Beamlight Foundation Coaching/Mentoring Class held on 1st April 2017 focused on three main areas:
- Problem Solving and Creative Thinking
- Understanding Your Unique Learning Cycle
- Learning the Skill of Saying No to Premarital Sex
The Problem Solving and Creative Thinking class started with a quote from Albert Einstein: “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Participants were encouraged to look at problems and situations from a fresh perspective that throws up new idea (that is, they should be creative in their thinking). Six ways to enhance one’s problem solving skills were stated as:
- Focus on the solution – not the problem
- Have an open mind
- View problems neutrally
- Think laterally
- Use language that creates possibility
- Simplify things
Also, steps to effective problem solving were given as:
- Define the problem
- Brainstorm solutions
- Pick a solution
- Implement the solution
- Review the results
Furthermore, in “Understanding Your Unique Learning Cycle”, Learning was defined as: “the act of acquiring new, or modifying and reinforcing existing knowledge, behaviours, skills, values, or preference which may lead to a potential change in synthesizing information, depth of the knowledge, attitude or behaviour relative to the type and of experience” (Wikipedia). Simply put, Learning is getting to know new things and knowing how to do things you already know better.
Participants were encouraged to create a learning cycle by: Planning, Doing, Studying, and Acting. They were also meant to understand that there are different learning styles and it is good for them to know which style or combination of styles suit them best. The learning styles include: Learning by Doing (that is to work with a coach, immediate practicing), Participating (that is, play, exercises, discussions, demonstrations) and Receiving (audio-visual, reading, and lecture).
Equally, participants were encouraged to practise the 5E’s. That is, Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate in order to fully comprehend their unique learning cycle. It is important to state that, “you don’t just learn by doing … you need to think about what you did and improve on it.”
Also, in “Learning How to Say No to Premarital Sex,” participants learnt that their bodies doesn’t belong to them but God and as such, should be careful on how they behave especially when it comes to the issue of premarital sex (1Corinthians 6:19). They were given apt and simple ways they can stay off premarital sex. These include:
- Knowing full well that your body belongs to God and not you.
- Occupying your thoughts with positive and creative things (Phillipians 4:8)
- Associating with the right set of people (that is, people with a good vision and focus)
- Never be alone with the opposite sex.
