Safety is a prime concern in today’s world. It seems very few places have been exempt of potential danger, even the Church. Bible teachers need to be aware of classroom safety issues.
3 Tips for Bible Teachers About Classroom Safety
Bible teachers should start with some broad tips when it comes to classroom safety.
- Don’t take the “not at my church!” approach.
A church sued by a member used to emphatically say, “Not at my church!” Now that same church knows that they are not the exception. If you have a “Not at my church!” approach, you might not implement even commonsense safety precautions or might inconsistently implement policies. And, you will certainly not provide adequate training for teachers about safety issues.
Perhaps no one in your church will ever physically abuse a child. Be careful, however, of saying “Not at my church!” Your church is made up of human beings, isn’t it? Sometimes a person you might least expect can be dealing with secret issues. Safety policies and precautions are intended to be a safeguard against those times someone in your church is out of fellowship with God and not walking in the Spirit. Yes, it happens, even at your church!
- Take a holistic approach to classroom safety.
Physical harm isn’t the only threat to classroom safety. People deal with all kinds of dysfunctional behavior they might bring with them. We need a holistic approach to safety — physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual. Teachers need to know how to deal with various kinds of threats from bullying to physical aggression. (Order the Classroom Safety Issues Worksheet for help thinking through ways to provide a safe environment in all areas of our students’ being.)
- Trust God but also put commonsense measures in place.
When Satan tempted Jesus to throw Himself down from the highest point in the temple to prove He was the Son of God, Jesus quoted Scripture saying, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Matt. 4:5-7). God does expect us to use commonsense. Yet, we’re also to trust in the Lord with our whole heart and not lean on our own understanding (Prov. 3:5-6). As we submit to Him in ALL our ways, He’ll give us the wisdom and understanding on the best safety measures for our church and Bible classes. When we look to Him in ALL our decisions, we’re exercising the faith that pleases Him (Heb. 11:6).
For More: Classroom Safety Issues Teacher Training Resources
How can Bible teachers create a safe spiritual and social environment that encourages students to feel comfortable and supported while exploring their faith?
Bible teachers need to first know what kind of atmosphere should be fostered. When we determine what might make them feel unsafe, we know what kind of environment needs to be created — the opposite of what makes them feel unsafe. So, what might make students feel unsafe socially? — bullying, unkindness, lack of acceptance, ridicule, feeling like they don’t belong, etc. What might make students feel unsafe spiritually? — coercion, manipulation, condemnation, etc.
We create the right kind of environment through example, training, and establishing guidelines for the class and with the class. While we can train through formal instruction, taking advantage of informal opportunities can often be even more impacting. Use times students violate guidelines as a training ground. Of course, make sure you do that in ways that align. For example, if someone was unkind to another student, we shouldn’t deal with it by criticizing them in front of the whole group. Rather, we might approach them one-on-one and help them understand their need to apologize to that student.
The Classroom Safety Issues Worksheet mentioned in this post could be a starting point for helping teachers think through safety issues holistically.