I'm teaching the class for four, five, and six year olds at our church on Wednesday nights.
I just started teaching this class four weeks ago. The class includes my six-year-old daughter. For the past two weeks, her behavior has been less than ideal.
The problem is that the material is too easy for her. Way too easy. This isn't anyone's fault; parents can't expect a custom-designed program for every kid at church. Children tend to be separated by age groups both in regular school and in church education. My daughter is ahead of her chronological age--in reading and in her capacity for abstract thinking. This creates a problem that has plagued parents for decades: what do you do with a child who has special educational needs in a world that standardizes everything by age? You can't just stick 'em in a higher grade. Like many kids who are advanced in some academic areas, my daughter is a normal six-year-old in her emotional development. She wouldn't fit in with older kids.
This summer, my daughter will move up to the elementary branch of our church education program. Our church program for 1st through 5th graders is designed in very creative ways that will interest her.
We had a long talk tonight in which we discussed the necessity of learning to behave well even when one is bored. She told me that she liked the previous curriculum better than the one I'm teaching now. (Even I enjoyed the Little K videos for the previous curriculum!) But younger kids absorb more through the hands-on type of class I'm teaching now, so there's no clear solution.
But I do feel guilty. I'm the teacher of this class. I feel that I should be able to find a solution. Unfortunately, the wide range of ages and abilities makes it impossible to create a class that suits all the kids. The only remedy that teachers have found for this situation is to send the advanced kid off to do independent study. That doesn't work too well for a highly-social six year old!
Does anyone have any wisdom gleaned from the process of educating your own kids?
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4 comments:
I really have no wisdom to share, just that I relate to your daughter's angst! I distinctly remember coming home from church one week SO excited because we learned a story I hadn't heard before - that didn't happen too often, so I was usually bored to tears.
I think it helped that my parents taught us so much at home - and I knew that that wasn't the case for most kids. Obviously I was older than six, but eventually I came to the place of understanding that my peers had not been given the same gift of constant exposure to the text and Truths of the Bible. It then turned into an opportunity to lead and serve and pray for my peers - which again, took time for that to be true humble service and not arrogant know-it-all-ness.
Anyway. Not really helpful in your present circumstance, but exciting in the long run for what God could do in and through her! Keep teaching her at home - and encourage her and pray for her to strive to know GOD and not just know facts about Him. ;)
Before I had my own children, I worked in a Christian daycare. First I was a teacher for several age groups and then I went on to prepare the the curriculum for entire daycare. I ran into this problem as well for it was divided by age. (For the younger kids and older kids) Not only that but children that were in the system so long they began to recognize the repetitive. There were times I had to create my own curriculum. I of course had to run it through the director in advance, but that helped vary it up a little. I don't know if you would have liberty to take such measures, but its worth a shot. Maybe ask if you could supplement something for the older children. That would take some effort on your part, but it wouldn't have to be major. Just a small activity that's directed to the older children, you know, to get their little spirits involved. If that's not an option maybe you can encourage your daughter to use her "Big girl wisdom" to help the younger ones. I've noticed that six year olds love to help, and be useful. I'm sure you use little hands to help around such as the passing out of the snacks and crayons, but maybe you can come up with a way to channel the older children to help the younger. That would give them satisfaction and they would less likely to be bored. I don't know if this helps or not, but hopefully it might prompt an idea or two. Children are very dear to my heart, especially when it comes to educating them in the things of God. Their little spirits are so absorbing, that I can see why Jesus relates to them so often. Faith like a child is so beautifully illustrated in the fact that they are quick to believe and trust the words we tell them. I am amazed sometimes when dealing with my children. My son would ask a question, I'd tell him the answer and he'd simply reply with an "Okay" and be on his way. It's sad that as we grow our minds get clouded with skepticism and our once pure world gets tainted by the different voices of the world. I know I rambled on and on, I hope I helped.
I agree with Rachel. In my work with 12 year olds I had a HUGE range of abilities. Some were at high school reading levels and others were almost illiterate. They were much closer together with respect to emotional intelligence.
I kept my more advanced students engaged by getting them to plan segments of class or asking their opinion of how to teach a certain concept. It gave them ownership and kept them interested in seeing how their ideas worked out. I don't know if this would translate to a younger set but I thought I'd share just in case!
Wow! What terrific and encouraging ideas. I really appreciate all of your responses. I think that the idea of having the two six-year-olds in class help "teach" a segment of the class might be perfect. I could even have those two girls work independently for five minutes to prepare whatever I assign them. They're old enough to handle that.
I'm so glad I asked. Thanks for your help, Rachel, Susan, and Kristi.
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