Before the service, blow up eight balloons. As you
begin the preaching time, put up four balloons on the boy's
side and four balloons on the girl's side. Explain to the kids
that every time a child talks or causes a disruption, you are
going to pop a balloon. If a team loses all of their balloons,
then no one on that team will receive the treat or promotion
at the end of the day. It only takes four people to ruin it
for the team. When you pop a balloon, explain why and who was
at fault.
Suddenly, you have peer pressure working for you.
Next, have helpers hand out a few quiet-seat prizes
during the preaching time. This is called "positive reinforcement."
You are rewarding the kids who are the best example of the behavior
you desire. The children who are going to receive the prizes
are the ones who are sitting straight; they're quiet and they
are paying attention. If you continue to use this method, the
kids will know exactly what's expected of them and they'll strive
to be the best - they do want the rewards.
Get to know the kids! A good visitation program will
help you with discipline problems. It becomes an avenue for
you to talk to the parents and know what's going on in the kid's
life. A visitation program can help keep a kid's life on the
path God has for her.
Finally, develop helpers to spot potential problems.
Train them to confront situations before they become problems.
They must walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and respond accordingly
so the Word can be brought forth and bring life.
HOW TO MAINTAIN DISCIPLINE
The Safari Club by Ed Corbin - used
with permission
'There are no miracle rules concerning discipline
because each situation and child is so different. However, there
are some things you can do to create a positive, orderly environment.
These things combined with preventative planning will help you
to maintain discipline in your classroom. Remember that each
child should be expected to pay attention to the lesson and
avoid disrupting others. Discipline is not a negative thing.
The Bibles teaches us that God corrects us and disciplines us
because He loves us. We too must discipline out of love and
concern for the children.
Be consistent: Develop rules
and consequences for behavior. Remind the children of the rules
every week. Give clear, concise expectations for their behavior.
Then hold to them. Follow through on your discipline and be
consistent with your roles. Also have specific ways to do the
small things. This way they will not become major areas of contention.
For example, have a way to get into queue, dismiss, respond
to a question, begin class, put away supplies, take up the offering,
etc. The more routine you have built into your program, the
less problems.
Think preventative: Be
prepared for class. If you have an interesting and exciting
lesson, you can maintain the children's attention. Teachers
have problems when they come to class stressed and unprepared.
Watch what you say and how you address situations. By choosing
your words carefully, you can avoid many possible problem situations.
Let the children know what the routine is before it happens.
For example, you might say, "In just a moment we are
going to have a Bible story," or "We will
take a game break after this story." Avoid using too
many open-ended statements or questions which provide an opportunity
for naughty children to talk back. Give clear directions and
instructions. Try to anticipate problems and questions so that
you can address them before they even start.
Be positive: Greet the children
with a smile when they arrive because this sets a positive tone
for the remainder of the period. Show each child that you care
about him. Reward children for good behavior and reprimand them
in a positive way. For example, say, "I like the way
-- is sitting," rather than, "Why don't you
sit still like ?" Say, "Show me you are ready
to listen," rather than, "Are you ready to
listen?" and "We will begin when you are
quiet," rather than, "Shut up!"
- Never scream, because when you do, you are telling everyone
that you have lost control.
- Never humiliate, threaten, or strike a child. These things
only hurt the child-teacher relationship.
Involve the children: Let the children help
in deciding on the rules and the consequences. If they are involved
in the process, they will be much more likely to obey the rules
and hold each other responsible. Choose children to monitor
the behavior of the class for each period. Reward and punish
the children as a group. Remove unruly children from the others.
You can have them sit off to the side for a few moments or be
completely removed from the classroom. They should not be allowed
to keep others from learning or enjoying the lesson.
See also [Visitation] [Promotions] [Leading Children to Christ] [Baptism in the Holy Spirit]
Have a question - then don't hesitate to contact us!
