1. 2011 - 2012
SHALOM CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR
DEVELOPMENT GUIDE, AGES 2-12
Shalom Christian Education Ministry
Sunflowers are symbolic of adoration. Sunflowers turn their heads to the
sun, which is the origin of their common name. Christian Educators turn
their heads, hearts, and minds to the Bible to teach evangelism, bringing
others to faith in Christ, enlistment, increase the local church membership
and edification, building up membership to maturity, growth and
development in the faith. This document is a developmental resource
guide for the Christian Educators working specifically with ages 2-12. It
outlines specific techniques, education principles, and concepts for
teaching God’s Word to children.
Shalom Christian Ministry Center
515 Kirby Hill Rd,
Fort Washington, MD 20744
301.567.5505; shalommcc.org
Overseer Dr. Florida T. Morehead, Pastor

2. PREFACE
In the parable Jesus told in Matthew 13:18-21 He spoke of several types of
individuals who heard the word, but only the one who understood it bore fruit, "the
man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding what was
sown."
Christian education is important to complement the stirring of the emotions of new
converts, to ensure they remain devoted to Christ beyond the initial emotionalism of
being forgiven and saved.
There must be extended periods of devotion to the Word of God. We see this
demonstrated in Acts 2:42 and 11:26, 18:11, 19:8-10.
The new converts in the early church remained in the apostles' teaching, fellowship
and prayer for extended periods of instruction with a minimum of 1 year. As a result,
believers were rooted and grounded in the faith, knowing what they believe thus,
achieving life-long results. This requires a call for reliable and qualified men and
women to teach.
Therefore, the Shalom Christian Education Ministry Team embraces each facet of
that education proves to be prominent in teaching Christianity, notwithstanding, the
compelling need to fulfill the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20.
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3. Table of Contents
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................4
How to use the information in this document .................................................................................4
PART 1: FORMULATING A SELF-DIRECTED CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR DEVELOPMENT
PLAN .....................................................................................................................................................................6
SAMPLE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION LEARNING ACTION PLAN –............................................. 13
TAKING ACTION AND MONITIORING PROGRESS ....................................................................... 13
Part 2 – Developmental Guide for Children’s Ministry Christian Educators ......................... 14
Module #1 - Involving All Three Learning Styles in Your Classroom ....................................... 15
Left Brain and Right Brain Functions .................................................................................................... 15
Use of Sense Function with Young Children ....................................................................................... 16
Identifying the Three Learning Styles of Children ........................................................................... 16
Module #2 – Understanding Various Developmental Stages....................................................... 20
Glossary Terms .............................................................................................................................................. 24
Module #3 -Teaching a Multi-Age Group ............................................................................................. 25
1. Establish Buddies ..................................................................................................................................... 26
2. Utilize Experienced Readers ................................................................................................................ 26
3. Create Special Privileges for Older Children .................................................................................. 26
4. Modify Supplemental Activities .......................................................................................................... 27
A FINAL WORD TO THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR FOR CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES .............. 28
Evangelism - bringing others to faith in Christ ................................................................................. 28
In what ways will you focus your role as a teacher in all three areas? .................................... 29
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4. Introduction
A hallmark of a successful Christian Educator is that they give priority to their own
continuous learning and development. Regardless of their overall level of
competence and experience in a given area of Christian Education, successful
Christian Educators continually strive to expose themselves to new information,
acquire new skills and benefit from new experiences.
It is hoped that this document will serve as a valuable resource in support of a
planned and self-directed effort to develop you as a Christian Educator, with specific
focus on working with children ages 2-12. It is not intended to serve as an overall
plan for career or personal development. This document may be used as a tool to
assist with that process.
How to use the information in this document
 The first section, Formulating a Self-Directed Christian Educator Development
Plan, focuses on the process of creating and using a learning program to for self-
improvement as a Christian Educator (i.e., how to develop a learning plan).
 The next section, Developmental Guide for Children’s Ministry Christian
Educators, contains a series of modules, ideas, suggestions and resources for
specific learning needs and Christian teaching environments. The purpose of the
content in Part 2 is to help focus and stimulate your thinking, and to point you
toward other sources of information, as you prepare a plan to develop specific
competencies. You are encouraged to use the ideas, suggestions, and resources
that are best suited to your individual circumstances and learning style
 This booklet is not intended to be read from front to back, cover to cover. Rather,
it is best to refer to it selectively as a starting point toward an overall plan to
address your developmental needs. It is recommended that you focus on the
sections of Part 2 that correspond to the proficiencies that you wish to develop.
This booklet should be used in conjunction with the October 2010, Shalom
Christian Education Resource Guide – found on the web at the following address:
http://www.slideshare.net/ShalomMCC/shalom-christian-
educationresourceguideworkingdocument1
 This document is intended to serve as a starting point in a self-directed Christian
Educator Development Plan for Children’s Ministry Educators. There are many
other resources available to Christian Educators interested in pursuing a
development plan or opportunities for development, in various aspects of their
personal and spiritual development. You are encouraged to seek them and use
them.
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5. The earliest Scripture references clarifying the purpose and authority of teaching in
the Old Testament are: 2 Chronicles 17:7-9, Ezra 7:10, Isaiah 2:1-3 and Micah 4:1-3.
Gordon Clark, a Professor and Reformed theologian wrote: "The first and basic point
in a Christian philosophy of education, or a Christian philosophy of anything, is
Biblical authority." Therefore, the importance of Christian education is to teach the
student that all knowledge is integrated within the nature of God (and His inspired
Word) and therefore, have order and purpose for our lives. The goal is to enable
spiritual growth into a mature adult, equipped to shoulder responsibilities as God's
image-bearer devoted to glorifying the Creator. This is based upon 2 Timothy 3:14-
17.
Although it is clear that 2 Timothy 3:14-17 reflects Paul's instructions to Timothy, it
can also serve as marching orders for today's Holy-Spirit filled and led teachers in the
following ways:
1. Paul instructs Timothy to continue in the things he has learned. Thus, a teacher
must first be a student of the Word of God him/herself.
2. Paul also expounds upon the fact that Timothy was taught the Holy Scriptures
from childhood. (c.f. Deuteronomy 6:4-6) Thus, a teacher should not be a novice or
a new convert.
3. Continuing to look at 2 Timothy 3:14-17, we see the Biblically stated aptitude of
the Scriptures:
a. To make one wise unto salvation
b. Increase in the knowledge and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
4. "All" Scripture is to be taught (OT and NT) and they are:
a. Given by God through inspiration
b. Profitable for doctrine (instruction)
c. Profitable for reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.
5. The Biblically stated, goal of Scripture Instruction:
a. Spiritual maturity
b. Equipping Saints to do all good works.
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6. PART 1: FORMULATING A SELF-DIRECTED CHRISTIAN
EDUCATOR DEVELOPMENT PLAN
Busy Christian leaders frequently make plans or resolutions for their development.
They have an idea about something they wish to change, they feel committed to
changing it, and they may even have a specific plan in their mind about how they
hope to go about changing it.
Typically, as the weeks and months pass, existing commitments eat away at their
time, other priorities arise, and the good intentions fade into unfulfilled plans. It is
unlikely that any successful competency development plan was ever formulated
without initial good intentions. However, as with any action plan, to have a reasonable
chance of being successful, a development plan must be:
 Formalized and written down in such a way that the objectives, and the steps to
be taken to reach those objectives, are clearly defined. Objectives should be
realistic.
 Time for learning activities should be scheduled in advance and rigorously
adhered to. To the extent that it is possible, measures of progress should be
identified at the outset, and should be monitored at predetermined intervals.
The key to the success of the learning plan is to develop clearly identified objectives
that are realistic given the energy and the time you are willing and able to devote to
your development plan. Typically, it is best to concentrate your efforts on a small
number of specific areas.
The following are a few guidelines to consider when you are thinking about, and
preparing your plan for development.
 Step 1: Identify areas needing improvement
o Gather information on your strengths and weaknesses
Use all available sources of information, including any Christian
Education-related results and related information that have been
provided to you as a result of feedback from others, and frank, honest
self-reflection.
Formal assessment results
Formal assessment results in a seminary or bible college environment
that you have participated in can be a rich source of information on your
strengths and weaknesses. Combined with direct feedback from people
who see you act in different contexts and from different perspectives,
this information has the potential to provide a solid foundation for a self-
directed plan to develop your weaker areas of teaching. Also consider:
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7. Pay special attention to the comments that are provided by your
Director of Education or other coaches assigned. These comments
will provide you with valuable feedback about your performance at
both your current and desired levels, as well as your potential for
development. This information should be taken into account as you
begin the road to development.
Direct feedback from others - Direct feedback from your
teaching partners. Involving your teaching partners in the process
can provide a number of positive benefits. First, your teaching
partners can help you to obtain further insight into your strengths
and needs for development. Second, by involving your teaching
partners, you will bring attention to your developmental efforts, and
your improvement is more likely to be noticed. Finally, seeking their
feedback may make them more willing to reciprocate and will foster
an environment with greater communication and more emphasis on
continuous learning and development.
Feedback gathered from outside of your current church
environment. Feedback that you have received in the past outside
of your current church environment (for example, within your family,
at bible study or with friends) may also provide a valuable source of
corroborating information to take into consideration when identifying
your strengths and developmental needs.
Honest, thoughtful self-reflection
Reflect on yourself and on the information that you have gathered.
There is no source that can provide more valuable information on
your own behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses than you. It is
important that you strive to be honest and as objective as possible in
assessing yourself. It is also important that you receive and
acknowledge feedback from other sources openly and non-
defensively. Reflect upon the results of feedback that you receive
from others. In some cases, you may feel that what others have
indicated as a weakness is not a weakness. If so, then you need to
reflect upon why they perceive it as a weakness. Similarly, what you
perceive as one of your learning needs may not be perceived that
way by others. In this situation, you may want to consider why you
perceive that area as a weakness, and reflect on whether your
learning plan could be more fruitfully targeted in other directions.
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8. o Summarize the information you gather - Integrate and “distil” the
information.
Making a concerted effort to gather feedback on your weaknesses from
such a potentially diverse array of sources certainly has the potential to
be a rather ―humbling‖ experience. It is important to recognize that not
every behavior or competency identified by a given individual or
assessment tool as a weakness will necessarily be a weakness. You
will need to ―distil‖ the vast amount of information you have at your
disposal to identify a small number of competencies (two or three at
most) upon which you can focus your efforts.
Keep in mind that the feedback you receive from individuals will depend
on a variety of organizational and interpersonal issues, as well as their
personal beliefs about what constitutes effective versus ineffective
behavior. Those beliefs may vary enormously from individual to
individual.
Feedback from individuals is best used as a way of confirming
information received via the formal learning environments. You may
wish to give more weight to information provided by your spiritual
leader/Pastor and/or other individuals whose values and beliefs you
perceive to be closely aligned with your own.
Pinpoint specific behaviors to work on. A given skill is really a
mosaic of different behaviors that manifest themselves in your teaching
and Christian service in a number of different ways. It is unlikely that
you are weak on all the teaching skills. Once you have decided that a
given skill could benefit from development, look closer to find which
aspects of the skill constitute the weakness. Feedback that you receive
from teaching partners (as discussed above) is another important
source of that kind of information. You may also find it useful to refer to
Part 2 of this document (―Developmental Modules and Resources‖) and
review the suggested developmental activities that correspond to the
skills you wish to develop.
Identify your strengths. It is important to remember that you have
strengths in some teaching skills, and not just needs for development.
Identify your strengths and keep them in mind as you create your
development plan. When you are choosing which developmental
actions to take in order to address your weaker competencies, you can
use your strengths to compensate for your developmental needs. For
example, if you are strong in working with 2-3 year olds, but weaker
teaching 12 year olds and older, you may be able to compensate for the
latter by fostering a cohesive and collaborative teaching partnership
opportunity to assist others with that skill. You may also be able to
capitalize on your strengths by creating developmental situations in
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9. which your strength emerges, but that also force you to exercise your
developmental needs. Exposing yourself to such situations will enable
you to feel challenged on the one hand, yet also comfortable on the
other.
 Step 2: Create a Learning Action Plan
o Identifying one’s areas of weakness both accurately and precisely is the
first, and arguably most critical, step toward developing those areas.
The next step is to create and document an action plan. For each skill,
list specific behavioral objectives and create a written plan outlining all
the activities you intend to use toward meeting those objectives.
These activities may be as simple as reading a book on Lesson Plans
or arranging a monthly brainstorming session. Alternatively they might
be as involved as taking a formal course in Christian Education
Principles, seeking a developmental assignment in a different functional
role with older or younger members of the ministry, or pursuing an
advanced degree.
Identify learning activities. List the actions you intend to take toward
developing your weaker skills. Some of the activities will be actual
behaviors that you want to make an effort to practice on the job (e.g.
―speak more slowly‖). Other activities will involve pursuing additional
resources with the intention of gathering further information to support
your developmental efforts.
Refer to the ―Developmental Modules and Resources‖ section of this
document and, in particular, the suggestions that correspond to the
skills you recognize as the most challenging to you. Keep in mind that
the way in which some skills are expressed varies by group and context
in which a Christian Education Teacher is working. For example, some
Christian Education environments have the one-school house
approach, while others allot for you to break children down into age and
abilities.
When you are deciding which learning activities to pursue, keep in mind
that these activities should be concrete and measurable. Often, the
overall target of your learning will be abstract and seemingly
insurmountable (e.g., ―I will improve my ability to work with young
children‖). To maintain your focus, and to work deliberately toward your
goal, create a series of steps that you can follow easily and that, by
completing them, will show you how close you are to accomplishing that
goal. In short, breaking down your learning tasks into stages can help
the seemingly impossible become possible. Also consider asking those
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10. around you to help you with your development. When you are deciding
what learning activities are appropriate for you, think about mentors,
coaches, spiritual leaders, teaching partners and enlist the help of that
person or group. By asking for their help before you begin, you can
ensure that these individuals are willing to help you if you feel
overwhelmed or be able to provide feedback as you are monitoring your
progress in the future.
Consider a peer learning partner/teaching partner. A peer learning
partner is someone that you can work closely with to help keep you on
track with your action plans, while you reciprocally help them. Building
relationships with a peer learning partner is invaluable.
Seek a variety of resources such as books, videos, workshops, and
the internet for more perspectives on how to develop specific skills (or
aspects of a skill). Some of the available resources have been listed in
the ―Suggested Resources‖ sections.
Consider your preferred style of learning when incorporating varied
resources into your learning program. Some people retain information
best when it is presented in a multimedia format. Others learn best by
reading a variety of different sources. Still others will gain most from the
more structured environment provided by a workshop, seminar or
course.
Seek a Christian Education Developmental Assignment. In addition
to providing the basic experience and exposure that is required for a
Christian Education Teacher, ―on-the-job‖ learning is the single most
effective means of developing your weaker skills. There are a number
of common characteristics of job experiences that facilitate Christian
Education Teacher Development. Take on a developmental task to
work with specific age groups. Remember, a developmental
assignment should involve different kinds of tasks and different people
than those with whom you are accustomed to working, should have
clearly defined time frames, and clear measures of success and
challenges. Above all, it is probably the element of challenge that
defines a truly developmental experience. Assignments where the
individual must learn in order to succeed and where benefits of success
and challenges are clearly defined are the types of assignments from
which Christian Educators learn the most.
To maximize your development through an assignment, you will need to
have a solid understanding of your developmental goals and a
willingness to engage in research and networking to find the best fit.
Using your network of contacts is also important. Your network may
include people that you meet within the church, the church family, or
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11. participants in major faith-based conventions/conferences, or those you
meet through training or other learning events. Let these people know
what you are looking for and ask them for information and advice. Be
realistic in your expectations and leverage the experience that you
already have to build a stretch assignment within the church.
 Step 3: Create a system to monitor your progress on an on-going basis
Prioritize targets.
o You may want to prioritize your targets, so that those you view as
easiest to achieve and/or with the greatest payoff are implemented first.
For example, ―hold weekly or bi-weekly teacher meetings‖ may be
easier to implement than ―work with other teachers‖ and may pay
greater dividends.
Establish timelines. Identify a date by which you intend to achieve
each behavioral objective you have targeted. View these targets as
individual steps toward achieving the larger goal of developing overall
skills. More substantial targets may be more realistically approached by
setting less ambitious interim targets, with their own timelines, to be
achieved in a stepwise fashion. Some targets may have relatively short
time spans, some may take longer, and some may require monitoring
on an ongoing, or long-term, basis. Also remember that the
achievement of your targets will take time. Not every skill can be
developed at the same rate, nor will a given learning need develop at
the same speed for everyone. Taking some time to think about your
priorities and your own comfort level will allow you to set timelines that
are appropriate for you.
Periodically, you should schedule time in advance to assess your
progress. Specify a series of regular occasions (e.g., weekly or
biweekly) to think about and record your ongoing progress. It is critical
that you take the time to assess whether you have reached your goals
when you had planned to achieve them. In other words, once your
target dates have come and gone, have you developed in any way?
You may want to use a simple rating scale (e.g., 1 through 10) to
assess your progress in addition to recording more specific
observations in point form. You may also want to include feedback from
others (see below). Regardless of precisely how you go about it,
regularly monitoring and recording your progress will draw more
attention to the tangible, though subtle, improvements that you
experience throughout your development program and this will serve as
a reward and motivator. The process of ongoing self-monitoring also
encourages the early identification of those areas which will require
more effort and/or time to develop than originally planned. This will
allow you to modify your development plan pro-actively, rather than
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12. simply experiencing the de-motivating frustration of failing to meet rigid
target dates.
Seek out and benefit from your Christian Education Director.
Optimize the Christian Educator Director as your coach, who can help
you to maximize your performance and development. Coaches can help
you develop your self-awareness as a Christian Education Teacher and
guide you in learning activities or practices that target your specific
challenges or developmental needs.
Seek out and benefit from a mentor. It is important that your mentor
be somebody from whom you feel you can learn, with whom you can
identify and with whom you have a relatively comfortable working
relationship. You should feel comfortable seeking advice or airing
concerns with your mentor. You should share your learning plan with
your mentor, use him or her as a source of frank and honest feedback,
and seek his or her help in achieving and monitoring, your targets. The
Pastor or Spiritual Leader is usually the mentor in a Christian Education
environment. However, Christian Educators should also seek out other
members of the Christian Education Leadership Staff to serve as a
mentor.
Find one or more learning partner(s) with whom you can provide
mutual support, reinforcement, motivation and feedback. In identifying
learning partners, considerations similar to those described above for a
potential mentor would apply.
Keys to success:
 Assess yourself honestly. Another key to your success is the
extent to which you are objective and honest in appraising your
own strengths and weaknesses and targeting areas for
improvement. Seeking further input from others is helpful, but it is
important that you acknowledge and take responsibility for the
areas that you could improve.
 Capitalize on your strengths. While identifying and developing
your weaker skills is important, it is also important that you
identify and give attention to your areas of strength, and look for
ways to increase your opportunities to exploit those strengths.
This will improve your overall effectiveness by making your
strengths more prominent in your overall repertoire of skills and
behaviors, and also by allowing you to compensate for your
weaker areas while you develop them. It is important, however,
that you do not allow yourself to continually fall back on your
strengths to the exclusion of developing weaker areas.
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13.  Set reasonable targets. The extent, to which your learning plan
targets reasonable or ―doable‖ interim targets rather than lofty,
over-optimistic long-term goals, is crucial to the success of your
developmental efforts. Doing so will make both your targets and
your progress toward achieving those targets more immediate
and tangible than focusing solely on longer-term goals.
Recognizing the achievement associated with meeting those
interim targets can serve as a source of reinforcement and
motivation.
SAMPLE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION LEARNING ACTION PLAN –
TAKING ACTION AND MONITIORING PROGRESS
Step #1 Step #2 Step #3
Skill and Developmental Concrete Learning Monitoring Progress/
Needs Activities Target Dates
Lesson Plan Development: 1. Ask peers/and Christian
Education leaders to review Set dates to meet with
Improve my ability to my lesson plans – shadow my Christian Education
prepare and execute a me as I execute my lesson Director in the next two
lesson plan plan – provide me feedback; weeks (set dates) –
2. Coordinate with my Schedule on my
Christian Education Director Calendar
to preview my lesson plans,
critique my plans, and
provide recommendations
Teaching Development 1. Offer to take on teaching
assignments with different Begin preparation this
Improve my skills to teach age groups week (set dates) –
different age groups schedule it on my
2. Initiate targeted skill Outlook Calendar
development strategies with
different age groups As soon as my strategy
planning is complete –
implement steps to
improve implement –
schedule on my
Calendar
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14. Part 2 – Developmental Guide for Children’s Ministry
Christian Educators
Children’s Ministry workers are among important volunteers. Helping to steer
children onto spiritual paths, volunteers provide children with a foundation that will be
used throughout their lives. Our goals move beyond getting children to understand
Biblical facts and matters of morality, etc. The proper teaching will provide spiritual
growth.
These modules are designed to give you heightened and detailed understanding of
how to manage classrooms in a children’s ministry setting so that the big goals can
be met. You will learn the basics of effective communication with children, parents,
and fellow volunteers and gain valuable tips to help avoid pitfalls that create burnout
and dissatisfaction. The material herein will help you run your classrooms smoothly
and with confidence. The modules are:
Module #1 – Involving all three (3) learning styles in your classroom
 This module outlines the three learning styles and methods to include them
into your classroom to ensure the teacher reaches each child, regardless of
his/her learning style.
Module #2 - Understanding various Developmental Stages
 This module outlines the various developmental stages of a child and identifies
how to embrace the stages to enhance learning.
Module #3 - Teaching a Multi-Age Group
 This module outlines the methods for teaching multi-age groups and provides
key steps on ensuring that each child learns in a multi-age environment.
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15. Module #1 - Involving All Three Learning Styles in Your
Classroom
Teachers who try to bring in visual, auditory and kinesthetic learning styles to
each lesson will find that they have sent nearly every child home with their
points made. Such a class might include a reading/watching portion, a
listening/discussing portion, and a hands-on application portion. Lessons can
be designed like this, keeping in mind the developmental stages of the children
involved.
It’s easy to fall into a rut of relying too heavily on your own preferred learning
style, but by keeping in mind that everyone learns differently, it is possible to
find balance.
With the help of computers, television and the Internet, more than one style can
often be used at one time. Cartoons of bible stories, available on DVD or Internet
downloads, involve both visual and auditory learning. Playing a cartoon while
children are doing an art project can also be a way to reinforce a Bible story
taught in some other way.
Left Brain and Right Brain Functions
Researchers have identified behaviors that acclimate to the left and right sides of
the brain. The left side of the brain controls logic, analytical reasoning and
communication. The right side controls creativity and intuition.
Children who are left brain dominant are very good at writing, reading and
mathematics. Right brain dominant children are artistic and creative. They often
like to fudge lines and avert structure to give their creativity the freedom it needs
to thrive.
As traditional schooling relies more heavily on evaluations of left brain functions,
right brained children may be labeled as less able or poorly behaved. Yet
historically, most of the geniuses in the literary and scientific communities show
strong right-brained tendencies. In church ministry, we don’t need these
evaluations and can give every learning style fair play by creating lessons that
cater to all.
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16. Use of Sense Function with Young Children
In the preschool and early school years, children use all their senses to evaluate
the world and make sense of it. We often hear children say, “Let me see it,” if
someone is holding something. What they really want is to touch or hold it. They
may even want to smell or taste it.
The more senses involved in the learning process, the greater chance that the
message will find its way into hearts of every child present. We see a drop-off in
the let-me-touch curiosity around age nine. However, that may be an automated
response to years of school learning, which is mostly auditory and visual. Those in
charge of students up to sixth grade might see value in passing things around—
even maps and charts with sparkles or stars amending specific points.
Identifying the Three Learning Styles of Children
Researchers have been able to divide learning styles into three groups - auditory,
visual and kinesthetic.
Children have a primary modality, though they may get the benefit of other styles,
too. You can determine which learning style children are prone to by watching
them in class. For example, let’s use sample names, even though directions are
clearly written on a work sheet, Blake will ask, “What are we supposed to do?”
Manuel enjoyed seeing the pictures the teacher held up while giving the lesson,
but in the discussion, he grew bored. Kiesha gets up close to every picture and
says, “Let me hold it,” and she wants the lead role in every drama.
Blake is an auditory learner. He wants to hear what he’s supposed to do, and
that’s what will help him complete the assignment best. Manuel is a visual
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17. learner. He would rather look at things relating to the lesson than try to analyze
it. Kiesha is a kinesthetic learner. She enjoys hands-on experiences and getting in
the middle of things.
In the next few pages we will see more about these learning styles in detail.
The Auditory Learning Style
Auditory learning is the one most relied upon in a
classroom. When a teacher stands before the class
and teaches a math or history lesson, she is mainly
using her voice.
Students are expected to learn by listening. Auditory
learners tend to feel comfortable in classroom
settings.
Auditory learning has been used since the beginning
of history to pass along important stories about
ancestors and myths and legends important to a tribe.
We can be part of this tradition by the oral story
telling we use in Sunday school.
Auditory learners don’t only like to hear a lesson—they like to talk about it. They will
be among the first to raise their hands and answer questions. You may have noticed
that hand-raising has only a little to do with a student knowing an answer. It has
more to do with a learning style. Some students who know an answer may prefer to
sit quietly without raising their hands. Others might have only a vague idea of the
answer but seem quite willing to sort their thoughts out aloud. This would be an
auditory learner.
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18. Some ways to engage auditory learners:
 Tapes of dramas and dialogues which students can hear while imagining the
visuals.
 Musical songs like ballads that tell tales
 Discussions about what happened to characters in a lesson
The Visual Learning Style
Visual learning is also a big part of
schooling—hence, blackboards. While
taking, a teacher will turn and write notes
on the board. Often, students will copy in
their notebooks what the teacher has
written. These are probably visual
learners.
We rarely see a prominently placed
blackboard in Sunday School, which is
probably the human instinct sensing that
students have enough of this in school.
However, Sunday School can make good use
of visuals, especially with laptops and
access to the Internet.
Visual learners often appreciate a lesson most if they can read it first. If a teacher
reads a lesson aloud from a publication while students look at their own copies, or
if students take turns reading, the visual learners respond well.
Some ways to engage visual learners:
 Charts, maps, illustrations and photographs
 Sunday School books that present lessons within
 Power Point presentations & online games
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19. The Kinesthetic Learning Style
Kinesthetic learning is hands-on, where
students become part of the lesson by doing.
This is the least used learning style in school,
though it is found in “labs.” Computer labs,
science labs, and English labs imply that
students will be doing things instead of just
watching or hearing things. For many
students, this is the most engaging part of
school.
These children are kinesthetic learners.
Rather than hear what life was like in ancient
Babylonia, they want to touch a model of the
Tower of Babel. They would rather make
ancient Egyptian bricks than hear how houses
were made.
While these students can be annoying in school due to constant fidgeting
and loss of concentration, they are gifts from God who should be fortified
in Sunday School. They enjoy making things and also becoming part of
things by acting out dramatizations. The child who fidgets through a book
reading but wants to play the lead in every drama is probably a
kinesthetic learner.
Some ways to engage kinesthetic learners:
 Hands-on activities involving the recreation of things from Biblical
times
 Dramatizations requiring children to play Biblical roles
 Props, wardrobe or copies of ancient artifacts that they can hold,
wear, or copy
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20. Module #2 – Understanding Various Developmental Stages
A major portion of this lesson will be devoted to understanding the development of
children ranging in age from 2 to 12. The next four pages will each be devoted to an
age group, starting with the 2-3 year old age group. Details of their developmental
stages will be covered, including the mental, social, emotional, spiritual, and
physical. Included is an average attention span and a suggested student-teacher
ratio for each group.
Leaders should develop sensitivity to these ranges and encourage teachers to do the
same. At the same time, remember these are guidelines, and children will vary
tremendously in their individuality. Hence it’s not appropriate to use terms like ―slow‖
or ―not normal‖ when discussing children. One successful way to utilize the material
is to always remain flexible for the individuals.
Development of Children ages 2 – 3
Average attention span: 2-4 minutes
Needed teacher/attendee ratio: 1 teacher per 3-5 children
Mental:
 will not remember much of last week, as memory is not yet developed
 require (and adore) repetition
 are concrete thinkers; cannot understand abstract concepts like Jesus being a
 light (they will imagine a light bulb)
 learn best through games and exploring
 can follow simple directions (containing no steps or if/then statements)
Social:
 ―play alone‖ yet in clusters; are not ready for team games
 are trusting of adults
 want to share affection with teachers and other children
 love to explore; games should give chances to succeed
 respond well to routine
Emotional:
 can’t yet consider the needs and feelings of others
 have a strong desire to please
 are receptive to praise
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21. Spiritual:
 do not have imaginations developed enough to understand ―spirit‖
 have a sense of wonder
 will naturally accept the concept of God
 can understand a God who is invisible and yet who created us, loves us and
is very real
Physical:
 enjoy games that involve jumping, crawling, walking and simple hand movements
 need a combination of rest and activity
 should be allowed to move around with some freedom
 love to play with toys and games that develop coordination
Development of Children ages 4 – 5
Average attention span: 5-10 minutes
Needed teacher/attendee ratio: 1 teacher per 5-6 children
Mental:
 have imagination and enjoy fantasy play.
 are still concrete thinkers; will not understand symbolism.
 will be confused by references to dates in history or places on maps
 learn best in activities involving senses: touch, sound, sight, smell
Social:
 thrive on praise and positive energy
 enjoy playing in groups if the games are simple
 are able to perform
 seek for independence; should be allowed to roam with safety limits
Emotional:
 are prone to fears
 appreciate the security of rules and routines
 have a sense of self
 build self esteem by playing games of success
Spiritual:
 can understand right from wrong
 are able to apologize and to understand forgiveness
 can talk to God, thanking him for things and asking him for things.
 can grasp that God is watching over us and loves us, even when we make
mistakes
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22. Physical:
 enjoy running, hopping, jumping forward and backward, playing catch
with a large ball
 thrive in varied periods of rest and activity
 are establishing more muscle control
 appreciate chances to practice new skills
Development of Children ages 6 – 8
Average attention span: 10 - 15 minutes
Needed teacher/attendee ratio: 1 teacher per 7-8 children
Mental:
 are able to complete simple reading and writing tasks
 enjoy rhyming and chanting
 love to act out dramas
 are still literal in their thinking and should not be introduced to many symbols
 understand simple time and space concepts such as dates and places
(but B.C. and A.D. should not be introduced yet)
 enjoy memorizing, such as Bible verses
Social:
 enjoy working in groups and forming clubs
 are very trusting of adults and tend to respond well to confident adult predictions
such as ―you’ll enjoy this‖ or ―this will be fun‖
 understand their ability to share God’s word with others
 look up to older children, admiring and copying them
Emotional:
 love attention, and hence, love to talk.
 seek approval and respond well to praise.
 need rules that are fair, consistent, and easily understood.
 understand responsibility, hence the notion that God will help them do the
right thing
Spiritual:
 learn best by guided study through the Bible stories and principles
 like brief discussions about life choices
 may become baffled by God’s invisibility and eternal existence
 are aware of forgiveness and can understand Jesus in context of Savior.
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23. Physical:
 enjoy games with a variety of small and large motions
 are still very active and require frequent changes in activities
 enjoy singing, dancing, and performing.
Development of Children ages 9 – 12
Average attention span: 20 minutes
Needed teacher/attendee ratio: 1 teacher per 8-10 children
Mental:
 are starting to understand abstract concepts and symbols (such as
Jesus being the bread of life)
 have a more acute learning ability reflecting years in school
 understand time passing and concepts such as B.C. and A.D.
 can enjoy writing, research and speaking before the group.
Social:
 want to be seen as capable and are sensitive about being perceived
as young or little
 like independence but need guidance in social interaction
 enjoy leading others but only for short periods
 look up to pre-teens and teens, admiring and copying them
Emotional:
 are prone to unsteady emotions
 require supportive understanding and love from leaders
 thrive under leaders who are good role models of Christian behavior,
as they are keen to hypocrisy and inconsistency
 tend to hero worship, and respond well to thoughts of Jesus as a hero
Spiritual:
 are receptive to ideas of morality
 can understand the concept of salvation
 question how God answers prayers
 have a heart for telling others about Christ and doing service projects
Physical:
 can play games that require fine motor movement
 enjoy line dances and other cooperative activities of movement
 enjoy changes in pace rather than changes in activity
 are active, and enjoy games that get them moving
 more clearly seen if they have divided into the mental, social, emotional,
spiritual and physical.
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24. Glossary Terms
Abstract Symbols— concepts that cannot be understood
via the senses or simple discussion in morality. Hence,
these generally start to become clear in the oldest
developmental stage of 9-12. Abstract symbols would
include such things as Jesus being the Word, the vine, or
the bread of life.
Concrete thinkers—younger children who cannot grasp
abstract symbols. Generally before fourth grade, concrete
thinkers are capable of understanding morality, heaven,
and Jesus as a Savior.
Developmental stages—The ages children pass through
that researches have divided into the four age brackets
given in this lesson. The developmental stages can be
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25. Module #3 -Teaching a Multi-Age Group
For many reasons, youth ministry teachers may find themselves leading a group with
several of the developmental stages combined. Situations beyond Sunday school
include field trips, vacation bible schools, after-school programs, and pageants.
Mixing ages can be a great experience. In smaller churches, which are easily set up
for mixed-group learning, youth ministers often wish they had bigger churches.
However, directors of programs at large churches will say that they’re always trying to
act like small churches—because it helps bring that family atmosphere to attendees!
Mixing ages creates a family feel.
We must remember that long before institutionalized schooling was the norm, America
relied on one-room school houses. Kids love to watch shows like Little House on the
Prairie where such are featured, probably because instincts draw them to appreciate a
cluster of kids acting like extended family.
In a group where ages can range five or six years, this is where your leadership
instincts and discernment can really get some exercise. Some kids can be natural
born leaders if given the chance. Giving them a title that they can be proud of like
―worship leader‖ will make them enjoy helping younger ones. Younger children tend to
hero-worship older children. A mentorship or leadership program will give the younger
children exposure to older ones that they may not get often in school. And older
children enjoy leading, especially if they have adults on hand to offer support and
guidance.
Of course, questions arise, such as do I speak down so the youngest ones can
understand? Younger children can’t sit still as long, so do I talk less? One norm with a
proven track record is not to speak down to younger children and yet cater to their
movement needs as much as possible. Mothers of five will tell you they spend very
little time baby-talking.
They rely on the younger ones to stretch and grow. Yet squirming and fidgeting can be
more distracting than mind wandering, so catering to the younger children’s need to
change direction frequently might also be wise.
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26. Key Steps to follow when teaching multiple age groups:
1. Establish Buddies
Pair one older child with one younger child as a ―big buddy‖ and ―little buddy.‖ The
buddies can work together in a variety of ways in the classroom.
 Pair them up for working on scripture memorization. The older child will be
amazed how easily the younger can memorize and the younger will enjoy
helping the older learn a new verse.
 Pair them up for craft projects. Many times we do not attempt complex crafts
with younger children because there are not enough adult helpers. In a multi-
level classroom you have an advantage, which age-separated children’s
ministries do not; you can utilize the ―big buddy‖ to assist their ―little buddy‖ in
completing the craft. They can work on the craft together!
2. Utilize Experienced Readers
Children sustain more attentiveness when they are not hearing the same voice for the
duration of the Sunday School lesson. Enlist your older students to read aloud the
Bible verses. The older students will love reading aloud and the younger children will
be eager for the day when they will get to read aloud in Sunday School!
3. Create Special Privileges for Older Children
Create certain privileges which can only be done by the older children. For example, if
your classroom goes up through 6th grade, set aside special tasks only given to the 5th
and 6th graders to complete.
 These older children could help lead the other children in singing a few songs at
the beginning of class each week.
 These older children could be used to act out an upcoming Bible story, as an
introduction for the other children, in the form of a play or reader’s theater.
 The older children could help set up and close down the room each week or
make copies for the teacher before the start of class.
By setting aside special privileges for the older children, they will get to experience
leadership and set an example for the younger children. This will also give the younger
children something to look forward to doing when they become 5th graders.
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27. 4. Modify Supplemental Activities
Most lessons you will teach, when reading a passage from the Bible and explaining its
meaning, will look similar across all elementary grade levels. The difference and
challenge comes in the application and follow up activities.
 One modification is to break them up into age leveled groups at the close of a
lesson to discuss how the lesson can be applied to their everyday life. Then the
groups will report back to the whole class. There can be a K-1 reporter, a 2-3
reporter, and so forth until all groups have shared their application of the lesson.
 Another modification can be made in the area of crafts. The same craft can be
completed by K-5 children, but for the K-2 children you can prep part of the craft
ahead of time. You can have everything prewritten on their craft or you can
precut parts of the project. The older children can complete all of the writing and
cutting independently in the same about of time it takes the younger children to
complete their modified version.
Serving in a small children’s ministry can be challenging, but it also has its great
rewards! You get to know all of the children in your church personally. You are
blessed to work with one child from kindergarten through 6th grade and see how they
grow in their knowledge of the Lord over a period of years.
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28. A FINAL WORD TO THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR FOR CHILDREN’S
MINISTRIES
Ephesians 4:11-13
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some,
pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and
of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ: The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge)
1769.
In summary, we have proven that the Word of God was given by God, through the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, fulfilled by Jesus Christ, commissioned to believers
through the church for the instruction in righteousness unto the unity and maturity
in the knowledge and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This great and awesome
responsibility rests with those who have been called and appointed by God to teach
the Holy Scriptures (1 Corinthians 12:28).
Christian education in the church involves the following areas of
concentration:
Evangelism - bringing others to faith in Christ
Enlistment - increasing the local church membership
Edification - building up membership to maturity,
growth and development in the faith.
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29. In what ways will you focus your role as a teacher in all three areas?
Evangelism:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Enlistment:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Edification:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
"O that we may love our Bibles more, and keep closer to them than ever and then
shall we find the benefit and advantage designed thereby, and shall at last attain the
happiness therein promised and assured to us." (Excerpt taken from the Matthew
Henry Commentary on 2 Timothy 3:14-17)
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