Tag: teaching

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teaching

Testing those Props

A few years ago, I had a great lesson on testing those props before presenting a lesson. I mean, what could wrong with candy as props, right?

The monthly theme in my class had been about grace. The classroom has been decorated like a candy shop and the opening activities had used sweets as props. This was part of the curriculum at http://whatisorange.org/252basics/.

cartoon on testing those props. A mom says to a boy, "Something tells me you enjoyed this morning's class."

The lesson called for inviting kids to come up and “test” candy for the rest of the class. The samples included some pretzel M & M’s, gummy candy, and Pop Rocks candy.

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teaching

The worst advice I’ve ever heard about teaching in church

Cartoon of a boy talking to a guy dressed in a while outfit.

Over the years, I’ve searched for all kinds of advice on how to teach effectively. But the worst advice I’ve ever heard about teaching in church has actually been the most helpful for me.

Have you ever found it hard to get the attention of a room full of kids? It can be a loud place. However, if you have the class on a Sunday morning, it can also be a quiet place that would make a crypt sound like an ideal place for a party.

How do you keep the kids engaged, whether the kids are rowdy, or just waking up after a rowdy weekend night? One piece of advice I have heard over the years was actually the worst thing I could have tried. What is it?

Be formal, show little emotion and take yourself very seriously. Don’t be a clown! This is church, after all!

Did I hear those exact words? Not exactly. But it was something I believed. for some time. When I first got into children’s ministry. I tried it for a while with disastrous results!

This just doesn’t work for me. And I would dare say it won’t work for anyone who is teaching elementary-age kids.

Cartoon of a boy and a teacher. The student says, "You're goofy, Mr. Schmeltzer! I like that in a teacher."
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motivation

Do you learn anything from a goofy teacher?

Cartoon of a boy and a teacher. The student says, "You're goofy, Mr. Schmeltzer! I like that in a teacher."

Do you learn anything from a goofy teacher? When I first drew this cartoon, I thought about how goofiness and whimsy made teaching fun.

Do you learn anything from a goofy teacher? Cartoon of a boy and a teacher. The student says, "You're goofy, Mr. Schmeltzer! I like that in a teacher."

The best days I had when teaching were when I was having fun with the class and so were they. In the process, I was teaching them something without the students realizing it.

The worst days I had as a large group teacher were when I took myself too seriously. Maybe I was having a bad day or week. Instead of laughing at myself, I thought too much about myself.

I let pride get in the way. I cared too much about how I looked. As a result, I didn’t have a good time… and neither did the students.

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children's ministry cartoons

Down to Our Level Cartoon

Last Sunday, I had several kids who wanted me to play games with them. They like it when an adult takes an interest in them. Several years ago, such an incident inspired this “down to our level cartoon.”

Down to our level cartoon. A girl says about a teacher, "He was sitting down to get to our level, when his back filed a formal complaint."

I’ve learned that when I’m consistently in a classroom, and I take an interest in what the kids are doing, they naturally want me to participate in their activities. To me, it’s common sense. But how often do we do just that? How often do we set aside our agenda for a moment and focus on the other person?

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cartoon gag cartoon School Cartoons single panel cartoon technology cartoons

Call from Mom

It’s a good thing I didn’t have a cell phone in school. Would I have received a call from Mom? Probably not. But I most likely would have been calling for a lifeline every few minutes.

Cartoon of a boy and a teacher. The boy says, "I'll answer that in a second. But first, let me take this call from Mom."

Today, can you really trust if it’s your mom calling you? Scammers can mask any number and make it appears it is coming from your loved one. If your mother is calling to ask for your social security number, it’s probably a good sign that the person on the other line is a scammer. The deep, bass voice may be a giveaway too.

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