Mentor's Manual

86 For the Nex t Generat i on: The Urban Mi n i s t r y I ns t i tute ’ s Mentor Manua l

3. It allows the students time to better gain perspective in the context of their family and ministry lives. A longer period for meditation and consideration of the truth allows students to think about the correlation of their learning within the specific contexts of their personal lives and ministries in the church. Such time can make all the difference between rushing through material and making the principles their own.

Advantages of an Eight- to Nine-Week Class Format

1. It allows students the time needed to process the large amount content given in each segment.

Managing the

Class Schedule

2. It encourages students to develop learning and helping relationships among themselves as they process the data over time. (The entire “cohort” theory of adult learning reinforces the importance of shared dialogue and interaction for urban learners.) The repeated gatherings and additional time together reinforces and strengthens this kind of communal learning environment.