Teaching: Purity Retreat
Preparation 3 hrs
Time I was there 3 1/2 hrs


I spoke to young girls ranging from the ages of 10- 15 speaking to them about purity, insecurities, how God views them, and how men should treat them from a godly perspective. It was all apart of a Girls weekend, geared toward teaching young girls about body image and purity. There were approximately 20- 30 girls who attended, all ranging from different backgrounds and different areas of Marion. Some of the girls were from Christian homes and others were not, some we're sexually abused, abused themselves, or dealt with insecurities.

Schedule
5:30 6:00 Set up and practice
6:00-6:30 We ate and fellowshipped
6:45-7:20 I spoke


I began by opening up with scripture:

Isaiah 64:8

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.

Genesis 1:27

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

Then I showed a video and asked them to think of those scriptures. The video was an example of how media distorts beauty. They took a woman's picture and changed her features so I asked them to identify them.

And explained how we allow other factors to set the standard for what beauty but allow God to set the standard. I continued on to share my testimony about dealing with insecurities.

After I finished my testimony I had the girls stand and say that they were beautiful women of
God. I continued on by talking about how God views us as women, and if God views us that way, we should treat ourselves as such. I also talked about how men of God should view and treat women.

Using 1 Peter 3:4 and Proverbs 31

How a man should view us

A man of God should treat a woman of God as if he was treating His own body; he should love her as Christ would love her.

A virtuous woman is sweeter than honey and more precious than fine diamonds.

If he is a man of God, then he see's woman in the analogy that Christ set fourth. She represents a bride to be presented to Christ. Women are not possessions to be had, they are not and will never be a man’s to possess. As women of God, they belong to him, and as a man of God, it becomes our job to protect them for Him. Some people say that taking care of women with chivalry is old school, and I would agree. But, God is old school and with him, that fact makes him all the more relevant. Therefore, I see the way men of God treat women of God from the perspective of old school and just as relevant today as it has always been.

A virtuous woman is like the valuable pearl that the man sold everything he had to obtain. A man should be willing to give what he has to have the opportunity to be entrusted with something as valuable in the kingdom of God as a virtuous woman.

Response: It went very well. The girls were attentive but after a while I could tell they were getting a bit tired so I cut it short. Afterwards I talked to a girl for 40 minutes talking about family, faith in God, and especially her sister.

This week 1 1/2 Sunday School
1 1/2 Church
3 hrs Purity Retreat
3 hrs Concert IWU, Taylor, Lakeview choirs

In class:
This week I actually taught the students and I was a bit nervous. I was given the curriculum a week prior to and I studied the material and tried to come up with creative ways to present the information. I felt pretty confident about the lesson because I was familiar with the story. In either case I enjoyed that day, it was the most interaction I had with the kids and they opened up more because I was the teacher. It was a bit overwhelming at first because she had me do everything. The kids all came in at one time and I had to give them points, listen to them recite the prior bible verse, and give them the activity.

Lesson: I taught from Matthew 25, it was the story of the Master and the three servants. The bible verse that went along with the story was from Ephesians which states , "Whatever your hands find you to do, do it with all your might"
The moral of the lesson was to express that God gives us all abilities and we should use them, but also use them glorify God.

Class Schedule: 9
9:20-9:40 The children came in to greet the teacher and they each can receive points for the following: remembering last week’s verse, bringing their bible, bringing offering, being on time, etc. Those points allow them to pick little gifts or candies equivalent to the points they received that day. Then I gave them a worksheet and I gave them an activity. They had to draw a picture of themselves doing something they are really good at.
9:40 -9:50The children all got into a circle to explain and show their picture . Some of them did a very good job and illustrated their talent very well. I tied the drawings in with the lesson by explaining that God gives each every person different abilities.
Afterwards we played a game which I thought was didn’t go as well, but the teacher thought it was good. I had them race to a bucket of pennies, scoop some out and run back to place them in an empty bucket. Once they were done they had to say the first word of the verse and the next person would do the same and just add on the next word.

9:50 -10:10 I told the story of the Master and the three servants in Matthew 25 and asked questions in between to make the story more real to them. To see if they were paying attention I wrote out phrases and sentences but they had to fill in the blanks.
10:10- 10:25 Clean up time
Response:
The kids were so receptive of the lesson and respectful of my authority. The kids engaged in conversation and were not afraid to speak their mind; they shared stories and so on. After they were done with their pictures in the beginning of class, they were eager to show me what they had done. They listened very well to the actual story. I didn’t have to tell anyone to put anything away or pay attention.

Teacher's Comment
Knows names well
Good transition to story
Good tie in after story
Good listener to the children
What I can do better
I could have chose a better game
The teacher said I took too long in the beginning

Questions

How do you deal with a child who tries to take advantage of the teacher because they are new?
How do you allow the teacher to still have authority even though you are still teaching the class?

teaching report #2..practicum report #10

Name: Rachael Mulder
Teaching Report #2
Time Spent: 5 ½ hours (1 ½ hours preparation, 2 hours church service, 2 hours Sunday school)

My Lesson
This week I decided to teach on the miracle of Jesus healing the leper. My goal was to give the kids an understandable rendition of the Bible story, allowing them to see that our God is a powerful God that we should go to when we are sick, hurting, sad, etc.

Class Schedule:
11:00-11:30 -- Arrival and Playtime: As usual, we allowed the kids to play for the first half an hour. Today we started out with six kids: Zion (2 years), Durane (4 years), Tucker (5 years), Sarah (4 ½ years), Claire (4 ½ years), and Audrey (1 year). Zion, Durane and Sarah played with play dough. Claire and Tucker were a little more active and made up their own stories and games and kept themselves occupied fairly well. While we were playing, Claire kept talking about how she had been sick the week before. It provided me with the opportunity to prep the kids for the lesson by saying, “I’m sorry you were sick Claire, but we are going to talk about a man who was sick today in our story. He was made better by Jesus.” To which she replied, “Cool, I think that Jesus helped to make me better too!” It was really cute and provided a great segue into the lesson.

11:45-12:00 – Lesson: This week I decided to have the kids sit in chairs for the lesson. I was hoping that this would provide more structure and less opportunity for distraction. I also decided to ask for prayer requests this week. Once again, Sarah asked that we pray for her Uncle Bill who died, her family, everyone in the room, and all the toys. The other kids asked that we pray for their families as well. This led to a conversation about grandmas and grandpa’s dying etc. I brought the conversation back to prayer, and then opened up the lesson by praying for the class. This week, I found a story of Jesus healing the leper online. Last week, the story of David and Goliath was a little too in depth and long. This week, the story was quite short, but I was able to become animated about the story. I explained to the kids what it meant to have leprosy and that lepers were sick and could not be around their family and friends. Then, I told them the story of Jesus healing the leper. I used the craft as part of the story. The craft is a cut out of two men with leprosy and sad faces. You fold the men into fours, and open it up and the leprosy is gone! The kids really enjoyed this addition to the story and it provided them with a visual. Afterwards I asked them these questions:
· Was a person with leprosy health or sick?
· Could they be around other people, their family, or friends?
· Who did the leper go to in order to be healed?
· Did Jesus heal him? How?
· What did the man do?
· Have you ever been sick?
o Can God heal you?
o We should have faith in God and bring our requests to him!

12:00-12:20 – Snack: For snack the kids had cookies and graham crackers. They were very well behaved. During snack, Andrea and I asked the kids questions about the story.

12:20-12:45 – Craft: For craft, I had the kids make the “miracle healing of the leprosy men.” In order to complete the craft the kids had to glue white and red dots on the cutout of two men with leprosy. Then, I showed them how to fold the men so that once they opened it up the men were happy and healed! Most of the kids had no problem with this craft. Both Tucker and Durane were very excited about it. Sarah and Zion needed some help, but were able to complete it. Claire though, all of a sudden started bawling! She was frustrated that the glue was leading out the sides of the dots. She cried for about ten minutes before we were finally able to get her to settle down. This was quite abnormal for her, and I wondered if there was something going on at home (her parents are divorced).

12:45-1:00 – Play Time: For the last fifteen minutes, we let the kids do whatever they wanted. Most of them played together during this time.

The Response
-- Today there were six kids: Zion, Durane, Tucker, Audrey, Claire, and Sarah. Half way through the class, Audrey was taken to be with the other two kids in nursery. It was exciting to have more kids in class this week. These are the “regulars” for this class and I was excited to have the opportunity to teach them.
-- The kids really seemed to understand the lesson. Reading a shorter version of the Bible story really helped to keep their attention. It also helped to put the story into words they could understand. Throughout the lesson, I asked them questions to see if they understood the story. They were able to answer every one! For the most part, they also really enjoyed the craft. I was encouraged when the parents came, and each kid was able to explain the craft of Jesus healing the leper to their families.

Supervising Teacher’s Evaluation
Andrea was just as encouraging as last week. She thought that the craft was a really great idea. She also complemented me on the use of the chairs for the lesson. It really helped to keep the kid’s attention, and prohibited them from moving around and touching each other. She told me that I did a really good job reading the story to kids, keeping it exciting and interesting. Overall, Andrea told me that I did a really great job organizing a lesson plan, especially when there is no structure in the children’

Did Well
-I was very organized and had a specific plan and purpose for the lesson.
-The craft and lesson worked together really well.
-The craft worked well for all the ages (2-5 years).
-I was energetic and excited about the Bible story, and was able to keep the kids on better track than last week.
-I set some ground rules for Bible story time: no talking, touching, and raising hands to answer questions.
-I was able to realize changes that needed to be made from last week, especially in the area of telling the Bible story. I was able to adjust and adapt, making the necessary changes.

To Improve
-I really struggle when kids cry when they don’t get what they want. Claire, Durane and Zion all cried at some point during Sunday School because they did not get something that they wanted. I just do not have a lot of patience for that. I need to learn how to have more compassion for these kids, as well as learn how to address these situations.
-I need to learn how to have more structure during the kid’s free time.

Questions
-- How do you handle situations in which kids are crying? For the most part, they cry simply because they don’t get what they want. How do you let them know that this is not how to address this issue?
-- In what ways could I provide the kids with more structure during their play time? The room is pretty small, but at times they get out of control.
-- How do you set rules and guidelines with kids who are so young?

Final Blog

TIME SPENT THIS WEEK:

4/6/08: 1 hour Sunday school

3 hours Kid’s Church in the evening

CLASS THIS WEEK:
This week, for my final observations, I went back into the young adult Sunday school because there were no kids for the 3^rd-6^th grade class. This is the same class I attended a few weeks ago and it was a similar structure, only they took a little more time for fellowship and discussing the verses they were looking at this week. There were also an additional number of students which was great to see!

Much of the conversation that took place was between the teacher, Mike, and a student, Dave. We were looking at the last few verses of Romans 12. We discussed evil, peace, war, and many other topics that were very debate-able. It was nice to see that we could openly discuss these issues, and Mike would continually encourage that any opinion is appreciated, but it is sometimes difficult for people to share in these types of situations. If it wasn’t Mike and Dave talking, there were about three other students who would talk and everyone else listened. I don’t think this was a bad thing, but I find it difficult in those situations for everyone to share. Also, when only a few people are talking, others seem to lose focus on the topic and do not really pay attention. Even though I feel like this is an amazing way of studying the Bible, it is also difficult to get everyone involved.

I do have to give props to Mike for preparing for the lesson. So often when you are not following a curriculum, and only doing a Bible study, it can become easy to just slack off and not put much effort into it. By the insights and questions Mike brings to the table, it is evident he is very well prepared. It is also evident that the students who are there are on regular basis are prepared for this lesson also. I have enjoyed observing this class and can see that the students are learning in this situation.

QUESTIONS THIS WEEK:

1. How much time should a Sunday school teacher put into lesson preparation?

2. What is a good way of getting students to talk and put input into a discussion, without offending others?

3. How do you feel about a Sunday school program that doesn’t use curriculum – even for the adult ages?

March 29

Time Spent Sunday School 1hr 1/2
church: 1 hr 1/2

This was interesting there were only approximately 5 students who came to Sunday School. The all came in sporadicly that day as well. Some students were gone due to Spring Break.
The lesson this week was about the Lord blessing people and helping them find what was lost that. The teacher told the story of the woman who lost a coin and how with faith she was able to find. She also told the story of the shepherd who lost his sheep and with diligence he found it as well. All this to say that God seeks those who are lost so that they can come to know Christ. And just as the women and the shepherd rejoiced after losing their items so does the Lord rejoice in our choice to be found by Him.
Furthermore, if I could rate this lesson I would say it was very effective and yet one of the most simpliest lessons I've seen. As I looked at the students during the lesson they keep their eyes on the teacher and was intrigued by the story. They also engaged in conversations about the story. They played hangman to help the students remember key words from the story. There were times when I didn't know what the word was. (My attention span is very low). Before the lesson began she had them draw a picture of four people who they thought were important and to tie the lesson in she explained who God is important and how we are important to him.

In addition this week was good because she is giving me more to do. Instead of doing attendance she has meen give the students their worksheet explain what they are suppose to do. In two weeks I'll be able to teach.

Questions:
Why is that students are able to concentrate in a smaller group?
I know the obvious is less distractions but can't a large group be just as effective
I wonder if the concentration was due to the asbsence of more voicestrous students.

teaching report #1...practicum report #9

Name: Rachael Mulder
Teaching Report #1
Time Spent: 5 ½ hours (1 ½ hours preparation, 2 hours church service, 2 hours Sunday school)

My Lesson:
- This week I decided to teach on the story of David and Goliath. My primary goal of this lesson was to give the children the opportunity to hear the story in a way they could easily understand. I also wanted to allow them to see that even David, as a child, could do great things through the power of God.

Class Schedule:

11:00-11:30 -- Arrival and Playtime: The kids usually arrive promptly at eleven, as the service starts soon after. This week we only had one girl at the start of the service. Her name is Sarah and she is 4 ½ years old. After the service started, we were given Audrey to watch. She is only 1 ½ years old, but she was the only child in the nursery so she was given to us as well. For the first fifteen minutes Andrea and I read bible stories to Sarah. After fifteen minutes Tucker arrived. Tucker is five years old, and quite a handful. For the next fifteen minutes, we played with playdough. During this time, Andrea and I asked the kids about what they did for Easter. Then we had them clean up and prepare for the lesson.
11:30-11:45 – Lesson: To prep kids for the lesson I had the kids sit on their carpet squares. To open, I asked if either of them wanted to pray. Sarah volunteered, and for the next three minutes prayed for us, her entire family, her uncle that died, the toys in the room, and lots more. I finally had to cut her off with an excited amen! While her prayer was long winded, I was excited that she wanted to pray. For the lesson, I read the kids the story of David and Goliath. I used a children’s book with pictures to keep the kids attention and give them a mental picture. As I read the story, I asked the kids questions to see if they understood. I ended the story with only a few discussion questions:
· Did people think that David would be able to defeat Goliath? Why?
· David did defeat Goliath, do you think he did it alone? Or, do you think that God helped him to defeat Goliath?
· David was a child just like you, and God helped him to great things. What great things do you think that God can help do?
11:45-12:00 – Game: After the lesson I had the kids play a variation of Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Prior to class I made a cut-out of Goliath. For the game, I pinned him on the wall. Then, I blindfolded each child and gave them three “rocks” made out of paper. Then I spun them around. Whichever child put the rock closest to the forehead of Goliath won a prize. Sarah ended up winning the game. Both of the kids were really excited about the game and really seemed to enjoy it.
12:00-12:20 – Snack: For snack the kids had peanut butter crackers. During snack, Andrea and I asked Sarah and Tucker questions about David and Goliath.
12:20-12:45 – Craft: For craft, I had the kids make sheep out of their handprints. We traced their hands on colored paper and then cut them out and glued cotton balls on them. We made sheep because David was a shepherd boy. I also asked the kids questions about David and Goliath during craft, specifically asking them what they would tell their parents when they showed them their craft.
12:45-1:00 – Play Time: For the last fifteen minutes, Sarah and Tucker were free to do whatever they wanted. They ended up creating a game and playing it together.

The Response
Today there were three children, only two of them were supposed to be in our class. Audrey, who in normally in nursery, was in our class because there was no one to watch the nursery kids. Sarah and Tucker usually attend. Normally there are at least two other kids that come.
For the age of Sarah and Tucker, I believe they responded well to the lesson. There were a couple times when Sarah became distracted during the story. If I asked a question, she would answer it by going off on a rabbit trail. I had to bring her attention back by reminding her that she could tell her story after we finished with David and Goliath. They were able to answer the discussion questions I asked with very little prompting. They were also able to answer most of the questions about David and Goliath that Andrea and I asked them throughout the rest of Sunday school. Tucker really enjoyed the Pin the Rock on Goliath’s Head game, and Sarah really enjoyed the craft. She even made two sheep!

Supervising Teacher’s Evaluation
Andrea and I teach the class every week, so I asked her to give me an evaluation. She told me that I did a great job picking a lesson for the kids, and preparing a version of David and Goliath that the kids could understand. She complemented me several times on my game and craft ideas. She even said that she would probably use the game sometime in the future. She also told me that I did a good job at staying patient with the kids, and drawing back their attention. As for improvements, Andrea encouraged me to find creative ways to keep the kids from verbally interjecting during the story.

Did Well
- I prepared very well for the lesson, craft and game.
- The schedule of class flowed very well, especially as I tried to change up times of sitting and being active.
- I did a good job of tying an Old Testament Bible story into real life by drawing parallels between David and the kids.
- I remained patient through distraction, and kept the energy level up.

To Improve
- I need to find better resources for the Bible Story, maybe use a flannel graph instead of a book. That would allow for more freedom in the word choice, giving the children better understanding.
- I need to find better ways to keep the kids focused on the lesson. At this age, it is so easy for them to become distracted and get others distracted. The questions I asked caused Sarah to go on a “rabbit trail.” I must learn how to ask questions more narrowly.

Questions
- How do you ask kids questions in order to determine their understanding, yet prevent “rabbit trails” from occurring?
- Should we request that nursery kids stay in nursery, even if there is only one child? It was not too inconvenient having Audrey in class this week, but it she did require all of Andrea’s attention leaving me in charge of the rest of the students by myself.
- How do you adjust your lesson to class size? I expected more than two students this week.

Week 8

TIME SPENT THIS WEEK:

3/30/08: 3 hours for Sunday school and worship

CLASS THIS WEEK:

This week, I actually taught Sunday school for the 3^rd through 6^th graders. I had a really good learning experience this week. I did not have much time to prepare the lesson since Angel asked me later in the week, and then I was out of town on Saturday, but I had in mind what I wanted to do. I took about an hour of preparation time on Saturday, but I used the idea we had made up for our chapter on the Temptations of Jesus. The lesson went well, and even though it was a bit difficult to help them understand, I believe they walked away with a better knowledge of how to say no to a temptation, and when we give in and say yes, to ask God for forgiveness. I believe it went over well, because Sophie was able to really discuss with me different scenarios she had in mind about temptations. Sarah was pretty good about it, but I don’t think I really captured her attention. I learned that I need to have a lesson that is for all the age groups, and not just the older/more mature students.

The observation I did was in Kid’s World on Sunday evening. I went with George, another leader, and watched as he taught the 1^st and 2^nd grade class. In his class, there were 3 girls, a set of twins, Bibi and Lili, and another girl, Zoe. All three did well with the lesson on respect. Even though the video George had them watch was quite old, they still understood what was being taught. George did a very good job with the girls, by stopping the video at different points to interact with them by explaining some parts and also by asking for feedback. One of the twins always had an answer for one of George’s questions. Whenever she finished saying her answer she would look right back at her sister. Every time she did this, I was thinking, “Did I do this as a twin with my sister?” I think there were times when I did, but not every time. I wonder why she does that. My guess is because she is looking for affirmation. Zoe answered one question and caught me off guard by how well she answered the question. I wanted to lean forward and hug her because I did not think that a girl her age could come up with such a mature answer. I learned that a lot can happen if instead of just watching a video, the teacher takes time to stop the video and interact with the students.

QUESTIONS THIS WEEK:

1. Why do you think that one of the twins would look to the other twin after she answered each question? Is this something all siblings do, or just something twins may do?
2. How do you adequately prepare for a Sunday school lesson?
3. At the church I work with there is no curriculum. I like creating lessons myself, but I think curriculum would be a good idea to have on hand. The problem is there SS is small right now and they don’t want to spend a lot of money on curriculum for five students. What would be a way to get curriculum that has good quality, but cheaper?
4. How do we as teachers encourage other teachers who have no kids showing up?

March 22, 2009
This week: 1 hr 1/2 church service
Sunday school 1 hr 1/2
Volunteered for Easter program 3 hrs




This week:
This week the students learned the verse John 14:15 they were fairly receptive to this lesson. It was interesting watching them this week because they seemed a bit more aggressive than usual, at least more energetic. It is the Sunday before Easter and the kids seem eager, maybe they are anticipatig their Easter break. I noticed one young girl who continuously pinched others and enjoyed others pinching her. All of the students just seemed more violent, they pushed to be at the front of the lines for activities. But in either case it was good to be back in the classroom after spring break, I was happy to see the children. Again this week the teacher had me take attendance and give the children points. I enjoy it because it gives me a chance to ask about their weekend

But what I enjoyed most was volunteering for the Easter Programm. Initially I was suppose to work in the Nursery but got pulled to watch the children who were in the play. And they ended up being some the kids I had in Sunday School. It was nice to see them in a different environment. Some were the same and others were more energetic and vibrant. The one kid Matthew was so much more talkative, he seemed more like a kid. In Sunday School, he's like an old man trapped in a young kids body; I guess its some maturity coming out of him. It can also be due to his parents who are in ministry. But I absolutely enjoyed sitting with them and really seeing the full range of their personality. One thing I learned while watching them, it doesnt matter what age you are, everyone loves Veggie Tales and thats what we watched the whole time.
Another thing I notices, was my cautiousness around them. I was even hesitant to put on Home Alone because I didnt want anything to trigger anything negative in their minds

Questions:
1. Why area children more reserved in Sunday School? Is there room to be more silly or loose in Sunday School?
2. What is appropriate for kids to watch? Today the ratings have lost its sense of protection
3. How do parents in minstry affect children at a very young age versus Jr. High?

rachael's practicum report #8

Substitute Practicum: I was unable to attend my regular practicum this week as a result of Easter break. This week I attended the college group Sunday school class at my home church. There were a lot of students there, and it was a great time of fellowship. I believe that I should receive some credit for this substitute practicum because I was able to observe a college age Sunday school class taught by a veteran teacher, as well as receive input from students in the class about their Sunday school experience.

From: Rachael Mulder
Subject: Practicum Report #8
Time Spent This Week: 3 hours (1 ½ hours for Sunday school class, 1 ½ hours for church service)

Class this Week:
This week there were 19 college students in attendance for the Sunday school time. This is a pretty high number for our group due mostly to the Easter holiday. Class began pretty late as we waited quite a while for students to trickle in. The teachers of the class are a middle aged couple with two girls who are in the college group. However, usually their two daughters are not in attendance. We began class by getting updates from people in the group. To me, it seemed that we were getting updates about their daughter’s lives (one is engaged and one has a boyfriend). While we did focus on others in the room, most of the focus was on their family. Then we moved on to prayer requests. The teacher did ask for updates about the prayer requests for specific situations. This showed me that he had at least taken the time to right the requests down, and had prayed for them during the week. A few people shared their requests, and then the teacher asked if anyone wanted to pray. After an awkward silence, he went ahead and prayed by himself for us.
Then we moved into the lesson. I was told that they are going to be working out of a book. There were a few people in the group that actually had the book, and when asked who had read the assigned reading there wasn’t a single person that had. So, the teacher pulled heavily from the passage which was Romans 12. He passed out notecards and had each of us write down one thing that kept people from pursuing holiness. Then he collected them and read through them. It was interesting to see the similarities and differences in people’s answers. There was a wide variety of responses. The responses also indicated the wide variety of people in the room. We have a range from new believers to people studying to enter the ministry and the answers seemed to reflect that.
The lesson consisted of asking questions based on the main passage, and looking at several other passages that related to seeking holiness. While the topic was good, the content seemed pretty dry. The teacher did not act excited about what he was teaching. It was obvious that he cared about the topic, but it was not obvious that he was excited or passionate about it. That made it hard for anyone else in the room to be excited about the topic. The discussion pretty much consisted of me, him and his wife dialoguing back and forth. Class ended with prayer and people were dismissed.
That night I got together with a couple of girls from the Sunday school class. In our conversation the topic of Sunday school came up. I asked them if it was like this every week with this teaching couple (we have a rotating schedule for teachers). They replied that it was always like this and the only reason they came was for the fellowship. While they really like the other couple that teaches, they did not have much positive to say about the current teaching couple. They were frustrated that the teaching was coming out of a book, as most of them are college students and to read one or more chapters a week did not seem possible. They also struggled with the lack of excited and joy from the teachers. They were discouraged when comparing the methods of both teaching couples.

Questions this Week:
#1... What do you do in a situation like this? Our college age group has gotten neglected at our church. We have had two couples in the church really step up, and they have developed an amazing Bible study group, but the Sunday school program needs work. How do you begin to make aware the need for change?

#2... Is it bad that in a group of college students there is no one that volunteers to pray? Personally I do not mind praying, but I find that I am one of the few that contributes to discussion so I want to provide other people the opportunity to become involved.

#3… Is a series from a book a good idea for a college group in which students are always coming in and out due to school, work, jobs, etc? Is there a better curriculum that could be used for this group?

Teaching Report 2

Kristi Moore

Teaching Report 2

Time Spent: 2 ½ hours prep time and 1 hour teaching

A. My Lesson

The lesson I came up with this week came from Luke 15:11-32, the parable of The Prodigal (Lost) Son. The main point of the lesson for these 3^rd-6^th graders was that God is waiting on them with open arms to come back to Him. No matter how bad they may have messed up, they can always turn back around and their Father will greet them with a hug and a kiss. Since this was also around the Easter season, I also discussed forgiveness and the Father’s forgiveness of his son.

11:00 - Opened class with prayer. Asked students to pray, but no one volunteered, so I then played the thumbs up game and the last student (Sophie) opened us up in prayer.

11:01-11:10 – I opened the lesson by asking a few questions:

• If your parents decided to give you one million dollars and told you right now that you could do anything, or go anywhere you wanted, what would you do?
• Would you ever think about leaving home and living on your own?
• Would you share your money?
• What do you think God would want you to do with this money?

11:10-11:30 – Once we discussed the questions we read from the Luke the story of the Lost Son. I asked if anyone wanted to read and only Sophie volunteered. Sophie read half the story, and then Angel, my supervisor finished the second half of the story. After reading through the story I asked some follow-up questions:

• What did the younger son do with all his money?
• How did the father react when he saw his young son coming back home?
• How did the brother act when he saw how his father accepted his brother back home?
• Were you surprised by the way the father reacted to his lost son coming back home?

This was a great time of conversation and learning more about the parable.

11:30-11:35 – Integration: I explained how the father in this parable represents our Heavenly Father. I explained that the father forgave his son and welcomed him home with wide-opened arms. I then began to integrate how Easter falls into this lesson with the idea of forgiveness. Sophie, J’Shauna, and Chanse understood by discussing with me the story of Easter. I ended the integration part by handing out small pieces of yellow ribbon as a reminder to “Come Home Soon” to God. They really liked the idea of the ribbon. I then played Chris Daughtery’s song, “Home” and explained how it related when in the chorus he sings, “I’m going home, to the place where I belong, where your love is always been enough for me.” While I played the song, I also showed the kids pictures from my home church’s reenactment of Good Friday. This really kept their attention.

11:35-11:45 – I then moved to a different room to get onto the internet and show the kids a video from GodTube. This video portrayed a girl who was following Jesus in the beginning, then following the devil and facing difficult times, and then finally getting back to Jesus. Although I was nervous about showing this to 3^rd-6^th graders, I felt like there would be a good reaction to the video and there was. J’Shauna understood that the difficulties the girl faced when she wasn’t following God were wrong, by stating, “No!” when the girl was contemplating suicide. Chanse and Sophie were very involved in the video by intently watching and asking questions about what was going on.

11:45-12:00 – After watching the video we moved to the activity I had planned. We went back to the Sunday school room and played the board game Sorry!. Sophie, Chanse, and J’Shauna were all excited about it, but it lost their attention quick, however, it all worked out. They understood that when you say sorry you’re asking for forgiveness.

B. Response:

Even though there were only 3 students in the classroom along with Angel and myself, it went great. This was maybe a more difficult lesson for them to grasp, yet since there was more individual time, I was able to really help them understand it. It was evident they understood the lesson by the ways they reacted to the more “mature” video I showed after the lesson. They were very responsive by stating things such as “No!” when something bad was taking place, asking questions about what was going on, and then cheering when the girl went back to God. By integrating the parable, Easter, the song “Home”, the video, and the yellow ribbon reminder, I believe the main point I was trying to make – the idea that even when they feel like they’ve messed up big time all they have to do is turn around and God will welcome them back with overwhelming love and forgiveness – was well received. I look forward to seeing them grow the rest of this semester.

C. Supervising Teacher’s Evaluation:

For lesson preparation Angel stated that it was obvious I spent time preparing. She stated the presentation was incredible and that she loved that I did choose to show the GodTube video, even though it was a risk. She said that it went over well with Sophie, Chanse, and J’Shauna and that through the presentation I have gained ground with these three students. She said that having them read the scripture was a good touch, but that next time, instead of having just one read, to break it up and everyone take turns. Angel stated that I was very creative with the lesson and this is one of my great strengths in teaching. She also added that the enthusiasm I carried was evident while showing the video and my longing to help the students understand it more clearly. She also stated that the lesson was a great follow-up from the Kid’s Church lesson and that it will definitely be a lesson the kids remember. The fluidity of the lesson went fair. She stated that it’s difficult when teaching both Kid’s Church and Sunday school to keep the kids on the right track. She stated next time to be in the classroom as soon as Kid’s Church is over to keep the student’s attention and clean up later. She also suggested that whenever it is possible to have activities or parts of the lesson set out. As a result of trying to clean up after Kid’s Church, I lost the set up time and was doing it as I came to it. All in all, Angel said it went well!

D. Things I did well:

1. I was very well prepared for the lesson.

2. I had many parts to the lesson that kept it moving.

3. I took a risk showing the video, and it worked!

4. I didn’t let the students persuade me to do something different.

5. I made eye contact and direct communication with each student.

E. Things I need to improve:

1. Make sure I have time to set up before I teach.

2. Either read the story myself out loud, or have the kids read it (not just one).

3. Allow more room for other ideas or activities in my lesson plan.

4. Speak up

5. Trust that what I have planned and what I am saying is the truth and not ask for back up when someone else is around.

F. Questions:

1. What are some different ways to read the lesson to the class?

2. Is it okay to take risks in order to get the main point of the lesson out? (i.e. show a video that was geared more towards an older age group)

3. What are some ways to keep students involved in a board game…let alone any activity?

4. How do you feel about using a computer in a Sunday school setting to do things such as play music, or other activities to get the students to understand the main point?

Teaching Report 1

Kristi Moore

Teaching Report 1

Time Spent: 4 hr. prep time, 1 hr. 15 min. class

A. My Lesson

This week, being Palm Sunday, I told the story from Matthew 21:1-11 on the triumphant entry into Jerusalem. My main focus for this story was that God can use any one of us for any task, just like he chose to use the donkey to ride into Jerusalem. I also discussed the rest of Holy Week briefly. At the end of discussing each part of Holy Week, I did a quick activity to help them remember the main point of Easter (Jesus is alive today and He forgives!).

9:45-9:50 – Arrival: As I stayed upstairs in order to set up for the lesson, 2 of the leaders brought the kids into the classroom. As they arrived I greeted them by saying hello and asking them how they are doing.

9:50-10:10 – Worship: As a group we sang “You Are my King (Amazing Love)” by the Newsboys and “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High”. For the second songs we even did motions that the children knew. I had the lyrics on a power point presentation which went very well. After singing we sat down and prayed. I asked if anyone would like to pray and none of the kids wanted to, but Floyd, one of the leaders led us in an opening prayer. This went real well and they seemed to like the songs I chose.

10:10-10:30– Lesson: After praying, I then began introducing the lesson by asking if anyone knew what Holy Week was. Most of them had an answer and were right on. I then explained it a little further and then asked them if they could help by waving palm branches when I got to that part in the story. This got a bit out of hand but I quickly asked them to lay the palm branches on the floor and pick them up when we got to that part of the story. They did really well with the instructions. After reading from the Bible, I then asked a few review questions:

· What animal did Jesus ride into Jerusalem?

· Why do you think Jesus would have picked the donkey?

After discussing why Jesus chose the donkey, I stressed the main point of this lesson – that Jesus chose the donkey for this huge task, just like he can chose to use anyone of us for a task. I then asked them the question of what ways can Jesus use you? One of the boys that was joining us in class has cancer and we discussed how God has and continues to use him in the lives of others. I also pointed out different children and said that Jesus can use them too.

10:30-10:35– Holy Week Discussion: I then switched gears and talked more about Holy Week. I discussed Maundy-Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday in brief, but very clear ways. I ended this discussion by stressing the point that Jesus is still alive today. I asked the kids in where we see Jesus alive and they responded by saying in our hearts and in other people.

10:35-10:40 – Forgiveness activity: After discussing Holy week we did a quick and simple activity that helps the kids understand what Jesus did for us. I typed up Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” onto a small piece of white paper and explained that this is a clean piece of paper which represents our lives before sin. Then I had them scribble on the paper covering it all with an orange or red crayon. This “mess” resembles the sin in our lives. Then, the final step is to cover the paper with a piece of red cellophane paper. The red cellophane paper resembles Christ’s blood that was shed for us. The kids were very intrigued by this activity. I encouraged them to take this home with them and share it with their friends, but to also be a reminder as they go throughout this week of what Easter truly is about.

10:40 - Closing Prayer – I prayed for the class this time.

10:40-10:55 – Donkey Craft – I decided to have the kids create a donkey puppet out of paper bags to take home with them. The main idea I wanted them to take home from this lesson was that God can use them just like he used the donkey to bring Him into Jerusalem to start the last week of His life. I really believe this point stuck with them and the craft went over very well! I found the instructions for this donkey puppet online and then cut out the shapes of the head, ears, hair, legs and arms and let the kids glue them onto the bag. They also were able to make the donkey’s face and color its arms and legs. I had them name the donkey any name they wanted and just have them make it personal to them.

10:55-11:00 – Reenactment – Once all the puppets were made we reenacted the scene where Jesus entered Jerusalem and they palm branches were waving. We had just five minutes left of class and thought this would be something fun to do with them.

B. Response

There were 7 children in attendance for the class. We had five regular students and two guests. One of the guests was a boy with cancer. When I saw him walk in, I was so glad to see him and finally meet him. This was the boy we had been praying for all semester. I felt like God used this lesson in so many ways to encourage him. All of the children were behaving well. Never once did I really feel that overwhelmed. They seemed to enjoy the teaching and learn something from it. The donkey craft and the forgiveness activity both went well. Times before when I have taught, I have left feeling disappointed. I left the class this week and felt encouraged.

C. Supervising Teacher’s Evaluation

Later on Sunday, I sat down with my supervising teacher and discussed how my teaching went. She first asked me how I felt, and then she went from what I had to say. She said that it went real well. For lesson preparation, she said I did a very good job. Angel said that it was evident that I had studied the lesson, prepared for the children’s behavior, and had thought about when to hand out the palm branches in a good spot. She said the presentation was incredible. I did very well at not loosing track of where I was at when there were distractions. Angel was also impressed with keeping focused on the main point of the lesson and not straying away from it. Even though we teach a wide range of students from ages 3-10, Angel stated that the lesson was very age appropriate and all of the kids were focused intently. She also said that I was not overly enthusiastic which sometimes scares the children and that I was very creative with the lesson. Angel told me that the lesson flowed together well and that it was challenging enough to keep all the children engaged and it was also challenging on a personal level (getting them to find areas where God has used them and thinking of areas where God can use them).

Several times I asked Angel to give me some feedback on areas of improvement. Each time I asked that question she came back saying she honestly could not find any areas of improvement. I believe she was very impressed with the lesson. Angel did provide me with a few follow-up suggestions which I believe I will do for the kids.

D. Things I did well

1. I believe I did a great job preparing the lesson. Overall I spent about 4 hours creating and preparing the lesson.
2. I was amazed at my presentation. Normally I am nervous, but this time I was perfectly calm. I had no errors with the technical equipment which was a huge blessing. The kids seemed to be very interested in the whole presentation.
3. I chose the right crafts/activities that went well with the lesson.
4. I included the kids and their opinions by asking questions and pointing out ways that God can and already has used them.
5. The songs went over well. I believe it was the loudest I heard them sing since I’ve been there.
6. I sat down in the same type of chair the kids were on so I was on their level. I was talking straight to them, not above them.

E. Things I need to improve

1. I think I need some improvement on how to control the classroom. I was thankful to have 2 adult leaders in the room with me, but when things went a bit crazy, they got it back under control.
2. I can improve in time management. Even though it was a last minute decision for me to teach, I could have been working on the preparation earlier instead of a couple days before.

F. Questions

1. When working with little children, we as adults are intimidating to them. When I asked a question to one of the boys he answered first, but I could not hear him, so I asked, “What did you say?” and I kept it at a soft tone, but he kind of backed away and wouldn’t repeat his answer. I think I may have scared him. How can we ask a question, or ask a child to repeat their answer without scaring them?
2. How can we control the classroom without seeming to be “mean”?

Week 7

TIME SPENT THIS WEEK:

3/13/08 – 2 hours prep work for Children’s Church lesson

3/14/08 – 2 hours prep work for Children’s Church lesson and Sunday school lesson

3/15/08 – 2 hours 10 minutes prep work on Sunday school lesson

3/16/08 – 3 hours and 30 minutes Worship, Sunday school (Time I spent teaching), and meeting with Angel to go over my teaching.

CLASS THIS WEEK:

In Sunday school this week I had three students, Sophie, Chanse, and J’Shauna. I had a lot of fun teaching these kids! They were very interested in the lesson which I told the parable of the Lost Son. My main point of the lesson was to let the three of them know that when things seem to be at the worst situation possible, turn to God for he is waiting with his arms wide open for them. I connected the forgiveness of the father in the parable to the forgiveness of our Heavenly Father. The students really seemed to understand the lesson. I handed out small pieces of yellow ribbon similar to what we place outside our homes reminding the soldiers to come home soon. I encouraged them to either wear it or use it as a bookmark in order to remember that God is waiting for them to “come home soon”. I also played the Chris Daughtry song, “Home”, as in the chorus he sings, “I’m going home to the place where I belong, where your love is always been enough for me.” They really liked the song. As I played the song, I also showed pictures from a dramatization of Jesus trial, crucifixion, death and burial. Chanse, Sophie, and J’Shauna were all very intently focused on these pictures and everything.

After playing the song, we then moved into Angel’s office to play a video off the internet that enforced the idea that Jesus will do anything for us (such as die on the cross to save us from our sins, and be waiting for us to turn back to Him). I was scared to use this video because there are a few scenes where there is a knife, gun, and beer bottle; however it went over very well. It showed Sophie and Chanse that there are some people going through some rough times, and it was also beneficial to J’Shauna as this is the type of world she lives in. It reminded her that God is there for her, even when these situations arrive in her life. It kills me to think that even as a 4^th grader she has already been introduced to this dangerous world. I sat there and explained during the time when the movie showed a knife that this was just acting, but something that really goes on. J’Shauna’s reaction to the knife portion and to the moment when the girl held a gun up to her head, she stated statements such as, “No! No! No!” or made a noise that one would make when it hurt. I was very pleased to see that she understood and saw that there was a different way. Most importantly, Chanse, Sophie, and J’Shauna all got to see that Jesus is never going to give up on us. He will always be there and will take the punishment and the beating for us.

All in all, the lesson went over well. I learned that I must be prepared in order to stick to my plans. I also learned that it is okay to take risks (such as show the video) in order to help them better understand the lesson. I believe wholeheartedly that J’Shauna, Sophie, and Chanse walked away this week with a better understanding of our God and a deeper love for Him. I also feel like I have connected with them on a deeper level.

QUESTIONS THIS WEEK:

1. How do you feel about taking risks in the classroom (such as showing this video which showed some tough life situations) to the younger aged children?

2. Is it good to have the students read the Bible story, or the teacher?

3. How can we keep the kids focused on a fun activity? When we played our game at the end, they were not into it that much.

rachael's practicum report #7

Substitute Practicum: I was unable to attend my regular practicum this week as a result of spring break. This week I attended the college group bible study of my home church. It was a great time of community and renewal with those I love and miss a lot. I was able to reconnect with my friends from my home church as well as observe a small group in a different setting. I was not able to attend a regular Sunday school class because I helped out at Springhill camps both weekends I was home. During both these weekends I was able to observe an effectively run youth retreat camp program as well as build positive relationships with staff and youth.

From: Rachael Mulder
Subject: Practicum Report #7
Time Spent This Week: 3 hours (1 hour spent in community, ½ hour spent discussing prayer requests, 1 ½ hours for bible study)

Class this Week:
This week I attended my home church college group’s bible study for my practicum. There were thirteen people in attendance, all who were college age. There were the regular attendees as well as some new faces. It was encouraging to see people in the Bible study inviting their friends and coworkers to learn with us.
We began our Bible study time in fellowship. I was able to catch up with my friends about their lives, and inform them about the great changes going on in mine. We discussed wedding plans, summer plans, car problems and much more. I really enjoyed being able to hold an intelligent conversation with those at my practicum, which was much different than the 2-5 years olds I work with at Exit 59.
After that we moved into prayer requests. It is surprising to me how open our group is. We are very vulnerable and transparent when it comes to prayer requests. Our group also has a great desire to pray for those who surround us in our everyday lives. Many people brought up requests for people other than themselves. It is also encouraging to know that people in that group are lifting these requests up in prayer daily. Our leaders, Paul and Krissy, are also very intentional about praying and following up on those requests.
Then we moved to the Bible study portion of the night. We have been watching a video series called Faith Under Fire. The topic of the night was why God allows pain and suffering. The video itself was fairly elementary and unsatisfactory, but the discussion we had as a group was amazing. We really bounced well off of each other, and when quite deep into our beliefs, experiences, and the Word. Paul did an amazing job guiding the discussion and encouraging everyone to participate. One of the girls who visited our group for the first time even participated in the discussion. She is not a Christian, but had great things to say and it was encouraging to know that she felt comfortable enough in the group to join in discussion. Overall, the time spent in the Bible Study was a great learning experience. I was able to observe an effectively run Bible study that was intentional about creating community and building relationships with college students.

Questions this Week:
#1...How do you encourage newcomers to participate? How do you bridge the gap between those who are new in their faith, have no faith, and those who are deep in their faith?
#2... Do you think that video series are appropriate for a college group Bible study? We have had great discussion from the video series, but sometimes I wonder if a video series is taking the easy way out.

Week 6

Substitute Practicum: This week during Spring Break I went to Zion Church in Palm Bay, Florida. This is the church I may be doing a summer internship at this summer. At Zion, there are two morning worship services. I first attending the early service and then during the second service I observed the teaching going on in the children’s church. Zion does not have any “Sunday school” classes, because they have life groups that meet weekly. For the kids though, during both services they have a nursery class, a preschool and Kindergarten class, and the children’s church which is for grades 1^st-5^th. There children’s church is structured as a classroom setting and is very similar to Sunday school. I believe I should get credit for this substitute practicum because Zion has a structure that is similar to Sunday school, yet they do not exactly have a “Sunday school” program. I learned a lot from this observation and believe that I should get credit for it and also be counted as a Sunday school observation.

TIME SPENT THIS WEEK:

3/9/08: 4 hours – worship service and observing the children’s church. I also helped my aunt with her welcome ministry duties before and after church.

CLASS THIS WEEK:

I had a great experience observing the children’s church at Zion this week. Darren, one of the teachers whose turn it was to teach this week did and extraordinary job. He is a coach and high school teacher so he is very good at keeping the children’s attention and making them follow the rules. I learned that as a teacher, I must be firm but loving with those I teach.

For the majority of the time Darren was teaching a lesson that he had came up with all on his own. He began the class with a short video clip, spoke, did communion, and then ended class with another short video clip and then let the children play before releasing them. I never saw or heard someone do so well with the children. There was a big group of about 25 kids and they were all very well behaved. I observed how he handled children who extra grace was required for. I also saw how he handled a problem between the boys and the girls by sitting them on separate places of the room before class even began. These techniques are definitely ones I will take with me as I further my ministry.

One of my favorite parts to the class was when Darren and his dad did communion with the children. Each child walked up, dipped their bread in the juice, and the two of them laid hands on the child and prayed a blessing over them. Each child walked by with a smile on their face and I could tell they all felt special. I had never seen this before with children and it was so fascinating to observe. I hope to include that in my own ministry.

Not only did I learn how to handle extra grace required people, and how to deal with situations before they get out of hand, but I also learned how the Sunday school program can be incorporated in different ways in different churches. By observing how this class was handled, I believe I am walking away this week with techniques that I can and will use in the future.

QUESTIONS THIS WEEK:

1. How do you feel about putting children in children’s church and the other classrooms during the worship service without even letting them be a part of the Adult worship service?

2. How do you feel about this type of program replacing Sunday school?

3. How often should communion and other sacraments take place with children?

From: Nashira Williams
Hours Spent: 1 1/2 hr Sunday School
1 1/2 hr church service

This week:
Well another rambunctious student arrived at Sunday School this week giving the school teacher a run for her money. It seems as though the students are getting easily distracted as time progresses. I don't know if its due to the students who don't pay attention having an affect on the others. I see that more students are getting sick, but surprisingly some of them are getting more active and violent at times. They like to pinch and punch one another; very odd, but maybe not really. But they are definitely beginning to show their true colors and coming out of their shell more and more. I don't know if they held back because I was there and they were trying to get use to me.
In either case what was good is that the Mrs. Maddox allowed me to participate in the activities with the students. And when I wasn't apart of the activity they noticed. This week they learned about the blind man who was healed by Jesus' saliva. The scripture had to do with liftng the burden off of others so she used a backpack filled with cans to illustrate her point. She told the students to take a can and they placed it in the backpack and once it was full each student tried to carry the backpack. Of course young boys tried to show off a bit saying they would rather carry this heavy bag than be without it. Then took all the cans out and told them to carry it and compare to see which one was easier. In addition to talk apply the blind man example she had each student take a turn blind folded and try to find out which student they were touching. They had to touch their face, hair, and clothes. One student did very well, while some others just made a mockery of it, guessing before they really actually touched the student. Although I think the lesson was a good idea I don't think they are mature enough to understand this is how a blind man lives everyday. I think they need to understand the privilege of being able to see.

Questions
How does the teacher prepare a student teacher in a classroom so that students began to feel comfortable around him or her?
Is the Sunday school teaching lessons that the students aren't truly prepared for?
How do you really prepare a student for the lesson?

rachael's practicum report #6

From: Rachael mulder
Subject: Practicum Report #6
Time Spent This Week: 3 hours (1 ½ = service, 1 ½ = Sunday school)

Class this Week:
I did my practicum this week at Exit 59, which is my official practicum location. This week there were only 2 kids. Audrey was a year and a half. Linzie was 3 years old. The service was much shorter than normal, which was a great blessing! Instead of occupying the kids for over two hours, we were only there for an hour and a half. It was disappointing though to have such young kids. We were unsure of how we should structure the Sunday school time. So, we spent much of the time playing with toys, singing, and dancing around the room. Half way through we decided to tell a Bible story from one of the story books. There was a pop-up story book about Daniel in the lion’s den, and I decided to go with that one. Obviously, Audrey didn’t really understand or care about the story. She was too young. She did sit patiently with Kathleen and “listened” as much as a one year old can. Linzie seemed pretty impatient. As I read through the story I asked her questions. This helped her to pay attention and have a better understanding of what was going on. She was fascinated with the lions and loved making roaring sounds! In the end, I don’t know how successful the story time was, but I think for the age groups represented it went pretty well.
I do have some concerns with the lack of programming and emphasis placed on the children’s ministry at Exit 59. There is barely any structure, and it seems like whatever we want to do, we can. For example, there was no one to help out in nursery, which is why we had a baby in our Sunday school class. This is something that happens quite often, and honestly, it makes me sad. I can only hope that these children are getting adequate Bible teaching at home, because they are not really being supported at the church. Yet, it is a good experience for me because I have been able to “craft” a program, and I have the freedom to try out new things.

Questions this Week:
#1...What things can you do with young children to effectively teach them about the Bible?
#2...What are some craft ideas that younger kids can do? I would love to do more than simply coloring a coloring page.
#3...Should we request that nursery age children not be brought to us? It makes it really hard to effectively run a Sunday school when we have babies to take care of.

This week:
1 1/2 Sunday School
Service 1 1/2
Gospel Choir Practice 1 h/r

I was so thrilled this week because I was able to do more; I guess I'm at the second stage where the teacher does it and I do it as well. She allowed me to take attendance and to work the point system in which the kids receiving points for bring their bibles, being on time, bringing times, remembering the bible verse, having good behavior, and bringing a friends. So it was good to do something tangible although I did help before. She continues to explain to me where certain things are in the room just in case I need to get supplies in the future. I think the kids are starting get more comfortable with me, they seem to talk a bit more.

There are couple of things I noticed with the children. There are twins which I expect to hang out with one another quite often. But the sister seems to have more independence than her brother, which concerns me quite a bit. I think the brother especially should have more independence and began to play with the other boys instead of constantly playing with his sister. I also noticed that the children are growing faster nowadays them seem to be well aware of what's going in the world but they lack knowledge they should have at their age.

But in either case they lesson went well this week; again it went with the theme of love and being kind to one another. I was curious to know whether or not the students are actually being kind to one another. In either case I realized the students seem to get bored with the lesson plan. It seems as though its becoming a routine, which is helpful at times.

Questions:
As a helper how do we encourage change without stepping on the teacher's toes?
How do we encourage students to actually study and to apply what they learn?
Are Sunday School just giving bible verses as an activity or they really incorporating things to allow students to really get the idea?

Week 5

A. TIME SPENT THIS WEEK

2/17/08: 2 ½ hours for worship service in which I went and helped in children’s church, and Sunday school.

B. CLASS THIS WEEK

For class this week I was finally able to be in the classroom I was originally planning on being in – the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grade class. Angel, my practicum supervisor is the teacher of this class also. We finally had 3 students who were in that age group, Chance, Sophie, and Courtney. My cousin, Kaitlyn, was also a visitor in the classroom and she too is a 4^th grader. At FUMC we are struggling with getting a big number of kids for Sunday school. We had four in this classroom and only one in another classroom which was for the youngest age group. There are two teachers for that class and they had been planning on doing a Jesus and Zacchaeus project for about a month but never had enough kids to do it with. Therefore, this Sunday to begin our class, we went and participated in the project. I felt like it was a neat project for kids of all ages (I was very intrigued by it!). The students all enjoyed it to and learned more about this Bible story.

After we did the project we headed back to the classroom for the lesson Angel had planned. She decided to show a NOOMA Kickball video to the kids. I was a little nervous about this because those videos are for the youth group, not really for younger kids, but they all grasped onto the point of the video. It went over very well. I was sitting beside Kaitlyn and at times she would look over at me and explain things a little further showing me that she had gotten the point of what Rob Bell was saying. Chance, Sophie, and Courtney also were able to answer Angel’s questions at the end. There were a few things we had to explain further, but I really felt like they got the point from the lesson. They learned that sometimes God may not answer our prayers right away because He knows what the best is for us and what is needed in our lives. This not only was a good lesson for these kids, but also for us adults that were in the room!

I thought the NOOMA video was a creative idea and even though this one worked well, I really feel like the videos are geared to older students. I think we could be selective though and share them with the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th graders too. It was evident that all the kids pulled from the video. Angel did a great job of asking questions, pointing out parts in the movie to really pay attention to, and it was short enough to keep their attention, which proved to me that they learned something!

C. QUESTIONS THIS WEEK

1. What are some ways that we can get more parents to let their children stay for Sunday school?

2. How do you feel about showing Rob Bell’s NOOMA videos to 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th graders?

3. What would be some great learning resources for this age group?

rachael's practicum report #5

From: Rachael mulder
Subject: Practicum Report #5
Time Spent This Week: 4 ¾ hours (2 ¼ hours = service, 2 ½ hours = Sunday School prep and class)
Class this Week:
I did my practicum this week at Exit 59, which is my official practicum location. The first time I did it at Exit, there was no structure and curriculum. So, this week I spent time before Sunday preparing a lesson and craft for the kids. Because of a shortage of helpers in nursery, I ended up being in charge of Sunday School all by myself. I had 4 kids: Tucker, Zion, Durane, and Claire. They ranged in age from 3-6. It was pretty crazy this week. We started out with play time, which included playdough and the slide. This kept the kids occupied while I prepared for the lesson. The lesson this week was the fall of Adam and Eve. So, I made a “tree” out of construction paper on the wall and put some “fruit” on the tree. This immediately caught their interest. When I gave the lesson, I first told them the story using the tree as a prop. Then, I asked them if they would like to act it out! They were way excited! So, we made paper chain snakes and I had them act out the story. They did a pretty good job, and I was surprised at how much they enjoyed acting it out. They even wanted to change roles and act it out again! So, the lesson and craft went really well. Tucker and Claire were really attentive during the story, and were excited to answer questions. It was encouraging to see them not only enjoy the Bible story, but be able to reproduce it.
However, there is one child who deliberately disobeys everything I say. If I say we are going to do craft he says “no” and whines. If I say that we are going to sit and listen to the Bible story, he sulks and cries. He is a great distraction to the other kids, especially his sister. I attempted to tell him that is was wrong to disobey, and that it made me and God sad. However, it didn’t seem to make any difference. I also tried to have him sit in “time out” for a while, which didn’t work well either. Basically, he is very disobedient and disruptive. I am curious as if to this is a problem at home, or if sulking at home allows him to get his own way. This was also a problem the first week I worked with these kids, but there were three of us to help out. I don’t know where to draw the line, and what my responsibility is in discipline. There is nothing established, and this issue takes away much of my joy in being with these kids.

Questions this Week:
#1: Is it appropriate for me to be alone with 4 children? I feel like that is asking for a serious problem, and I don’t want to put my future at risk.
#2:How do you approach the issue of discipline with children? The parents ask how they do, but I don’t feel as if I have the authority to say that their child is causing some serious problems? How can you confront this issue with the parents, making sure to be sensitive?
#3: The age group is so vast. I am finding it hard to incorporate a story, crafts, and activities that include everyone. Should I focus more on the older kids? Or do I move down to the younger one?
#4: How do you approach the leadership of the church when you see things that are seriously wrong with the system and structure?
#5: Should kids that are sick be allowed in Sunday School? Two kids were sick this week and it seems disprespectful to put someone in charge of your sick children, creating the possibility for them to get sick.

Week 3
worked with children 1 hr 1/2
Couldn't go to service because Gospel Choir had to sing at a church

This week I think I've seen more kids then I've ever seen and that was wonderful. A few children were out due to sickness but were eager to return to see their teacher and friends. One of the students I really like just returned. His name is Payton and he is a definite handful. He is always energetic and constantly needs something to do or something to say. But I think the teacher controls him well. I find that in class one of the distractions are the papers that she gives them to do an activity. Usually its on the front so I rarely see the children read the stories inside unless the need something to do while the teacher is talking and explaining the lesson plan.
In either case it seems as though the children are memorizing their verses a little better which is more than I can say because I already forgot. But that makes me think if a 20 year old college student can't remember what makes a toddler remember.

In either case the children learned about how God heals the lame. She presented the story of a man with a bad hand and how we believed God would heal him. This teacher has a niche for incorporating lesson plans into games. They are so simple but they are fun to the children. Again there are such applicable things that they can apply but Im not sure if they make that connection that these are things they should bring to the "outside world"

Week 4

A. TIME SPENT THIS WEEK:
2/9/08: 2 Hours: working on and finishing newsletter for the Kids
2/10/08: 2 ½ Hours: worship service and Sunday school

B. CLASS THIS WEEK:
This week, I was once again back in the 1st through 3rd grade classroom with Lauren, Drew, and a visitor, Michael. Joyce was also teaching the class again. This week seemed to be a lot better because it wasn’t just Lauren and Drew, but Michael also joined us. Michael and Drew are both in the 3rd grade and Lauren is in the 1st grade. The lesson was on the parable of the Good Samaritan. Joyce asked the class if that knew what a parable was and Drew stated, “It is a pair of bulls that get married.” This was funny, but it ended up being the children’s conversation most of the class and it was hard to get them to focus on their lessons. The first time I was in this classroom, Drew and Lauren were pretty good students, this time however, they both were being a bit distractive and it was hard to get them to pay attention to the lesson.
Over all, I believe Joyce did a great job with the lesson. I liked the way she asked the questions at the beginning of the story so the kids would know what to look for when she asked them again at the end. This was very effective, as Drew and Michael we able to answer the questions correctly! I also observed that when they read the story, Joyce has the kids each get a Bible and follow along. I believe that by seeing the words laid out on the page and by listening to the story, they are able to retain what is being told in a better, clearer way. Joyce also did a great job of grabbing the students attention when they got distracted, was firm (but not overbearing or scary) when she needed them to do something and they wouldn’t do it, and was very well prepared with many activities to reinforce what they had learned from the story. When she would want their attention to would place her hand on their hand, or some gentle touch like that and get on their level. When I left the class, it was so obvious that they learned how to love their neighbors, like what was being taught in class.

C. QUESTIONS THIS WEEK:
1. What are some other ways that a teacher can be firm, but not scary or overbearing when trying to get the student’s to do what they have been asked?
2. How can you make visitors feel more welcome in the class, especially when the class always has the same people attend and there is a very small number?
3. Joyce rearranged the room a bit and it seemed to interest the students. Do you think it is a good idea to rearrange the setting of the room on a normal basis (like every other month or something)? Do you think that this can cause a distraction?

# 2

February 8, 2008
Practicum #2
Last Sunday the students learned about being kind to one another, they seemed to embrace this lesson very well. I am amazedw tih how knowledgable thse young children are. But I can't say its 90% from the teacher but I b elieve a lot of it is coming from the home. But the teacher does a great job with incorporating the lesson into activities. She makes it simple for the students to grasp but sometimes challenging enough for the students to grasp. The lesson was about serving one another. And she had the students decorate a plate without putting their names on it. Then they brought their plate to the circle where they do their lesson plans. She would pick a child and whisper a person's name in their ear and they would ask that child, "what would you like"And they wouldanser if they wanted peanut butter or cheese crackers and the child would serve someone. I was absolutely pleased with this lesson plan. And she also talked about the paralyzed man and his freinds who tried to get to Jesus. The kids were very familiar with it , so familiar I think at times it can be boring. Something interesting I noticed is that everyone seems to have a best friend in Sunday School but sometimes the feelings arent mutual. I think they strive to have someone they can connect with .