Youth Ideas - Tips for Working With Youth and Handling Discipline Problems

www.CreativeYouthIdeas.com

Youth Ideas - Tips for Working With
Youth and Handling Discipline
Problems

Some key concepts and principles to
minimize and correct discipline
problems when dealing with youth.

www.CreativeSermonIdeas.com


Build Relationships with Youth
Take time to get to know each youth.
Teenagers will be teenagers and are by
nature restless, hyper, and noisy
persons. Accept youth as the silly, noisy
people they are. Learn to see their
sensitive, enthusiastic, eager side which
needs the nurturing of a caring adult. As
you build relationships with each youth,
and they feel that you appreciate and
accept them, you will find a mutual
trust and respect growing. Youth are
much more responsive to the guidance,
advice and even discipline of those they
view as caring. “Youth don’t care what
you know until the know that you care.”


When unacceptable behavior occurs,
(and it will definitely occur from time to
time) it is rarely a personal attack
directed toward you. It is simply a
symptom of a deeper problem that a
teenager might have. Behavior is always a
symptom of something else. Always try to
find the root causes of the behavior.
When you handle the root, the behavior
of the youth will change. Be careful not
to embarrass a teen in front of their
peers. The result will be more problems
with that student. Discipline youth in
private if at all possible. Create a positive
but firm relationship. When you have a
positive relationship with youth, often, a
simple touch, look, or quick remark to
quiet down is usually enough to get
things moving in a positive direction
again.


Create a Positive Environment for
Youth
Be proactive rather than reactive. To
encourage promptness, start with a
“bang”. To fight the teenagers’
tendency to be late, start on time.
Don’t react by running after youth,
scream, or remind them of the time
to get started. Instead, be proactive
and start each meeting with a quick
activity that will grab the attention of
the youth.



Youth are talkative and full of
energy so instead of trying to react
and calm them down, keep them
actively involved throughout the
programs with a variety of
activities and opportunities for
them to interact, to express
themselves, and to release their
energy. Make the youth programs
positive and upbeat with a wide
selection of activities that are
exciting and fun, game oriented,
and concise.



Guide Rather than Tell
Never tell a youth anything he can
discover for himself! We all learn
more by doing rather than
listening. Personal discovery is
much more powerful than being
given the answers. When we
discover things for ourselves we
make them our own truth.



Be Firm with a Good Measure of
Grace
At one extreme are youth leaders
who are “Drill Sergeant’s” and
“Dictators”. At the other extreme are
the “Pushovers”, the youth leaders
without a backbone. While there may
be times for various responses, the
most effective youth leaders lie
somewhere in between. Being strict
won’t get the results you want; nor
will being unstructured. We don’t
always give youth what they want,
but what they need because
sometimes they are unaware of what
they really need themselves



When discipline is called for we must
always seek to rehabilitate, to guide
youth toward positive growth rather
than to simply punish. There are
times when a firm hand is needed,
and there are times when grace is
needed. Explain what you see as the
problem and encourage the teens to
help come up with a solution.



Be Realistic but Encouraging Positive
Growth
Remember that teenagers’ abnormal
behavior is almost always normal.
Their behavior is only a temporary
phase youth pass through on the way
to adulthood. In time they will grow
out of it. While we must love them as
they are, we must love them enough
to not leave them as they are. And
when it is hard to love them as they
are, we must love them for what they
can be. As adult youth leaders we
need to help youth get better
acquainted with who they are and
who they are becoming in Christ.



Set Boundaries and Expectations for
Youth
Together with the youth, as a group
decide what is and is not objectionable
behavior, and set specific limits
accordingly. Boundaries should be
empowering rather than simply
inhibiting. When the students help make
the rules, they break them less
frequently. Once the limits are set, the
youth should know and agree to the
limits. But also remember that youth will
forever be testing the boundaries in an
attempt to discover which boundaries
are firm and which ones are flexible. It’s
not a rejection of the boundaries but an
attempt to establish their own
boundaries and find a place to stand.



Always know why the boundary exists
and be able to explain the rationale for
it. Youth also need to recognize that
there are often very real consequences
for crossing over boundaries and
reasons they are placed where they are.
Like the edge of a cliff there will be
some that want to get as close to the
edge as possible for the thrill, but they
risk falling over the edge and getting
hurt in the process. We need to help
them recognize where the boundaries
are and help them to walk a
comfortable distance away from them.
Allow, as much as possible, for freedom
and flexibility within the limits set.
However, “no” must be taken seriously,
not as a “maybe.”



Appropriate Responses to Youth
Behavior
Build a good healthy respect for youth
into your discipline. Never embarrass a
youth in front of his peers. When there
are problems, try to deal with a youth
alone. Never attack the person, only
the behavior. Rewards and
punishments must be appropriate and
aimed to encourage positive behavior
while discouraging negative behavior.
Both the “stick” and the “carrot” are
effective and have their moments, but
we should not go to the extremes of
bribery for positive behavior and
getting revenge for negative behavior.



When a youth breaks a rule, don’t
overreact with harshness, but
correct the problem with
compassion. Students need to
know what will happen when a
rule is broken and the
consequences must be fair and fit
the action.



Free Expression for Youth
Structure activities in which the
young people are free to express
themselves without judgment.
Provide other perspectives
(including the Biblical perspective)
and other ways to view things
without labeling the youth as
wrong. When the truth is clear and
the choices are presented to them
in a no judgmental way most youth
will correct themselves. But when
threatened youth are more likely to
be defensive, rebellious, or even
confrontational



Use group-building exercises to let
students be talkative and noisy
within an orderly context. Youth will
appreciate the opportunity to
express themselves. You will
appreciate the fact that some energy
can be released in a positive way.



Actively Involve the Youth
Allow your youth to help you plan
and implement activities. The more
ownership youth have in the event,
the less discipline problems you’ll
have. Involvement and responsibility
creates commitment. Whether your
youth group is large or small your
functions should include a variety of
activities that cater to a variety of
energy levels and interests,
especially with younger youth.



During discussions, break up the
youth into small groups so no one
is left out. Often youth who don’t
get involved are the ones who
cause the most problems. Also be
conscious of transitions. Move
smoothly and quickly from one
activity to another. When a lag
occurs between activities,
problems tend to occur.



Actively Involve Caring Adults
When other adults are included
they bring with them a variety of
gifts, leadership styles, and
personalities. A few adults seated
among the youth can help maintain
control of the group without
attracting a lot of attention. Some
are better at disciplining without
harshness. Some are respected by
the youth already. The youth will
respond to them well when these
leaders must “have a talk” with
them.



What to Do with Unacceptable
Behavior
You cannot allow one youth to
spoil the event for everyone. If a
teenager senses you are sincere
about your frustration, he usually
will respond in a positive manner.
If further disruption continues, be
prepared to take harsher action in
love, if necessary.



Camp Curriculum - Whale of a Tale
Bible Studies based on the book of Jonah
Only. This youth camp curriculum was
designed to teach the basic truths
of obedience in addition to evangelism in the
context of a Biblical character. The advantage
of going through a book and looking at one
man's story is that we see not only the
teaching but the example. It becomes much
more real!
-> Tell me about “Whale of a Tale”

www.creativeyouthideas.com/resources/order5.html


Creative Youth Ideas
Camp Bible Study Series
“Who Do You Say that I AM?”
Jesus asked the disciples, "Who do others
say that I am?" It was easy to answer
because it required no conviction, no
commitment, and no risk. But then he
follows that question with another, "Who
do YOU say that I am?"

-> Tell me about “Who Do You Say that I AM?”

www.creativeyouthideas.com/resources/whodoyousay.html


Creative Youth Ideas
Youth Camp Bible Study Series
“Fruit Of the Spirit”
Live the Fruitful, Abundant Life
Jesus Promised. Great for youth camps or
weekly Youth Bible Study. There are 7
Primary Bible study Sessions in the series.

-> Tell me about “Fruit Of the Spirit”

www.creativeyouthideas.com/resources/fruitofthespirit.html


Camp Curriculum - The Great Adventure

"The Great Adventure" is western
themed Bible study series loosely based
around the song of the same name by
Steven Curtis Chapman. It was initially
written for a large Texas Church to use for
their Summer Youth Camp but has since
then proven popular around the world.

-> Tell me about “The Great Adventure”

www.creativeyouthideas.com/resources/order12.html

Youth Ideas - Tips for Working With Youth and Handling Discipline Problems

Recomendados

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

La actualidad más candente

La actualidad más candente (17)

Similar a Youth Ideas - Tips for Working With Youth and Handling Discipline Problems

Similar a Youth Ideas - Tips for Working With Youth and Handling Discipline Problems (20)

Más de Ken Sapp

Más de Ken Sapp (20)

Último

Último (20)

Youth Ideas - Tips for Working With Youth and Handling Discipline Problems