A Jovial Teacher Is A Free Teacher.

I remember in my second year at the Bible College, I had become confident as a Sunday school teacher; I taught the same lesson in every congregation I was invited to teach. Why, you may ask? I promised myself to teach that lesson and master it until I could teach another lesson effectively. I was a theology student well on my way to attaining my BA; I was a servant, a worker in the vineyard of the Lord. I took what I did seriously; I was a Sunday school teacher; I was cultivating the future generation of the church.

I was serious about what I did; I made sure I dotted my I’s and crossed all my T’s all the time. I tend to take everything I do seriously, and I guess that’s why I am such a perfectionist. I had been working with different congregations at that time. Fortunately, a good friend and a former student at the college offered me and some of my classmates an opportunity to work part-time at the congregation he was working with.

We were beyond pleased; we jumped at the opportunity. The congregation is based in a location east of Johannesburg; getting there was no issue, and getting back to college was sorted because the brother picked us up and dropped us off.

I remember my first Sunday at the congregation like it was yesterday; it was an “Aha” moment for me. I had prepared all week; I had crafts, worksheets, and some finger puppets I had made out of paper. It wasn’t just about being prepared, but it was about proving to myself that I could apply what I was learning from the college.

I was all dressed up, hair done, in a jeans, shirt, and high heels, and all my Sunday school material was in place. I was prepared; I was so ready; I was doing practicals, and this was the time to apply what I had learnt.

We drove up to a house, a decent-looking house; I remember being there before twice; they had hosted an evangelism campaign. Ooh great, I thought we were there to pick up someone, no! I saw everyone get off; we went in, and it seemed as though it were a house church. They introduced me to the congregation as the new Sunday school teacher, and they told me my class was outside under the tree.

I went outside; the kids sat on crates. I thought, let me teach them to sing and play since we can’t colour in or do crafts; there was no stationery or tables for that matter. I was extremely nervous; there were 3 little kids standing in front of me; their eyes were wide with wonder. I introduced myself to them, and they introduced themselves to me.

We began singing, and I suggested teaching them “Making Melodies in My Heart.". As I was singing and doing the actions to the song, for some reason my hair extension fell right off my head and onto the ground. My goodness, I was so embarrassed; I wanted to hide. The kids stared right at me, and it was dead silent for a minute or so, and a sudden burst of laughter broke forth from the kids. I felt so sad, and I wondered if I hadn’t been in their position, wouldn’t I have laughed too? I too broke out in laughter, picked up the hair extension, dusted it off, and clipped it back onto my head.

Believe me, ever since, I've always made sure my hair extensions were secure. If you think that’s worse. I remember a couple of years ago, my dad came home from one of his conferences from work, and he’d usually come home with cool stuff: carrier bags, mugs, cups, bottles, pens, and notebooks.

There is this one particular carrier bag my mom and I used to fight over. I liked it because I could put all my Sunday school stuff in it on Sundays. One time I noticed my mom stopped using it; I was so excited, I packed all my Sunday school things in the bag, and I was ready to rumble for Sunday school.

Obviously, I carried my Sunday school stuff in the bag to church. I wondered why people at church were giving me funny looks that Sunday; I kept thinking there was something wrong with me. Anyway, I got home, and as I walked in, my mom gave me a shocked look. “She asked, ‘Did you take that bag to church?’’ I thought, wow, there we go again. I answered, “Yes, why?’’. She smiled and asked me what was written on the bag.

I sat down, and I realised I never cared to read what was written on the bag, and my mom asked me to read it slowly. I read it carefully and slowly…and it read, V I A G R A. As it registered in my mind, I felt so embarrassed, and it made sense why everyone had been giving me such strange looks. I mean, the Sunday school teacher's bag had that written on it in large white caps.

I just laughed, and my mom and I broke into laughter. I couldn’t help it; there was nothing I could do at that point. I know, to read everything I wear and every bag I carry now, thank you very much.

A Jovial Sunday School Teacher, Is A Free Teacher; I say this because we will have a lot of embarrassing moments on our own and even where everyone can see. Live and learn; every experience is a lesson in life. Do not take yourself so seriously; laugh at yourself and keep it moving. Yes, being a Sunday school teacher is one hundred percent serious work, but let your hair down. When you are free, your kids will be free with you, and they’ll be free in your class. When we are jovial, we spread that joy and freedom with our Sunday school kids’. Have fun, teacher; let your hair down and enjoy yourself.

Tips To Manage Time.

 Time Management.

According to google time management is, “the practice of planning and controlling how you spend your time. The idea is to be efficient and productive.” A practice is a lifestyle, I believe if we practice in or at something it is a lifestyle. If we want to be excellent at time management we need to have a routine, be conscious and consistent at it.

I am the last person to talk about time management because there are days were, I hardly management my time well, there weeks where I prepare for Sunday school on Saturday afternoon and then feel overwhelmed and frustrated. There is always so much to do in a week and everything demands time from me.

Something I was reluctant to acknowledge but I had to in order to grow, I am a perfectionist still feels weird writing about it. You must be thinking so what? Perfectionists; spend a lot of time on tasks, giving their all on every task and making sure it is done to perfection.

In a week I’ve got work, I wear different hats at work, it depends on the day of the week, and then I have a personal life; need to ensure home affairs are running well, I too have needs of my own (facial, personal quality time, time alone with God, get nails done, hair done, and the likes) and so does my husband and we both need to ensure that things running smoothly.

At times, I procrastinate because whenever I have got a task I want to think deeply about it, I want to have ideas, I want the task to speak to me, and then I get into it, I BLINK twice and it’s the end of the week or the deadline. So, here is what I have learnt to do.

I pray about any task at hand, on Sunday evenings or Monday mornings I pray to God for Sunday school ideas, I already have a lesson plan so I am not looking for a lesson but, I am praying for ideas on how to make this lesson the best lesson yet. Remember when we ask or pray to God, he certainly gives us direction, no matter how small that "ASK" may be.

I break down my task, on Monday I set time apart, prioritise, I look for worksheets for my class and once I’ve got those then am done FOR MONDAY. On Tuesday throughout the day I think about that particular lesson, what do I want my class to learn from it, what picture do I want to paint or what seed am I planting in their minds and I jot ideas that come to mind on Tuesday afternoon, on Wednesday I start looking for craft ideas, Thursday I check on whether I’ve got all the material I need if not make a list and go paint the town red, on Friday I put my craft together and see if it works, if not make alterations, I love leaving my Saturdays for creativity; Saturdays, I draw, I colour-in, I paint, I work on visual aids, colour-in worksheets, cut what needs to be cut, and put the whole lesson together. On Sunday I am good to go, at ease, no frustration, and I realised I teach better when I am well prepared.

It isn’t always about having smart ways of doing things but, it is about making time for all your needs and tasks. A teacher of mine used to say, “You can’t eat up a whole elephant all on one day! You need to chop it down into bits, and then have it.” I don’t think I’ll be adding elephant to my menu any time soon but, the idea here is to tackle every task one step at a time each day. Have a goal each day and that goal brings you closer to your FINAL GOAL by Sunday, you’ll be at ease and prepared for your class.

 Self-Love.

Some of us get so involved taking care of things and those around us that we forget to take care of ourselves, we forget that we too, need a day away and not try figure things out. According modern day “Einstein” Google; “Self-love means having a high regard for your own well-being and happiness, taking care of your own needs and not sacrificing your well-being to please others.” I beg to differ a little bit here on this one, please excuse me. I believe Self-Love is an important concept that each of us need to exercise, it is how we exercise it I believe that makes the difference. Self-Love is about;

• Knowing and understanding your worth:

By what or how do you measure yourself? How valuable are you? If you are a saved, repentant, and sanctified child of God. God says you are: • A Chosen Race. • A Holy Nation. • A Royal Priesthood. • A People of his OWN possession. 1 Peter 2:9 • Fearfully and Wonderfully MADE. Psalm 139:14

• Observing your actions:

Taking time alone in prayer, and talking to God and get time for introspection 2 Corinthians 13:5 , “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise.” Ephesians 5:15, Watch how you speak to those around you Colossians 4:6, let us learn to observe our actions, ask God for strength for growth in areas we are in need of growth.

• Compassion:

A form of love and concern for those around you, those who are in need, or a going through hardship, a strong desire to assist those in need. Romans 15:1-2, and Philippians 2:1-3. I remember attending a women’s bible class, and one of the speakers spoke about putting God and others first. She said, putting God and others first was a form of self-love. I remember doing a study on depression and anxiety and one of the books I read mentioned the reason why we have bad intra or inter-personal relations is because we do not have a good relationship with God. Unfortunately I can’t recall the name of the book I had found this information or even the Author. The lady, who was speaking at the ladies class I mentioned in the above, had an acronym of how to have and maintain our God given joy. She said we are to put Jesus in our lives first, she said secondly we put Others before us; praying for the saints unceasingly, helping others and caring for others, and lastly she said the You, you spend time meditating the word of God, praying-talking to God and ensuring you are in right standing with God. Self-Love is how we express our love to God, as well as those around us and in turn God blesses us exceedingly and abundantly with love and other blessings.

This for me is a challenge, I hope I can apply the above in my life this week, this month, this year, I pray for a repentant heart to choose JOY always, and at all times.

 

The Vineyard Awaits.

“Jesus went from town to town teaching, proclaiming the gospel, and healing every disease and affliction” Matthew 9:35 in the following verse 36 Jesus sees the crowed and is filled with compassion for the crowd. “Then he said to his disciples, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” So many people and children are waiting to be taught the word but, not everyone is willing to teach the word. Jesus says this upon seeing the large crowd in need.

We often have so many excuses as to why we can’t work in the vineyard of the Lord. Yet on most Sundays we sing to the top of our lungs about being “a worker for the Lord, in the vineyard of the Lord.”

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” As a worker in the in the harvest or the vineyard, we need to understand that we ought to look to Jesus as he is the benchmark, the example of how a worker ought to be. If you look in the book of Philippians in the second chapter; Paul summaries beautifully what Christ did by coming down from heaven to earth. Paul says; verse 6 “Christ humbled himself, emptied himself by taking a form of a servant”, and “became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross,” verse 9.

I might be wrong but, I think being a worker or servant is a mind-set thing look at what Paul says in the book of Romans 12:1-2 God in this passage instructs us to present our bodies to him as a living sacrifice (holy & acceptable) this is our spiritual act of worship to God. God reminds us not to be conformed to the world but, to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. We ought to follow a certain way of life, and constantly renew our minds-in the word.

As servants or workers like Christ we have been set free from the darkness of this world, and we continue to be a servant or a worker to ALL, in order that we might win them over 1 Corinthians 9:19. Everything we do, we do to the glory of God 1 Corinthians 10:31. It is extremely important that we convey Christ and that we glorify God in all we do.

How then are we to win more workers over in the vineyard of the Lord? We ought to live a life worthy of Christ’s glory-God’s glory, and pray earnestly to send out labourers into his harvest Matthew 9:38. The harvest is wide and open, where and how will you use your gifts or talents this year? Will we continue to sing “I want to be worker” in vain? The vineyard awaits for you and me, if you are already busy, pray for others to join you and be busy together. The vineyard awaits, what will you do?

 How to deal with poor attendance?

I remember when a friend of mine asked me to assist with “kid’s bible class/Sunday school” in the congregation he and his wife were working with; I was delighted and jumped at the opportunity. I remember one of the leaders there asking how many children I would be bringing into the congregation. How big was I going to make their Sunday school? “What did I put myself in?” I thought.

Numerous times, we think ministry is a numbers game; we think the number of people or children sitting in the pews or Sunday school class is reflective of how good or great God is to us. We are the true Church; we are doing a great job as a Church, and we are actually growing if the pews or Sunday school classes are full.

Ministry is spiritual work or service in the kingdom of God to glorify God and edify those in the flock; I believe those are purposes of ministry. We are tending to our spirits or souls for a spiritual and eternal kingdom; we are servants serving our heavenly master, being God, and our benchmark is Christ; lastly, we are to edify, strengthen, and encourage one another. Read Ephesians 2:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, & Ephesians 5:19-21.

I believe when we do what we are supposed to be doing as a church, as servants of God, only then do other things follow: “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and all things shall be added.” Matthew 6:33.

Dealing with poor attendance:

• Be an exceptional Sunday school teacher: BE ON TIME! Always be PREPARED for the day, class, and lesson; reflect Christ’s/God’s love to your kids; yes, they are yours; be like them...have wonder and imagination.

• Get to know them: I don’t mean just knowing how many boys and girls there are and their names; yes, that’s good too, but... I mean, if you can meet their parents, get involved, and get to know them, what are their favourite colours? What sport do they play at school? What are their favourite subjects? Who is their favourite teacher at school? How many friends do they have? Yes, get to know them; it will mean the world to them. Write them little lovely letters, hand them to them after Sunday school; this makes them feel loved, noticed, and cared for.

• Birthday specials: If you can, I think you can. Celebrate each child’s birthday. Again, this makes them realise how much you care. You don’t have to have a huge chocolate cake. You can have balloons, write the card, sing for them, and say a prayer specifically for them. Believe me, they'll be pleased. If you’ve got a large number of kids, you can celebrate birthdays twice a year, one party for all the kids who’ve got birthdays from Jan to June and the same for those in July to December.

• Make every Sunday special: Change it up, switch it up. I’ve said this in many of my blogs. Make learning the word of God FUN! Make Sunday school an experience for them. Have role plays, play games, and teach every lesson like it were your last.

• Give them a take-home: Kids love taking things they did in class to show Mom and Dad, or their guardians, what they did in Sunday school. Find cool crafts for them to do and worksheets for them to colour in; the older groups like word puzzles and things like that.

• Remember me: When one or a couple of my kids were absent, I went to their homes on Sunday afternoon, gave them worksheets and crafts we worked on in class, and just let them know I missed them. If that isn’t a possibility, you can give their friends the worksheets and crafts to give to them.

• Attendance sheets: Ooh, how they love their attendance sheets. These are cute little sheets that have a cute picture on them. They colour these in at the beginning of the year, and I write their names all fancy on each of their sheets. Every time they attend, they get to put a sticker on their sheet.

• Year-end function: Normally what I did in the previous congregation I worked with was have Sunday school graduations. Ooh, how they would look forward to that. We would have a full program; they would sing, read poems, and enact a story from the Bible for their parents. The teachers and I would hand out appreciation awards to those who had more than 30 stickers on their attendance sheets and give special badges to those who had outstanding attendance, and then we would give those graduating to the youth special certificates.

What had confused me by the elder’s question of “How would I grow the Sunday school?” in the congregation was baffling because they had 50 kids when I started working there. My aim was never to bring more kids but ensuring they knew why they were attending church, they understood God, and were spiritually edified.

After a few months of working with that congregation, we had 80 kids in total. The congregation I worked with East of Johannesburg before that one had 3 kids, and before I left, I think I had 18 if I am not mistaken. I then worked with a congregation in Johannesburg; they had 12 kids, and at some point, we had 50 kids, and finally, the congregation I had been recently working with had 8 kids, and eventually, we had upwards of 40 kids.

If ministry was a numbers game, I would be crushing it and probably making my way to heaven, the kingdom where service is not of this world. It is how we serve that matters; it is the role we play and how we play our roles, how we use our talents for the edification of others’, and the glory of God that matters. “Praising God and having favour with all the people. And the LORD added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Acts 2:47 It is the Lord who adds; we ought to play our part as servants in the kingdom, and God plays his part as the great mathematician, and that is exactly what the church in Antioch did; likewise, we too.

 

Maintaining Learners Spiritual Growth.

 Maintaining Learners Spiritual Growth.

If you look up the word GROWTH on Google, it says, “The process of something becoming bigger.” Growth, any kind of growth, is vital, and growth is a process; it doesn’t just happen. In this week's blog we focus on how to maintain our learners spiritual growth; how do we encourage them to grow consistently?
Remember in Mark 10:13-16, “Let the children come to me.” In this text, Jesus doesn’t just welcome the children to him, but he blesses them too; this indicates that they are wanted, needed, loved, belong, and play a role in the Kingdom of God.

Maintaining Spiritual Growth.

• Jesus’ Love: We are to exude Jesus’ love, the same love he shows in the text Mark 10:13-16. We ought to be welcoming, warm, and accommodating. In this way we reflect Christ, and we encourage them to be Christ-like too.

 

• Delighting in God’s word: When teaching, we need to make our learners understand the importance of delighting in God’s word. WHY do we read the WORD? We hear from God, we learn from God, and God speaks through his word, and we LISTEN.

 
 

• They belong: We all want to belong; we all want to be part of something special, moreover kids. Remind them and make them understand that they too play a huge role in God's beautiful Kingdom. Make them understand that God delights in their presence and in their zeal for him and his kingdom. Make them understand that they are his.

 

• Teach from God’s word: How do we ensure they are spiritually healthy and fed if we don’t feed them the correct food? The only and best spiritual food comes from the word, and through teaching from the word, they hear from God; they get to know and understand him because he speaks to us through his word.

 
 

• Pray: Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs us to “pray without ceasing.” How often do we talk to God when we prepare for our lessons, for class, or even mention our kids to him? That’s rhetorical, but we ought to pray, pray, pray unceasingly. Make our petitions known to God; having a good and open relationship with God clears our minds and hearts and allows his peace to guard us. We are strengthened, encouraged, and renewed when we constantly talk with him.

 
 
Throughout his encounters, Christ displays complete love and compassion to those he interacts with; we as teachers ought to be like Christ. We need to encourage his Little Lambs to thirst for the word of God and seek his word diligently. Through complete love, delight in God’s word, and making them understand they are part of God’s wonderful kingdom. Christ retreats to pray in numerous encounters in the word; he prays for the church. Likewise, we ought to pray for his children, bringing them to him in prayer. Teaching from the word, the word of God, is the one absolute truth we have been blessed with; we ought to maximise this blessing constantly. The process of spiritual growth will be encouraged: “Bring them to me.” Mark 10:14.

 Little Lambs in 2025.

Where do I begin? When I started this blog, I was storing up my treasures where my heart is, and clearly that is children’s ministry. I am extremely passionate about children’s ministry, and I thought this would be easy. I was wrong; going against the norm is never easy; doing what others do is easy. “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” It isn’t that simple.

Earthquakes can cause tsunamis “when the sudden vertical movement of the seafloor displaces a large amount of water. This water is then pushed out in the form of a series of waves that move away from the earthquake’s source.”

The destruction of the earthquake can be determined by how hard it hits; the destruction of a tsunami is determined by the height of the water, speed, and season. That’s how 2024 had affected how I stored up my treasure of blogging.

Blessings and challenges appear when we least expect them. I guess we have to be ready and suited up for all seasons. This year, I hope Little Lambs can grow even more as a blog. There are some things I am looking into and other goals I hope to achieve in making Little Lambs more than just a blog.

More than just growing the blog and the concept of Little Lambs, I hope I can grow with you; I hope to walk this journey with you. Without you, Little Lambs can’t be; I hope every blog can be a treasure in your heart and mind. Strengthening and encouraging you on a day-to-day basis.

Let us be mindful this year of where our treasures lie, where we store them, and how our treasures benefit us and those around us. Essentially, my treasures or talents aren’t really about me but more about you, those you share the blog with, and those who reap the benefits of you reading this blog. To growing together and to being mindful of our treasures regardless of the destructions that arise.

 

How to teach a class with different age groups?

How to teach a class with different age groups? An ideal class has a moderate number of learners all in the same age group, right? Right so, imagine you are an only teacher and have a 2-year-old, a 4-year-old, a 6-year-old, two 8-year-olds, three 10-year-olds, and a 12-year-old. How do you teach a class with different age groups? This is without a doubt a real and big challenge, but it is possible. It might take more effort than usual, but it is possible.

Spiritual messages to teach:

Creation.

Learning Objectives: They get an understanding of how things came to be and that God made everything for us because he loves us.

Adam and Eve.

Learning Objectives: They get to learn the importance of rules; rules are there to keep us from harm. Every decision we make has consequences, both negative and positive, and we must live with the consequences.

Cain and Abel.

Learning Objectives: God has placed us to be our brother’s keeper, and God wants us to love and take care of each other; that is what it means to be our brother’s keeper.

Noah and the Ark.

Learning Objectives: In this lesson, the importance of being obedient is echoed throughout, and this is what needs to be emphasised. Noah and all of his family were saved by being obedient to God.

Abraham and Sarah.

Learning Objectives: Abraham and Sarah left their family home for a place God would show them; this is an indication of their obedience to or for God. God promised Abraham three things. Abraham remained faithful to God even though he waited long for some of the promises to be fulfilled. Abraham was so faithful to God that he was considered God’s friend.

Baby Moses.

Learning Objectives: It gives the children an idea that, just like them, all biblical characters were born and raised by their parents, guardians, or relatives, and this makes biblical characters more relatable to them.

Moses and the Israelites in the Exodus.

Learning Objectives: This lesson highlights the call of Moses: that God provided a saviour for the Israelites’ through Moses. God worked through Moses for the salvation of the Israelites.

Hannah prays for Samuel.

Learning Objectives: Hannah asked God for a baby, and when the time was right, God answered her prayer. God listens when we pray and, at his time, answers us.

David, the shepherd boy.

Learning Objectives: David was a young boy who had a responsibility given to him by his father. David was faithful to his father’s request of tending and taking care of his flock; God gave David the strength to take care of his father’s flock. We have day-to-day responsibilities at home and must ensure we are faithful children like David, and God will give us the strength for our day-to-day responsibilities.

David and Goliath.

Learning Objectives: We must, like David, always be courageous, know that God is with us everywhere we go, and always trust in the Lord.

Baby Jesus.

Learning Objectives: This lesson makes them relate to Jesus, who was as strong, fearless, and cool as Jesus was; he too was a baby and a young boy like them at some point.

Baby John.

Learning Objectives: Like in the previous lesson, they are again able to relate to John the Baptist.

Jesus is my friend.

Learning Objectives: This lesson can be taken from the account of the life of Christ. Christ came to earth because he loves everyone and wants everyone to be his friend.

The parables.

Learning Objectives: These lessons are earthly stories with heavenly meanings—impactful messages that even a two-year-old can understand.

In the classroom:

As you already know, teach BE ON TIME, BE PREPARED, and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. Pray on your own before your children get to class, ask God for strength, talk to him about how you feel, ask him for guidance, and pray for your children.

Opening prayer: You’ll decide who opens. You or any capable child in the classroom.

Exercises our smiles: Make funny faces and funny sounds.

Things will be done differently in this classroom setting; making use of the older children will be beneficial for you. The older children will hand out worksheets and crayons; they will be your little assistants. When they are done with their handwork, they will assist the younger ones with their handwork or anything they need assistance with. You will see whether everything is being done correctly.

The idea of having the older children assist you helps you create a sense of order in the classroom; the older children, in the same way, are modelling a behaviour for the younger children, and the older groups have a sense of responsibility; they feel needed by you, and this makes them feel good.

Songs we sing:

“Wheels on the bus.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnRK9giGyBE

Divide the children into groups and have the older children be the drivers of the bus; that way, they won’t feel like they have to sing baby songs but rather are assisting the babies in singing their songs.

“Father Abraham.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On20xSFp0VY

“Behold, I stand at the door.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rtv1SXy9c8

“Stand up and shout it if you love my Jesus.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLuvJCu7WDk

 

Lesson time: Cain and Able.

For this type of class, you will need to have visual aids. Your visual aids must be clear for the younger groups and have visual aids that are appealing to the older groups.

Remember to bring the lesson to life, consider your different types of learners, and ensure that the lesson appeals to them and the different age groups.

Use simple words; do not say, “Cain killed his brother and his brother died!” that will put the little ones in despair; rather, “Cain hurt his brother badly.” If you are as lucky as I am, you might have a little boy in your class who knows the lesson and keeps shouting, “Able died! Able died! Able died!” Remind him calmly to be quiet and listen, and remind him that he is disturbing his peers from listening. If that doesn’t work, let him assist you with the visual aids; keep him busy.

Worksheets and Crafts:

For worksheets and crafts please check on Pinterest. Divide your worksheets and craft in three categories; little one, young ones, and the older ones. This makes it easy when you are searching for crafts, worksheets, and visual aids.

Activities and Games:

Have them act out the lesson that could keep them busy; get some clothes to dress up I you can.

Have an angry face and smiling face cut and pasted on a wall (they need to be slightly large); have the little ones point out who Cain is and Able is. Clap and hooray when they get it correct.

On the other side of the class, you can have slightly large faces cut out and pasted on the wall. One face is Cain’s face and the other Abel’s. Divide the older groups into two teams; team Cain and team Abel. Have them pick one member in each team each player must assemble the features on the faces blind folded. The members of every team must help direct the player quickest team wins.

 

How to teach a class with different age groups? It can be a challenge, but take it on. You will be surprised at the fun you’ll have with them and how much you will learn from them and this experience. Always come to class with an open mind and expect the unexpected. Remember to resemble Christ in all you say and do. Teaching is no walk in the park; pray to God and ask him that you continue in strength. “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. If not you, then who? More than anything, enjoy yourself, forget you are grown up, and have FUN. How to teach a class with different age groups? Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy all the best.

 

How to teach youth class?

 

How to teach youth class?

How to teach youth class? At this age, children are at an adolescent stage, a time of risky behaviour. According to the “fuzzy trace theory,” adolescence is a time of risky behaviour simply because the frontal cortex of a child or teenager is not yet mature. As youth teachers or youth ministers, we must consider that this stage, like any other, comes with a series of crises: identity vs. confusion, confusion over who or what one is. How to teach the youth class? How do we guide them through this stage? Bring them to a level of understanding of who God is. And why do they NEED God in every aspect of their lives?

Spiritual messages to teach them:

At this point, as youth ministers or youth teachers, we must understand that they have issues they face on a personal level. Each of them faces different issues and has a different way of understanding facts or information.

 

According to the fuzzy trace theory, an adolescent reasons, judges, and then makes a decision. I believe it works that way with all of us. We must teach them to look to the word of God so that when they reason, they may reason according to the word, judge according to the word, and make decisions that are in alignment with God’s word.

 

In youth class, children are equipped with the knowledge of how to face life in a Godly way and how it is beneficial for them to be in the Lord and live according to God’s word. Introduce them to God and his word, make them understand the importance of God, and make them fall in love with them both. We have 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. Start anywhere; the word is your canvas.

In the classroom:

Of course, if you are a youth teacher, you MUST be on time for class and prepared for the lessons, games, or activities for the day. For this particular age group, you need to have boundaries and rules and ensure that you are disciplined in how you follow your class rules. When you are disciplined, trust me, they will be too. Amanda, what do you mean by boundaries? They must understand that you are here or there for them, but you are not their buddy, and you are not their friend. Never cross that line. Discipline is an issue a lot of them have at this stage; help them maintain it. Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.

If you work as a team of teachers, you must discuss and have a set of rules before hand, and a lot of the time, it is better if they or the kids’ come up with class rules and you make sure they are maintained.

Pray, pray, pray, pray for them. Always pray together as a team, ask for strength from God, and ensure you have a co-teacher or co-teachers. Because this group can be a handful, it is wise to have a male and female teacher. A male teacher can relate well to the young boys, and a female teacher can relate well to the young girls. Be open-minded; be ready for any question or concern.

Songs we sing:

“If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands.” Unfortunately, this one does not fly in youth class. This is the time when they get to learn new choruses from your chorus book or new hymns from the hymn book. Ask them what they want to sing and give them a say; this makes them feel heard, understood, and wanted in the classroom environment.

Lesson time:

When teaching this particular group, it is much better if you sit in a circle on the floor or on chairs and maintain eye contact with them. If you stand over them, they’ll definitely feel intimidated by you, just like the younger groups. Sitting in a circle at eye level gives a warm, inviting, comforting feel. I'm sure we all want our youth to feel that way in youth class.

Ask them questions that make them think; ask them questions that ignite their curiosity; ask them questions that ignite discussion, because that is how they learn. Allow them to ask you questions too; you will be surprised at how much you can learn from them. If you do not know the answer to the question, be honest; you do not know the answer. Do research and come back with the answer the following week.

Always have recaps, just to have them remember what they learned about the previous week. If possible, have them read from the text we are learning from; each child can read a verse from the text. This encourages them to bring their bibles to church, and if they do not have any, speak to brethren in the church who can assist with bibles.

Activities or games:

• Musical chairs: an all-time classic. The point of the game is that the kids have a chair to sit on; they’ll go around the chairs as the music plays, and when the music or sound stops, they must be on a chair. The trick is that there is one less chair. Those without a chair are out.
• Tick-tack-toe: We all know how to play this game. The difference here is that each team will use cups, and their cups will be differentiated by colour. Before the player places their cup, they must flip a bottle of water, and at each flip, it must stand straight up. Only then can a player make a move. You must flip before you move.
• Place a cup: Each team will have different coloured cups, e.g., the red team will have red cups and the blue team will have blue cups. A member of each team will be chosen to represent each team. 10 or 20 cups will be stacked for each player, with one white cup at the bottom. The object of the game is for each player to ensure they get the white cup at the top of all the cups. The quickest player wins.
• Bouncing Pongs: Each team must choose at least two players from their team: one to throw balls and one to catch. Both players must stand at least 2 metres apart. The object of the game is to ensure that the player catching ping pong balls catches all the balls their team member throws. The quickest team wins. The contesting teams will play simultaneously.

 

I have been assisting my husband with the youth class for almost two years now. It has been such a delight for us to work with this age group; getting to see and understand the world through their eyes and guide them has been an honour for us. We have been blessed with a good group of kids, and it is our prayer that they may grow to become good grownups in the world and even in the kingdom of God. How do you teach a youth class? It can be daunting and stressful at first, but if we allow God to use us, bearing in mind that all we do is for the glory of God and his kingdom, How do you teach a youth class? Nobody really knows; only God does. Ask him, let your hair down, become a vessel, and have fun, fun, fun, fun. I wish you a fruitful youth class.

 

How to teach pre-teens?

 

How to teach Pre-teens?

How to teach pre-teens? At this age a child is extremely socially aware; their image matters, and the views or opinions of those around them matter to them. They are at this age involved in something they are passionate about. They have a sense of independence they want to rely on their own guidance and thinking and that of their friends too. At times they are fearful and confused on whether they fit in; the world can be overwhelming at this point for them and this can cause an array of anxiety, and loneliness. How do we teach pre-teens?

Spiritual messages to teach them:

God cares:

Jonah and the whale.

Prodigal son.

John 3:16.

Romans 8:

ü  Learning Objectives: For pre-teens at the moment, it feels as though nobody cares but, remind them and make them understand that God does, more than anyone else God cares. They must understand that nothing can separate them from the love of God.

Perseverance:

Jesus’ relationship with those in the world.

Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.

Lazarus resurrected.

ü  Learning Objective: The world is a cruel, cold, hard, and harsh place. We will face hard times and it may seem as though the odds are against us at times. They must understand through these lessons that Jesus went through the same hardships but persevered because, he allowed God to be his strength and guide. Like Jesus they can preserve if they allow God to be their strength and guide.

Importance of responsibility:

The foolish manager.

Parable of the talents.

Wise & foolish virgins.

The Good Samaritan.

ü  Learning Objective: The world can be misleading most of the time. Through God’s wisdom and guidance from his word we can bring warmth to those in the world, and we can be the light they need and by so doing, by being obedient to God we gain or ourselves an eternal rest an abundant quality of life with him.

What does God think of us?

Those who obey him are his children. – 2 Corinthians 6:18.

Jesus thinks children are part of the congregation. - Luke 18:15-17.

He created us in his image –

Those who obey him are a people of his own possession. –

ü  Learning Objectives: These lessons are meant to affirm who they are in God, and how special they are to God. They matter and have a greater purpose in life.

Worship service:

Difference between Old & New Testament worship.

Offering in the Old Testament & New Testament.

Different forms of service to God in his Church.

The Tabernacle and The Church.

How God wants to be worship in the Old & New Testament.

ü  Learning Objectives: These lessons are meant to highlight the importance of worship, and how God is to be worshiped, and we worship God according to his commands.

Christianity:

Why are we called Christians?

What is the church?

How can one be part of the church?

Who is the owner or the head of the church?

ü  Learning Objectives: Through these lessons they learn that Christianity is a gift given to us by God through his son Jesus Christ. They learn that through Christ we become a people elect, that is the Church his Church. Church of Christ because he died for it to save, and establish it. One can only be part of the Church through immersion baptism, that is how we are saved. There is only one head of the body of Christ, one head of the Church and that is Christ Jesus.

 

In the classroom:

Yes, yes, yes teacher you know the drill…Be on time, be prepared for your lesson; make sure you have everything you need and more, the class is clean and you are ready for a fresh start. Remember pray for yourself before they arrive for class, talk to Gd about your concerns and fears, and pray, pray, pray, pray for your kids’.

Songs we sing:

“Wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in God.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0RUoGQrngw

“Stand up and shout it.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLuvJCu7WDk

“I am in the Lord's army.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FqmiGwTqh4

They may not be as enthusiastic as they used to be about singing but keep being enthusiastic. Remember you set the tone and the atmosphere in the classroom, remember and keep to your routines, consistency is key. Right after singing you can have an ice breaker something active you could play just for five minutes; do what I say not what I do.

Lesson time: Prodigal Son.

What we must remember or bear in mind with this age group is that they are hard to please, so we need to make sure our lessons are wholesome. I know they should be wholesome for every age group but this age group all the more. Okay, what do I mean by wholesome? We need to ensure our lessons cater to all learning types; we need to ensure we have done our research on the lesson so that we can answer any question that may come our way. We need to ensure that we are prepared; know and understand the lesson. Another big factor is ensuring that all visual aids, worksheets, crafts, and games are age appropriate.

It is always a good idea to ask your class who knows the lesson you are about to teach, if there are any have them tell what he or she remembers from the lesson and then, you can teach. I like dress up so, I would dress up like the father in the story, and tell the story while moving around in the class. While telling the story ask them, what they think happened next. This just helps keep them engaged, excited, and attentive because that’s what we want right?

Remember another way of asking questions to find out if they were listening is during hand work; when they are colouring-in or doing their crafts. Ask questions that make them think about the moral of the lesson, and ask questions that apply to their daily lives, how they would apply the moral of the story in their daily lives.

Afterward we could colour-in, then get a craft done. If there is time I could have them act out the story.

Worksheets:

Crafts:

Activities:

Acting out the lesson.

Musical chairs.

Quizz.

How to teach pre-teens? Come down to their level, remember what it was like for you; being a preteen. They are sensitive, show compassion, be understanding, and patient with them. Remember we are sowing seeds, and not every ground is like the other, others need a little bit of patience, prayer, and compassion. Be consistent at all times, if you have means of discipline in your class make sure that they are applied for everyone. How to teach pre-teens? Have fun, laugh, play, jump, let them challenge you too. Enjoy teaching your pre-teens with love.

How to teach 9-to-10-year old's?

 

How to teach 9- to 10-year-olds?

9- to 10-year-olds are active; they are diligent in anything they do; they take pride in their work; and they are cautious in whatever they do or say. They want to be recognised as socially acceptable. Their physiological needs are prevalent at this age; they want to belong, they want to be loved, and they want to be recognised by those in authority and those around them. They are becoming more sensitive to the environment, so, teacher, how you treat them and how you show love matter more at this age. How do we teach these 9- to 10-year-olds? They are proactive, but little explores how we engage them.

Spiritual messages to teach them:

Sin:

Galatians 5:19-22.

Israelites building a golden calf Exodus 32:6.

David and Bathsheba 2 Samuel 11-12:1-23.

Jezebel killed the prophets (1 Kings 18–19:1–18).

• Learning Objectives: The idea here is for kids to understand what sin is, where it comes from in the heart or mind, and the consequences of sin.

Salvation:

John 3:1-21.

Isaiah 9:6-7.

• Learning Objectives: What is salvation? Why do we need it? And how does it apply to us or to them?

God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit their roles in our lives:

John 1:1-4 and 29–34: Jesus Christ.

Galatians 5:22–23: The Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12:3–11: God.

Luke 15:11–32: God.

• Learning Objectives: Learners’ must understand at this age the roles of God and that in the different roles they play in our lives, they are still together God.

What is the Gospel?

• Learning Objectives: They must, at this age, understand what the gospel is?, how it applies in real life?, and even to them.

What is the Bible?

• Learning Objective: They must understand how the Bible came to be. The authors of the Bible: why were these accounts written, and who inspired the authors? They must understand how it has been divided and the number of these books.

What is prophecy?

• Learning Objectives: They must understand what prophecy is, why, and how God used prophets. Why do we have minor and major prophets in the Bible, and why do we no longer have prophets today?

Importance of prayer:

Jesus cleanses the temple (Matthew 21:12–17).

Jesus prayed all night (Luke 6:12–16).

Jesus prayed in Gethsemane (Mark 14:32–42).

• Learning Objectives: Through this lesson, learners must understand the importance of prayer. Jesus did it to strengthen his relationship with the Father. We, too, must pray to strengthen our relationship with the Father.

Parables:

• Learning Objectives: Through these lessons, they must understand what ‘parable’ means and why Jesus taught parables. They must understand the moral of every parable.

In the classroom:

Yesss, teachers, even with this age group, we MUST be on TIME and PREPARED even for this age group. Actually, all the more for this age group because they will ask you questions concerning the lesson, so you goooottta be prepared. If they ask you a question you are unable to answer, let them know you don’t know, and you can answer it next week. Make sure to do research and answer this question the following week because you are trying to prove yourself honest and trustworthy.

Opening prayer: At this age, I think they would know how to pray; if not, go right ahead.

Songs we sing:

At this age, they do not like to sing much because it makes them feel or think they are childish. At this age, we try singing grown-ish songs.

“Wrapped up, tied up, and tangled up in God.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0RUoGQrngw

“Stand up and shout it.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLuvJCu7WDk

“I am in the Lord's army.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FqmiGwTqh4

I like playing an icebreaker before a lesson for this group just to get their minds active and thinking. Teachers, we must remember that when we teach, we encourage our learners to think; they must think, and when asking questions, we ask them questions that make them THINK. We do not ask questions to find out if they were listening.

We play a listening game; do what I say, not what I do. If you do what I do, you are out.

                          

Lesson Time: Parables.

Choose any parable and teach the lesson. At this age, they love to act out scenes and explore other characters. After teaching the lesson, have them act out the lesson; if you can, get them each script and clothes to dress; it makes it more exciting. If need be, have sound effects in the background.

Worksheets:

Depending on the parable you choose, have at least two different worksheets for them to colour in. The first worksheet could be a normal colouring worksheet, and the other could be a word puzzle or join the dots worksheet. Check these out on Pinterest and search any topic, and you will find what you are looking for.

Crafts:

With this age group, crafts are a breeze; you do not have to watch over them when they handle sharp or messy items. Give them challenging crafts—something to paint, glitter, paper Mache, etc.

Activities:

• Bible Pictionary: They are placed in teams of two or three, depending on the number of kids. Each member of a team will have a turn to explain a character from today’s lesson by drawing him or her on a paper or white board. The team member can’t speak; they ooonly draw out the character while their teammates try to figure it out.

• Quiz: Have them in teams, depending on the number of kids. One member of a team must be chosen to represent the team; he or she will answer a series of questions you will answer. The winning team is the team with the most correct answers.

• Musical Chairs: An all-time favourite.

 

How to teach 9- to 10-year-olds? Remember, they are at an age where they want to explore; they want to learn so they can know. Give them the benefit of enjoying the adventure of learning. Come to their level, forget being allll grown up and serious when with them, explore with them, but at the same time instruct them. They are at an age where they will test your limits as a teacher, maintain classroom routines, and maintain classroom boundaries. Let your no be, no, and yes be, yes. Besides that, enjoy teaching your 9- to 10-year-olds.