A blog for anyone in Children's Ministry.

This post is the follow-up to Teaching Children with Autism – The Intangibles. The first part of this post is authored by Christine Hoover. Below Christine’s article, I (Amy Fenton L…

The hardest part of teaching Sunday School is the beginning. So, I want to share with you, through my experience, the keys to starting off right. Please learn from my mistakes. haha Key 1. Having the courage to try. I've been at the same church since I was 5, and things never seemed to change a lot. Growing up I had the most amazing Sunday School teachers, and up until last year they were still hard at it. When they decided to step down it was a tough blow to the program. They'd been teaching for about 13 years, and the kids adored them. Needless to say there were big shoes to fill. When the position fell open I was recommended for reasons unknown to me at the time. When I was officially offered the position I didn't know how to react. I'd never thought of myself as an authority figure much less a Sunday School teacher. Now, looking back I think I was crazy, but I said no. I was absolutely terrified by the responsibility of it all. I'm a 20 something with no children...what did I know about taking care of kids? However, as a favor to my pastors I said I would fill in until they could find a replacement. Well, that lasted for about two months before I finally knew it was God's will for me. When I finally accepted the job my pastors just laughed and said, "I knew God was going to do that to you." Believe it or not I kept getting those comments for months after I became the new Sunday School teacher. Apparently everyone knew it was my calling except for me. So, my first key is this. Don't be motivated by fear. If God is dealing with you to step into Children's Ministry the first thing I would do is pray...also pray...and then pray some more. Chances are you already know the answer in your heart. The answer may scare you...like run and stick your head into a hole kind of scare you...but have the courage to try. Because I can promise you this, you will never feel easy until you say yes. I spent two months tossing and turning, thinking surely it was just me wanting to do it...not God telling me to. Why would God trust me with kids? But when I had the courage to try I never looked back, and I've never felt more settled in what I'm doing. Note: I still had no clue what I was doing...lol Key 2. Establishing Rules In my experience, I went in thinking, "Oh I'll just play a few games, read a few verses, and we'll have snack. The kids will sit nice an quietly, and we will all have an awesome time!" Well, little did I know that kids don't always take well to change, they will test you're authority to see just how far you'll let them go. I had to send kids out of class it got so crazy at times. But I had no real rules and consequence system. I hated having to play the bad guy. So, I often tried not to throw rules in too much. Which was a huge mistake. And that brings me to key number 2. Rules are one of the most important things in my classroom. It's what often separates Sunday School from Circus. I know people often take the "It's just Sunday School though..." stance, but for me I always like to stress the word S-C-H-O-O-L. Yes, we want kids to have fun and be silly, but at the end of the day we want them to walk away having learned something. So, rules are a big part of making that possible. I can't stress how important it is to start a rules and consequences system EARLY ON. Write the rules out hang them in your classroom so they are clearly visible. You don't need 50, just four or five will do usually. Ours are written out as, 1. Listen when someone is speaking. 2. Raise your hand to speak. 3. Follow directions quickly. 4. Be a caring friend. 5. Always do your best work. Here is a link to printable versions of my rules: Class Rules And when a rule is broken correct it only so many times before there HAVE to be consequences. If kids think you will let one by with it...then the whole class will think they can get by with it. So, it is best to nip it in the bud right at the beginning otherwise the whole class gets out of control and extremely difficult to reel back in. When you say there will be consequences don't go back on your word...follow through no matter what. The kids will respect you for it. Some of the consequences I use are, Switching seats...This is usually if they're talking to a friend a lot. Sitting by a Helper Sitting At the Front of the Class A Good Old Fashioned One On One Correction...Do this one away from the rest of the class so as not to embarrass the child. And finally, the one I absolutely hate using... Sending them out of class to sit in service with their parents. Being the disciplinarian is never fun, but as strange as it sounds when I did this my kids started to communicate with me more...behave better in class...participate more...and dare I say even like me more? Even though it's hard, and sometimes may even make you feel bad it will be worth it. The main thing is to not embarrass the child, and not to loose your temper. Key 3. Preparation It took me a while to learn that being prepared for anything and everything is HUUUUGE when teaching. I could cover so many things with this topic, but I'll shorten it down to 3. 1. Have your lesson (including coloring pages, lesson plan, games, snacks, etc) ready at least my Wednesday of every week. Otherwise you will be scrambling every Saturday night running to the store to get snack, printing out coloring pages like a mad woman, and going through post it notes like it's no tomorrow just trying to remember what else needs to be done. Then by Sunday you're exhausted because you've totally lost your weekend. 2. Make sure your room is stocked with everything you need. Like, First Aid Kit Clorox Glue Paint Paper Towels Scissors Crayons Markers Yarn ETC. Every Sunday arrive a few minutes early to get all your supplies laid out. This make things so much easier every class when you're not banging around your cabinet trying to find a glue stick that isn't dried out. 3. Make sure you have a helper lined up each week. This tip has been one of the most valuable ever for me. I admire teachers who go it alone, but I am so not one of them. I feel like I'm doing a poor example of a juggling act trying to teach, correct, make snack, walk kids to the bathroom, all while communicating whatever the lesson is that week. When you have a helper scheduled and ready to work every Sunday your class will go so much easier. You can focus on teaching while the helper fixes snack, walks kids to the bathroom, and makes your day go a lot smoother. Talk to your pastors about who would be a good helper, get the word out in your church. I'm sure you will be amazed at how many people want to serve. For me a good helper is someone who loves kids, understands your vision for the ministry, is helpful and not lazy, is fun, and most importantly someone who is trustworthy. Find a person like that, and you are on your way to an awesome Sunday School experience. Key 4. Have Fun When I started out I took everything so seriously. If any little thing went amiss I would be crying by the time I got home. Never take it too seriously. As long as you're doing your best let the rest just roll of your back. Play with your kids...don't just be that person standing in the corner barking out rules during a class activity. Sunday school should be taken seriously, you are accountable to God for what goes on in your class, but I don't believe Sunday School should be serious. One is respectful and one is just boring. Sunday School is huge task, but at it's core it's simple...Teach kids about the amazing Savior that loves them. As long as you're doing that you will do just fine. Any other Sunday School Teachers have some advice to share? Leave your's in the comments section below. God Bless, Faith <3

Hi y'all! Linking up with Tara @ 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made It linky! This week, I was inspired by a pin I have seen floating around Pinterest. Source: Technology Rocks. Seriously. So I chose to create my own variation of this sign, but not on paper. MATERIALS: 12x18 wooden board (mine is from Michaels) Black acrylic paint White cardstock Cricut (or any cutting machine) 5 colors of scrapbook paper Mod Podge or Xyron sticker maker I actually turned the "Before you speak" into stickers with my Xyron sticker maker, but then I chose to do the rest in Mod Podge. I've never actually used Mod Podge for a full out project before, so it was a different kind of experience! In the end, it was a super easy project and I plan to put it up by my desk in my classroom. I can see little imperfections throughout the board, BUT I think it gives it character because it's not perfect :) It's also time to start our Live Laugh Craft series party with my BPIC, Monique @ Uniquely Monique! She's hosting this great linky and I know it'll keep me in shape with my crafting! This time around, it's a planner creation party! Of course, you can go out and purchase your own planners and make it quick, but is it personable? Not always! So, I decided to create my own planner (and some of you have seen it floating around on my TPT store!) but to add more pages to it to fit my current needs. So, below is a description of my planner and some pictures of it! :) I chose to make my cover with something beachy because I'm a beach baby. Always have been, always will be! Next are my pages. I left them blank from numbers so that I could reuse this design year after year if I so choose! This is a similar format for all months, I just wanted to show you August! There's really not much going on because school doesn't start for me until September 4th! Here's a daily view of what's going on for the last week of August! Im going to North Carolina to see babe and I CANNOT wait!! Finally, I've got two different pages - one is a to do list page and one is a notes page. I'll print out a to-do list and a notes page for each month and use them as necessary. As you can see, I've got a few things on my to-do list... I should probably get on it!! So, that's my mini planner made to my own personality! I love the color coral, so that's the reasoning for the outline. You can make your planner the way you want... but go check out Moe & her co-host's planner ideas by clicking on the picture above!! :) Next week, they've decided that we are making our own DIY headbands - perfect for fall & Pinterest utilization! QUESTION: I have 150 craft sticks sitting in my other room. I want to do something with them, but I honestly have NO idea what to do! Any ideas or thoughts? They will be greatly appreciated! Have a good day, y'all!

This set of 6 bohemian boho style bible verse poster prints are perfect for Christian parents, catechism, teachers, homeschoolers looking to bring God’s words and His promises to their children’s or student’s playroom, classroom or bedroom. Also makes a fun and meaningful decoration for Sunday school classroom, Christian preschool, catholic classroom and homeschooling areas! Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart Jeremiah 29:11 God has great plans for you Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope patient in affliction faithful in prayer Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous do not be afraid Psalm 139:14 I am fearfully and wonderfully made BROWSE MORE DESIGNS: www.etsy.com/shop/littlemosesprint ▶Please note that this listing is for DIGITAL DOWNLOAD only. No physical item will be sent or shipped.◀ You will receive digital files of this design in 5 sizes and in high-res JPG file 1) 20" x 30" JPG file (2:3 ratio) Print onto 4 x 6” | 6 x 9” | 8 x 12" | 12 x 18" | 16 x 24" | 20 x 30" | 20 x 30 cm 2) 18" x 24" JPG file(3:4 ratio) Print onto 3 x 4” | 6 x 8” | 9 x 12" | 12 x 16" | 15 x 20" | 18 x 24" | 30 x 40 cm 3) 16" x 20" JPGfile (4:5 ratio) Print onto 4 x 5” | 8 x 10" | 12 x 15" | 16 x 20" (4:5 ratio) 4) 11" x 14" JPG file Print onto 11 x 14" 5) A2 JPG file Print onto 5 x 7” | A5 | A4 | A3 | A2 - If you would like a different size or version (e.g. NIV, NLT, NKJV) please send me a message. I am happy to do this free of charge. ▼HOW IT WORKS▼ - After purchasing, you will be taken to the Etsy download page, and your file will also be sent via email. You can read more about Etsy downloads here: https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/help/article/3949 ▼PRINTING OPTIONS (Please see FAQ for more details)▼ - Print at a local copy shop of your choice such as Walmart, Costco, Target, Walgreen, Shutterfly, Snapfish etc - Print at home yourself on good quality card - Upload to an online printer ▼RETURNS▼ There are no returns when purchasing a digital download. Please contact me with any questions before purchasing. ▼PLEASE NOTE▼ - Colours on screen may vary from monitor to monitor. Computer and phone screens can display colours differently. - Prints can also print in a variation of colours. - Cannot be shared or resold for mass production, for personal use only. BROWSE MORE WALL ART: https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/shop/littlemosesprint

PALM SUNDAY'S MEANING- Take a trip back to the time of Jesus to get the flavor of the day and put the Palm Sunday narrative into an easy to understand perspective

I always love to see what my readers have been up to, which is why I feature your awesomeness on a weekly basis in the Reader Space posts. ...

Art Room Organization, Art Room Decorations, Art Room Murals at RainbowsWithinReach

Set up a baby and toddler sensory with all kinds of interesting toys for them to explore with all their senses. See this lovely example!

Preschoolers make a lot of messes. This handy spill station helps students learn how to independently clean up the mistakes that happen.

These teachers are the boss of their cement classroom walls, and with some hot glue and tape and sticktoitiveness, you can rule your walls, too.

I don’t know about you all, but we have 8 days of school before Mommy Summer Camp commences. Some of you are probably already out of school, have year round school or might have a wee bit longer to go. At any rate, I think some fun Summer Boredom Buster Craft Recipes are in order. …

Another practical project from The Family Handyman (March 1956), this wall desk is a space saver, turning any small space in a kitchen (or ...

Beautiful and creative inspiring art rooms. These art teachers have gone all out decorating their art rooms. Super-creative!

It takes some work, but your students will absolutely love it!

Teaching students how to compare and contrast isn't just "one more skill" to add your lesson plans. It's an essential skill your students will use throughout

Here are 10 things you are likely to have lurking in your drawers and pantries that you’ll never miss once they’re gone. Trust us on this.

Good morning Tatertots & Jello readers! Today I’m going to share a little project I put together for our front porch. Now that the sun is shining and the weather is warming up the neighborhood kids are coming out to play! I love that even though my daughter is only 4, that the kids want...Read the Post

An elementary art teacher blog with art projects and lessons, DIY projects and outfit photos as well as clothing I have made myself.

Our nursery has been on the lookout for a cute sign to display so parents don't bring their sick kids to church! We couldn't find a cute one...

Have you ever wondered if STEM and Religion can be combined? Well, the answer is YES. Try this Walls of Jericho STEM Challenge. This Sunday School Lesson will show you how fun and engaging the study of Bible stories can be when combined with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)! The Bible Stories STEM Challenge | The Walls of Jericho Sunday School Lesson was created especially for Vacation Bible School and it was a hit among students of all ages. Kid-tested, your Sunday School or even homeschool students will really enjoy learning about Joshua and the Battle of Jericho with this The Walls of Jericho Engineering Lesson. This resource contains the following: Lesson Plan Ideas for STEM Links Next Generation Science Standards Bible Story Vocabulary Beginning, Middle, End Interactive Notebook Sheet Character Profile Interactive Notebook Sheets STEM Vocabulary Bible Story STEM Challenge Task Cards (Two versions) Suggested Materials Possible Finished Product Planning and Reflection Sheet Lessons Learned Interactive Notebook Sheet Sheets with Alternative Spelling (UK/Australia/Canada) Google Slides Version of Student Pages ❤️This resource is a part of this amazing BIBLE STORIES STEM BUNDLE!❤️ This resource will be useful in: Christian School Sunday School Vacation Bible School Homeschool Bible Study Faith Formation Class Christian Ministry Christian Youth Camp STEM Summer Camp AND SO MUCH MORE See What Other Teachers Are Saying . . . ⭐ A great end to our Bible unit! Thanks! ⭐ Love this! It's a great add-on for our history lesson! More Amazing Bible STEM/STEAM/STREAM Activities! Bible STEM Activities and Challenges Bundle Bible STEM and Makerspace Choice Boards May you find this resource really helpful. Thanks for being a blessing! Save more on great resources! Click here to shop now >>> Jewel's School Gems Customer Tips: How to get TPT credit to use on future purchases: • Please go to your My Purchases page (you may need to login). Beside each purchase you'll see a Provide Feedback button. Simply click it and you will be taken to a page where you can give a quick rating and leave a short comment for the product. Each time you give feedback, TPT gives you feedback credits that you use to lower the cost of your future purchases. I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your classroom so I can create more for you. ☺ Be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches: • Look for the green star next to my store logo and click it to become a follower. Voila! You will now receive email updates about this store. ☺ Let’s Get Connected: ⭐ Jewel’s School Gems ⭐ Find me on Facebook ⭐ Follow on Instagram

Catch your students' attention with our back to school bulletin board ideas. A fun and interactive way to establish a fun and welcoming classroom community.

Welcome to my first Sunday School post! This will be my fourth year teaching our mixed Pre-k and Kinder (Prep) class. I teach our church’s little dears together with Naomi, my sister-in-law. She is totally an amazing person and I love her so much and couldn’t imagine teaching without her! We do lots of hands-on activities […]