Yes, you can learn and drink wine at the same time!

The strongest example I have experienced of an effective community of learning would have to be at camp. This time however, I'm not talking about church camp. I'm talking about Pinot Camp. Yes, that's right, Pinot, as in Pinot Noir - the wine grape. One of the few perks of owning and operating a restaurant is that occasionally I get invited to attend "trade" events designed to increase my awareness or knowledge of a particular wine, winery or wine region. Rarely, however, do I come away with learning as much as I did during my time at Oregon Pinot Camp this last June.

As much as I'd like to talk right now about what I learned during those four days in the Willamette Valley south of Portland, I'd like to explore why I learned so much. In a nutshell, the effectiveness of my learning had everything to do with the community that was created during that remarkably brief time traipsing through the vineyards and wineries of one of the world's hottest new wine making regions. I am certain that the forethought and attention given to creating that community will have lasting impacts not only on me but certainly on a number of the country's most promising restaurateurs and wine merchants.

Before I get to the elements of why I feel this learning community was so successful, I need to give a little background on the nature of Oregon Pinot Camp. Fifty of the most committed wineries each chip in financial and human resources in order to host 200 wine industry professionals. The event takes place over four days and in a variety of locations and settings. As you can imagine, given the topic, there is a lot of wine-ing and certainly dining as a major part of the activities, but the overall goal of the camp hosts is to educate the participants on the ins and outs of the Oregon Pinot Noir industry.

First, it must be noted that participation in Oregon Pinot Camp is by invitation only. This way the hosts can guarantee that each participant has a comparable level of wine knowledge and interest. This commonality wasn't intended to stifle thought but instead resulted in conversations at a much deeper level. Grape-growers and wine makers enjoyed having an audience that spoke their language. In turn, the participants appreciated being brought into the conversation by well-respected experts.

Secondly, the organizers/teachers and the participants shared a very important characteristic; they were truly passionate about the topic at hand. This passion fueled every presentation and conversation, which ultimately ensured that real learning could occur. It was obvious that both teacher and student cared about the outcomes of their time spent together.

Lastly, it has to be said that Pinot Camp was fun. It was not just an academic exercise. No other trade event I've participated in was so good at creating fun in the midst of some serious stuff. (Yes, there are people, like me, who take wine very seriously.) There's something to be said for the effectiveness of learning while in an enjoyable environment.

What does all of this mean for creating an effective learning environment within the boundaries of Christian education? Well, I'm fairly certain that the lessons learned from Pinot Camp will serve me well in the future.

1) Make sure teacher and student are able to speak the same language at the same level.

2) Make sure the participants are gathered together because they are passionate about the topic (and if they're not, figure out a compelling reason for them to be).

3) Have fun. Even if the topic is less than funny that doesn't mean the educating/learning can't be enjoyable.

And if these rules don't succeed, go straight to lesson 4) Have a glass of Oregon Pinot Noir.