Teaching is a high calling and a challenging task. According to the Apostle Paul, teachers in the church are gifted by God to equip Christians for the tasks of ministry.
Without teachers our awareness and abilities would be immeasurably diminished. Without teachers, it would be difficult for us to develop and grow as persons of faith. Imagine a world without teachers. Imagine a church without teachers.
Many of us gratefully remember one or two special teachers whose effect on our lives has lasted a lifetime. Some of our greatest heroes are teachers who have opened up new possibilities for our hearts and minds, stretched our comfort zones, and planted the seeds of new understandings.
Teaching Sunday school is no less rewarding or challenging than teaching in the public or private sector. Week-after-week in our congregations, committed servants of the Lord stand in the gap helping to shape our awareness of God and what God desires and requires of us. They help us picture the possibilities and the part God would have us play in his master plan.
Teachers are great and constitute a major part of the local church leadership team. But teachers need teachers as well. They need to set aside some time to refresh their perspective, renew their energy, and be encouraged in their task for Christ and his Kingdom.
Two programs have been prepared to assist local congregations in the task of maturing and encouraging current teachers and equipping and developing new teachers for the local church: TAG Workshops and Teaching 101.
TAG Workshops—Teachers Are Great!
The Church of God Ministries TAG TEAM consists of nearly 30 leaders who are ready, willing, and able to bring any of the following teacher development workshops to your local church. Each multi-hour learning experience is appropriate for teachers of all age levels.
Workshops to Equip and Encourage Your Teachers
Bridges to Teaching
Teaching and learning in the smaller group setting is vital to transformational growth in Jesus Christ. Your congregation provides those smaller group settings. Your teachers are the keys, the catalysts. Love them, applaud them, encourage them, invest in them, equip them.
Jesus identified teachers as great (Matthew 5:19).
His description of greatness is practicing and teaching the commands of God.
The importance of teaching and experiencing the commands of God has never been greater and the actual endeavor never more challenging.
Designed for various settings and time periods, The Bridges to Teaching workshop offers a flexible approach to equipping and enabling congregational teachers to broaden their understanding and to experience the many tasks of Christian teaching.
This curriculum follows the development of the book Bridges to Teaching by Kenneth Hall (Warner Press); order code D4250; order online or call 877-346-3974. $9.95
The 10 sessions include:
1. Prepare to Teach—Introduction
2. Bridges to Good Teaching—Kinds of Teaching
3. Bridges to Persons We Teach—Human Development
4. Bridges to What We Teach—Tasks of Teaching/Learning
5. Observation Set Up—10 Dimensions of Teaching
6. Classroom Observations—Off-site Classroom Observation
7. Bridges to Ways We Learn—Learning Styles
8. Bridges to Learning Activities—Methods
9. Bridges to Session Planning—Developing a Teaching Session
10. Teaching Strategy Game—Creating a Teaching Session
Each session is designed around a 60 minute time frame. Sessions may be combined for longer periods of time or may be used independently. Though each session builds on the one before, sessions do not refer directly to preceding instruction.
Session 5 and 6 may be omitted; however, valuable insights can be gained from classroom observation. These sessions also contain some vital information for teachers and supervisors of teachers—10 Dimensions of Teaching. While these are provided primarily for preparation for classroom observation, they also provide a strong framework for thinking through what matters most in the Christian education classroom. Alternative uses are suggested in the guidance for session 5.
Teachers Are Great!
Teachers will grasp the significance of their contribution in the church and understand their roles as communicators, ambassadors, and educators.
Alive
Participants will explore learning styles and teaching methods for each style, participate in media creation, and discover ways to integrate media in their teaching.
Steps
Teachers will explore how best to prepare a teaching session, consider planning teaching strategies, and prepare a teaching session from their current curriculum or study.
The Book
This workshop leads teachers through four knowledge and skill areas important in teaching the Bible:
- Transmission (how the Bible came to be);
- Terms (describing Bible study and teaching);
- Tools (resources for Bible study and teaching); and
- Teaching methods (assessing appropriate passages and methods for different age levels).
Consultations
- Sunday Schools 21st Century
2001 is a consulting process for Sunday school revitalization. Pastors, board or council members, and lay leaders will benefit from this time of evaluating, planning, and refining.
- Re-Vision
This workshop is based on the premise that the teaching ministries of the church are central to what it means to be a congregation. Participants should represent leadership in a wide scope of congregational responsibilities. Participants will see teaching as more than activity, but the very fabric of the church.
Leadership
Each multi-hour learning experience is lead by a highly qualified and experienced TAG Workshop leader. Assignment of a leader for your workshop will be based on the particular workshop selected and the geographic location of your congregation.
Cost
A $25 development fee is payable to Church of God Ministries for the workshop. Depending on the size of your workshop, we recommend an honorarium of $100-$300 plus travel, meals, and lodging expenses for the workshop leader. To help reduce your cost, leaders may be lodged with a member of the congregation. Leaders do not receive any monies from Church of God Ministries.
Consultation
To schedule a TAG Workshop or receive more information, please email Vivian Atkins or telephone Christian Education Ministries at 800-848-2464, ext. 2169.
Self-Paced Learning—Teaching 101
Church of God Ministries Self-Paced Learning consists of nine easy-to-handle, self-paced core curriculum studies. Each study is designed to help learners develop practical skills in teaching and/or administration of the Christian education ministries of the local church. Self-Paced Learning studies can also be prepared by a senior teacher or administrator in your congregation and offered as a class or series of classes for the development of teachers. Each course has a leader's guide which outlines suggested timeframes, teaching aids, and opportunities for recognition of completed courses.
Foundation Studies
Introduction to Teaching
Designed for: teachers of all age levels in the church as well as its general leadership. This is a basic course introducing teaching and educational aspects of leadership in the local church. It can help bring together a range of teachers and potential teachers from all age groups for helpful sharing that supports the entire church's ministry. It looks at what good teaching is, considers the nature of the persons we teach and lead, explores the ways we teach and the methods we use, evaluates a range of learning activities, and offers guidance in class planning.
Text: Bridges to Teaching by Kenneth Hall ($9.95 ea)
Administering Education in the Congregation
Designed for: all workers in the teaching ministry of the church: pastors. associates, ministers of Christian education; strategic planners of educational and worship ministry; and Sunday school administration leaders.
This course introduces basic teaching and educational aspects of leadership in the local church; considers the purpose for and organization of education ministries, laying the foundation for understanding the concept of the "teaching church"; explores ways to develop Christian education programs for the congregation.
Text: Foundations for the Teaching Church by Grant W. Hanson and The Teaching Church at Work by Kenneth Blazier and Linda Isham. ($10.00 ea)
Theology of Teaching
Designed for: Sunday school teachers, adults interested in theology and its implications for service, pastors and leaders in the church.This course is designed to help teachers think and teach theologically. It focuses on God and the story of how God has related to his people through the Bible and our personal relationship with him. Core viewpoints of the gospel are included. It is concerned with the implications of our theology for the way we relate to and teach children, youth, and adults.
Text: God's Redeeming Story by Merle Strege and Richard Willowby ($10.95 ea)
Spiritual Growth for Teachers
Designed for: teachers and leaders, busy volunteers in the church, new Christians, adult Sunday school classes and small study groups. This course is designed to provide teachers with the opportunity to grow in their personal faith-walk. It is concerned with helping teachers and leaders understand aspects of developing as high quality Christians in a high commitment church.
Text: Hi-Q Christians by Oral Withrow ($8.95 ea)
Teaching the Bible
Designed for: new and experienced teachers, small group leaders, Bible study leaders, and interested students. This course seeks to help Sunday school teachers strengthen their abilities in teaching the Bible on all age levels. It considers the basic meaning and place of the Bible in Christian teaching, the various kinds of literature involved, and the needs and concerns of learners as they approach the Bible. This is a group course taught by trained leaders who can be scheduled at your church.
Age-Level Studies
Teaching Preschool Children
Designed for new and experienced teachers, nursery workers, children's ministry leaders, and persons interested in teaching young children.
This course offers opportunities to explore basic principles in teaching young children from birth to 6 years. Its focus includes the developmental characteristics of young children, how young children learn, and organizing for successful, relational teaching.
Text: Everything You Wanted to Know About Teaching Young Children Birth—6 Years by Wesley Haystead and Teaching Young Children: A Guide for Teachers and Leaders by MaryJane Pierce Norton. ($9.95 ea)
Teaching Elementary Children
Designed for persons who work with children in grades 1-6, children's Sunday school teachers, children's choir directors, directors of children's ministry, teachers of midweek programs, vacation school, and day camp, scout leaders, leaders of after-school programs, and new and experienced teachers.
This is an introductory course for teachers and leaders of elementary children in the church. It addresses the nature of these children, how they learn, and how planning and teaching may be carried out with them.
Text: Everything You Wanted to Know About Teaching Children—Grades 1–6 by Bolton, Smith, and Haystead ($9.99 ea)
Teaching Youth
Designed for teachers and leaders of youth, potential, new, and experienced teachers, youth ministers, youth administrators, parents and youth family members, and youth in peer leadership.
An introductory course about teaching and leadership for youth workers. Focus of the course is on the teaching ministry with emphasis on youth themselves, the church's ministry with them, and ways of planning and leading educational experiences for them.
Text: Youth Workers Handbook by Clapp and Cook. ($16.95 ea)
Teaching Adults
Designed for new and experienced teachers, adult class officers, interested adult students, and leaders and administrators in adult ministry.
This course provides an introduction to teaching and leadership skills for teachers of adult classes in the Sunday school. Its focus is on the ways adults learn, lesson planning, and teaching activities.
Text: Teaching for Faith by Richard Osmer ($7.00 ea)
Cost
Each course requires a $10 registration fee (includes the Leader's Guide) and the cost of texts for each participant.
Consultation
To arrange for a Self-Paced Learning Study or to receive more information, please e-mail Vivian Atkins or telephone Christian Education Ministries at 800-848-2464, ext. 2169.
