Of all the jobs that I have volunteered for at church, the best is being a Sunday School teacher. I don't have young children at home, and it has been decades since I did, and I am really getting a kick out of these youngsters. They have gotten used to me and I have gotten to know them, and we just have a great time together.
When I first started, I told them that I had only one rule: no interruptions. And that rule has stood by me to help me calm the excitable and keep the chaos down. I also started something called "Catch-up", which is a 10 minute period at the beginning of the class where they all get to talk about their week, or whatever is on their mind. We go around the room. This idea has really caught on, and now they love talking about themselves, and sharing with each other. It has also really helped me get to know each child and I think they all love getting to talk with NO interruptions. Listening to each other is such a gift I think!
We do crafts. Sometimes the time is short, so we have only 15 minutes or so. We often illustrate the Bible story using polymer clay, and I take home the little works of art and bake them and bring them back the next week. They really enjoy working with clay, and children are natural sculptors. I could NEVER do what they do so naturally.
The Bible story of the week is read by them, going around the table, and then we discuss the historical context, the geography of the region, the personalities of the Bible. My goal is NOT to interpret, but to hopefully give them something about the story to remember. We discuss issues both great and small, and I let them ask all the questions they want, and if I don't have the answer, that is ok too. I tell them that the Bible has been studied by scholars for centuries, and no one has the answers. Yesterday we studied the birth of John the Baptist, and talked about what it must have been like to be a prophet, walking in the desert, and baptizing people in streams and rivers. We often talk about the climate, the foods, and how it must have been to travel on foot.
Every week we have a different fruit to eat. One week I brought in a pomegranate and we talked about different Bible verses that mention this fruit. Yesterday when I asked what kind of fruit they wanted next week, they all yelled "Pomegranate!". Who knew.
Have a great day.
