Tips for Sunday School Teachers

Last summer, we trained new Sunday School teachers in our church. Me being a former teacher handled the “basic classroom management”. The following are the basic things I discussed. I beleived it would be of big help to those who aren’t teachers by profession but is called to teach in  achurch Sunday School.

1. Arrive Early – I told them if you’re going to be a teacher, you need to be at your classroom at least 15 minutes before the kids arrive.

2. Class Schedule – Just like teaching kids at a regular school, I follow a schedule. It keeps you on track.

3. Set rules (i.e, no littering, no talking, etc..) – One kid in my class wrestle with other kids most of the time, so I made a “No Wrestling” rule. You can always make rules that best fit with your class.

4. Be consistent - if you have rules then make sure you are consistent in disciplining them.

5. Don’t talk too much (activity) – younger kids have a very short span of attention and you can’t keep talking an talking, they’ll get bored. They need to do something that’s why activities are important (crafts,coloring,drawing)

6. Seating arrangement - If you would like to be more organized you can have seat plan, like what I did with my class I put the older kids at the back because the younger ones needed more attention.

7. Look in the eye – It makes them feel that you are confident with what you are teaching and you connect with them.

8. Lesson plan (read/pray the whole week) – Never go in front of your class without lesson plan and ready. This one is very important, everyone needs to get ready and you can’t get your teaching materials ready in one night.

9. Visual Aids -They remember lessons when you use visual aids and it keep them entertained while listening. Now a days that kids are into internet ,tv, movies, powerpoint presentataions, you can use those to keep them interested in the lesson.

10. Do not chat with your assistant teacher (personal)- I said “do not talk about personal stuff in your life with your assistant where the kids can hear you (I observed this from new and young teachers that’s why I put this one up)

11. Never leave a classroom full of kids – you’ll never know what’s gonna happen when you go back to your room.

12. Rewards and Appreciate – Because kids love prizes and it motivates them, a pat in the back, a “very good” mark in their paper work makes them happy and makes them want to go back the next Sunday