shared in the Worship Service.
Other times they will be doing what we have always done with our children use
music to praise God and teach the Bible! [Bodily-Kinesthetic, Musical, Spatial,
Linguistic-verbal]
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- The Tech Central Room (Computer Room) allows children to find ways to
memorize Scripture with a large game board, the chance to play Bible Computer
games, use computer software to make Bible quizzes and even write Bible
curriculum themselves. This computer area can be "on-line" and allows the
student's access to our college students and other churches. [Linguistic,
Logical-Mathematical]
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- The Good Samaritan Room (Mission): is a missions center and computer center
where children do most of their missionary educational experience. Wall maps are
used to keep track of where missionaries are or have been. Stories from today
and yesterday's missionaries are told here. [Bodily-Kinesthetic, Spatial,
Logical-Mathematical, Linguistic]
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- Faith Journals are kept and used as a way of giving the children time to
reflect on what they have experienced. These journals can be kept and added to
during the years children spend at the Church and can be given to them at the
culmination of their Graduation thus outlining their own personal spiritual
journey and developing relationship with Jesus Christ. [Intrapersonal,
Linguistic]
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- The Banquet Room (kitchen): this is where we bake bread when learning about
the Last Supper, or tell the Reformation story with ripe bananas (we were ripe
for a change), cinnamon hots (selling of indulgences), mint candies (heaven),
candy kisses (the love God has for us), M&M candies (to show the many
denominations in the reform tradition family). [Bodily-Kinesthetic,
Spatial, Logical-Mathematical]
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Side Trips are also possible as the children experience the labyrinth mowed
into our lawn, or to the Sanctuary to use our creation windows as a learning
tool.
Each week a different age group will visit a different location. At the end
of three - four weeks the children will have experienced one thematic lesson in
different environments, making it much easier for them to recall the message and
even have that message become part of their lives. Workshop leaders have the
privilege of doing one lesson 3-4 times in a setting that fits their particular
giftedness and interest thus allowing for better familiarity with the story or
project. Everyone can really have fun learning in this atmosphere! So can YOU!
More information about the Rotation Model can be seen at:
www.rotation.org and
www.childrensministries.org.
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