AUGUST 2007

Welcome to WWM Talk, the e-newsletter for Walk With Me coordinators and teachers. If you have any questions about information in this issue (or anything else), give us a call at 1-800-333-8300 or e-mail us.

In This Issue

Sunday School Solutions

Teachers: Sessions without strife
Coordinators: Supporting staff

Teacher Talk

Sessions without strife
So you’ve agreed to teach again, or maybe for the very first time. You’ve prayed about it and you feel God’s call. The Sunday school coordinator has confidence in you. As you greet each child with a smile, you’ll strive to create a loving and structured environment with clear expectations, consistency, compassion, and fairness. All of that sounds great . . . but will it work?

In sports, having a good defense can be the best offensive strategy. It keeps the other team from earning the points they need to win. Even the pros have a hard time scoring with a seven-footer standing between them and the basket! Thoughtful lesson planning is like a good defense for discipline problems in the classroom. As kids connect with the lessons that include a variety of interesting activities, they’ll be less likely to get off track. Walk With Me has this strategy built into the curriculum—here’s how you can make the most of it:

Pray
Set aside a consistent time each week to read the WORDSearch devotional for teachers and pray for your class before planning.

Pay attention
Notice what goes well as you teach. Do Caleb’s eyes light up when he learns the motions to a new song? Did he love last week’s obstacle course about trusting God? He might be body smart; moving around is how he learns. Refer to the Multiple Intelligence keys next to each step in your in lesson plan to find out which kinds of activities really connect with kids, and why.

Pick an option
Don’t let the “option” sections of your WWM leader’s guide overwhelm you. The options are there to make your classroom experience better! Simply imagine how your kids would respond to each option, then pick the one that best fits their personalities and the learning styles you’ve observed.

Participate
Join in the fun! When your third graders are making pinwheels to talk about Holy Spirit, don’t just stand there and watch, get to work! Let your kids know that you’re still a learner too.

Deliberate planning on your part is the best path toward peace in the classroom. Pray for wisdom as you prepare, asking God to make your class a place of wonder, discovery, and joy!

Coordinator’s Corner

Supporting staff

Enlist
Still looking for Mr. Right? If you’re having trouble finding teachers who will commit for the entire season of Sunday school, be creative about using people’s gifts and abilities even if their schedules are limited. Recruit leaders for units, quarters, or in pairs to share the teaching schedule for each year. You may know someone who is great at leading singing but who shares stories with the enthusiasm of a sleeping turtle. No problem! Pair that person up with a spunky partner so they can tackle each session together in manageable pieces that match their passions.

Equip
Teaching Sunday school is a ministry and a calling that your teachers won’t take lightly if they’ve been trained for the task. Consider one of the models listed below.

Supplies are often a concern for teachers who have busy schedules. You can free them to dedicate more time to planning by providing teachers with a form like this (.pdf, 1 pp., .06 MB) from the Preparation 101 Workshop. Recruit a supply coordinator, and have teachers put their lists in a box at church for the supply guy to pick up and gather throughout the week.

Encourage
Pray for and with your teachers regularly! Constantly remind them of the value of their ministry and the vision they are striving for. Kingdom work is tiring but fulfilling! Have a list of trained and willing substitutes so that you can give teachers a break when they need time off. Make yourself available for questions and concerns, and help them find an assistant if they need extra support in the classroom. Use e-mail to keep teachers up-to-date on everything that’s going on in faith formation—including stories of how God is wrapping kids in his love!

Sample Quarterly Training Schedule
Note: Click on a link below to download the training manual in PDF format. Visit the WWM support page to download the PowerPoint presentations that accompany the workshops below. You can also order the workshops here.

Year 1
Pre-Season Training (Saturday Morning)
9:00 a.m. Opening prayer & breakfast
9:30 a.m. Workshop: Welcome to Walk With Me (.pdf, 60 pp., 1.8 MB)
10:45 a.m. Prayer & share for the kids, teachers, and program
11:00 a.m. Planning for upcoming sessions. Teachers work on their own sessions, fill out supply lists, and leave whenever they are ready.

For future trainings, switch the 9:30 a.m. workshops:
End of October Training: Help! My Kids Are Having Too Much Fun! (.pdf, 43 pp., 1.7 MB)
End of January Training: Preparation 101 (.pdf, 50 pp., 1.4 MB)

Year 2
Recruit a veteran teacher(s) who heard the workshops last year to lead the year 1 workshops for new teachers. During the same time slot present a second workshop option for returning teachers:
Pre-Season: More than Storytelling (.pdf, 33 pp., 1.3 MB)
End of October: Welcome to My World (.pdf, 27 pp., 1.0 MB)
End of September: The World of Middle School Kids (.pdf, 21 pp., 1.1 MB)

Year 3
Use the year 2 schedule, but substitute the returning teacher’s workshops with new ones posted on the Walk With Me website.

Sample Annual Training Day
Note: Consider partnering together with churches in your area that are using Walk With Me so that each coordinator can present a workshop, and teachers at the same age level can talk with other teachers about ideas that have worked in their classrooms.

Year 1
Pre-Season Training:
9:00 a.m. Welcome & open in prayer
9:15-10:15 a.m. “Welcome to Walk With Me” workshop
10:15 a.m. Refreshments and a team building game
10:45-11:45 a.m. “Help! My Kids Are Having Too Much Fun!” workshop
11:30-12:15 p.m. Lunch
12:30-1:30 “Preparation 101” workshop
1:30 p.m. Closing worship & prayer

Years 2 and beyond: Offer other Faith Alive workshops, bring in guest speakers or specific training that is relevant to your setting, and consider recruiting others to lead workshop so that you can offer the year 1 beginner workshops for new teachers.

Sunday School Kickoff

Looking for a fun way to kick off Walk With Me this season? Order some of these extras to build enthusiasm in kids and families! Click on a link below for more information about the item. Tote bags Water bottles Magnets Footprint

E-mail us your plans for starting the Sunday school season off on the right foot!

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