As a children's Sunday school superintendent, I like to create a bulletin board reflecting the quarter's theme to be used in our assembly time. I'd like to know if there are others who do the same. Could we have a place to share our pictures and ideas for quarterly bulletin boards?
Signed: Bountiful Bulletin Boards

Dear Bountiful:
What a great idea to create a visual theme for your children each quarter! And another great idea to share it with other Sunday school teachers and superintendents.

Gather 'Round would be happy to help users share good ideas with each other. Send your photos and suggestions to the Gather 'Round Roundabout newsletter at gatherround@brethren.org. We can include them in a future newsletter or post them on our website.

Involve youth in finding music that fits the theme of the quarter. Ask them to find songs from their personal collections that might fit with the theme of Judgment and Hope for the fall quarter. Play a few of their songs each week. Talk about how the lyrics do or do not express the biblical theme.

Dear Anna:
There are usually eight or more children in our Sunday school class. It's hard for all of them to get close to the story picture when I'm telling the Bible story. What do you suggest I do?
Signed: Short-sighted

Dear Short-sighted:
Since I don't know what your usual pattern for storytelling is, I'll suggest a few options. Use tape to form a semicircle on the floor. Have the children sit along the tape with you in the middle of the circle. Be sure to hold and turn the picture out in front as you tell the story. If you are at a table, show everyone the picture before the story, then pass it around the group as you tell the story. If you stand to tell the story, be sure to walk close enough to the children as you tell the story so each one can have at least one close-up view of the picture.

you wish, use other props as you tell the story and use the story picture in other ways: when children gather, invite them to imagine what the story will be about; after the story, use it to review the story with a small group. After the session, consider creating a jigsaw puzzle of each picture. In future sessions, children can review the Bible stories as they assemble the puzzles.

We team-teach a preschool class in our church. Each week we like to read a story that connects to the theme of the Bible story. Sometimes it's a scramble to find an appropriate book if we can't find one in the church library. Could you suggest a list of appropriate books and include it in the teacher's guide?
Signed: Book lover

Dear Book lover:
I like your idea of finding good stories to read to young children. It's a great way to connect the Bible story with the children's lives. Did you know that a list of appropriate books is posted on our website each quarter? Look under www.gatherround.org/forteachers.html. A group of dedicated Christian librarians prepares this list each quarter to help teachers like you bridge Bible times and life today. Your church or local public library should have most of the books on the list. Happy reading!

Dear Anna:
I find that the change in the Bible stories seems very abrupt between some quarters. It would be helpful to have bridging topics, especially when we move from Old to New Testament stories. How can I make a smooth transition from quarter to quarter?
Signed: Bridge-builder

Dear Bridge-builder:
Obviously you are a teacher who teaches more than one quarter at a time. Good for you. I'm glad you are interested in helping children see the big picture of the biblical story. The transition from the fall to winter quarter is the most abrupt as we move from Old Testament stories into Advent and Christmas themes. Often the first Sunday in Advent offers a transitional text, drawn from the writings of a prophet who anticipates the birth of a savior.

You might also check out a Bible dictionary for information that you can share with your class or create or find a Bible timeline that spans the two testaments. It will take some research on your part, but I'm sure some children will appreciate your efforts. We will also notify our writers of your concern and work to address it in the future.

I have a few very talkative, overactive, and disruptive kids in my class. How do I keep their attention focused on the session?
Signed: Calming My Kids

Dear Calming Kids:
You are not alone when it comes to knowing how to deal with behavior issues. Some children are on medication for hyperactivity, others are just very active. Having such children can put a strain on a teacher's patience and affect the entire session. Be sure to give children ample opportunities to move around and not just sit on chairs. Set up some classroom rules together about when it is appropriate to speak and stick to them, even if it takes some extra time.

You might invite an adult or teenager to accompany a very active child and help the child act appropriately in the group. Check out the Gather 'Round Handbook for more ideas on discipline.

Dear Anna:
We like to provide a few Responding activities for our class. Unfortunately they don't all end at the same time. How can we have an effective ending and sending time when the children's activities do not end simultaneously?
Signed: Split ends

Dear Split:
I'm really glad that you are offering more than one activity. I'm wondering if you can set apart a place where the children go when they have completed their activity. As they wait for the others to finish up, give them some quieter things to do, such as reviewing their memory verse, working on a mural (for the quarter), reading a book, listening to the music CD, or playing a simple game. It's always good to have a grab-bag of activities to use at the beginning and ending of a session when children have a few moments of spare time.

I'm having difficulty with the "reflect on the story" aspect of the curriculum. I'm not sure what to do with the "I wonder" questions. And what do I do if no one says anything?
Signed: Wondering What to Do

Dear Wondering:
A time of reflection serves a few purposes.

1) It gives children time to think about the story they just heard. It takes time to process what happened in the story.

2) It gives God's spirit time to connect with each child's inner spirit in nonverbal ways.

3) It helps children get in touch with their feelings and thoughts about the story. For the introverts in the group, being quiet for a bit of time is welcomed. They need time to think before they can contribute to a discussion.

If you don't make eye contact when you wonder together, the children will tend not to answer verbally. When you are ready to reflect out loud about the story, then you make eye contact and invite them to share their thoughts.

Dear Anna:
We have a 10-15 minute assembly time each Sunday where all ages come together. This leaves less time for me to do everything I'd like during class time. Do you think assemblies are a good idea?
Signed: Wanting to use time wisely

Dear Using time wisely:
Assemblies with all ages can have a very positive effect on a Sunday school program. Where else can a broad age range of children be together for singing and sharing? This is a place for children to experience what it means to be part of a bigger church community, where young children can learn from older children how to worship and belong. Consider the assembly your gathering time, and spend the rest of your time with the Bible story, reflecting, connecting, and responding.

In some churches, a good storyteller presents the Bible story in an assembly time. When the children return to their smaller rooms, the teacher spends the remaining time on the connecting and responding parts of the session plan.

It might be a good idea to talk with your Christian education director about the role of the assembly in the Sunday school program. One fine Christian educator once said, "You have all the time you need," meaning we do what we can in the time we have and leave the rest up to God's spirit.