Learning to Love God’s Word

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 

 

 

Preparing for the Unexpected

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

 

Steps to Effective Classroom Management in Sunday School and Children’s Church

lightstock_97579_small_verda_rubottom_ One of the first things I learned when I started teaching was that no matter how much you love children and love to teach them—you can’t do it well without discipline. I realized I needed to learn how to manage a class if I was going to be a good teacher!

Although every class is different (especially in church programs where attendance is often inconsistent)  and each child is unique—understanding them is the key! To deal with misbehavior, we need to determine the root causes,  so first I’m listing some common behavior issues in a typical Sunday school classroom or children’s church.  The second list gives suggestions on creating a peaceful environment where learning can flourish.

Common Causes of Misbehavior

  • Child is uncertain of the teacher’s expectations.
  • Conflicting rules in different classes, and with other teachers.
  • Boredom: children have little to keep their interest.
  • A general lack of respect for authority.
  • Family and/ or the child is under emotional stress.
  • Physical needs; overtired, thirsty, hungry, ADHD, illness, etc.
  • Child is seeking attention.
  • Child is discouraged or depressed.
  • Child has high energy level.
  • Teacher lacks classroom management skills and children are left to their own devices.
  • Not enough support staff.
  • Child has poor (uncooperative) attitude.

Steps to Effective Classroom Management

  • Be a caring teacher. Show your interest. Get down on their level.
  • Keep your class interesting and challenging.
  • Keep one step ahead of students—you are the leader!
  • Plan, prepare, and pray!
  • Have a classroom management plan. Make sure all staff knows the plan.
  • Anticipate potential problems; have resources and extra supplies on hand.
  • Balance activity with quiet times.
  • Communicate your expectations clearly.
  • Give child a “gentle” first time reminder. Don’t over react.
  • Give firm “teacher look” to a child who continues to disrupt the class.
  • Have an adult assistant sit next to the child.
  • Separate “talkers” for a limited period of time.
  • Enlist child’s cooperation; tell them what you need (i.e. better listening) and ask them for it.
  • Be consistent with your rules; no favoritism.
  • Recognize and commend good behavior and cooperation.
  • Reward with privileges, and special group activities (games, fun activities)
  • Pray for your students during the week.
  • Give out notes of appreciation. Even better, mail them. Kids love to get mail!

Remember, children want order too!  They quickly see when a teacher has lost control of the class, and begin to feel unsettled and insecure.  Sunday school and children’s church should be fun, interesting, and exciting! And with good planning—and prayer— it can be!   God has all the wisdom you need!  James 1:5 says, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

For a more  thorough discussion on discipline and teacher tips,  order my book, First Steps for Effective Teaching.

God bless you today!

Verda    

Understanding: The Key to Helping Children Learn and Grow

Britlee Chrissa 8-10 backyardWhen I first started teaching, I didn’t realize how much the physical and emotional needs of children could affect their learning.  After having children of my own, this became very evident to me, I think partly because we’re generally more in tune with our own children’s physical needs, their emotional make up, and their capabilities.

After this realization, my tendency was to view the growth of other children through the lens of my knowledge and experience with my own children.  While this was helpful, it was limited.  But the more I observed children from various backgrounds, in and out of the classroom, at church, and in my college studies, the more I grew in my understanding of how they learn.

What I learned, and what good teachers know, is that it’s important to look at all aspects of a child’s development.  For example, a physically mature child who is in the ninety percentile range on the growth charts may not necessarily be as mature in other areas of their development, though we often expect them to be because of their physical appearance.

Often people have expectations of children that are either too high or too low.  This can cause unnecessary tension for the child and the teacher, or the child and the parent, and can make learning more difficult for the child.  But when we’re familiar with “whole child”—that is their physical, emotional/social, cognitive, as well as their spiritual development—we can be more effective as we teach them individually.

It’s always a challenge to meet the needs of individual children when teaching a large class or children’s church because of the varying ages and maturity levels that are represented.  Your class or children’s church will typically be a mix, and possibly a wide range of mature and less mature students. But as you get to know your students better, it will be easier and you’ll be able to take these things into consideration as you plan. Keep in mind this may require making adjustments in your curriculum to meet the needs of your students, and that is fine.  Ask yourself questions like these when you’re planning lessons and other activities for the children you are teaching now.

  • What are their age characteristics?
  • What do they know?
  • How do they think?
  • What do they feel?
  • What do they need?
  • What are their spiritual needs?

The important thing for us teachers is to keep learning and growing ourselves—and seek God for the wisdom we need for every child in our care. Proverbs 1: 5 puts it this way, Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.

God Bless You Today!

Verda

In my blog today, I’ve shared some thoughts and excerpts from my book, First Steps for Effective Teaching