Sunday school teachers

[seeker]

What qualifications should a person have to teach Sunday school or nursery?

If you don't feel qualified, but there is no-one else willing to do it, should you do it?

Does your church have a nursery for the little ones {under 5 years} or do they stay out in the sanctuary with their parents?

For those of you who don't have a nursery, how do you keep your active toddlers quiet and seated during service?

thanks, seeker

[foreverblessed]

A burden and and a love for children.

If you don't feel your qualified, ask to shadow a teacher for a quarter and see how things are done.

I began co-teaching with my sister at 14, and after the first year started teaching on my own. I really love seeing children coming to the understanding of this truth. It is wonderful to see them filled with the HG and baptized in his name. When I teach, I love to teach them to worship. Kids love to make noise and will usually depending on age, join right in making a joyful noise to the Lord with music.
Take the time to become involved in teaching kids, it is a wonderful experience.
It is also the most rewarding blessing to see children that came to your SS, but were not being raised in the church, come to God in High School, or early adult life. This has happened so many times with kids that I taught.
They do not forget the things that you teach them, and although they might not be able to serve God as a child, when they are on their own, will make their way back to the place that they first heard about him.

[ddc101]

Wow Sister Forever,
My daughter has been co-teaching for a while now.She is 13.
I am working on the sunday school classroom we use right now for childrens church.In fact two of the new converts are cleaning out and working on the area today.I just went down there with them to discuss it.The neat thing was Pastor Cooper went behind me and told them to do the exact same things I did.They hung their heads in disbelief.I said...Well,thats Gods will.
I have turned this childrens church over to a lady who is growing in the Lord.She is not perfact and has much to overcome.But I find it so refreshing that when she learns something new they share it in class.My daughter is not perfact either.In fact she is young and I feel young people need space to develop a relationship with Jesus.This is one of the reason many grow up and leave the church.They did not develop a relationship with the Lord but only were an extension of their parents.
Do any of you have a method you use that works really well or project ideas that teach really well? I could use a few hints.lv sis.c

[foreverblessed]

DDC,

No one will ever be able to convince me that why I am serving God today, is because when each of my siblings reached an age to be used, (and we were young) we were given ministries to work in the church. We all had music lessons even though we all didn't stick with it. I started singing solo's at 4, and by the time I was 12, was flat out singing solo's and leads along with the choir and my Mom (director) was black style. I was singing in other churches very young. I was trained to teach like I said in the other post, and church and ministry was our life. I did develope a relationship with God, but as far as a close personal relationship, I didn't have that until later in life. I can honestly saying, I have just grown into everything.

Children that have ministers as parents usually make it spiritually in the end as adults, they have an advantage of being promoted. I know from experience that my children don't have the same opportunity that I had. They did when my father was alive.

[ddc101]

Sister Forever,
That make me feel great about what we are doing with our children.I had to laugh last night.Ashleigh started long before church getting coloring pages together that she said she was teaching on in childrens church.I had to end up telling her that she was not the teacher.She likes to imitate all of us.She was so dissapointed but she's only 6 years old.But I will say at least she has a willing heart.Thank you Jesus.lv sis.c

[ThirdGeneration]

I was bored out of my mind in Sunday School as a teen-ager. Luckily, I was able to escape to a home missions church for a couple of years and teach Sunday School to kids fresh off the street. That was exciting....

I firmly believe that those young people that have been around long enough to have heard it all before should be teaching Sunday School (to younger children of course)! They need to be actively engaged in the church and not just sitting there unchallenged by the teaching.

Alternatively (and this is harder to do) the Sunday School departments need to do a much better job reaching teen agers where they are and taking them somewhere new.

The problem is that the range of knowledge and life experience varies so greatly. Too many teachers are serving without a burning conviction that they can actually make a real difference in their students lives.

This is a difficult thing to do; but not impossible. My parents were extraordinary Sunday School teachers, so I saw it in action. Much thought, prayer and preparation went into their lessons. They constructed great big game boards for Bible Concentration and Bible Jepardy, etc.

They had class parties, trips and events. They planned life changing lessons and opened their home and hearts to their students and impacted lives over and over again.

Now, if you are scratching your head wondering how I could say I was bored on one hand and that my parents were fantastic teachers on the other hand; you have to understand that they only taught one high school grade. Had they taught them all, I doubt boredom would have prevailed.

What qualifications does a Sunday School need to teach? In my opinion; a love for God, a love for His Word, a love for the students and the burning desire to show students that God's love and His Word are relevant to their lives.

Just my two cents....

[foreverblessed]

Third,

I have had my kids tell me for the last year that they were bored with Sunday School. I would have to make them go to SS, I didn't make them attend class. I finally told the director when I was questioned as to why they don't attend very much. They are bored!!, they don't want to go.
It wasn't but a month or so later, the traditional SS was dropped and Tuesday night service became devoted to children. It was divided into classes by age and afterward they come together for real praise and worship. All adults willing to teach are used either to help control the kids or in actual teaching. There are now teaching teams. It seems to be really working, I hope they keep it up. I looked over the teaching schedule and they are going to be teaching subjects relevant for today's kids.

Even with the new Tues night class, Elaine told me she was bored, she said that she liked on of the teachers, but that the other teachers (one being my brother :) ) just doesn't get it! I told her that John has never claimed to like teaching children, be patient with him. LOL, I am thankful that my kids inherited their fathers big mouth and are able to speak up and be honest about their feelings on things, maybe more SS should start asking about boredom in classes.

[witness4jesus]

The most important thing a person needs to do the job is commitment.

When I first began to teach Sunday School 6 years ago, I did not even think I would be suited for it. But because I loved the children of our church, I dug in. I worked with a lady who was experienced, and I learned a lot from her. There were quite a few challenges our church changed and shifted to a bus ministry, but I never lost that desire to reach kids.

The biggest challenge was when we began to get children who were not only not familiar with church, but even with manners, and behaving well. My heart went out to those who did not have a decent home, whose parents were involved in alcoholism, drug abuse, etc. Not that I was unfamiliar with those problems, but its hard to see children who deal with that on a daily basis.

And I agree with Third that teenagers should be an active part of this ministry. The teenagers in the church I used to go to were very active in the Sunday School and in bus ministry, and it made a difference not only in the lives of the children, but theirs as well.

sis pam

[strongtower]

In our church we dont have Sunday School We have the Kids Praise Club. We do puppets and the adults are in character. I am the Sarge. I used to be in the Navy. The kids lead the service they testifly sing. Its a good way to get the kids involved. They play music intraments. We just have a great time. sis lynn

[ddc101]

Sis.Lyn
I have seen the Kids Club on the net.It gave me some great sunday school ideas.In fact we are doing much of the same kind of thing.Have you ever read the power hour series? I have a fun sunflower apron and big straw hat with sunflowers that I wear.
I made the apron and a friend the hat.We also have a karoke machine for sunday mornings back in kids club.The children love it so much.They just worship the Lord.Someday I hope to put padded bleachers in there and put us on the net.We are in the midst of building walls in a large area so it is not feasable yet.If anyone saw it right now they would probably feel sorry for us and drive out to help....yuck...lots of wood and bags of nails and sawdust but someday soon it will be terrific....lv sis.c

[NanaRenan]

Over the last 4 years, as each of my parents sickened and passed on, I've had many opportunities to visit my home church in Bogalusa, La. It didn't take very long for me to notice something interesting.

There is a large chunk of the people who were teens along with me who are STILL active in church. Yes, some of us have backslid for a time, but the percentage who are in church TODAY is proportionately higher than the people a little older and a little younger.

In discussing it with some of them, we attribute it to the fact that the man who pastored when we were that age believed in putting us to work. Visitation and bus ministry, sunday school teachers or helpers. (From the age of 13 til I married, I "might" have spent one or two quarters in the teen class!!)

I saw and experienced things and learned to react in a Godly way that I could never have learned about in a class room. That's not to say I think there's no place for teaching....but I think BOTH is important!! Keep them in Sunday School, but work to keep them interested. Then outside of services, find a way to USE THEM! Let them fall in love with serving the Lord.

Even as a backslid adult, I would still go help make peanut brittle sometimes, or do other things to help. That love never left me...and eventually it brought me HOME.

Praise the Lord!

[Abigail4476]

What qualifications should a person have to teach Sunday school or nursery?

If you don't feel qualified, but there is no-one else willing to do it, should you do it?

Does your church have a nursery for the little ones {under 5 years} or do they stay out in the sanctuary with their parents?

For those of you who don't have a nursery, how do you keep your active toddlers quiet and seated during service?

thanks, seeker
Number one, a teacher must be spirit-filled and doctrinally sound.

The number two qualification is they MUST be good with children. I don't think there's anything worse than a teacher who really doesn't like his or her students.

Other than that, I'd say they need a basic knowledge of Scripture so as to be prepared for any discussion or questions, and must be willing to constantly improve their skills and knowledge. (Willingness to read recommended materials, take classes, etc.)

Our church does have a nursery for ages 2 and under. It is for the parents' convenience. Children are also welcome to stay in the sanctuary with their parents. I personally think children should learn at an early age how to behave in a church service, how to participate in worship, and how to show respect to the minister by listening to the message. I think it's easier to begin teaching these things at a very young age, than to wait till they are 5 or 6 years old.

However, we have had new converts with children who have never been in church before, and they have had great difficulty with behavior issues. In such cases, usually they are allowed to use the nursery for a short time until their children can acclimate to a change in atmosphere.