·
Teach
the lesson plan. Have fun, enjoy the children and exercise your gifts as a
creative teacher
·
Set
up your workshop room the way that works best for you. Be prepared, understand
your lesson plan, be sure you have all your supplies.
·
Attend
adult Bible study for your unit -- usually 2 weeks prior to the start of the
unit during the Sunday School hour.
·
Tidy
the workshop at end of each lesson with the children
·
Be
a substitute workshop leader if called to do so
·
Complete
a written evaluation form at the end of your rotation unit. Please provide
feedback so that we can continue to learn and improve. Thanks!
Adult Bible Study - We will be discussing the
theology of the lesson from an adult perspective and then focus on the faith
messages appropriate for the children. This is an important part of your lesson
preparation. It will help you find the right words to answer some tricky faith
questions put forth by our children. Preparation for the study will be to read
scripture passages for your workshop. We will not be discussing specific
workshop lesson plans. For that you may call the author directly.
Reflection Time The children will write in
their spiritual journals every Sunday. In some fashion children will respond to
and reflect on the workshop lesson. Younger children will journal with
pictures, progressing through the years to concrete responses and eventually to
more abstract responses. It is hoped that writing about their faith will help
in clarifying what faith means personally. The workshop leaders should help the
shepherds in encouraging ideas and concepts onto paper.
Lesson Plans We write them but you own them. Please feel free to exercise your judgment and creativity when conducting the lessons. Basically, we ask that you follow the format, and deliver the key concepts through the planned activity. Variations on how you execute that activity are encouraged. If you radically change an activity, please call the author to discuss. You will need to decide how best to adjust the lesson for older and younger students. Do what works for you.
Extra help
Some holiday weeks or particular lessons may need extra help. Please call on a
friend or your spouse to be an assistant. An extra pair of hands may help,
especially in the beginning of the Faith Quest year.
Bibles Use them! We are going to ask the children to bring their Bibles every week. If we want to encourage this, we need to use them. Ask the children to read the Bible passages from their Bibles. Be sure to have extras on hand.
Bible Memory Verse Each Rotation will have a
Bible memory verse that is introduced in the Great Hall assembly. We are trying
to encourage familiarity with key scriptures. Please reference this Bible memory
verse in your lesson. Ask the children to recite it. Display it in a prominent
place in the room on the whiteboard, a poster board, 8x10 sheet of paper.
Room Set-up - Make sure you have all the supplies that you need. Display your Bible memory verse in a prominent way. Other community groups use the rooms during the week. We hope things are left as you expect them from week to week but coming a few minutes early and checking will relieve stress and allow you time to recover should you need it.
Activity Sheets You will need to ensure that the children have some activity sheets, crosswords, word searches to keep them busy if necessary until their parents arrive. We will make some available, you can find them in the library with other resources that are available for copy.
Music Please use every opportunity to allow the children to listen to Christian music. You might have some playing as the children enter, as background when appropriate or meditative soft music as the children are writing in their journals. The library is building a selection of music, bring your own or submit a request to the CE committee (office workroom) for specific CDs and we will purchase.
Substitutes We hope that you have
scheduled your unit at a time when you can fulfill the 5 week commitment, but
we know that illness and unexpected events happen. In this case, you will need
to find your own replacement. The primary substitutes are other workshop
leaders who have some experience in your workshop room. Next, call other
workshop leaders. You may also call the shepherds who are in charge of the
scheduled class, finally, call the author for other possible suggestions.
Supplies Supplies are kept _______________.
If you do not see what you need, please call ______________
Your Child The schedule of 5 weeks and 6 workshops, means that each class misses one of the workshops per unit. Please look at your child’s schedule for the unit you are leading and if your child is not planned for your workshop, please invite him/her to attend one of the workshops with another class. Just let the Shepherds know where your child will be for that Sunday.
Name Tags Please make sure every child and adult in your class has a name-tag. Please be sure to wear one yourself.
As Shepherd of your class, you have a great responsibility; and you are very important in the process of transformation in our kid's lives. Your primary job is to love the kids and get to know them. Get to know what they like, what they're good at, what is going on in their lives - the highs and the lows.
We want you to be involved with the kids in the lessons during workshop time. A presentation outline for each workshop will be available for you so that you can prepare in advance to participate in each class session. Although you will not be presenting the lesson, you are urged to take an active part in the class, reinforcing the faith messages and encourage the children.
Your responsibilities are:
·
Welcome the Students - Arrive by 9:40 in the
Great Hall. You may need to receive last minute instructions for the day and be
ready to greet your children.
·
Take Attendance - This needs to be done
quickly, with as little interruption to the assembly as possible. Make sure
every child has a name-tag so the workshop leader can call the child by name.
Get the address for visitors, preferably on a blank postcard that you can later
mail. Collect the name tags at the end of the workshop.
· Contact students Absentees and new visitors should be contacted. Contact should also be made regularly with those who come all the time. Your role provides the ability to focus on the children and encourage attendance.
· Reflection Time After the workshop leader finishes the lesson, take about 10 minutes as a time of interaction with the kids. You may lead this time of discussion and reflection. As a Shepherd, use this time to build on the relationship you have with your class. The student's will have journals to be used to review the lesson and discuss how this workshop ties together with previous workshops in the rotation. The reflection journals will be kept at the church and should not be sent home with the kids. Please be aware that some children will have learning difficulties in writing. Be prepared to assist them, write their ideas. Ask the parents if you are unsure.
· Get to know your class - You are the most important contact our kids have with the church. Your nurturing, loving and caring spirit will reach both the children and their families for the Lord. Phone calls, cards, and letters go a long way in encouraging our kids. Be aware of birthdays and other special events in their lives.
·
Maintain discipline in the workshop, encourage
participation by students and assist leaders in the workshop activities. Please
review the Faith Quest Covenant of respectful behavior with your children. If
difficulties persist, please ask for help. Contact ___________. We have
excellent, skilled resources available to help us determine an appropriate
strategy for specific situations.
·
Substitute Workshop Leader - Be a substitute workshop
leader if called to do so. If you need a substitute, call a parent from your
class.
·
Provide Feedback - Complete a written
evaluation form at the end of a rotation unit. Call ___________________ with
suggestions or comments. Please provide feedback so that we can continue to
learn and improve. Thanks!
· Pray For your students, for the other workers, and that God will use all of us to share our blessings with those placed in our hands.
Other Notes:
Shepherd’s Tote Bag Things you should keep in your Shepherd’s Tote bag: NAME TAGS
(yours and the children’s, some blank ones for visitors), Reflection Journals
and some blank pages for visitors, pencils, pens, markers, a couple of
scissors, tape, etc., the rotation schedule, your roster, spare Bible, blank
postcards, Bible Trivia questions (for those vacant moments), CD or taped music
for journal reflection time. We will try to keep some of these supplies on hand
for you to refill.
Post Cards - The church office can provide blank stamped postcards for you to address and send a brief note Happy Birthday, Welcome, We missed you! We suggest that after missing 3 consecutive Sundays, a child should be contacted by postcard or phone. Visitors should also be contacted the week following. With advanced notice, the office can provide address labels for your roster if you want to do a class mailing.
Crowd Control You may need extra help,
especially in the beginning weeks of Faith Quest and on weeks that you can
expect high attendance. Please call on the parents of the children in your class
to help.
Music Please encourage music as
part of the journal reflection time. Soft meditative music may inspire and
soothe the transition to quiet. Carry your favorite CD or ask the workshop
leader. The library is building a selection of children’s music.
Supplies Supplies are kept in the
pantry cupboard of the old kitchen. If you do not see what you need, please
call ___________. You may also request supplies by putting a note in the CE
children’s mailbox in the office. To replace lost name tags or obtain one for a
regular visitor, ask the office staff. Use stick-on name tags for visitors.