John Milton Gregory knew what the world needed, then and now.

“It is no ordinary work which we are set to do, and it comes to us under no ordinary conditions.

“The hungry eyes of toiling millions are turned, with mingled hope and fear, upon us, to see what new and better solution we can possibly offer of the great problems on which their well-being and destiny depend.”

— Spoken on March 11, 1868 by John Milton Gregory at his inauguration as first regent of what would become University of Illinois.

These words might just as easily have been spoken today. Hungry eyes still look to Extension to see what new and better solutions we have that will help them improve their lives and change their destiny.

Former Illinois chancellor Robert Jones, in his November 19, 2020 State of the University Address, given during those early months of the pandemic, said:

“I believe there is no time when we were in more need of Gregory’s hope and vision. And there cannot be many times when the circumstances of our society have ever called out louder to us for help.

These are most certainly days of “mingled hope and fear,” and we are certainly confronted with the greatest problem of our generation.

These are the days when no ordinary work will be enough.

These are the days when new and better solutions are critically needed.

These are the days for which our university was created.”

Your place in this moment is not accidental. Your work matters.

What better solution will you give the world today, and how will you share that with your community of learners? I have a suggestion:

Try using Gregory’s 7 Laws of Teaching in your programming efforts.

In 1868, Gregory also wrote The Seven Laws of Teaching. These seven laws remind me of great Extension professionals, those colleagues who just command a room when they teach. Ask yourself if they do these seven things. I bet they do.

Gregory said, “A teacher should:

1. Know thoroughly and familiarly the lesson you wish to teach; or, in other words, teach from a full mind and a clear understanding.

2. Gain and keep the attention and interest of the pupils upon the lesson. Refuse to teach without attention.

3. Use words understood by both teacher and pupil in the same sense—language clear and vivid alike to both.

4. Begin with what is already well known to the pupil in the lesson, and proceed to the unknown by single, easy, and natural steps, letting the known explain the unknown.

5. Use the pupil's own mind, exciting his self-activities. Keep his thoughts as much as possible ahead of your expression, making him a discoverer of truth.

6. Require the pupil to reproduce in thought the lesson he is learning—thinking it out in its parts, proofs, connections, and applications until he can express it in his own language.

7. Review, review, REVIEW, reproducing correctly the old, deepening its impression with new thought, correcting false views, and completing the true.”

Great Extension educators do this: Teach from a full mind. Use words understood by both. Begin with what is already well known. Let the known explain the unknown. Allow the audience to become discoverers of truth.

I’m a big fan of John! Hope you are now, too!

And that’s my 4 minutes of inspiration for you this week!

Judy Bingman, owner of Storywriter Solutions
creator of Extension Insider and Like My Life

Read more blogs on the website. Share this blog on social media.

If you want to read more about John Milton Gregory, purchase The Seven Laws of Teaching from your favorite local bookstore, or click the Amazon link below and support my efforts just a bit while you get a great book.

Speaking of teaching, I’ll be providing a workshop next week at the ESP National Extension Professionals Annual Conference. Drop me a note if you’re attending, and I’ll have your free gift waiting for you at my Wednesday 11:15 morning session!