Classroom

Management
In the Sunday School Classroom
The single most
important principle I
have learned about
classroom
management is that it
is 80% about the
teacher.
While there are
extremes that we face in
our managing children
most problems arise
from things that can
easily be fixed.
Classroom management
is like management in
every other sphere of
life.
The same principles
apply to relationships,
finances, work,
recreation and personal
care.
When we teach others
we, for the most part,
teach in all three areas
of creation

Spirit-Soul-Body
For this reason our
understanding of
classroom management
is also in the framework
of Spirit-Soul-Body.
While this may be
beginning to sound a bit
mystical it is very
practical.
Success in classroom
management in all three
of these vital areas
begins with our attitude.
It will be expressed in all
three of these areas.
So what is our attitude to
be?
THE SPIRIT
1. Serving in the Spirit of
Jesus:
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

Have this attitude in

yourselves which was
also in Christ Jesus,

Philippians 2:5 
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

who, although He existed

in the form of God, did
not regard equality with
God a thing to be
grasped,
Philippians 2:6
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

but emptied Himself,

taking the form of a bond-
servant, and being made
in the likeness of men.

Philippians 2:7
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:
Being found in
appearance as a man, He
humbled Himself by
becoming obedient to the
point of death, even death
on a cross.
Philippians 2:8
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

For this reason also, God

highly exalted Him, and
bestowed on Him the
name which is above every
name,
Philippians 2:9
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

so that at the name of

Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL
BOW, of those who are in
heaven and on earth and
under the earth,
Philippians 2:10 
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

Notice that Jesus’ authority

came directly from his
attitude of humility
expressed through serving
God and others.
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

Successful classroom
management is about
having the authority to bring
order to the class.
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

Recognizing our absolute

dependence on God to give
us that authority brings us to
the wonderful understanding
that we must be often in
prayer for our class and the
individual students in it.
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

All success in life

begins with prayer.
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

Prayer is the
essence of Humility
1. Serving in the Spirit of Jesus:

if My people who are

called by My name will
humble themselves, and
pray. . .

2 Chronicles 7:14
THE SOUL
2. Fulfilling our
responsibility as
work done for
Jesus.
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
Whatever you do in
word or deed, do all
in the name of the
Lord Jesus
Colossians 3:17
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
Successful
classroom
management is
primarily
preparation.
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
Preparation takes
time.
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
People who are
successful at work
take the time to fully
do what is needed
to succeed.
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
They do it for
money which is a
strong motivator.
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
The primary problem
we face in volunteer
work is lack of
motivation to do what
it takes to succeed.
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
If we understand that our
primary motivation in work
or volunteering is to be
giving a gift to the Lord we
will find the motivation we
need.
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
Doing anything out of duty
will not result in excellence.
We must have a sure
conviction we are called to
do the work and do it with
passion. This results in
excellence.
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
In fact our service in
ministry is a perfect
opportunity to demonstrate
excellence for no other
reason than our love for
God and others.
2. Fulfilling our responsibility as
work done for Jesus.
Excellence for God should
be our goal not only in our
classroom but in every area
of our lives.
3. Teachability – a
willingness to be a learner
as well as a teacher.
3. Teachability
And the instructions which you
have heard from me along
with many witnesses, transmit
and entrust as a deposit to
reliable and faithful men who
will be competent and
qualified to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:2
3. Teachability

When I first started teaching I

had the privilege of finding out
fairly quickly that, in spite of
my education, I did not have a
clue about how to teach.
3. Teachability

Rather than reacting in pride I

asked for help. I sought it from
teachers that I saw knew how
to manage their classrooms
how to do it.
3. Teachability

I sometimes went into their

classes to watch them in
action.
3. Teachability

I spent time watching

instructional videos that
focused on classroom
management.
3. Teachability
Just this last week I had an
excellent teacher say to some
others he was introducing me
to that almost everything he
did to successfully manage
his class he learned from me.
3. Teachability
The Bible is so practical in
this.
We learn from
others….
We teach others…..
3. Teachability

The Key is our willingness to

be taught and seeking out
opportunities to learn.
THE BODY
 Practical
Foundations for
a successful
class.
Preparation
When I have the
worst problems
in my classroom
is when I am
unprepared.
We need to take the
time to have our whole
lesson planned. Walking
into the class having
never read the lesson or
planned the activities is
a recipe for disaster.
No matter what we do
this is true. Preparation
is the hidden key to
success in every
endeavor in life.
Preparation begins with
prayer and ends with
planning. In Sunday
School Classes it takes
about as much time to
prepare as to actually do
the class.
We cannot see this as
optional. It must be seen
as a part of the
commitment to the work.
Understanding
Our Students.
 All classroom
management is
based on
relationship.
 Our first priority in
building a well
behaved class is to
build a respectful
relationship.
A little time spent
thinking about what the
best strategies to help
our students behave in
class will pay great
dividends.
Billy can’t seem to sit
still. He is always
disturbing the class.
What can I do?
Management
By Proximity.
When I went to
school the teacher
always sat the Billys
at the back of the
class.
Unless they have
an Oppositional
Defiant Disorder
that is the worst
thing we can do for
a child.
Proximity increases
compliant
behaviour.
Keep Billy as close
to you as possible.
Give Billy a
responsibility that is
his alone.
Billy please hand
out the pencils and
paper….. Take the
attendance…. Push
in all the chairs…..
Explain and Model
correct behavior.
While Sammy is
speaking let’s
practice respectful
listening. Let’s go
over Respectful
Listening.
Mouths closed
Ears open
Eyes on the
Speaker
(using hand signals
for each)
Then have them
practice it with you.
Do it each time you
ask for them to
listen until it
becomes a habit.
Use practice
as a
discipline act
Discipline is
not
punishment.
Discipline is the
practice of a skill
until it becomes
habitual.
We need to
have hearts
completely free
of a desire to
punish.
Some children
will do their best
to move us into
an angry state.
We need to pray
for them until we
have the heart
of Jesus for
them.
When we see a
student not
following correct
protocol make it
teachable moment
by practice.
Class, someone
forgot and needs our
help to remember to
raise her hand when
she wants to speak in
group time.
Let’s practice it with
her. Everyone raise
your hands. Thank
you. Now let’s try it
Sarah.
Reward good
behaviour with
abundant
praise
I love the way you
did that Joey. That
is what a model
student does.
 Create a
positive
classroom
reward system.
Give some reward
during or at the end
of each class for
positive behavior.
Thank you for
listening so well
today Tammy. You
get a (Star, Sticker,
to hand out the
snack…..)
 Teach for
all learning
styles.
In thinking about each
member of your class
try and understand
what their primary
learning style is and
make provision for it.
I learned this teaching
adults. I was teaching
a computer class and
bombed it royally.
It taught me an
important lesson that
has helped me in
every aspect of my
teaching.
About eighty percent
of teachers are visual
learners. About eighty
percent of pastors are
oral learners.
If we do not make an
intentional choice we
teach in the way we
learn.
I presented my class
almost exclusively in
oral format. I missed
eighty percent of my
students……
Most teaching is orally
based. We usually don’t
need to emphasize the
oral presentation. We
need to make sure it has
a visual and physical
aspect.
I learned to have a
visual component in
every teaching and
sermon.
Having visuals is vital
In every lesson.
Having an engaging
object lesson with a
physical object is a
great way to engage
visual learners.
A large percent of
students in the
primary grades will be
physical (Kinesthetic)
learners. Most will be
boys.
They need to do
something physically
active to be engaged
in active learning.
They can sit for a time
but need something
active to do to help
them stay focused.
Incorporating some
physical activity about
every two or three
minutes in a lesson will
keep them engaged and
help them stay out of
trouble.
Stand up and show me
with your body what
David looked like when
he faced Goliath.
Let’s pretend we are
Joshua and walk around
the room seven times
perfectly quietly and
when we finish let’s
shout!
Let’s imagine we are the
kings coming to give gifts to
Jesus. We will draw what
our gift is and then take
them to the manger (either
actual or a visual) and give
them to Him.
Having kids plan and do
skits is a great way to
engage them.
Teach with special
needs in mind.
Teach with special
needs in mind.
Universal Design is
a method of helping
all children while
addressing the
special needs of
some learners.
Attention Seekers
Some children have
extreme attention
needs. Make sure you
ignore wrong behavior
with them as much as
possible.
Some children have
extreme attention
needs. Make sure you
ignore wrong behavior
with them as much as
possible.
Give them attention
when they do well.
Catch them doing
well!
Continually call them
to responsibility for
their behavior.
Privately give them
choices to either
respond or not
participate.
ADHD
Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder
Read
NORMAL BOY…..
All the strategies I
shared before about
physical learners
apply here.
Oppositional Defiant
Disorder
In a true ODD child
the opposite of
everything that is
intuitive in behavior
management is
needed.
Often these children
are the victims of
massive abuse and
cannot trust people.
They do not respond
to punishment. They
actually seek out
negative responses to
their behavior.
Intellectual deficits
As much as possible
alter some of your
lesson to include
them.
Encourage them to
give answers. If they
don’t know the answer
let them choose a
friend to help them.
Manage by
moving
around
When incorrect
behavior begins
move to the area.
Often this is all that
is needed.
If you need to speak
use no more than
three words in
correcting behavior.
Please Stop, Please
go there, Don’t Hit.
Always make eye
contact. Don’t stand
above them but get to
their level to speak.
Don’t make it a public
confrontation.
For younger
children use the
count 1,2,3.
For older children
say the expectation
then wait a few
seconds then
repeat it. Continue
until compliance.
If the child remains
non-compliant call
for help.
DO NOT ACCEPT
NON
COMPLIANCE….
 Children who
will not behave
 If a child will not
behave after
implementing these
practices use a
series of actions
and consequences.
 These need to be
done as privately as
possible.
In our context you
can pray with the
child.
Susie I would like to
pray with you about
what happened
today.
Ask for their help.
 John, what could
you do to make this
situation better for
you and the rest of
the class.
 Model the
expectation.
 The Child goes to
person asks for
forgiveness. Do you
forgive her? I’m sorry
means a change. How
will you act next time?
Speak together with
them with Miriam.
 Speak together with
them with Miriam and
their parents.
 Outline expected
behavior. Explain that
it is a privilege not a
right to come to
Sunday School.
 Remove the child
from the class for a
period of time.
There will always a
leader in the class.
If you are not it one
of the students will
be.
Permissiveness is not
a more loving stance.
It guarantees that the
child and the other
children will miss what
God wants them to
learn.
On the other hand all
the things we do in
behavior management
need to be done
without anger, ridicule
or public
confrontation.
As much as possible
do everything in a
kind and private
manner.
If you have not been
successful in getting a
child’s compliance
there needs to be a
team approach to
helping them.
Do not let your value
as a teacher be based
on the behavior of a
student. Don’t suffer
in silence. Ask for
help.
Miriam is the go to
person in such cases.
The parents may have
insights to help us as
well. They might even
need to come and be
with their child for a
time to help him.
The child may need to
not attend the class
as a consequence
and as a help for the
class.
The point is we need
to expect and require
that children be in
compliance so that all
students in the class
can learn.