When I was asked to be a fieldwork tutor for the CYM I was really flattered and excited as it meant I was heading bak to my academi roots but using the experience I've gained in youth ministry. It seemed a perfect combination of my skills in many ways. Furthermore, I was looking forward to engaging with active learners again as I found when I was teaching at Reading Uni that I learnt so much more by teaching than I had learnt when I myself was a student. Much has been written on the subject of learning styles though I've never picked up on teaching as a learning style itself. I've often heard other teachers and lecturers share that they too have experienced this accelerated learning through teaching. It is something about consolidating what you already know and crystallising it into a form that is understandable to other people. It speaks to you again afresh because of the refleaction.
I had my first three-way meeting with one of my CYM students today and discovered (as I rather suspected I might) that I know far more about youth work/ministry practice, theological reflection, time management and many other things than I would have given myself creidt for. It was a wonderful experience.
This was in some contrast to SAOMC this evening where I struggled to concentrate (this may well have been due to the returning headache :o( though I don't think this was all.) on the history of the church in the 17th century and then the Psalms - both things which interest me but somehow they just didn't click tonight well not as much as they should have.
Perhaps it is this learning through teaching style that draws me to ministry (youth or otherwise) as it means I can learn about my faith, about God and about the Church as I teach others about those things.
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