following god - pentecostal publishingdownloads.valueof52.com/11834 tod sum16 teacher...

Table of ContentsEditorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2A Look at the Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3REACH for Teachers of Infants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8A Look at Next Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Unit 1: God Gives Promises to His People Unit Aim: Children will tell that God gave promises to Abraham and

his family .Week of

06 .05 .2016 1 God Calls Abraham to Follow Him . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1006 .12 .2016 2 God Keeps His Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1606 .19 .2016 3 Isaac Gets the Right Bride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2106 .26 .2016 4 Jacob Sees Angels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Unit 2: God Protects His People Unit Aim: Children will tell that God protected Joseph and Moses .

Week of

07 .03 .2016 5 Joseph Receives a Gift of Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3307 .10 .2016 6 Joseph Feeds His Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3807 .17 .2016 7 Baby Moses Is Safe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4407 .24 .2016 8 Found by a Princess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Unit 3: God Has a Plan for His People Unit Aim: Children will tell that God had a plan for the Israelites .

Week of

07 .31 .2016 9 Moses Moves to a New Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5408 .07 .2016 10 God Gives Moses a Job to Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5808 .14 .2016 11 God Splits the Red Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6308 .21 .2016 12 Miriam Leads the Praise Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6908 .28 .2016 13 A Surprise from the Sky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Following God Camp Bigheart

EDITORIAL STAFFEditor in Chief: Robin JohnstonAssociate Editor, Curriculum:

Lee Ann AlexanderChildren’s Editor: Melanie ClabornToddler Editor: Joni Owens

WRITERSChris Anderson, Brenda Carr, Ann Frake, Kara McCoy, Barbara Westberg

DESIGNERSChris Anderson, Tim Burk, Tim Cummings, Dennis Fiorini, Elizabeth Loyd

ARTISTKat Moyou

Join us on our Facebook group. Interact with editors and Sunday school teachers. Post pictures of your class. Brag on what God is doing in your class. You teach with us; now interact with us. Check out our group, “Word Aflame Toddler Teachers Curriculum.”

Beginner Teacher’s ManualManufactured in U .S .A ., June 2016, 1041611www.pentecostalpublishing.org • All rights reserved©2016 by Pentecostal Publishing House, 8855 Dunn Road, Hazelwood, MO 63042

Only individual items accompanied by this icon may be copied for use in the local classroom. Do not reproduce, distribute, or transmit any other part of the Word Aflame curriculum in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without possessing

prior documented approval from Pentecostal Publishing House, a department of the United Pentecostal Church International. To request permission, contact [email protected].

All Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Tod Sum16 Teacher.indd 1 1/18/16 10:13 AM

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Helping Your Toddlers Follow Godby Joni Owens

Teaching toddlers is no easy task . It doesn’t take long to discover that this is not a glorified babysitting job . It is real work! That is, it is real work for those who care about giving the best possible learning experiences to these children . This quarter’s lessons discuss God’s promises, protection, and plans for people who did not have it easy, but who learned through trial and error, observation, and obedience . The same process works for a Toddler teacher . Here are a few tips to help your class run more smoothly .

Plan and prepare early . Avoid waiting until everyone is in the classroom to gather supplies and set up—an almost impossible task while your little ones are literally underfoot . Your time should be focused on them, not on trying to make something work that should have been practiced or prepared at home . And you certainly do not want to be taking them to the supply room every time you need something .

During the Do the Word segment, consider splitting your class into smaller groups and letting assistants concurrently oversee the options, one option per group . Set a time limit, and then rotate the groups . Sometimes there are not enough costumes to go around during role-play, and toddlers are not known for patiently waiting their turn . It also helps teachers supervise crafts with fewer students to attend to . Book Nook and Music/Movement times should be full class options .

Attention spans are short, about the equivalent of one minute per age . It is almost impossible to hold a two-year-old’s attention beyond two to five minutes, unless he is fully engaged in the activity . Story time should never be all talk, but should be interactive . Toddlers can repeat, move, copy, hide, make noises, pretend, hold pictures, and more . Keep them engaged and you will keep their attention .

Remember, this manual is your guide, not an absolute law . Change it up to make it work for your children . You know your students’ abilities and preferences, as well as your own . Do not be frustrated if you cannot do something we suggest; pick out something else to do! Follow us on Facebook and ask other teachers for ideas .

Your focus is always to present God to your children . Your most effective tools are love, hugs, smiles, words of praise, listening, and showing you care . The perfectly finished craft or activity paper is not the goal . Maintaining a perfectly organized and quiet room is not the goal—and trust me, that will not happen with toddlers! Enjoy your children . Remember, they are a part of God’s story .

Editorial

How to Download Word Aflame Teacher’s Manual Web MaterialTo access the PDF and DOCs of the teacher’s manual online: 1 . Visit www.pentecostalpublishing.com to access the down-

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9 . You may also access the download from the My Account button and look under the My History section to see your orders and find the appropriate download button there to obtain the resource .

Teacher Resource Packet Downloadable ResourcesTo access the reproducible items from the resource packet (TRP), see the resource packet instruction sheet . If you

have not purchased a packet, you can do so by going to www.pentecostalpublishing.com or calling 866-819-7667 .


Toddlers love to camp! Given their very short life to date, a toddler has little prior experience to draw upon in any given situation . Therefore, every situation is new and

exciting . Camping is another opportunity to explore new things . Every rock, stick, and insect compels them to discover . Tents, campfires, rivers, lakes, and the variety of foliage call the toddler to new discoveries .

Transform your room into a campground where toddlers will camp out and hear stories of men who followed God . Camping décor is available online or at party stores . Outside or in the ga-rage is a good place to begin looking for camping décor . Logs and sticks can be used for a campground fire ring . Gray foam can be cut into rock shapes and used for stones around the fire ring . Pop-up tents can be borrowed from friends and neighbors . A tent in the book area will encourage quiet reading time . Large tents and small tents may be used around the classroom to sep-arate various activities .

For more ideas on room décor, network with toddler teachers from around the world through our Facebook group: Word Aflame Toddler Curriculum Teachers . Once your theme is in place, take pictures and share with our Facebook group to inspire others .

We always appreciate receiving high-resolution photos along with permission to use them in future literature . Be sure to have signed parental permission if pictures contain children’s faces . (See the Model Release form downloaded through the resource packet .) Email your pictures to [email protected], or mail them to Joni Owens, Word Aflame Publications, 8855 Dunn Road, Hazelwood, MO, 63042 .

Camping theme-related posters are provided in the teacher’s resource packet . Enhance them with a forest of trees made from brown paper attached to the wall, or extra silk trees and plants borrowed for the unit . Hang silk vines from the ceiling or make vines of construction paper . Place your campfire ring in the area you gather the students for stories or lesson time . Cover the ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars and planets that will awe the students when the room is darkened . Flashlights are good camping tools and can be incorporated into your lessons and décor . We have seen teachers do incredible things to transform their classrooms into interactive learning environments . Once your students enter the campground, they should get ready to explore as they learn through play .

If possible, once your room is completely decorated, test your décor by allowing one or two toddlers to freely explore (before submitting it to an entire class), to see if any safety precautions

(like choking hazards or dangerous areas) have been overlooked . Using bulletin boards in toddler classrooms is discouraged because tacks are easily swallowed by curious two- and three-year-olds . As a general rule, if something fits in the hole of a paper-towel tube, it is a choking hazard .

For a theme-related offering method, obtain a canteen from a thrift store or army surplus store . Be sure the mouth is wide so you can retrieve the money . Or cut a 1½-inch square opening near the top of a water bottle . (Avoid the flimsy plastic bottles .) Cover the edges of the cut opening with masking tape to prevent cuts . Paint the bottle with camping green colors or simply cover with green duct tape . (Or consider using camouflage duct tape .) Be sure to cover the cap as well .

A Look at the CurriculumFollowing God: Camp Bigheart

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Extras:Campfire: Paint pool noodles or insulation foam brown . Cut

into 12-inch lengths and stack upright, teepee-style . Use a low-temp glue gun to secure them together so the children cannot scatter them . Add construction paper or tissue paper flames .

Rocks: Paint clumps of Styrofoam brown (assorted shades of brown for a realistic touch) . Stuff brown bags with newspaper, seal, and crumple into rock shapes . Cut large pieces of brown craft paper and crumple into rock shapes .

Trees: Add brown paper trunks to the wall . For foliage, use green paper plates or green balloons . Consider using Christmas trees (minus lights) .

Waterfall: Crumple brown paper into rock shapes and attach to the wall and as a base to form a pool on the floor . Use blue cellophane for the water .

Incentive chart: Cut a Mason jar shape for each child and mount on the wall . Each week a child attends, practices the Bible words, or exhibits good behavior, he adds a yellow lightning bug to his jar . Lightning bugs can be simple yellow smiley face stickers .

Binoculars: Wrap fun duct tape around two small cardboard tubes . Punch holes in the top sides and thread yarn, ribbon, or shoelaces to make a strap .

Stars: Hang stars from the ceiling . Use neon yellow, or consider glow-in-the-dark stars . When you need quiet time, dim the lights; the glowing stars will help alleviate fears of the dark .

Lanterns: Cover the bottom half of a clear plastic jar with red and yellow tissue paper flames . Place a battery-operated tea light in the jar . Punch holes in the top sides of the jar and thread a stiff cord or wire through for a hanger . Add the lid .

Because every class is different regarding room space, number, age of students, and length of class time, teachers may select when and how to best utilize the following learning centers designed to teach the lesson objective . Use your imagination and enhance each .

Role-playProvide plenty of vests, caps, flashlights, sticks, big boots,

plastic fishing poles, and whatever your imagination can dream up for toddlers to role-play .

A Look at the Curriculum

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Building a Sensory TableBy definition, a sensory table is a table that uses a bin or bins that can

be filled with “sensory” materials such as water, sand, rice, bubbles, and so forth to enhance a toddler’s learning experience .

While sensory tables can be purchased in most teaching stores, a good handyman can build a budget-conscious sensory table keeping these things in mind:

• The table top must be at a toddler’s height. A toddler should not need to stand on anything to interact with a sensory table .

• The table must be extremely sturdy. A group of toddlers should be able to put their full weight on the table without risking injury .

• The sensory tub should be easily removable. At the completion of a sensory activity, the teacher must be able to empty and sanitize the bins with minimal effort .

• The tub should be coverable. Most bins come with a lid . By keeping the area closed when not in use, the mystique of the activity center is increased .


BooksUse a couple of small pop-up tents for the book area, or one

large tent . Place vines over the top of the tents and provide pillows or small swimming pool air mattresses inside the tents .

Place books in a bin or on an accessible nearby shelf . Provide a wide array of age-appropriate books depicting stories about camping and the outdoors, as well as children’s Bibles and Bible storybooks . Each lesson has specific suggestions for relevant books to the lesson objective, so plan ahead . A list of the entire quarter’s book suggestions can be downloaded through the resource packet . Most libraries will special order books from other libraries free of charge if they do not have them . All you have to do is ask .

When your students need to slow down and experience some quiet time, use this area to read the activity paper’s read-aloud story . These stories help reinforce the Bible words and lesson objective .

Blocks/SensoryAccessorize this area with camping and outdoor supplies: a

bin of small landscape rocks or river rocks, colored sand, Lincoln

logs, wooden blocks, large Legos, small people, and lots of plastic animals .

Several activities this quarter suggest using a sensory table . If one is not available, makeshift methods can be devised, but a sensory table is a recommended piece of furniture for the toddler classroom . When used effectively, it aids in the cognitive, language, social, emotional, physical, and creative development of a child .

Art/WritingAlong with the activity papers, provide markers, crayons, and

blank paper for children to complete designated craft activities . Lapboards are a nice addition to this area as well .

Music/MovementIn this area provide wands with ribbon streamers, jump ropes,

bubbles, and so forth . Musical sand blocks can be made with wood and pieces of fine sand paper glued to them . Two make a set for rubbing together along with the music . Depending on the age of your toddlers and available space, provide stick horses or rocking horses .

Teacher’s ManualUsing the instructions at the top of the next page, download

the teacher’s manual in PDF and DOC formats . Open the PDF using a reader like Acrobat to study your lesson on-the-go using your favorite handheld device (like an iPad) . The DOC files open using a word processor (like Microsoft Word), allowing you to add to or delete from a lesson and to craft the material to suit your particular interests and needs . Reproduction of these resources is permissible for local church use only, and is intended to help the individual teacher, not to make our curriculum available to multiple classrooms for the price of one manual . Please purchase one manual per teacher .

This curriculum, Following God: Camp Bigheart, is Bible-based and written on a developmentally appropriate level for toddlers and pre-Kindergarteners . The basic lesson structure is as follows:

Welcome to the Word: Welcome students to the classroom . As students get settled in, take

attendance and collect offering . Then a fun, hands-on activity utilizing the activity paper introduces the lesson topic . This focuses students on the lesson objective, while giving potentially messy activities time to dry before being sent home .

Open the Word: Prayer and Worship transition students to one of two Memory Work options . The

Bible Passage quotes the verse directly from the KJV; the Bible Words simplify the passage into an age-appropriate phrase . Because toddlers learn best through repetition, each unit utilizes a set of Memory Work to be learned over a four- to five-week period . Determine which memorization option works best with your teaching method and students’ maturity .

Reveal the Word: Use Snack Break to sit down toddlers and help them focus as you tell the Bible

Lesson . As they wrap up their eating, continue with the lesson . Sometimes the snack is incorporated into the Bible Lesson .

Do the Word: This life-application section offers many lesson-related activity options to further apply the

lesson through playtime . By design, students will think they are playing while they are really learning . Select the activities best fitting your group and setting to drive home the lesson objective . Since toddlers rarely focus on a task for more than five minutes, prepare several options and expect to move through them quickly .

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Unit 1, God Gives Promises to His People, shows how God gave promises to Abraham and his family .

Bible Passage: “For this is the word of promise” (Romans 9:9) .

Bible Words: God gives us promises .

Unit 2, God Protects His People, shows how God protected Joseph and Moses .

Bible Passage: “The Lord is thy keeper” (Psalm 121:5) .Bible Words: The Lord is my keeper .

Unit 3, God Has a Plan for His People, shows that God had a plan for the Israelites .

Bible Passage: “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world . Amen” (Matthew 28:20) .

Bible Words: God is always with me .

In the lesson, examples of wording you could use when teaching the lesson or songs are in bold type. Please let us know how the lessons work for you . Your feedback is influential . Our goal is to help you teach better! Send comments to [email protected] .

REACHDoes your church provide a nursery for children under age

two? Download and print out the REACH pages for those in your church who work with infants (pages 8 and 9) .

Research features findings from studies done on infant and toddler development .

Environment features dos and don’ts on creating appropriate environments .

Attachment features the importance of providing proper nurturing behaviors .

Caregiving features the issues involved in actual care, such as diapering, feeding, and so forth .

Home Connection features ideas to build the relationship between the classroom and the home/family .

Activity Paper

The activity paper is a four-page activity/take-home paper to be used as an integral part of each week’s lesson . Order one activity paper per student with a few extras for potential visitors . At the beginning of the quarter, remove the staple from the binding to separate each book into thirteen individual lessons and one incentive chart . Group the lessons together so you can quickly grab a folder for all lesson 1 papers, and so forth .

• On the front page, a fun, hands-on activity will be used at the beginning of each lesson to introduce the topic .

• On the second page, incorporate the Read Aloud Story as part of the Book Nook . This provides a reading opportunity even if you have no lesson-related books .

• The third-page activity usually consists of coloring and drawing and can be used as part of the Art/Writing, unless otherwise noted.

• The back page communicates lesson essentials, including memory work, lesson objectives, and questions and activities that can be used at home to reinforce the lesson .

Use the chart on the inside cover of the activity paper to track various incentives like attendance and memory work . Mount this at a toddler’s eye level and use in place of, or in conjunction with, the attendance poster in the resource packet .

Did you know, after accounting for all maintenance and supply expenses, it costs a church more to make boring gray-scale copies of the activity paper than it does to buy a full-color activity paper? Churches sometimes think they are saving money by buying one activity paper and making copies, but in reality it is costing them more! (Not to mention that copying the activity paper violates copyright laws.)

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Teacher’s Resource Packet (TRP)The TRP contains teaching tools, supplements, and audio

and visual aids to enhance every lesson . Use the camping theme-related posters and materials as a springboard to decorate your room . Mount the door poster at a toddler’s eye level to welcome students to the classroom . Use the Memory Work posters to teach the Bible Passage and Bible Words while also helping to create a camping atmosphere .

Use the campfire stickers to track accomplishments like attendance, memory work, and so forth . Many teachers use the large group chart in the resource packet to track attendance, while using the alternate incentive chart on the inside of the activity paper cover to congratulate Memory Work .

Some lessons implement downloadable music and sound effects to enhance the learning environment . Using the access code on the TRP cover, download songs onto your smart phone, burn these audio files to a CD, or download them to an iPod or other playback device . With the advent of smart phones, playing music in class has never been easier; amplified speakers for smart phones start at around $10 . Determine your preferred playback method now and prepare the entire quarter’s sound tracks for easy accessibility .

Make copies of the Child Information Form, asking parents to fill them out at a child’s first drop off . Keep these forms on file . By asking for this information, parents see the teacher taking responsibility, which garners trust . Remember to keep the information pertinent by asking parents to review them at the start of every quarter . When a food allergy or other potentially harmful condition or situation (like a volatile divorce) becomes known, communicate it to all helpers and make a special note . Disregard of this information violates trust . In this litigation-happy world, maintenance of this file can decrease church liability should a situation arise .

To further reduce church liability, a Sign-in Sheet should be maintained at the class entrance . Parents will sign this form every time a child is picked up or dropped off . Streamline this process by printing the names of regular attendees (and any special notes or concerns) prior to making copies . This form ensures that children are clearly signed in and out by a responsible, authorized adult . If a child is not to be released to a person identified on the Child Information Form, communicate this with a special note . (Also, an Internet search for “child check-in” will yield a number of web-based tools for automating this process for your church .)

For nursery workers, the TRP also includes a Baby Observation form . When watching infants, use this form to communicate to parents diaper changes, meals, and any other significant interaction . By using these forms, parents will sense responsibility in the worker, ultimately resulting in greater trust .

A sheet of postcards is also included for teachers to mail to students . Parents love it when their children receive mail showing how their child is appreciated .

Each quarter also features a Teacher Training article written especially about topics pertinent to teaching children . Compile the articles into a three-ring binder as a useful resource, especially to train new teachers . Download previous training articles from the Word Aflame website:

www.pentecostalpublishing.com/t-teacherstraining1.aspx.

Please contact us if you would like to have a specific topic addressed in the future .

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These pages contain insight for those who work with infants. Download and print these pages for those in your church who work with children under the age of two. Perhaps schedule a quarterly meeting to discuss the material, to help ensure the infants in your care are being properly nurtured.

Many recent studies reveal the infant learning process begins the day they are born. Infants observe and react to every-thing around them, creating expectations for future events by internalizing daily events. Caregivers can help or harm that learning process.

The process of infant growth and devel-opment affects all areas of learning. As in-

fants become mobile, their experiences broaden, which in turn increases the amount of sensory and motor skills they achieve. Early brain development is stimulated by new information, which is collected through the senses of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Children learn every minute of every day. Babies learn at a rapid rate and take in more information in the first six months of their lives than in any other stage of life. Whether they are playing with toys, cooing, jabbering with others, or just spending some quiet time lying still, they take in all that is around them. Children learn many things by observing those who care for them. What they learn will shape their morals

and future goals. That is why it is so important for you as a teacher to realize the signif-icance of your role.

Some infants are more difficult to understand than others due to their limited means of communication. However, everything a baby does is an expression of his needs and feelings. A good infant teacher is one who looks for and interprets the “message” the child is trying to convey with every behavior. The teacher can then say the words that describe the situation. For example, to a crying infant lying in a crib, one might say, “Yes, Skyler, I hear you saying you are hungry. I’m coming right now and we’ll get your lunch ready.” Your voice signals to the infant that you are near and you will meet the infant’s need. You may notice as your voice nears the infant, his cry may diminish in expectation; or you may have an infant who is inconsolable until the need is met regardless of your voice or proximity. Each infant responds according to his expectations and temperament. Primary caregivers un-intentionally set these expectations. Some infants show positive expectations and some show negative expectations. While some infants are more difficult to under-stand and console, you have an opportunity to show each infant in your care he can expect prompt meeting of his needs.

One of the basic requirements for in-fants is to ensure their safety while allow-ing them the space to explore their sur-roundings. A good way to childproof the area is to get on your hands and knees and look around the room. See if there are dan-gerous items at a child’s level. Any electri-cal outlets should be covered and all cords placed well out of reach. There should be

no breakable items within the children’s reach. Safely place the non-mobile infant a good distance from oblivious mobile infants. Last but not least, structure the environment to fit the infants’ needs by having developmentally appropriate toys, books, and comfortable, child-size furnishings which are accessible to the children. Play soft music, as it can be very soothing. Look for upcoming lesson tips on ways to appropriately decorate and set up rooms to enhance learning.

The comfort level of an infant greatly influences how he behaves. Proper lighting, ventilation, temperature, sound, and smell should be maintained. Too much noise, too many people, too much activity, or too much to see can over stimulate infants. The nursery should not resemble a miniature preschool room. The infant room should have several small areas, rather than one large open space. Each area should have a specific purpose, such as blocks and cars, books, small muscle activities, cause and effect toys, etc. Having an aquarium in the room situated so the children cannot access the water can be soothing as well as educational.

Most teachers say there is just never enough storage space. However, the class-room should never be overcrowded to the point that toys become a tripping hazard. You should have a systematic way of storing and rotating toys. Plastic storage bins are great to use because they can be labeled and stacked. Labeled, zippered pillow-cases can be used for floor pillows while they are holding soft items such as smocks, dress-up clothes, scarves, and pieces of fabric. Infants should have low secured shelving to allow them to reach age-appropriate toys and books.

Findings from studies done on infant and toddler development

Dos and don’ts on creating appropriate environments

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Nothing is more important for an infant’s healthy development than the human interaction between him and a nurturing adult. Activities need to be centered on each child’s needs, rather than expecting the child to conform to the teacher’s rig-id times and scheduled activities. Predictable rou-

tines are very important, but should never be followed so rigidly that individualized attention cannot be given. Remember, the interaction between the child and the teacher is the most important piece in a child’s development.

Infants come into your class with their own unique characteristics and tempera-ments. Some temperaments seem easier to deal with than others, but infant teach-ers must never allow personal feelings or attitudes to interfere with their giving of kind and affectionate care. Always know that every child needs loving care and that

there are no bad children—only children with unmet needs. If you find yourself dreading to have a particular child in your care, pray to the Lord for wisdom and compassion to meet the child’s needs. Because babies predominantly use touch and smell to form secure attachments, it is extremely important for teachers to hold, talk, sing, rock, and cuddle the infant.

Infants who consistently have their needs met by caring adults are able to form good expectations. Play with them. Imitating an infant’s gurgles and sounds is a fun interaction game and lays the very first foundation for good self-esteem. You can also play peek-a-boo or pat-a-cake games as long as the child shows an interest. Play or sing music that reflects the children’s moods. For soothing peaceful times, sing lullabies and folk songs. Humming or singing softly creates a bond between you and the child.

The importance of providing proper nurturing behaviors

A gentle, caring adult taking care of a child’s basic needs will influence the way a child builds trust in the world at large. The diapering experience should be positive for both the teacher and the child. During dia-pering times, infants should be treated with respect and kindness, rather than being treated as objects. Diapering

times are excellent opportunities for teachers to engage in one-on-one conversations with infants for building healthy relationships.

Because you may have a variety of ages and stages represented weekly in your class, make sure your room can be easily rearranged each Sunday to accommodate the children who are there. Cardboard boxes, plastic storage bins or laundry baskets, air mattresses, pillow, mats, plastic milk crates, and other low-cost items can be used to create specific activity areas.

Cleaning toys at the end of the class is important. Sanitize by letting them soak for a short time in a bucket of hot water with a tablespoon of bleach or organic cleaner. Make sure the diaper changing area is disinfected before each use and that proper hand washing proce-dures are followed.

The issues involved in actual care, such as diapering and feeding

Parents are to be commended for putting forth the time and energy it takes to get little ones ready to come to Sunday school. Since parents are the primary caregivers, they are the best source of information concerning their children. Parents who feel a sense of trust when leaving their children with you will be

able to enjoy their own class with peace of mind. They know their children are secure in your care. You as the infant teacher are not only ministering to the children in your care, but to the entire family. The “What I Did in Sunday School Today” form is available as a downloadable on the website. It is a helpful tool for communicating with parents. The form includes a place for teachers to print their names and contact information prior to running off enough copies for each child in the class each week. The rest of the form will be completed during class time describing the child’s behaviors and activities for the parents. It is impossible to communicate too much!

For the benefit of the children in your class, the form offers an opportunity for par-ents to contact teachers throughout the week with comments and questions they may have. By taking the time to write comments about each child each week for the parents, you are telling them that you genuinely care about them and their child. Remind the parents that your contact information is listed on the form, and that you welcome their comments or concerns if they want to contact you throughout the week.

This form also helps parents feel as though they are not missing out on the devel-opment of their children when they leave them for class time. Do your best to make parents feel comfortable about exchanging information with you, and encourage them to keep in touch throughout the week if they have any questions or comments. Sunday mornings when you are watching the children are not good times to devote to parents. Let them know you sincerely want to listen to them, but arrange a time when children are not present. We want to use every opportunity to make children and families as comfortable and welcome as possible.

Ideas to build the relationship between the classroom and the home/family


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