Teaching Pre-Teens and Middle Schoolers with software in the Bible Computer Lab

Pre-Teens & Middle Schoolers in the Bible Computer Lab
A Sunday Software Article by Neil MacQueen

Now with the added section:
BLOW IT UP! ...a different approach to Youth Sunday School

(Note: The "Preschoolers in the Computer Lab" section has been moved to www.sundaysoftware.com/adapting-down.htm)

Pre-Teens Middle Schoolers in the Bible Computer Lab
A Sunday Software Article by Neil MacQueen

I know a thing or two about Middle Schoolers...
I have raised 3 daughters and survived. I've been a youth pastor. And I've been working with this age group in Fellowship and Sunday School classes since I was 17.

To say “ Middle Schoolers love computers” is an understatement. This age group REALLY LOVES computers and technology. (A few years ago I had to explain that. But I'm not going to waste time doing that now!)

And it is this love of computers, as well as, their age, which presents some very unique challenges to having young teens in the computer lab.

A few years ago we asked our 6^th and 7^th graders if they "still wanted to do computer next year." They were IN HORROR at the suggestion. They had been rotating into our lab on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights for years. In fact, I think that’s one of the reasons why it is so easy to have them in our lab… they have GROWN WHAT TO EXPECT and feel like they own the place. Needless to say, we kept them coming to the lab the following year. This age group is often trying on excuses for not coming to church, and we weren't about to give them another one.

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This is the BIG CONCLUSION:

You raise and train kids to be good students in your lab.

If you dump a group of 7th graders into a new lab with an inexperienced teacher who doesn't know them or the software, good luck. In fact, I tell new labs to work with children first to train their teachers and THEN start sneaking older kids into the lab. Within a year or two, it's a lot easier to add the older kids on a regular basis without freakin out your teachers.

You GROW GOOD STUDENTS. It takes time, and it takes a good gardener. Don't expect a 12 yr old to act like an 8 or 18 year old in your class when you throw them in with their favorite technology and an inexperienced teacher.

Here's my best advice to those teaching pre-teens and Middle Schoolers with software at church

1. Structure, Structure, Structure (with a smile)

Middle Schoolers think they want free-time, but never know what to do with it. They like goofing off, but can be rather compliant when authority figures are around. They have a fear of being caught, but also a sense of righteousness and strong desire for "fairness." (In case you've never done it, playing games with Middle Schoolers is all about "fairness" --but they love to cheat, as long as no one else is allowed to cheat, of course. Too funny.) They are crowd followers and mob lovers but respond pretty well to clear lesson structure and clear agendas. If they like you personally, they will respond well to you. So don't be overly structured and stiff.

Start your lab lesson by writing out the lesson agenda on a whiteboard. This will put them at ease about "what we're going to do today."
Write down what you want them to learn, and write down the expectations. Don't assume.
Write out the schedule, and tell them they will be rewarded with "play time" at the end of the lesson if they "buy in" to the lesson and content with you. This age group is good at following rules to achieve rewards.

2. Reward good behavior with Play Time

At the beginning of every lesson with this age group, you need to tell them “when” and “how long” they will have to play after the lesson. (Ha! They'll probably ask you anyway before you get the chance to tell them!) Middle Schoolers have a high "need to know" and high need for “being able to just have fun.” If you don’t schedule some play time into the lab time, they will find a way to goof off during the lesson anyway.

3. Pick the right software

They love the "gamey" software. And that's why we have even tucked-in games in many of our "story" programs. It's also why we have put some crazy humor in our CDs.... the older kids love it. Middle Schoolers can use use almost any software, even really “young” software, if you sell it to them and put some spin on it.

Young teens can be self-conscious about not wanting to be treated like little kids. But occasionally I have to dip into something that is a “little young” for them (such as any of the Interactive Bible Series CDs). So the first thing I do is tell them, “I know this isn’t for you, but I thought we take a look anyway.” Those opening words grant me a lot of grace. My Middle Schoolers and I have a good relationship and they trust me. Humor helps, and some “psychology” never hurts.

Occasionally I'll run into teacher who thinks Middle Schoolers need more "serious Bible study" software. Those teachers are usually the wrong kind of teachers for this age group. Middle Schoolers love to play and they respond to quirky humor. In the software I design, I try to remember that. You'll see a lot of funny odd things like bread crumbs along the lesson path. In Elijah & Jonah CD, we made a little animation of the Prophets of Baal repeatedly spearing themselves in the head as they danced (just like the Bible says). And we added a button for them to "re-spit" Jonah onto the dry land. They love stuff like that. Software allows young people to "PLAY THROUGH" the story. The "play" creates engagement. It turns on brain cells. Many adults like playful software too. If you have teachers who DO NOT LIKE playful software, they need to be retired.

4. Anything that’s like a game or has competition in it will go over big.

Pre-teens and Middle Schoolers love to play. They are hooked on videogames, the internet, and are still playing a lot of extracurricular sports. This means that programs like Galilee Flyer, Bongo, and all the games in Elijah & Jonah CD. They also love the quizzes in software. If one computer workgroup doesn’t do so well in a Life of Christ quiz, all I have to point out is that another workgroup has a higher score, and the kids will want to take their quiz again. Be careful not to create long quizzes that are too hard in programs such as Fall of Jericho CD. It can backfire. Middle Schoolers don’t like to look stupid in front of their peers.

They like programs they can change. So it comes as no surprise that our Middle Schoolers won't leave our Let’s Talk program alone. I had forgotten how much Middle Schoolers love to type and love to make the computer “do things.” Making the computer talk is right up their alley. All I have to do is clearly set up the task and monitor their progress, and...kick them off of it after the class is over. They want to keep playing it.

Pictured Right: A pre-teen BOY sitting next to two girls! That's the power of computers for you.

Cal & Marty’s Scripture Memory Game CD is a perfect Middle School program. They get to “program it” by adding verses and quiz questions. And if they take too much time solving a verse, or I want them to do it again, all I have to do is say “try beating so-and-so’s score” and they’re instantly back at it.

Aside: Middle Schoolers can also be allergic to anything packaged as "serious content." Bible CDs and Bible Atlases have some cool multimedia in them, but Middle Schoolers will try and pass by the text. With this age group, "the grass is always greener on the other screen." So when I use these types of tools, I have to use them in a limited, structured, feet to the fire -kind of way. Actually, I have to use these approaches with this age group all the time. Read on...

5. “Monitor their progress”

Pre-teens and Middle Schoolers are naturally playful, but left unattended, un-managed playfulness turns into goofing off. This is where “who the teacher is” really comes into play. Middle Schoolers can smell a “Cream Puff” or “Harvey Milquetoast” teacher a mile away.

If your Middle Schoolers “rotate” into your lab, one of the most important things you can do is make sure their regular leaders come with them. The Middle School leaders likely has figured these kids out. They know which ones to keep an eye on, and how to leverage their attention.

In lieu of their regular leader, make sure you have a strong computer lab teacher. Then, when the kids get in the lab, tell them upfront EXACTLY what you’ll be doing that day. This age group wants to know “what are we going to do today” more than any other. Middle Schoolers can be full of anxieties, so let them in on your agenda and don’t be afraid to provide structure.

Middle Schoolers respond well to personal presence. If your teachers aren’t sitting right at the computers with the students, you’re missing a key ingredient in working with this age group.

6. How to Get Them to Talk

Believe it or not, Middle Schoolers love to talk. Some (most, actually) just might not want to look "uncool" or "childish" by talking with the teacher. Their ego's safest answer is always "I don't know." I know that some teachers and pastors (usually fresh out of seminary) think they can get "Middle Schoolers to talk" just by the force of their dynamic personality, or creative ice breakers. But the truth is, they don't like to talk in "mixed" groups because of psychological, developmental and cultural reasons. Take it from an old hand... You need to find ways to work around it, instead of banging your forehead against it. Middle Schoolers would give Jesus a hard time.

Middle Schoolers don't like being put "on the spot" in front of everybody. When everyone is looking at them, they feel self-conscious more than any other age group. That's why teaching AT the computer actually helps them, because they're not eyeball-to-eyeball with everyone. Now you also know I invented the Let's Talk CD. They can design an onscreen character to do their talking FOR THEM. We even have their character "pray" for them at the end of the lesson. It's really a funny thing isn't it?

Aside: Middle Schoolers love instant messaging, phones and text messaging BECAUSE they are anxious about how they sound and appear before others. These communication tools help them get around their anxieties. They create a slight bit of anonymity.

None of this is to say you should not try holding a face-to-face discussion with your group. I do it all the time -because my kids know me really well. But I get better results when we're not putting them on the spot.

7. Figure Out Who the Ringleaders are...

Middle Schoolers follow the cues of their peers. A peer who has strong social skills and a "cool" factor going on will be the leader of the group, even though no formal voting takes place. It's just the way their world works. This leader can help your lessons or hinder them greatly. Identify the leaders early, and cater to them. They want the attention, and will set the tone for everyone else about "what's ok to do or say." I know this sounds counter intuitive and even wrong, but it works. If the ringleaders follow your lead, the others will follow.

Corollary: Find out who the computer geeks are... They often want to show people how much of a computer geek they are, and that means they can sometimes work against your lesson. They want to flip through everything, or try to thwart the controls, or can't wait to get into the screensaver. Actually, I like to talk to these kids because I'm a tech geek too. Part of what they want is recognition that they ARE cool with technology. It's part of their ego. Sometimes I'll ask the geek to help with a "not so geeked" kid. Or I'll ask them to come in early and stay late to turn on/shutdown the computers. Occasionally I'll have my geeks preview a new program after class. Over time, it works miracles.

A lot of the time, I recruit these "leader geeks" to help me teach the younger kids. It is an amazing thing to see a Middle Schooler go from "working against the lesson" to becoming a model student, all because they are teachers now too. It's as if they are on the "inside" now because they have been asked to lead. Can't tell you how many times these tips have worked great things for those kids who were once a bit of trouble.

Note: the "computer geeks" these days aren't not the same as they were long ago. IE --you can't identify them by their pocket protectors. Often, they are technologically savvy, and in the "in crowd" as well.

8. More Discussion Tricks 'O the Trade

Visual redirection... Middle Schoolers seem to respond better when looking at visual images other them you and their fellow students. Meaning: you'll likely have a better discussion about a movie if you're all looking at clips. You'll likely have a better discussion about a lesson in Life of Christ when you are looking at that software, or showing them one of the pictures from the lesson they just took.

Response Misdirection.... If you ask a Middle Schooler what THEY think about a Bible passage, they are likely to dummy up. But if you ask them what a MOM, or a Teacher, or a young kid might think, they can respond because it's "not about them." I use this technique in Kid Pix 3 a lot. The drawing tools are a bit elementary for them, but the talk-back typing tools are not. I'll ask them to draw a crazy scene, such as "the Pentecost story as told by Pirates," then ask them to "state the meaning of the Gospel in Pirate language." Or, "define the Good News in terms a Baby would understand." Works every time, and it's fun. This is the same principle behind our Let's Talk CD.

Anonymous Response... Sometimes I collect their responses to lesson questions on anonymous slips of paper. Then we play a game of "who wrote this." It greases the skids for follow up discussion with the person who wrote it. Or if nobody claims it, others have fun adding to the answer. Making discussion into a GAME is sometimes a great way to get the ball rolling. Anonymity creates a safe zone too.

Move on Dot Org... Don't linger on a question or subject too long. Resist believing that your overly-long and sincere monologue is a required lesson element!

Final Thoughts....
Unlike any other age group, any other, pre-teens Middle Schoolers are hyper-aware of "how they feel" in situations. And they come to us at a time in their life when many are judgmental towards them, worried about their behavior, and when their peers are at their peak harshness. And let's not forget to mention the hormones, enough said. You are raising students, not plowing-in information. If they feel good about your time with them, they will trust you more the next time. If you bore them, or make them uncomfortable by putting them on the spot, you'll lose them.

<>< Neil MacQueen

March 2011 Addendum:

"BLOW IT UP..."

Among other things...

Teenagers can should be learning with Christian Software
(though perhaps not in the way you think)

...and should be evangelized through social media by your church

Not for the faint of heart...

I'm going to take a HUGE SWIPE at traditional Youth Sunday School here:

We've done a disservice to our teens by herding them in traditional discussion-oriented classes on Sunday morning. The research, stats,
and experience says it's not producing adult disciples.

And we've done an especially big disservice by putting Jr. Highs together in the same room with each other, -where their primary
biological imperative at that point is to not look stupid or uncool in front of their peers. The result: they clam up, and allow the
"behaviorally challenged" to rule the roost. Jr. Highs in the same room together would give JESUS a hard time. Such an environment sets the stage for diminished returns in High School.

One reason we are captive of this model: Do-gooding youth leaders and Sunday School teachers who use teen Sunday School classes as a pulpit, believing that they relate well to teens, and hoping that "if they can just talk to the kids they can get through to them." We have herded teens into classes because talk is cheap, easy to program, and serves the egos of the "talkers". Their heart was in the right place, but the results speak for themselves.

I say these things as a three-decade veteran of youth Sunday School, veteran youth minister, and as somebody who was probably better than most at relating to teens and "talking to them."

With apologies to Ecclesiastes 3...

IT IS TIME TO BLOW IT UP.

As any parent can tell you, teens learn better and really listen through EXPERIENCE and EXAMPLE. Sitting around and listening to an adult talking head is way down the list. (Many young adult youth leaders don't know this because they haven't yet raised teens.)

We in the church have tinkered with different types of "active" lesson plans for youth, -me as much as anybody. With regard to teens, I have concluded that we need a more radical approach, ...and one that many of us with computers in our classrooms have already adopted.

1. Turn your teens into teachers.

They crave attention, being needed and being loved. Most respond to responsibility. They will learn both the content of the lesson and its heart by helping lead Sunday School classes for the children. And they will learn by example teaching along side you.

Inviting teens to teach with you also gives you a new way of relating to them at a deeper shared level. And it removes them from the
oppressive group environment created by the scrutiny they are feeling when gathered with their peers.

Yes, this will take more time and preparation, but it will also get better results. Since 1990 I have been inviting teens to come help
me teach in my computer labs. Not only are teens ENAMORED of technology, they are good at using it! And the moment you put them next
to children, most teens drop their fascade and begin to open up. It's a wonderful thing to watch.

Heretical Perspective:
I'd rather work with 3 or 4 interested teens to become responsible teachers in our program than herd 7 or 8 teens a week into a "talking
head class" only to watch most of them SLIDE OUT THE BACK DOOR in a year or two. Heck, I used to run classes with 15 and 25 kids a Sunday! ...and in retrospect, it was the kids I involved in teaching and helping around the church who seemed to really "GET" what the church was all about.
Throwing them all together for 45 boring minutes with a talking head is EASIER and makes the teacher feel like they're doing something, --but it doesn't produce disciples the way we think it does. (And if it is held simultaneous with Worship time, then it has the double effect of raising up teens who feel uncomfortable in adult worship. ...but that's another diatribe ;-)

2. Use Social Media to Reach Out to (and teach) Your Teens.

Bluntly: You are ridiculously out-of-touch if you do not understand the importance of this idea. We are experiencing a revolution in
how we communicate, share our lives, and get our information, --and our teens are at the forefront of these changes.

80% of teens spend two hours a day online or texting on their phones. And according to a 2010 Pew Research poll, fully 72% of all teens
use cellphones, and 88% of them use their phones for text-messaging. More than half of all teens (54%) today are daily texters. And the
percentages continue to rise. Among all teens, their frequency of use of texting has now overtaken the frequency of every other common
form of interaction with their friends.

Social media, such as texting and Facebook, is widely and rightly credited with the revolution that has spread across the Middle East here in 2011.
I was struck by one recent analysis that said such connectivity allowed young people in the Arab world to see what OTHERS HAVE and what
they were missing. In church terms, we might call them "SEEKERS." By reaching out through social media, your teens and their friends
can see what the church has, what you have, and what active kids have, -that they might be missing.

To wit:

A. Have a Twitter account sending out weekly announcements, positive affirmations, and scripture TEXT messages to the phones of your
teens.

B. Have a Facebook page for the teens at your church that your kids can "like" (ie, follow and read). Invite key teens to help you
administer/post to that page. Post summaries of what you've been doing/studying, the upcoming schedule, and fun stuff. (Just remember to not be nerdy about it, since your kids' 'friends' will be able to see the message too).

C. Talk with your teens about how they can use social media for good and not just for gossip. Discuss privacy issues, and how much is
too much.

D. Involve teens in learning with software, as well as, TEACHING with software. Learning with software has a "SOCIAL" aspect when you
do it right (and don't put headphones on them). The focus on the screen helps remove their worries about what others are thinking of
them -which is this age group's primary PRIMARY in face to face teaching.

---

Sorry for the brevity and terseness.

Let those with ears fill in the blanks and begin finding out what combination of NEW approaches and out-reach works best for their situation.

<>< Neil MacQueen

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