Discipline in Children’s Ministry

1. Discipline in Children’s Ministry Prepared by the Resource Centre for Children’s and Family Ministry, Uniting Church in SA, 2007

2. Meet and Greet: • Share at your table or in a small group: • Your name • Age group of children • A short explanation of your ministry program

3. Aims • Understanding discipline – an introduction • Creating a climate for positive behaviour – what to do before you start your session • Managing behaviour –what to do when you’re with the children

4. Discipline?

5. Discipline? • Rules & Consequences • ……. 2. ……….. • 3. …….. 4. .……… At your table come up with a definition of ‘discipline’. GO TO YOUR ROOM!!!

6. Descriptions about discipline • It means ‘to teach, instruct, train’. • Discipline should be a positive process. • “The goal of discipline is for the child to reach a level of maturity that will allow him one day to function as a responsible adult in society.” • Discipline requires guidance by example, modelling, verbal instruction, correcting wrong behaviour, providing learning experiences and much more.

7. Descriptions about discipline • Discipline and punishment are not synonymous… Punishment is a type of discipline. • Discipline should not be confused with control. Discipline focuses on the learner, while control emphasises the teacher. (The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell. Strand Publishing 2006) (More than Glue and Glitter: A Classroom guide for volunteer teachers by Debbie Trafton O’Neal) (Tool Box: resource manual for children’s work by Children, Youth and Young Adults’ Ministries, SA UC SA Synod.)

8. Why do we discipline? • Because every society has standards that are considered right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable. • Choosing to live an immoral life harms the individual and their society. • We discipline to train, teach and equip children to become responsible and socially accepted members of society.

9. How should we discipline? • we each have different standards for acceptable behaviour • we each have different methods that we believe are acceptable for disciplining children • we are trying to incorporate Christian love in discipline • we don’t want to make church feel like school • we only have the children for a short time

10. How should we discipline? “We will discipline, in the context of love.” Children and the gospel by Ron Buckland

11. “We will discipline, in the context of love” • “Discipline without love is like trying to run a machine without oil. It may appear to be working for a while but it will end in disaster.” “The Five Love Languages of Children” by Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell, p 114

12. “We will discipline, in the context of love” • Love looks out for the interests of others, so does discipline. • Discipline is an act of love. • Lack of love leads to lack of respect. • Practice unconditional love; then discipline.

13. Discuss: “There is no such thing as an inattentive child.”

14. Inattentive children? “Meg! The feathers are for gluing on the paper bird.”

15. Inattentive children? “James, stop wandering off!“

16. Inattentive children? “Mark, what have you done to your drawing?“

17. Inattentive children? “Andyyyyy, you know you’re not to have gum here.“

18. Inattentive children? “No Karen, you only went five minutes ago.”

19. Inattentive children? “Sam, stop yelling!”

20. Inattentive children? “STEVE! No, I said pretend to be Samson!”

21. Inattentive children? “I said, “Eyes this way!””

22. Discuss: “There is no such thing as an inattentive child.”

23. How we respond to discipline challenges is crucial to our ministry… • Modelling how to respond under pressure

24. How we respond to discipline challenges is crucial to our ministry… • Modelling how to respond under pressure • Child’s self esteem is in our hands

25. How we respond to discipline challenges is crucial to our ministry… • Modelling how to respond under pressure • Child’s self esteem is in our hands • Primary age children’s highly developed sense of fairness

26. Causes of misbehaviour • On page 5 of your handout, quickly list as many causes of misbehaviour that you can think of.

27. Causes of misbehaviour • An empty emotional tank

28. Causes of misbehaviour • What does this child need? • Does this child need their love tank filled?

29. Causes of misbehaviour • What does this child need? • Does this child need their love tank filled? • Is this a physical problem? • Pain • Thirsty/ Hungry • Fatigued • Ill

30. Causes of misbehaviour See your handout -page 6 • In the student? • In the classroom atmosphere? • In the teacher’s attitude? More than Glue and Glitter: A Classroom guide for volunteer teachers by Debbie Trafton O’Neal

31. Climate for positive behaviour • “Many behaviour problems will be avoided if your program captivates the children. Therefore, good preparation and presentation will form the basis of a good behaviour management strategy.” SU’s Very Essential Guide to Working with Children, p22-23

32. Climate for positive behaviour: Preparation • Your own spiritual care and growth • Never walk into a session unprepared • Know your children • Know yourself • Know the aims (long term goals) and objectives (goal/s for a session) • Prayer-paration

33. Climate for positive behaviour: Preparation • On the day: • Arrive early to set up • Lesson plans ready when you arrive • All supplies on hand

34. Climate for positive behaviour: Planning • Meaningful experiences • Variety of learning and teaching techniques • Test all crafts/games/activities • Schedule of session • Plan as a team – decide who will do what • Cater for children with special needs

35. Climate for positive behaviour: Planning • Brainstorm at your table different ways that children can be involved in different aspects of the session, such as: • Singing • Telling the story • Application • Prayer time

36. Climate for positive behaviour: Planning • Evaluation: • Did we achieve the objectives of the session? • Is the routine working? • What are the children enjoying? Why? • What are they not enjoying? How can this be changed? • Are a variety of teaching techniques being used?

37. Climate for positive behaviour: Planning Reflect: Write down one or two practices that you would like to begin, change of no longer use.

38. Climate for positive behaviour: Physical environment • Safe, welcoming, interesting • Child-sized tables and chairs • Appropriate floor coverings • Personalise area with children’s artwork • Materials accessible & available • Special area for storytelling • Lessen distractions

39. Climate for positive behaviour: Physical environment Share with a partner about how you currently create a welcoming physical environment or how you have seen this done.

40. Climate for positive behaviour: You, the teacher • Relationships • Respect • Humility • Consistency • Boundaries • Expectations • Attention

41. Climate for positive behaviour: You, the teacher • Language • Instructions • Special needs • Teacher:Child ratio • One adult: 3 x three year olds Please note: different organisations and activities have different requirements • Always have two adults in every room

42. Climate for positive behaviour: You, the teacher Social expectations of power: • Traditionally, power hierarchy teacher at top and children at bottom • Children won’t “do what we want” anymore • Now, it’s more like a circle with values/vision in centre and children and teacher around the outside • Reflect on this new model’s implications for your role in managing behaviour.

43. Session review: • Descriptions about discipline • Why we discipline • How we should discipline • Causes of misbehaviour • Ways to create a climate for positive behaviour: • Preparation • Planning • Physical environment • Ways we interact with the children

44. Behaviour management strategies “There are no magic formulas … But there are “tricks of the trade” … tried and true ideas that, when adapted to fit the unique needs of both you and your students, can help your classroom be one that is manageable and a joy in which to teach!” More than Glue and Glitter: A Classroom guide for volunteer teachers (p31) by Debbie Trafton O’Neal

45. Behaviour management strategies: Incidents and strategies At your table: • Brainstorm some of the “problems” or discipline incidents that you have dealt with recently. • Share your strategies – “what works” in dealing with discipline incidents.

46. Behaviour management strategies: Rules and expectations • Rules and expectations • Clearly stated, tailor-fit • Include children in deciding on rules • Explain any rules you must have • Only have a few “don’t” rules • Have as positive a list as possible • Turn “don’ts” into “dos” eg. “Don’t run inside.” = “Walk inside.”

47. Behaviour management strategies: Rules and expectations We have these rules to ensure that everyone can be safe and happy in our class. • We listen to whoever is talking • We show sensible and responsible behaviour • We respect other people and their property • We follow teacher instruction • We stay on task

48. Behaviour management strategies: Rules and expectations • Remind and restate rules regularly • Enforce rules consistently • Have rules on display Would anyone like to share any rules they currently have in their ministry program?

49. Behaviour management strategies: Attention getters Call out ways to get children’s attention.

50. Behaviour management strategies: Attention getters • Signals where the teacher does an action until all the children join in • Signals that the teacher gives and then waits for full attention before continuing • Vary voice volume • Write instructions on board