Volunteer Training
A System of Training for Procedure Consistency
Project Role: Script Writer, Video Producer
Tech Used: Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro
In 2016-2017, I held the title on staff as the Director of Children’s Programming and Development at Granbury Church of Christ in Granbury, Texas. My team believed strongly that providing a safe and nurturing environment is essential for the growth and development of our young ones. That's why, during the summer of 2017, we developed an extensive training program for our dedicated volunteers. This program aimed to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure the well-being and happiness of every child in our care.
The training program consisted of a series of informative and engaging videos, each addressing a crucial aspect of volunteering in our children's ministry. To ensure our volunteers were well-prepared, we implemented a quiz after each video, reinforcing the key concepts covered. By completing the quiz successfully, volunteers demonstrated their understanding and readiness to actively participate in the ministry.
Let's delve into the highlights of this comprehensive training program, video by video.
Note: Due to lack of access to original videos, I have provided the script for each video below.
Basic Safety
In this foundational video, our volunteers were introduced to the essential safety policies within our children's department. We believed that safety is of paramount importance, and this video ensured that our volunteers understood the guidelines and protocols necessary to maintain a secure environment for our children.
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The purpose of this video is to provide practical tips on general safety in the Children’s Ministry.
First of all, we believe that every child deserves a SAFE and PREDICTABLE environment when he or she comes to church. At the same time, it’s fair to say that every parent maintains those same expectations. However, sometimes it may seem okay to make behavior exceptions for kids you know (whether you’ve known the child their whole life or they’re good friends with your own child). But remember that we have to create an environment where EVERYONE is comfortable, and consistency is the only way to make that can happen.
So here’s a few important elements to YOUR behavior that can help our children’s ministry keep a predictable environment for all kids.
1. Show. Up. Early. You need to be present at your spot around 15 minutes before your thing. It’s important. I know it’s complicated with you having to get your own kids ready for church and in the car and your cup of coffee and everything. I’ve been there. In a lot of ways, I’m there now! But don’t lose sight of what the goal is. When you’re serving in the Children’s Ministry, YOU set the stage for the kids. Don’t expect others to welcome the kids. We’re all on the same team. So let’s all work together to make our Children’s Ministry something that’s awesome for visitors, new families, those who are apprehensive, as well as your own kids.
2. In this day and age, we have to talk briefly about Appropriate Touch. Some of these kids are going to want to give you a big ol’ hug. And that’s great! But we’re big fans of the side hug approach. High fives are great. Knuckle bumps are great. You DON’T need to pick up the child, rub their shoulders, etc. Sitting on laps is probably okay in the PreK quad, but for elementary you should probably steer clear of that. Just remember our appropriate touch song, “Stop. Don’t touch me there. This is, my no no square.”
3. We also have a 2 ADULT rule for our children’s ministry. Basically, any time there’s kids in a room with the door closed, there needs to be two or more unmarried adults in the room. Why unmarried? Well, because if something bad were to happen in that room and the only two adults in the room were married, then that husband or wife would not be compelled to testify against the other in a court of law. So for the protection of everyone in our children’s ministry, we need to have 2 unmarried adults in each room whenever there are kids present. We’re happy to have husband and wife teams serve together, you’ll just have to keep the door open, and just be aware of the possibility of kids escaping. It happens.
Lastly (and I spoke about this in another video as well). We need to make sure that we hold ourselves to a high standard regarding confidentiality. There’s a fine line between discussing students with other volunteers… and gossip. If you have a concern, you can speak to either me or Kelly or the parent of the child. But generally speaking, we need to steer clear of discussing student behavior with other volunteers.
Thanks so much, and I hope this was helpful to you as you volunteer in our Children’s Ministry.
Check-In Procedures
The second video focused on explaining the check-in process for both volunteers and children. Volunteers learned about the seamless procedures in place to ensure an efficient and organized check-in experience. By understanding these protocols, our volunteers were able to ensure the smooth transition of children into the ministry, providing a welcoming and reassuring environment.
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Hi there. This video is here to make sure we’re all on the same page regarding Checkin and who is allowed in the Children’s Wing.
First of all, I think it’s important to talk about why this is a big deal. Well, in one word, SAFETY. We all need to take the safety of our kids seriously. And here are some specific steps and guidelines we take to keep that a priority.
#1. We are required (and it’s simply just wise) to do background checks on every volunteer above the age of 18 before they are allowed to serve in our Children’s Ministry. This background check will need to be renewed every 2 years. It’s now a very simple process, so if you haven’t done one yet, you need to let your coordinator know or Kelly or me immediately.
#2. Only students and volunteers who have that day’s Checkin sticker are allowed in the children’s wing or quads. So if you’re a rotation teacher, and your husband or wife wants to come to bible class with you instead of an adult bible class, that needs to be cleared by me as well as a background check completed. We also don’t want too many volunteers in a class (and we already have a Journeyman and two rotation teachers!). I really don’t want to be the one that kicks someone out of the children’s wing, so please stay mindful to this rule.
#3. We’d like for all volunteers and children to take off their sticker, fold it, and throw it away right after bible class time. This may seem like a small thing, but we need to protect the identities of the kids in our children’s ministry, and this is one thing we can do to that end.
Speaking of stickers, we want all volunteers to wear your sticker at the normal spot on your chest where the kids can read it. We want the kids to know and call you by name, and in a world where they are surrounded with people all the time, having that quick reminder of your name helps with consistency and predictability in the children’s ministry.
The kids, though, will put their sticker on their back. Number one, so they don’t mess with it as much. Ya know, out of sight, out of mind. But also, the times when it’s most important that you call the kid by their name, it’s usually when they’re facing away from you. As well, we want the kids to know each other, so having it on their back naturally forces the kids to make a concerted effort to see who they really are.
Again, if you have any questions about any of this, don’t hesitate to ask either me or Kelly. Thanks again for volunteering in the Granbury Church of Christ Children’s Ministry.
Becoming a Journeyman
The third video provided our volunteers with valuable insights into the role of a Journeyman, a group leader responsible for children within a specific age range. This video equipped our volunteers with the necessary knowledge and skills to engage and inspire the young minds they would be guiding.
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Hi. This video is to help you better understand the goals, the general approach, and the priorities of being a Journeyman.
First of all, you NEED to be in the children’s wing about 15 minutes before 9:00. I understand it’s hard, and complicated, but the Journeyman is the most important role in the children’s ministry environment, and we need you to be the one that welcomes the kids and sets the tone. So make sure you pick up your name tag no later than 8:45, then be in the big room as kids are coming in.
When you get to the Big Room, you’ll pick up your clipboard from the desk. This will include your Journeyman sheet, a pen, postcards, and the addresses of the regulars. The Journeyman sheet gives you everything you need to know for when you take the kids to their rotation class.
Between 8:45 to the end of PraiseTime, you need to SIT ON THE BENCHES WITH THE KIDS. Don’t stand at the back, don’t talk to your friends, don’t disappear. Sit with the kids. Sing the songs with the kids. Do the motions with the kids. Think of it this way, the kiddos will only have the capacity to match 25% of your commitment level. We want the kids learning and singing these songs, so we’re relying on you to give them the permission and space to be ALL. IN. So, sing the songs (by the way, if you don’t know them, learn them!), do the actions, and encourage every child in your group to fully participate. If one kid’s sitting down, get them to stand up. It’s your responsibility to get each kid to a point where God can speak to them that day.
After the prayer in PraiseTime, you’ll lead your group to the classroom for that week’s rotation. First count the kids you have, then keep your group together going down the hall, then count again when you get there. Once all the kids are in there, close the door and you’ll start class.
We’re going to create a new thing this year called “5 minutes.” At the beginning of class each Sunday, we want the Journeyman to spend 5 minutes talking with the kids in your group. Ask how their week is going, work on the memory verse (that’s also on your Journeyman Sheet), taking prayer requests, praying with them. After that 5 minutes, the rotation teachers will start their planned activities.
During that time, you have a few things to do.
#1, control the behavior in the classroom. Make sure all the kids are engaged, and help those who need help focusing.
#2, take roll on the Journeyman Sheet. If there’s any students there that aren’t on the roll, add their name to the bottom section.
#3, For any regulars that arent’ there, there should be postcards in your clipboard. Write a short, personalized note to that child maybe telling them what ya’ll did in class that day, or picking on them because they’re a UT fan. Whatever it is, we want that child to get something in the mail that says we missed them and it’s important we see them again. There should be a sheet with the addresses of the regulars in the clipboard as well, so go ahead and write the address on there and clip it to the outside of the clipboard at the end of class, and we’ll make sure it gets in the mail on Monday or Tuesday.
Remember, the Journeyman is THE GLUE for these kids. You’re the one that will have the deepest relationship with each child, so don’t take it lightly. Get to know every child. See what they like, what they don’t like. What they’re allergic to. What their dog’s name is. God uses relationships to further his kingdom, and we want every one of these kids to look back on their time WITH YOU and say “That was when I learned what it is to be a Christian.” It’s all about growing disciples, so go all in and you won’t fail.
Thanks again for volunteering, and we hope you have a great time working in our Children’s Ministry.
Substitute Essentials
The fourth video presented the essential processes and responsibilities of a substitute teacher. Unexpected circumstances inevitably arise, and having dedicated substitutes who are well-versed in our procedures ensured a seamless continuation of learning and care in the event a regular teacher is unavailable.
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Hey there! Here’s what happens if you volunteer to sub for a Teacher or Journeyman on Sunday mornings.
You will receive a text or a call from one of our KidMin Coordinators. The coordinator will tell you where you will be volunteering and for what position. Your teacher may send you a digital copy of the lesson, or you may expect to find the lesson when you arrive.
If you are a Nursery or PreK sub, you will report to the Nursery or PreK Quad after checking in at the Check-in area. Please check in by 8:45. Then, the coordinator will direct you in specific instructions for the class period. Review the basic safety guidelines in the handbook before class.
If you are a Journeyman sub, please arrive at 8:45 at the Check-in area. After checking in, you can walk to the Big Room, find your clipboard for the age group you will be leading, and then look over the names and questions for the day. Welcome the kids as they come in and sit with them during praise time. After praise time, you will walk the kids to class. There’s a schedule by the door that will tell you where your class needs to go. For the first five minutes, read over the questions on the Journeyman Sheet, talk with the kids, and take prayer requests. During the lesson, you will write postcards for the regulars and check roll. Walk back with the kids to the Big Room after 9:55.
If you are a Rotation Teacher sub, please arrive by 8:45 in the Check-in area. After checking in, you can find your sub plans in the Teacher workroom - there’s a filing cabinet with plans for each class in a drawer. You might have teachers text you a digital copy of the lesson, too. After finding the plans you need, you can get the classroom ready for the lesson. The journeyman will take the first five minutes of class to talk to the kids. Then, you can teach the lesson.
Substitute teaching is being willing to monitor and adjust. We will do our best to make sure you feel prepared. Arriving early helps the most.
Mastering the Rotation System
Our fifth video focused on the unique teaching approach we employ, known as the rotation system. Volunteers gained valuable insights into the processes and techniques required to effectively engage children in this dynamic and interactive learning model.
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Hey there! I’m going to walk you through the Rotation Classes on Sunday Mornings.
Sunday Mornings focus in on the BIG STORIES of the Bible. We take a month to tell each story. As a Rotation teacher, you will teach the same lesson each week, modified slightly for age appropriate activities. Here’s what you need to know.
To get access to your curriculum, log onto Planning Center at least two weeks before your rotation starts. Find your starting date on the Planning Center dashboard and click on that date.
*That will take you to the dashboard for the day. This is how Tyler and I keep track of what volunteers are coming in, how to plan praise time, etc.
You will scroll down and look to the left, where you will see an Attachment section. Click where you see The KidMin Quarter Curriculum. Once you click on that link, you will be directed to our Google Drive. Google Drive is essentially a digital filing cabinet. It works just like a regular filing cabinet, except it’s easier to organize, and it’s a lot lighter to move.
In that Google Drive Filing Cabinet, you will see all of the folders needed for each rotation. You will only need to pay attention to your rotation subject and the Resources Folder. The Resources folder has the Big Picture Overview (what each class will be teaching), the Family Page (activities for families to do at home relating to the story), and coloring sheets. You are welcome to use any of this for your class.
Let’s Pretend you are teaching Art and Cooking. Click on that first. Each lesson will be numbered as 1, 2, or 3. That’s the order you will teach your lessons for the quarter. The first document is a copy of the rotation schedule, which will also be posted outside of your classroom. The chart color will also match the color of the room where you will be teaching.
So, I’m Art and Cooking, and I’ll be in the purple room, and I’ll see Kindergarten and 1st grade the first week.
Knowing that I’m preparing first for the youngest kids, let’s go take a look at my lesson.
You will have two options pdf and rtf. An rtf is a document where you can edit and move things around. A pdf is stationary on the page, but you can use this for printing handouts. I like to choose the rtf option so that I can modify the lesson and cut and paste what I need. Note, if you need to use any print outs, they will be located in the pdf document. Or, just sent me a text, and I can print it out for you.
Okay. Let’s click on Joseph and his Brothers rtf.
There will be three lessons: Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and All Kids. I recommend using the Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary lessons and not worrying about the all kids option unless you need extra activities.
Since we are teaching kindergarten and first grade the first week, let’s look at the Lower elementary lesson.
The first thing you will notice is the Scripture Reference. In this case, Genesis 37: 1-28. Read the scripture first. Decide how you want to read through the story with the kids. For the Kinder and First graders, I would recommend the Spark Story Bible, available in the Teacher Workroom. Or you can use the Abeka bible story picture posters, also found in the workroom. I would modify the story for those. You can always read from the Bible as well.
For upper elementary kids, I would recommend helping them find the passage in the Bible, talk about the Old and New Testaments, find the book, chapter, and verse together, and then have the children take turns reading the scripture. There’s a classroom set of Bibles in each room. Please do not allow kids to use their iPhones or electronic devices during class. We want them using the printed Bible.
After reading the story, the bible lesson will have questions you can ask the kids. Then, you will lead the kids in the activity for the day. Art and Cooking and Science are supply heavy. Music and Drama and the Tent Time rotation almost always require props. You can find supplies in the teacher workroom or the prop room. And you can always buy what you need (within reason), and we can reimburse you.
On the day of Bible class, be in the classroom by 8:50. The students will be in your room by 9:10. You will have time to prep your classroom and activities. The journeymen will take the first 5 minutes to get the kids ready to listen. You can just wait during this time. Then, you will walk the kids through the Bible story and the activity. Afterwards, clean up, spend some time reviewing and then have one of the kids pray about what they learned.
If there is still time remaining, have the journeyman walk the kids through some of their memory work. Please do not release the kids back to the Big Room until after 9:55.
Things to Remember: The Bible story is more important than the cool activities. Always, always emphasize the story. If you don’t like the activity suggested in the curriculum, change it! Just have it relate to the subject. Look on Pinterest, talk to Marlita Windham or myself. We LOVE coming up with ways to engage kids in the story. We would be happy to help!
Thanks again for volunteering to serve our kids. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask Marlita or me.
Nurturing the Nursery Quad
Working with our youngest attendees, ages birth through 2 years old, required specialized knowledge and techniques. The sixth video provided our volunteers with comprehensive information on how to create a nurturing and stimulating environment within the nursery, fostering the optimal growth and development of these precious little ones.
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Hi! Thanks for volunteering in the Nursery Quad. Here’s what you need to know.
The nursery focuses on God’s Creation and God’s Love. As a nursery teacher, you will lead the class through song and story. The nursery has a class full of songs that coordinate with toys and items the babies or toddlers can hold and touch during each song. You will find a binder at the teacher table. Walk the children through the days of Creation songs, songs about the Bible, and songs about God’s love. For the toddlers, they can have a snack during the lessons (I like to do snack after the Day 3 songs, the day God made fruits and vegetables.) Check for food allergies before handing out snacks.
Be aware of babies and toddlers putting toys in their mouths and keep those items separated from the other toys. After singing through Creation, there are a number of books to read, or you can also talk about Noah’s Ark, Baby Jesus, or Baby Moses. These activities will be in the classroom at the ready. After this, the kiddos are usually ready to play.
If a child needs a diaper change, you can talk to the coordinator about changing it for you. Don’t hesitate to stop class if a child is upset and needs attention. And don’t hesitate to ask for help. We want the children to feel loved and comforted.
Preparing for Pre-K
In the seventh video, our volunteers received valuable guidance on working with young children in the Pre-Kindergarten area. They learned about age-appropriate activities, effective communication strategies, and the best practices for fostering a love for learning in this crucial developmental stage.
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Hi! Thanks for volunteering in the Preschool Quad. Here’s what you need to know.
PreSchool focuses on the BIG STORIES of the Bible. We take a month to tell each story. As a preschool teacher, you will teach the same lesson each week with different activities to help those kiddos learn the lesson.
To get access to your curriculum, log onto Planning Center at least two weeks before your quarter starts. Find your starting date on the Planning Center dashboard and click on that date.
That will take you to the dashboard for the day. This is how Tyler and I keep track of what volunteers are coming in, how to plan praise time, etc.
You will scroll down and look to the left, where you will see an Attachment section. Click where you see The KidMin Quarter Curriculum. Once you click on that link, you will be directed to our Google Drive. Google Drive is essentially a digital filing cabinet. It works just like a regular filing cabinet, except it’s easier to organize, and it’s a lot lighter to move.
In that Google Drive Filing Cabinet, you will see all of the folders needed for each rotation. You will only need to pay attention to the Preschool and the Resources Folders. The Resources folder has the Big Picture Overview (what each class will be teaching), the Family Page (activities for families to do at home relating to the story), and coloring sheets. You are welcome to use any of this for your class.
Each lesson will be numbered as 1, 2, or 3. That’s the order you will teach your lessons for the quarter. You will have two options: pdf and rtf. An rtf is a document where you can edit and move things around. A pdf is stationary on the page, but you can use this for printing handouts. I like to choose the rtf option so that I can modify the lesson and cut and paste what I need. Now, if you need to use any printouts, they will be located in the pdf document. Or, just sent me a text, and I can print them out for you. Each lesson has activities separated out into Weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4.
The lessons have a story time, circle time, activity time, etc. Read through what you will want to do. PreK kids like to move, and they love to play. Play is a huge part of learning. Being a preschool teacher means having two attitudes. Attitude 1: I have activities and stories planned and ready to go. Attitude 2: I’m willing to be flexible and understand that as long as the Bible story gets told, and the kids are safe, I’ve done my job.
Things to Remember: The Bible story is more important than the cool activities. Always, always emphasize the story. We want to focus more on activities that children can do on their own, not teacher intensive crafts. If all else fails, act it out. PreK kids love to dress up, and they love to act out the story. Sometimes they will do it ten times in a row without any sense of wanting to stop. Just go for it! After the lesson, you can walk the kids to the pick up area in the Big Room, no earlier than 9:55.
Inclusivity and Disability
Lastly, our eighth video centered around the importance of inclusivity and understanding when working with children with disabilities. Volunteers gained insights into creating an inclusive environment, adapting activities to individual needs, and providing the necessary support for each child to thrive.
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Hi. This video is to help you understand our approach with children with special needs.
First, I’m going to start with WHY this is important. Well, back when I was in elementary school, I had no idea what the word “accommodation” meant. And now? Well, if you or someone you know is a teacher in the public school system, you know that accommodating children is a HUGE part of the job.
Before I go on, you should know that we as a church are under no legal obligation to behave like public schools are required to. That said, I think we can all agree that every child needs Jesus. And we are not commanded to write the word of God on the hearts of only the kids that are easy. Every kiddo that comes through our children’s ministry deserves our best effort to teach them about God and how he works in people’s lives. So, to help out with this, we put together a few guidelines that will help you work with kids that may have specific ways to teach them best.
1. Love on every kid, even if they’re not in your specific group. Make every kid feel welcome with a “I’m glad you’re here” or something like that. Every kid. I’m a fan of high fives and knuckle bumps. Ultimately, every child is a child of God, so go out of your way to love on ‘em.
2. If you’re going to have a student with special needs such as autism or behavioral difficulties, Kelly and I will do our best to make sure you’re aware of specific tactics for specific children. We do have a few kids like this, but none of them are overly difficult to work with. Communication is key. However, we may have a visiting family show up with a child with special needs that we weren’t aware of. ...When in doubt, love. If you work extra hard to love on every kid, you can’t go wrong.
3. If you have questions, ask first. Don’t hesitate to ask. We would much rather you ask us an uncomfortable question than feel like you’re guessing. Start by asking either me or Kelly (mainly because we try to be aware of all the factors surrounding the child). Or you may feel more comfortable going directly to a child’s parent or guardian. Either way, don’t wait to ask.
4. One incredibly important thing to keep in mind is the level of confidentiality. There’s a fine line between discussing with another teacher a child’s difficulties and GOSSIP. Generally speaking, keep all communications about kids confidential. Again, if you have a question, speak to either me or Kelly, or the parent of the child.
I hope this was generally helpful, and please let us know if you need any clarification on anything in this video. Remember, we’re here to grow disciples, so we’re all going to work together to make that happen.
By providing this comprehensive training program, we empowered our volunteers to confidently and effectively contribute to the positive growth and development of the children in our ministry. A well-prepared and passionate team is crucial to creating a nurturing environment where children can flourish.