At Teach One Reach One Ministries, we often share with you what we have learned from studies in secular education that we believe will help in your Bible classes. Sometimes though, things that work in a secular classroom will actually cause more issues in a Bible class.
Over the years, it always seems like I have one student who advocates for some version of the soccer card system for behavior. Instead of wanting to obey the first time they are asked to do something, they lobby to be given multiple chances to obey by using whatever system their classroom teach uses. While I personally think this is problematic in any environment, in a 45 – 60 minute Bible class, there just isn’t enough time to make it work for you. Your class time is over before the misbehaving child has disobeyed the same command enough times to be given a consequence. Sometimes just knowing that a possible consequence exists (however mild) will deter students. Knowing, however, that they can refuse to do what you ask three to five times before even being corrected can actually encourage them to be more rebellious.
Another popular secular classroom intervention that can backfire in a Bible class are the things designed to help children who have ADHD or other issues that make them want to constantly be in motion. Studies are finding that in most cases things like fidget spinners are actually proving to be more distracting for both the high movement student and the students around them. For the short amount of class time you have, sometimes the best solution is to keep all of the students moving at regularly scheduled intervals, with extra movement scheduled for the child who struggles. For example, you may have students sit on the floor for the Bible story and move to the tables for their activity. Add those old fashion Bible songs with movement as students are coming into class. Have students who struggle had out supplies, collect things or get you something you need from somewhere else in the room.
Counting to get students to comply with a direction is another technique students sometimes claim their teachers at school use to manage behavior. Honestly, this doesn’t work well anywhere, but some teachers still insist on using it. The problem is that, like with the card system, students learn they don’t have to stop what they are doing and do what you are asking them to do until you reach or are past the final number. They also learn to manipulate the situation, because adults in good moods tend to drag out the count longer than adults in a bad mood.
When you encounter a classroom management technique, really think about it before using it in your Bible class. What is different about how this might work in a six hour school day versus the amount of time you have in your class? What limitations do you have compared to a secular teacher (for example, the consequences Bible class teachers can give are extremely limited)? How would your specific students, with their personalities, respond to the technique? Remember, not every classroom management technique works well with every class. If you want ideas we think will help, we have lots of past posts with helpful ideas. Classroom management is critical if you want your students to learn. Just make sure you are using techniques that actually work.