Category Archives: children

THE VALUE OF STAYING PUT

Posted by Jan 12, 2021 children, leadership, Methods for teaching children, Serving , , , , , ,

“We live in a world that emphasizes short-term commitments and where endurance is not a requirement.”

We’ve all been tempted to quit when the road seems all uphill and we encounter one obstacle after another. I remember one such day in my early ministry when I was walking across a college campus in a heavy rain, utterly discouraged. I had just learned that many of my credits from a California college would not be accepted in Oregon where we had moved. After a significant investment of time and finances in my education, I wondered if a college degree was really in God’s will.

My goal was to better prepare myself for the children’s ministry I was involved in and for the future, but doubts crept in each time I had setbacks that seemed beyond my control. I knew God had called me, but was there a better way? An easier way? As the rain poured down on that gloomy day, I asked the Lord if I should continue. Sometimes answers to our prayers take time, but in that very moment the answer came simply and clearly; Yes, I should continue, I was on the right path.

What I didn’t realize at the time, was the temporary setback I was experiencing was actually preparing me for future ministry. God wanted me to be ready to face the challenges ahead with faith and perseverance. but His plans for me would not come to fruition if I gave up too early. It would take years to reach my goal and God used this trying experience to teach me the value of long-term commitment.

We live in a world that emphasizes short term commitments and where endurance is not a requirement. In the church we often ask people to serve for brief periods of time because of a shortage of volunteers. Certainly, there’s a place for short-term assignments; but an effective children’s ministry can’t reach its potential based on temporary assignments alone.

We need a core of committed workers who can go the distance—and that starts with the leadership. Leaders who are building for the future, not just the urgent needs of today. If you’re in a difficult season and obstacles seem to block your vision, consider the value of staying put, spend time in prayer, and then look to the future in faith to see what God can do right where you are.

Here are some key principles to remember:

  1. A vision takes time to develop and grow to its full potential.
  2. A foundation is the most important part of the building; it takes time to get it right.
  3. God put you there for a reason. Your ministry team needs you. The children need you.
  4. You can be an example of stability and faithfulness to the families in your church. Your willingness to dig in your heels for the long term will inspire others to do the same.
  5. You’ll grow spiritually and be stronger for whatever God has for you in the future.
  6. Completing your assignment according to God’s timetable (not your own) is always best.
  7. People are following you, and will remember your example in the years to come.
  8. Your optimism for the future and a thriving children’s ministry will be contagious and spread throughout your church. Remember, its God working through you that will enable you to accomplish what seems impossible now. The One who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (I Thessalonians 5:24, NIV).

This article was written by Verda Rubottom and published by AG KIDMIN at www.kidmin.ag.org 11/21/17. A great website for teachers and leaders involved in Christian ministry.

Ten Great Benefits of Using Music in Children’s Ministries

Posted by Sep 29, 2017 children, Methods for teaching children, Parenting, Serving , , , ,

Music is a gift from God that we can all appreciate! Even if you don’t play an instrument or sing, you can enjoy music. I was blessed to have singing parents.  They sang in churches, at home, and even in the car!  I didn’t have formal music lessons growing up, but the musical environment my parents provided gave me a love for music that has lasted through the years.

Perhaps just as influential was the music I learned at church.  In my childhood years, I was exposed to the great music of the Church in a variety of settings.  Traditional hymns and anthems, spirituals, soul, and gospel were all a part of my musical experience. Our family traveled throughout the U.S. wherever my parents ministered so I became familiar with many different music styles. I loved going to church, and I think one of the reasons why was the beautiful praise and worship music that was part of my childhood.

Because of my personal experience, it’s easy for me to see the value of music in children’s ministries, but not everyone has musical roots or realizes the many benefits that it can bring. In this blog, and subsequent articles I will point out some of those benefits and reasons why all teachers should consider using music to teach and inspire their students.

  1. Music can set the tone for a joyful atmosphere in your class. Praise music helps us to focus on the goodness of God. Complaining children will often change their attitudes when they start singing songs of praise. Those who aren’t getting along are distracted and soon their differences seem to disappear.
  2. The skillful use of music can bring order to your class or children’s church. You can help children use their high levels of energy to praise the Lord with fun exciting songs, and at other times bring a calmness and reverent atmosphere with slower worship songs.
  3. Music touches the heart and helps prepare children for prayer and Bible story time. Just as pastors often plan for praise and worship music to prepare adults for the preaching of the Word, we can prepare children to receive God’s Word when we precede our lesson with songs of praise.
  4. Children are spiritually uplifted as they worship God in song!  They enjoy expressing their emotions with music. One reason this is true is because the love and  joy we feel as believers can often be expressed more naturally with songs or instruments than with words alone.
  5. Music helps children memorize scripture. The advertising world knows how easily we remember simple tunes and jingles and they invest millions of dollars to help us remember their products. Scripture is so much more valuable, but can also be easily brought to mind when the words are put to music.
  6. Music can provide a cohesive group experience that is both fun and meaningful. Children enjoy hearing the sounds of their voices lifted together in praise! I’ve seen this happen as they suddenly become aware of the beautiful music they are making together! There’s so much variety in children’s music today and we should take advantage of both the new, and the old favorites that children enjoy!
  7. Music provides a structure for learning Bible doctrine in an enjoyable way. Bible truths that are the foundation of our faith can be easily sung by children if they are age appropriate. And if they’re sung often, they’ll be remembered for years to come!
  8. In addition to spiritual benefits, it has been established in research that learning music promotes our physical, mental, emotional and social growth. We are helping our students grow in all of these ways when we introduce music into our lessons.
  9. Children can discover their natural gifts for music when you give them opportunities to sing or play instruments in your class. I was substituting one day in a third grade music class and I asked if any of the children would like to share a favorite song. Hands went up quickly! They all volunteered one of their friends to play the piano. I was amazed as their fellow student kept us all on the edge of our seats with his exciting rendition of a beautiful classical piece! But even the simple songs that some of the students sang afterwards were enjoyed by everyone!
  10. Praise music brings glory to God! The Bible tells us to worship the Lord with singing, playing instruments, and dancing. For a refresher on some of the many ways we can use music to praise God, read Psalms 150. Then think about ways that you can use music in your class!

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 NIV

So much more can be said on this subject so I’ll continue writing about the benefits of music and ways to use it in your class in my next blog.

God bless you as you serve Him today!

Verda Rubottom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fun Ways to Help Children Learn Scripture

Posted by Jul 27, 2017 children, Methods for teaching children, Serving

I’m continuing my theme on teaching Scripture this month.  In my last blog, I emphasized helping children retain what they’ve learned. In this blog, I’ve written a short list of ways to creatively teach Bible verses for various age groups and maturity levels. You can scan quickly and use them this week because they are so easy to make or do. As teachers we know we need to study the “whys” and “hows” of teaching, but we also need to have a repertoire of practical methods handy to accomplish our learning goals.  So here are a few ideas that I’ve listed below for you to consider. The first two are basic, but essential, as children need to “understand the meaning” and the “source” Scripture.

  1. Write out and illustrate the Bible verse with pictures or drawings.  Help the children find and read the verse in the Bible; or read it out loud together from the board.
  2. Explain the meaning, underline key words, and discuss with the children.
  3. Use an example or object lesson to further explain the meaning of the verse.
  4. Choral reading: divide class in half and have each group say parts of the verse in unison.
  5. Have puppets or visiting “Bible characters” teach the memory verse.
  6. Make Bible verse puzzles. First print the verse in large letters on poster board.  Draw puzzle lines and cut. Have the children assemble. This works well for preseason or game time.
  7. Use relay teams to put verse cards in order.  Use 3×5 cards with glued on magnets and magnet boards, or a clothesline and clothespins for each team.
  8. Give out study cards of 5-10 review verses for children to study for a Bible quiz the next Sunday.
  9. Provide colored markers or crayons, and paper for children to make their own Bible verse poster. Display in your room, or have them take home and use for review.
  10. Hide words of the Bible verse in the room (under chairs, tables, etc.)  Have children search for cards and put them in order using the Bible reference as a guide.
  11. Choose two or three children to do a pantomime or a review verse.  The rest of the class tries to guess the verse. Have several verses selected in advance. Make sure these are verses you’ve studied recently.
  12. Make Bible verse murals. Roll out white shelving paper and have small groups of children work together at tables to write out a verse and decorate mural.
  13. Use actions, sign language and choreography to teach verses.
  14. Use music with banners and colorful scarves to help children learn and sing the Bible verses.

The ideas above are taken from my book, First Steps for Effective Teaching, available for purchase from this website.

God bless you as you help children grow in their faith!

Verda Rubottom

 

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Growing in God’s Word: Helping Children Memorize Scripture

Posted by Jun 9, 2017 children, Methods for teaching children, Serving , , , , , , , , ,

Summer is here and it’s time to review the year, and consider ways to sharpen our teaching skills for our future students. If you’re in children’s ministry, you’re probably teaching throughout the summer. But one thing  is for sure if you’re a good teacher, you’re always learning new things and looking for ways to improve your teaching!  In my last blog,  I discussed the importance of helping children memorize Scripture. Here are some practical ways to help them learn—and retain Bible verses in their long term memory.

  • Psychologists tell us that information that’s presented both visually and verbally is easiest to remember. This is why using visuals and objects when teaching children is important.  And why explaining an idea with words, and visually is especially effective. When teaching children something new, associate the new concept or information with something they already know, and build on that. For example, when teaching about baby Moses, using a doll wrapped in a blanket will help young children associate something they’re familiar with, with a new story about a baby who was protected by God.
  • Before you have children memorize Scripture, teach them the meaning of the verse. They’ll remember it longer and be able to apply it in their life (in keeping with their age and maturity).
  • Children also learn through experiences, and they remember activities more when they talk about them. The experience of working together to put the words of a memory verse in order, filling in blank spaces of a verse, or playing games that reinforce Scripture will help them memorize better. Children will look forward to your class each week if you make it interesting and fun.  Surprise them occasionally with a new game or activity that will bring enthusiasm to your Bible verse learning time.
  • Because short-term memory is very brief—only 20-30 seconds in duration according to memory experts, it will be lost unless new information is connected to your long-term memory. For example, most people can only remember a new telephone number briefly unless they write it down, repeat it, or associate it with something for recall.  Experts tell us that long-term memory comes from well-learned information, which leads us to the importance of organization and repetition
  • Well organized information is easier to learn and memorize than disorganized material presented in a haphazard way. For this reason, we should take care to teach Bible verses in a systematic way. Teaching, explaining, reviewing, and linking verses from week to week will help children retain them in their long-term memory.
  • Repetition is essential for helping children memorize new information. Once they’re familiar with the verse and its meaning, use a variety of methods to repeat and review the verse.  Do this periodically with verses they already know to reinforce them as well.

    (The above steps for teaching Scripture to children are taken from my book, First Steps for Effective Teaching) 

    In my next blog I’ll share a variety of Bible verse learning activities.

God Bless You Today!

Verda Rubottom

 

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Learning to Love God’s Word

Posted by Mar 2, 2017 children, Serving , , , , , , , ,

Every Sunday in churches across America, gleeful preschool children sing out the favorite traditional song:  “The B-i-b-l-e , yes that’s the book for me!”  It’s a familiar song to those of us who grew up in church and learned about the Bible at a young age.

But I sometimes wonder if we understand just how important it is to teach the Bible to little children today. We know from Scripture that the Apostle Paul understood how important it is.  In his letter to Timothy,  Paul reminded the young preacher of the spiritual training in his early childhood years that brought him to faith in Christ. Paul writes,  From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.2 Timothy 3:15

Like Timothy, I was blessed with a mother—and grandmothers —who taught me the great stories of the Bible and helped me learn portions of Scripture.   When I was just five years old,  my mother helped me memorize the first chapter of the book of Psalms. Although I understood some of the verses,  I didn’t understand all the words in the King James Version. I didn’t grasp much about “the seat of the scornful” or the “chaff which the wind driveth away” (Psalms 1:1 & 4). But when I was older I learned more about the meaning of those words.  As I grew, my understanding grew. And that Psalm has stayed with me throughout my adult years!

My Sunday school teachers understood the value of teaching Scripture to children too. My 5th grade teacher,  encouraged our class to learn Bible verses each week.  I took the challenge and enjoyed watching the gold stars accumulate each Sunday on the chart until at last I earned my very own Bible! It was special because of the gold edged pages and the golden zipper with a cross. But what made the award even more special was the appreciation and praise of my teacher.  She expected us to learn and do well, and we did.  Her teaching was not too hard for us to grasp—but it was not too easy either. I had to think in her class and I liked that! I’m not sure if my teacher knew how much she influenced my life, actually I doubt that she could know.  But now as I recall those days, I’m encouraged and believe that my young students will one day benefit from learning their Bible verses each week too!

Helping children learn and memorize Scripture is an important part of our teaching ministry because it will help them grow spiritually. It will help them now—and in the years to come. We don’t know what the future holds for our students, where they will be ten or twenty years from now, but we can prepare them for the days and years ahead by helping them hide God’s Word in their hearts.

In my next blog, I’ll discuss different methods for teaching Scripture to children that are both effective and easy to use.

God bless you as you teach today!

Verda Rubottom 

 

 

The Best Resource for Parents and Teachers

Posted by Jun 23, 2016 children, Methods for teaching children, Serving , , , , , , ,

Bible lightstock_333439_download_medium_verda_rubottom_I often find myself reading and underlining verses in Proverbs because I need all the wisdom I can get! I think you’ll agree that as parents and teachers we could all benefit from spending a little time each day meditating on the advice given in this amazing book. If you’re dealing with a “sticky situation”, a student who is resistant to learning, or wonder how you can get it all done, you’ll find answers here. The God who made us, is ready to help us in every situation in life, including our ministry with children. Truly, His Word is still the best resource we can have!

Here are a few nuggets I’ve underlined in my Bible (NIV) from Proverbs, chapter 15:

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (15:22)

The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools. (15:7)

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1)

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. (15:4)

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. (15:18)

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; and good news gives health to the bones. (15:30)

He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. (15:31)

Whether you teach in a church, or a public or Christian school setting, you bring the wisdom that God has put in your heart into your classroom.  It will come out—even in unspoken ways as you lovingly teach the children, with patience, diligence, kindness, and understanding.  Even correction, will be more easily  accepted by our students when we use wisdom.

God bless you as you teach today!

Verda 

Preparing for the Unexpected

Posted by Mar 18, 2016 children, Methods for teaching children, Serving , , , , , ,

If you teach clightstock_246144_xsmall_verda_rubottom_hildren, you know the unexpected can—and often will happen! One day while teaching, just after I got a new class settled in, a little boy threw up all over the floor! I quickly and gently comforted him and found a place for him to sit a short distance from the group of 26 or so students. Young children tend to overreact in these kind of situations and I had to go into my back-up plan mode immediately, keeping them calm and busy with other activities while attending to the little boy.

If I could sit down with you over coffee, we probably would have many stories to share about unexpected events that have happened to us while teaching.  Everything from a fire or tornado drill to a nosebleed can happen without warning.  But having a plan for the unexpected helps bring calmness and confidence to these situations, and often you can sail right through them.

I enjoy planning. It’s exciting to think about different ways to motivate and inspire children to learn. But teaching isn’t the only thing that we teachers do, and sometimes we fall short of the time we need to prepare.

I’ve learned that both short and long-term planning are important. Even spontaneous ideas work great if you have the basics covered. Long term planning is great because on the days when you’re running late or short of time—you’ve already given yourself a back-up plan. Here are some that you may want to use:

  • Use a standard calendar to write in the themes and lessons for the coming quarter, and if possible the entire year. Keep it in a prominent place where you can write down  lists of supplies and ideas as they come to mind.  A calendar is a constant reminder of the time you have left  to prepare, and also what you have already covered that you can now review.
  • Build a supply of teaching resources at home where you can easily retrieve them for last minute planning. Flash cards, objects for lessons, a favorite puppet, felt stories, a variety of visuals, teaching videos, big books, etc.
  •  Memorize a few action songs, easy learning activities, poems kids enjoy, mystery clue word games, trivia facts, and large and small group movement activities.  These really help when kids need to move their muscles and have a break.
  • Collect interesting stories that have good moral and spiritual value.  These can be stories from your curriculum, children’s magazines, missions periodicals, or from your personal experience.  I collect interesting real life stories from newspapers and other publications that I think can be used someday to inspire others.
  • Use review games often!  Children love games, and it’s a great way to see what they’ve actually been learning.  Use non-competitive games, or for older children who enjoy a little friendly competition, you can use games involving teams.
  • Use writing activities that are simple and only require a pencil, paper and your idea to get them started.  Write a question on the board.Here are some examples: What is your favorite time of year and why?  What would you like to be when you grow up? What have we learned about God in our class?  My favorite Bible story is________. You can use questions about recent lessons to get them started or help the children recall other Bible stories they’re familiar with. For very young children always have crayons and paper handy for drawing.
  • One of the best ways to prepare for the unexpected in your class or children’s church is to come prayed up and with your mind and heart focused on God. The peace of God is a wonderful thing! I’ve experienced it many times in my life during difficult and crisis situations. God has promised to be with us as we minister in Jesus’ Name.  And we can rest in that and remember Jesus’ words:

      Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

These are just a few ideas on planning for the unexpected.  But remember,  we can also expect  God to bless us and the children we minister to each and every week!   The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. I Thessalonians 5:24

God Bless You Today!

Verda

 

What Methods Do You Recommend When Teaching Children?

Posted by Oct 28, 2015 children, Methods for teaching children, Serving , , , , , , , , , ,

IMG_2165(Part 4 of Children’s Ministry Philosophy) While entire college courses are devoted to studying the most effective methods to use when teaching children, I’ll limit my discussion here to five suggestions:

1. First, you must know something about your students!  The teaching methods you choose will depend on their ages and development, their cultural backgrounds, and their spiritual maturity levels.  Missionaries study the culture and languages of the people they plan to reach with the gospel—and as Christian teachers, we need to do the same. Knowing the typical stages children go through will guide you in your selection of materials, and the methods you use. Additionally, you’ll want to learn about your students’ individual interests, abilities, talents, and hobbies—as well as the needs and challenges that are common to their age group.

2. Become  familiar with the “language” of your students. How do they talk and relate to each other? One way to do this is to observe the age group you’ll be teaching. Listen to them. Notice the way they communicate both verbally and non verbally. We don’t need to talk down to children, but we do need to communicate the best we can at their level of understanding. We can bring them to greater knowledge of Scripture and the Christian life by building on what they know, and taking them to the next level. The method you choose for each lesson should be a tool that communicates and helps illuminate the truths of Scripture to a child’s mind and heart. This means you will need a variety of methods in your teaching tool box!

3. Choose methods that will capture the interest of your students.  In her classic book, Motivation, Madeline Hunter discusses the variables that affect a child’s learning. One of them is a child’s interest.  The principle here is, “interest precedes learning”. Very simple, yet we can easily overlook this point. Sometimes our best plans will fail because we have lost the interest of the children. As any children’s teacher can tell you, their attention span is limited—and they will let you know when it’s used up!  Some ways to not only capture—but keep their attention are discussed in my article, “How Children Learn Best” on the free download resource page and in my book, First Steps for Effective Teaching, available on this website.

4.Let children participate in some way. Children learn more when their senses are involved and when they have opportunities to participate in the learning process.  Storytelling, teaching and worship videos, object lessons, puppets, flash cards, drama and role play, interest centers, and games are all effective teaching tools when used appropriately and can involve children. Remember though, that it’s good to plan for a balance of active learning and listening times—because both are important. Children are participating while they’re  listening—if they are thinking, and are motivated and inspired.

5. Above all, seek the Lord’s guidance when planning your lesson and teaching methods. Jesus, the Master Teacher, knows all about children and the best teaching method to use for each occasion. He knows who will be in your class that day and what methods will be most effective in speaking to a child’s heart and mind.  I encourage you to consider using a variety of methods and to expand your teaching tool box.  All of us have our favorite method, and it may be our most effective method!  God has gifted us in different ways.  But be open to stretching a little and trying something different. You may be surprised at how much you enjoy it and how the children respond!  Jesus described the growing teacher in Matthew 13:52  when he compared them to householders who brought out of their storehouses, “the fresh as well as the familiar” (The Amplified Bible). We want our students to look forward to coming each week…so let’s give them our best.  And then trust the Master to do His work in each of their hearts!

God Bless You Today!

Verda Rubottom