Teachers in a mid-week children’s program, sometimes called a children’s Bible club, will face issues that could affect the way they teach and the way students learn. In training teachers, help them understand these realities and guide them in what to do to increase the potential of kids not only learning but wanting to learn.
Realities to Point to in Training Mid-Week Children’s Teachers
1) getting and keeping students’ attention
2) increasing students’ motivation to learn
And, children probably don’t want to attend something that feels like school.
For this reason, you would do well to make a mid-week children’s program feel less structured than Sunday School or Children’s Church. That doesn’t mean teachers come less prepared or less organized but rather that it keeps moving with a faster pace and greater level of activity, variety, and fun learning.
Games and other fun activities can be used for Scripture memorization or the reinforcement of key truths. When purposefully and strategically planned, children can be learning without realizing it because they are doing something they enjoy. Do your teachers know how to use games, crafts, and other fun activities in ways that teach and don’t merely fill in time?