Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Teaching Imperfect Sunday School Curriculum

Since there isn't a  perfect Sunday School curriculum, even ones that you have personally written for your own church, I guess I should have titled this "Teaching Sunday School Curriculum". But, that is boring and you wouldn't be reading to this point if I had entitled it as such.


What do I mean? Every curriculum has its weak points, areas that you have to skip, rewrite completely or tweak for your environment. The issues range from the theological and denominational to the educational. See if any of the following ring a bell:
  • A point is made or left out of a lesson that is theologically unsound in your mind
  • Your denomination or church doesn't endorse that particular take on that bible story
  • a lesson is written way over or way under the kid's heads that it was designed
  • an activity requires supplies that are impossible to get or haven't even been invented yet
  • a game or activity that takes space that you don't have
  • a drama or skit that lists more actors than you even have in your class.
You can no doubt add a dozen more personal illustrations I'm certain.

So, what do we do as educators and teachers when our curriculum or a lesson falls short. First, if you consistently have lessons falling short it is probably time to shop for a new curriculum regardless of how undesirable or bothersome that thought is to you. You can only spray paint an old clunker for so long before its completely rusted through and won't pass inspection or can no longer be driven.
However, here are some practical ideas that you must teach your teachers how to employ when the curriculum slips up or falls short.
  • Nothing replaces a teacher's personal time in the Word. I always tell people that a curriculum is Methodist if a Methodist is teaching it. (You can substitute every conceivable denomination or church here to work the illustration.) The point is: if a lesson is lacking your theology then add it. Talk about it. Help your students understand what you or your church believes.
  • Tweak every lacking aspect of a lesson. If an activity calls for butcher paper that you don't have then use a whiteboard, or a sidewalk and chalk or newspaper and bright red markers. 
  • Create your own fun twist to an activity. Don't like the provided game? Fine! Substitute your own game and utilize the conversation starters and references for the activity provided.
  • Most boring classrooms have teachers that seem to toss all the age appropriate ideas from a curriculum and go straight lecture method. Ugh! Even the best curriculums published can't get off the ground if a teacher goes with the straight lecture/torture method.  Gently break yourself or your teachers of this. You may need to take the wheel from a well intentioned teacher from time to time and show them how its done.
  • Classrooms are won or lost on the small things: transitions, arriving early, preparing the material sometime before the drive in that morning, greeting the kids, joyful attitudes, proper classroom management and discipline techniques. None of these 'show up' in a curriculum. However, a well written and well executed curriculum can minimize these issues dramatically.
  • Sometimes the simple order of programming can be changed or mixed up to add a zest to your classroom.
Well, there you have it. Teaching is an art form that has many hidden variables. As with any discipline that we pursue the rookies can easily be spotted from the veterans. Regardless, help all your teachers use the curriculum like a springboard and not crutches to limp in to the room.

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