Teacher Lunch and Learn

A group of teachers got together in late January to share fellowship, lunch and tips and techniques for successful classes.

The entire group enjoyed a lovely vegan lunch. As we don't always see each other on Sundays, it was an opportunity to catch up after the holiday (and flu) season. The two groups of teachers then broke into two groups to discuss what had worked well in their respective classes, and what could be improved. It was a useful exercise with healthy dialogue.

Here is recap of what was discussed for each group:

Early Learners

All agreed that the lessons have gone well and Spirit Play has made teaching much more fun. Two topics were discussed.

The first was making sure the children got meaning out of the lesson. Suggestions included: 

• discussing the takeaway points during the free play time
• reminding them frequently of the principles on the bulletin board
• identify the principles in every story
• consider reviewing one principle a month

The second was classroom management. The most important thing is that the teachers be consistent in dealing with behavior. Other ideas and suggestions were made and should help maintain a more peaceful environment will not only make the classroom easier for teachers, but more welcome to children who are more quiet and introspective.

Teens

The teens need discussion and a time to socialize together. Most of our teens have been with us for a while. The goal is to engage them more. The teachers concluded using current events and issues, and giving them a safe place to discuss these would be a helpful way of finding UU principles in action.

Also discussed was a way to engage some of the teens that might not participate as much as they should. Body language techniques were discussed, as well as starter sentences to help break the ice if they are hesitant to talk.

Lastly, they discussed ways to make the teens more involved in church decision making. Giving the teens a voice in what they want from their church community might help them transition into being UU adults.


These sessions were helpful to all in making RE a positive experience not just for the students, but for the teachers and the congregation as well.