Imparting
information is only part of what the effective teacher accomplishes in
Children’s Ministry. Establishing an atmosphere of trust and love that makes the
child want to return is just as important. Why do children gather at
church instead of learning about God from a book or a video? Because only in a
communal setting can children and teachers build the Body of Christ and form
friendships that last for years. Some adults who grew up in a church
fondly remember the church teacher or camp counselor who made them feel valued.
Let’s
take a look at the first kind of relationship that needs trust in order for any
Children’s Ministry to thrive—Teacher-Child Relationships.
Trust.
As the teacher, you have the opportunity to be someone whom children can count
on to be present on more than an occasional basis. Children need to feel that
they can talk to you in confidence and without ridicule or criticism. Children
expect that what you present in class is accurate and useful.
Attitude.
Children like teachers who are positive, upbeat, confident, cheerful, friendly
and willing to help. Leave your personal problems at home and give children your
undivided attention.
Fun.
As responsibilities set in, adults tend to become serious and preoccupied. While
the subject matter you present in class is serious in nature, the atmosphere of
the class doesn’t have to be dreary! This doesn’t mean that you have to act
silly or let chaos reign in the classroom. It means that you can enjoy games
with your children, find joy in their discoveries and maintain a happy classroom
environment.
Acceptance
of feelings. Listen and empathize with the feelings of the children in
your class. Children respond to situations with emotions rather than rational
logic. Their reactions may seem childish because they have not learned how to
control their feelings or how to think through situations. While you need not
agree with everything a child says, you can be a sounding board and a
sympathetic ear.
Acceptance
of ideas. Adults are often self-critical and self-censoring. Children
are freer to express wild and crazy ideas. Encourage children to think out loud
and ask questions. Children are more involved in learning when they feel that
their ideas are accepted. One way to encourage brainstorming is to ask
open-ended questions about opinions instead of facts (“How did the lame man feel
when he could walk again?” “How do you think David felt when he heard King
Saul’s threat to hurt him?”). Questions with more than one right answer are less
threatening to children because they don’t feel that they will make mistakes in
their answers.
Enabling
questions. Allow children to make choices instead of telling the child
what to do. Instead of saying “Put the paint back in the cabinet,” ask, “Where
do we put the paint?” Ask children what phrases or slogans best summarize the
lesson’s Bible truth. Children like to feel they have an important role in the
classroom.
Praise
and affirmation. Every child wants to feel like the most special child
in the world. Compliment and encourage children frequently, mentioning specific
actions you have observed. The more children feel valued, the more they want to
participate in learning and feel that God accepts them.
Nonverbal
signs. Use body language to show acceptance. Sit at the children’s eye
level and avoid hovering over them. Nod and lean forward when a child is
speaking. Smile frequently!
Now we’ll look
at another relationship that is just as important—Child-Child Relationships.
Trust
and Security. In many churches, children don’t know each other. They go
to different schools during the week and may live in distant parts of the city.
The children won’t automatically get to know each other, much less develop
relationships of trust. Start by having children learn their peers’ names (name games are fun) and something about each other (pets,
hobbies, siblings, sports, favorite performers or TV shows). Maintain a safe place where children won’t be hurt and their belongings
won’t be stolen.
Group
Activities. A good way to develop friendships is through group work.
Children bond when they have a common goal or problem to solve. Have children
work in pairs, trios and small groups using worksheets, skits, music, games,
research projects and cooperative art projects. Be sure each person in the group
has a task and is not left out. One person from each group can share the group’s
discovery or project with the rest of the class. Acknowledge the contributions
of each child.
Sharing.
Children learn about each other by sharing their heritage and interests. Invite
children to demonstrate music, food or artwork from their home life. Children
also enjoy bringing an item from home with spiritual importance in their family
(heirloom Bible, gift cross, Scripture sampler, devotional book, etc.).
Prayer.
During class prayer time, encourage children to pray for each other. This may be
uncomfortable or threatening at first. Model sentence prayers for children to
hear and imitate. As children feel comfortable in telling things for which they
are thankful and/or their concerns, invite other children to pray for them.
Children can say together, “Thank You, God,” when someone describes something
for which he or she is thankful.
These
are just a few of the ways to make sure that trust is established between the
teachers and children in your Children’s Ministry. --from Children's Ministry Magazine.
