Howard Hendricks: The Law of Readiness

Note: Howard Hendricks went to be with the Lord on Feb 20, 2013. This is part of a series of articles published in his honor.

Before the race, runners stretch their muscles. Before the concert, the orchestra tunes up.

And there’s a necessary preparation for both the learner and teacher as well.

The Law of Readiness is this: The teaching-learning process will be most effective when both student and teacher are adequately prepared. It highlights one of the great problems for teachers: Their students come to class cold.

Let’s suppose you’re teaching the book of Isaiah in an adult Sunday school class. On a certain Sunday, a miracle has occurred: This morning you will actually get a full sixty minutes of pure teaching time (primarily because today they eliminated the “opening exercises”—a fascinating term, since most of them open little and exercise less).

So you’ve got a good hour ahead of you, and you begin by saying, “Would you please open your Bibles to Isaiah 27?” Immediately they’re thinking,

What’s in Isaiah 27?

Who knows?

And even, Who cares?

But you are a competent teacher, and you believe strongly in the value for our lives today of the message in Isaiah 27. You believe this chapter is a passage not only to be mastered, but to be mastered by. Gradually the class begins to warm up to Isaiah 27. In fact, as the hour nears its end, they’re beginning to think of questions. The passage you’ve explored has touched on various needs and problems in their lives. You have aroused their deep interest.

But the time is gone. Class is over. A week later, you walk in again and say, “Would you please open your Bibles to Isaiah 28?”

What’s in Isaiah 28?

Who knows?

Who cares?

In this manner you work your way together through the book.

I want to propose an alternative approach, allowing you to get the best investment of time during that hour together: Do not think of the beginning of that class hour as the starting point for building interest in your subject. Instead, move the starting point back … so that by the time you get together, you are continuing to develop momentum. And by the time the class is over, the learners will have found answers to their questions and solutions to their problems and will be motivated to continue studying the passage on their own or with others.

Teaching to Change Lives: Seven Proven Ways to Make Your Teaching Come Alive by Howard Dr Hendricks