The Care and Feeding of Sunday School Teachers

My husband and I have been leading the Sunday School program at our church for a while now. We have been really blessed by having a group of teachers who keep coming back year after year. That’s a wonderful thing for us but it is also really good for the kids and for the program. Our program is a lot stronger because we have people who have been teaching even longer than we’ve been leading it. We took a few minutes to think about what we think are some of the most important things for the care and feeding of Sunday School teachers. Here is our list:

• Make sure the curriculum and supplies are easily available for the teachers. Keep the supply closet/ bulletin boards or cupboards cleaned and organized. We figure our job is to make it easy for the teachers to teach their class and to build relationships with their students. Taking care of details like this makes it easy for them to do their jobs.
• Try to be in contact with every teacher on Sunday morning. This is a challenge some weeks because there is a lot going on but for many teachers, this contact is just a quick “hi” but it recognizes that we are both there. This means arriving at church early so I am not running around completing details when the other teachers and kids arrive.
• A little bit of encouragement can go a long way. If we hear something good about a class or a teacher we make sure we share it. We also remember to tell the good stories. We can do a lot to set the tone for the way the church views the program and so we make sure that the good stories are the ones that told and retold.
• Pitch in whenever possible. When tables or chairs need to be moved or if teachers need something copied, do what you can to help out. Ministry is a team effort and you’re there as the support person.

So that’s our list - what things would you add?