Sunday School Classroom Behavior Tips

A child's Sunday school behavior should maximize his and other students' learning.

Proverbs 22:6 reads in part, "Train up a child in the way he should go" (King James Version). The verse is referring to how a child learns and reacts to the world around him, but it can be used when thinking about child discipline and behavior in a Sunday school setting. There are several reasons a child's behavior in Sunday school should be controlled. In addition to classroom order, the safety of the other children in the classroom should be considered.

Know Your Classroom

One important aspect of learning about behavior problems is knowing each child and his needs. Find out about diagnosed medical issues, as well as whether or not there are behavior issues at home. Speak with the child's parents to establish a plan for getting his Sunday school classroom behavior on track.

Set Rules

Establishing simple and easily understood rules for your classroom is a must. Make sure the rules are clear, and apply them to both the children and yourself. Children learn by example. So if one of your rules is "Treat everyone with respect" but you ignore or yell at children in the classroom for bad behavior, they will not learn to treat you with respect. Take the time to explain the rules to the class so that the children will understand them.

Distract the Distractor

If you notice bad behavior beginning, or if you find yourself in the midst of a monumental temper tantrum, don't be discouraged. Distract the student with a preplanned activity or event. Be flexible with your lesson plan. If you'd planned to show a short video later, but a student is becoming distracting, consider showing the video early as a distraction, to get the lesson back on track.

Give Rewards

Behavior charts with a goal in mind work well for children of all ages when it comes to behavior, suggests Denise Oliveri, a Sunday school teacher for more than 10 years and owner of PreschoolSundaySchoolCentral.com. Other ideas can include a candy tree, where children pick a piece of candy from a "tree" at the end of the class; or "Bible Bucks," in which children earn fake money that can be used at the end of a term to purchase bigger items.

References

• TeachersIndex.com: What to Do With a Child Who Won't Behave During Sunday School
• Kids Sunday School Place: Behavior Management
• Bible Teaching Ministry Resources: Classroom Discipline Tips

Resources

• Preschool Sunday School Central: Home page