A Sunday School teacher is usually a volunteer, which makes communicating with parents a little more difficult than in a traditional school setting. Learn more.
As a Sunday School teacher, one of your most important and toughest tests may be to deal with the parents of the kids whom you are teaching. Parent teacher communication is just as important in Sunday School as it is in a traditional school, and the ability to communicate with parents is vital to Sunday School class success.
Parent Involvement Is Crucial
Your students may belong to a number of different social classes, including school (whether they attend public, private, or are homeschooled). The social classes have an impact on the kids as well as on the behavior of their parents. Religious impacts may also be there. Parents are the second most important party a teacher must deal with to ensure students to learning. The learning triangle for a kid actually has his or her teachers at one vertex and parents at the other. If the parents and the teachers are not reading from the same page, it will create confusion for the kid and his or her learning process will be affected.
When Communication Is Easy
Parent teacher communication is very important. As a Sunday School teacher it is your responsibility to keep the parents informed about their kids' progress. Do not let the parents interfere in your teaching plans with the kids, but do let them know how their kid is doing. Sometimes this is easy to handle. Talking to the parents of a kid who is doing really good in class and who is a healthy-minded kid is easy. You can always tell them where the kid lacks, but generally it is easier to discuss a kid who is doing well. The parents, in this case, are mostly responsible people who are willing to be supportive of their kids' learning experience.
When Things Don't Go So Well
There may be other extremes, however. As a Sunday school teacher you may come across other extremes where parent teacher communication may become very difficult. Not all parents are easy to talk to. Some of them are not willing to understand that their kid is not doing well in class. Trying to pinpoint that learning Bible lessons is the crux of their education in Sunday School may help Christian parents to see that there are ways to help their kid with lessons at home, as well as what they learn in the classroom. You can even go so far as to invite parents to sit in the back of one of your classes to see the overall flow the class and how their child is behaving.
Two Types of Parents in the Christian Setting
Some parents may lack the ability to understand the importance of their support for their kid in making him or her learn, especially when it comes to Bible lessons. The difference is usually seen when a family is coming to church because it is a habit versus their longing to grow deeper in their Christian faith. For some parents, a Sunday School teacher is just a babysitter for them while they are attending adult church. For others, a Sunday School teacher is a vital part in their child's Christian walk. You may never be able to get all parents to understand the importance of your Bible lessons and the impact they may have one your child's life, but you must give your best effort to try and make them understand.
Whenever you have to discuss tough issues with the parents, you must come prepared for a parent teacher conference. Bring proof that can clearly demonstrate the problem the child is facing. Be optimistic and tell them that their kid can improve provided they support him or her, along with your continued efforts in the classroom.
