One of the most common questions I hear from new teachers (or those considering serving in children's ministry) is about classroom management and Children & Salvation, Teacher Tips Classroom Management: Setting Biblical Rules

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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

According to Genesis 1:26-28, God created Adam and Eve and gave them the assignment to rule over His creation. This hidden items activity can help children remember to seek God's purpose.

I really like using posters as classroom management tools. I can hold one up, explain it and then hang it on the wall to review, reinforce and gently remind later on. I sometimes use them as writing prompts to jumpstart my students imaginations. They can explain what they think the poster means and tell me ... Read More about A Dozen Classroom Management Posters

1-2-3 Come Make a Social Contract & Some Classroom Rules With Me A classroom social contract is quick, easy and fun for your kiddos. By having a say in making up the rules, (even though they will turn out to be the same as a teacher would think of) makes things seem more “fair” and students more accountable. I love social contracts. I made one up each year no matter what grade I taught. I simply listed my rules on a poster. We discussed why they were important. Then I had everyone raise their right hand and say “I promise to obey our rules.” Older students can simply sign another sheet of paper, to be hung up under the poster, but for younger elementary, I liked to have them trace & cut out their hand print, then write their name on top. Promising, and then signing their name, makes students feel important. It also makes them accountable and more responsible for their actions. Promises are big deals to children, so a social contract gives you a lot of behavior modification leverage. All you have to do when a child gets off track and is breaking the class’s terms of agreement, is to ask, “Did you promise not to do that? Did you sign our contract? How should you act? What should you do?" Sometimes I didn’t even say anything. As a gentle reminder, I’d give the “rule breaker” the proverbial “teachers stare”. Once I made eye contact, I’d point to the contract. They’d follow my glance to the poster and I’d simply pat their name. This gentle reminder, worked wonders. I didn’t call attention to negative behavior, the child wasn’t embarrassed, and the gentle reminder got them back on track. Periodically I’d review our contract, especially after long weekends, and vacations. You can have a whole-group discussion, and ask children to reflect on how they think they’ve done, and ask if you should make additions or changes. Because my social contract has been so successful in my classroom, I decided to share it in my latest creation for TpT. The contract snowballed into a 65-page "School Rules Classroom Management" packet. I think you'll find very useful, as it's "kid-tested & teacher approved" so these positive behavior modification techniques really work, plus they're quick, easy & fun for your kiddos. I've included 4 social contract poster options. Choose one & mount the poster on construction paper, glue it to the center of a piece of tag board. Make a frame of student hand prints either with paint, or by tracing & cutting them out., Because accountability is so important, have children write their name over their print. Besides the social contract posters, the packet is chock full of a variety of ideas & activities for your classroom rules, ensuring a safe, warm, and respectful environment, and includes the following: 2, emergent-reader rule booklets (For more personal accountability there's one with girl graphics as well as one for boys, which students enjoy coloring.) A matching social contract mini poster, and personal “I promise” bookmark. 51 pocket chart promise cards, giving you a broad selection of rule cards to choose from. 15 (rule-oriented motivational) posters 3 options for “Ready-Set-Write the Rules” to help reinforce what you’ve just shared. Several notes home from the children. “I promised!” slap bracelets. My kiddos LOVE them! Using a square of Scotch tape, I fasten them on at the end of our day. This is a quick, easy and super-fun way to reinforce the rules, as parents will be prompted to ask: "What did you promise?" “Actions have consequences” bookmarkMindful of our “P’s & Q” poster & writing prompt My personal favorite: "I have rights; I have responsibilities” posters, plus“We’ve got SWAG” posters, along with matching "I've got SWAG" mini ones. Both are suitable for older students. I hope you find this social contract idea and the rule packet as helpful and successful for your class, as it was for mine. In celebration for getting ready to go back to school, the packet is currently on sale in my TpT shop for just $4.95. Click on the link to pop on over. As always, I have not one, but several FREEBIES for you today! I pulled 10 posters from the packet and rolled them into a Back To School Poster Packet for you. Click on the link to grab these fun FREEBIES today. Well that's it for now. Thanks for stopping by. I'll be watching 2 of my grandchildren today (Kaiden 2 & Kaitlyn 8 months) which is such a joy. There's nothing like the awesome enthusiasm of a child and seeing the world through their adventurous and delighted eyes. Wishing you a love-filled day filled with precious moments. "There are not Seven Wonders of the World in the eyes of a child; there are seven million." -Unknown

Are you struggling to keep control of your Sunday School class, club, or youth group? This post will give you 7 ideas of how to manage your informal class.

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 […]

I spend my first days establishing a few procedures and rules for my classroom. For the first time in 10 years I am toying with changin...

Vacation is over. We flew home yesterday. Today we hit the ground running (well in summer break terms) with Vacation Bible School at our church. I've volunteered for several years, even before I had a child of my own. While I love working with the kids at our church, the teacher in me sees a need for consistent rules in group settings. One day it occurred to me that the Whole Brain Teaching Rules that I use at school might work in Sunday School or Bible School. So I created a set of Christian themed WBT Rules to use with the kids at church. The clip art is from Scrappin Doodles. If you would like a free copy, you can click on the picture below. I also created a printable mini book with this same set of rules. You can have a free copy of this mini book by clicking on the picture. Using this set of rules in the elementary groups has worked our really well so far. Most of the kids at my church know the WBT Rules from their schools. Learning the church version of the rules has been a snap. They also give all the volunteers (most not used to wrangling groups of kiddos) a tool to use when managing their groups. Add in a little "Class?" "Yes!" and you are all set. If you are interested in Whole Brain Teaching, check out YouTube. There are lots of examples of how it looks in a range of class settings. I have also created WBT Rules posters and printables for a traditional classroom setting as well as a set for home. You can have a free copy of these by clicking on the pics below. Thanks for stopping by. Please email if you have any questions. Best.

In Genesis 1:26-28, God created Adam and Eve and gave them the assignment to rule over His creation. This word search activity can help children remember to seek God's purpose.

1-2-3 Come Make a Social Contract & Some Classroom Rules With Me A classroom social contract is quick, easy and fun for your kiddos. By having a say in making up the rules, (even though they will turn out to be the same as a teacher would think of) makes things seem more “fair” and students more accountable. I love social contracts. I made one up each year no matter what grade I taught. I simply listed my rules on a poster. We discussed why they were important. Then I had everyone raise their right hand and say “I promise to obey our rules.” Older students can simply sign another sheet of paper, to be hung up under the poster, but for younger elementary, I liked to have them trace & cut out their hand print, then write their name on top. Promising, and then signing their name, makes students feel important. It also makes them accountable and more responsible for their actions. Promises are big deals to children, so a social contract gives you a lot of behavior modification leverage. All you have to do when a child gets off track and is breaking the class’s terms of agreement, is to ask, “Did you promise not to do that? Did you sign our contract? How should you act? What should you do?" Sometimes I didn’t even say anything. As a gentle reminder, I’d give the “rule breaker” the proverbial “teachers stare”. Once I made eye contact, I’d point to the contract. They’d follow my glance to the poster and I’d simply pat their name. This gentle reminder, worked wonders. I didn’t call attention to negative behavior, the child wasn’t embarrassed, and the gentle reminder got them back on track. Periodically I’d review our contract, especially after long weekends, and vacations. You can have a whole-group discussion, and ask children to reflect on how they think they’ve done, and ask if you should make additions or changes. Because my social contract has been so successful in my classroom, I decided to share it in my latest creation for TpT. The contract snowballed into a 65-page "School Rules Classroom Management" packet. I think you'll find very useful, as it's "kid-tested & teacher approved" so these positive behavior modification techniques really work, plus they're quick, easy & fun for your kiddos. I've included 4 social contract poster options. Choose one & mount the poster on construction paper, glue it to the center of a piece of tag board. Make a frame of student hand prints either with paint, or by tracing & cutting them out., Because accountability is so important, have children write their name over their print. Besides the social contract posters, the packet is chock full of a variety of ideas & activities for your classroom rules, ensuring a safe, warm, and respectful environment, and includes the following: 2, emergent-reader rule booklets (For more personal accountability there's one with girl graphics as well as one for boys, which students enjoy coloring.) A matching social contract mini poster, and personal “I promise” bookmark. 51 pocket chart promise cards, giving you a broad selection of rule cards to choose from. 15 (rule-oriented motivational) posters 3 options for “Ready-Set-Write the Rules” to help reinforce what you’ve just shared. Several notes home from the children. “I promised!” slap bracelets. My kiddos LOVE them! Using a square of Scotch tape, I fasten them on at the end of our day. This is a quick, easy and super-fun way to reinforce the rules, as parents will be prompted to ask: "What did you promise?" “Actions have consequences” bookmarkMindful of our “P’s & Q” poster & writing prompt My personal favorite: "I have rights; I have responsibilities” posters, plus“We’ve got SWAG” posters, along with matching "I've got SWAG" mini ones. Both are suitable for older students. I hope you find this social contract idea and the rule packet as helpful and successful for your class, as it was for mine. In celebration for getting ready to go back to school, the packet is currently on sale in my TpT shop for just $4.95. Click on the link to pop on over. As always, I have not one, but several FREEBIES for you today! I pulled 10 posters from the packet and rolled them into a Back To School Poster Packet for you. Click on the link to grab these fun FREEBIES today. Well that's it for now. Thanks for stopping by. I'll be watching 2 of my grandchildren today (Kaiden 2 & Kaitlyn 8 months) which is such a joy. There's nothing like the awesome enthusiasm of a child and seeing the world through their adventurous and delighted eyes. Wishing you a love-filled day filled with precious moments. "There are not Seven Wonders of the World in the eyes of a child; there are seven million." -Unknown