January 20 – February 28, 2025

Course Description: Teaching and learning methods that enhance engagement in, and ownership of, the learning process are as important for older adults as they are for all ages. Applying to our own contexts the principles for older adult ministry and research on ways older adults engage with the world and form faith can shape ministry for these times. Exploring a variety of ways to teach and learn and examining their application to, and needed adaptations for, older adults can increase the effectiveness of the older adult ministries in which we engage.    

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Describe, and engage older adults (60 +) in, a variety of ways to encounter and explore topics, ideas and learning contexts;

• Identify and apply to teaching practice differences between “mature (mid-50 to mid-70)” and “older (mid-70 and beyond) adults;”

• Discuss and apply to older adult ministry principles of faith formation for older adults;

• Prepare and lead a lesson plan for teaching older adults, and reflect on their own teaching practice;

• Find biblical texts on aging and explore them for wisdom for forming faith.

Location: Online

With: Joyce MacKichan Walker served Nassau Presbyterian Church as Director of Christian Education and then, following ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament, as Minister of Education and Mission until her retirement in July 2018. A graduate of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (now Union Presbyterian Seminary) in Richmond, VA, Joyce is a Certified Christian Educator who has served the larger church as a keynote speaker and workshop leader. She most recently served as keynoter for the 2022 POAMN (Presbyterian Older Adult Ministry Network) Leadership Conference, and contributed “Guiding Principles for Older Adult Ministry” to the Expressions of Older Adult Ministry project (linked here).

Schedule: Much of the learning activities take place on your own, reading and responding to prompts posted on the course site. All reading materials or videos will be available on the site.

Weekly live sessions via Zoom are scheduled as follows: Tuesdays*, January 21, 27*(Monday), February 4, and 11 from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM ET. There will be participant teaching and response sessions on Tuesday, February 25 and Wednesday, February 26 from 11:30 AM – 1:15PM as needed depending on the size of the class.

Weekly topics include:

Week of January 20: Faith Formation and Older Adults

Week of January 27: Big Picture Principles and Key Teaching Skills

Week of February 3: Teaching Methodology and Principles Applied

Week of February 10: Teaching for Community

Week of February 17: Time for working on micro-teaching session

Week of February 24: Micro-teaching sessions

Participants will be divided into groups and lead a micro-teaching session during the final week of the course. These sessions are planned for Tuesday, February 25 and Wednesday, February 26 (11:30 AM- 1:15 PM). All times are ET. The number of micro-teaching groups (3 to a group) will depend on course enrollment.

Program Fee: Early registration before November 1, 2024, $235. Program fee of $265 after that date. Discounts are available for CTS staff, students, faculty and 2022 graduates.

Contact: lifelonglearning@ctsnet.edu