A Pedagogical Trick

I discovered that dry-erase markers will not erase off of Scotch tape, and that discovery led to the following Bible class illustration.

Before the students arrived, I stuck Scotch tape to the white board in the shape of a cross. The tape was not totally invisible on a white board, but it wasn't readily visible either. Nothing a little misdirection couldn't cover, anyway.

Then, during class I drew a big box on the board (around the hidden cross) to signify the amount of time we have in a given week. I then asked the students to brainstorm all the many things they do in a week. I prompted them when necessary by giving them some categories of activities to think about. "What kind of activities go into playing a sport?" (practice, working out, games) or "What kind of activities are connected to school?" (clubs, homework, college applications) or "What do you do when you're just hanging out?" (TV, video games, Internet, texting) or "What kind of activities are connected with church?" (worship, Bible class, devos, retreats).

As they named activities, I would write them inside of the box, taking little care to write them in a neat or orderly way. When we were done, I had a box filled with words that I then scribbled on to indicate how we go from one activity to another to another to another with little time for rest. I made the point that even though many of the things on the board are good activities in which to be involved, we have to beware of over-filling our schedules. We need the rhythm of rest and work in our lives. Sometimes we need to declutter so that we can focus on what's most important. At this point in the lesson, I wiped the eraser through the box on the white board. The words were all wiped away, and the shape of the cross remained.

The trick accomplished its goal. The students were surprised and impacted, and I hope it will be something they remember long after they've forgotten who was even teaching class that morning.