A thorough understanding of your congregation’s policies and procedures for Sunday school will help most volunteer teachers feel happier and more satisfied in their work. Written policies and procedures show how the values of your congregation are put into action. They also help foster a sense of fairness and accountability between the Godly Play (or Sunday school) program director and the volunteer teachers, No matter how small your Sunday School program, it is important that everyone be in agreement about the polices and procedures for working with children. It is wise to compile a brief orientation sheet or booklet for each volunteer and to review it verbally – maybe during the same informal interview in which you gather information about the teacher. (See the posting on Teacher Profiles.) Keep a reference copy of your policies and procedures in a central location near the classrooms. You might find it useful to keep copies of the document with the pastor, in the church office, and with the governing body. Listed in Useful Godly Play Stuff  is some information every teacher should be clear about before beginning to work in your Godly Play (or Sunday school) program.

It seems strange to be promoting a program that is not entirely in place. Yet as I continue to plan Godly Play teacher training and gather storytelling materials, I am writing weekly notices for our Sunday bulletin and newsletter articles to introduce the new program to our congregation.

I will also set up a bulletin board with answers to frequently asked questions about Godly Play – and photos of children engaged in Godly Play. Finally, a display of Godly Play story materials that changes weekly will be set up in the Narthex with brochures available for passers-by who may be curious about the program.

See the Useful Godly Play Stuff page of this site for examples of my Sunday Bulletin articles. You will also find a document called "Keeping Godly Play Front and Center."  It is a version of an article in Volume 5 of The Complete Guide to Godly Play -- and  lists several ideas to use for promoting Godly Play year round.

There is not always time to get the best Godly Play training for all the teachers in your congregation immediately before the Sunday school year starts in the fall. But I want to tell you about what is available in "the best" category. Since this is a reality blog, In another posting  I'll suggest some options for training your Godly Play teachers until they can experience the best training we have!

Dian VanDeMark and I will be the trainers at a Godly Play teacher Accreditation event on Sept 28-30 at St. James Episcopal Church, 3100 Monkton Road, Monkton, MD 21111 410-771-4466. St James also hopes to hold a Re-accreditation training during the same dates for accredited Godly Play teachers who want to update their skills and certificates.

I cannot say enough good things about Godly Play Teacher Accreditation (TA) trainings. These events are a combination of

● hands-on experience with Godly Play stories and materials

● an inspiring gathering of like-minded people who care deeply about the spiritual development of children

● a spiritually refreshing retreat including prayer, song, and worship services that can be adapted for use in the Godly Play program in your congregation

Although TA trainings take place over 3 days, the time flies by. You practice and tell stories in a non-judgmental setting, learn about the foundations of Godly Play, learn specifics on setting up a classroom, and sharpen your classroom management skills. The setting is high-energy at times and peaceful and calming at other times.

There are TA trainings taking place all over the US. For dates and locations, see www.godlyplay.org. For more information about the Monkton event, get in touch with conference coordinators Loree Penner, lpenner@saintjames.org 410-771-4466 OR Kelly Francis, kellyfrancis@gmail.com

I hope to be able to post a downloadable brochure as soon as it becomes available. Look for it in the useful Godly Play stuff part of this site.

Many churches -- especially in the South -- have something like a "Sunday School Round-Up" on Sunday morning the week before classes begin in the fall. There are displays for each class, brochures available, registration tables, small give-away items for the children, and refreshments for everyone.  A variation on this theme that has worked well for me is a kick-off picnic on the Friday or Saturday before class begins. A gathering at the home or in the back yard of one of the Sunday school parents seems more intimate. It creates a relaxed atmosphere for the parents and children to develop relationships that keep them coming to Sunday school during the year.  I send postcards on brightly colored card stock early in August to invite families to the event. I follow up with a poster on the bulletin board announcing the kick-off picnic. And of course, a newsletter and web site reminders are helpful to cover all the bases. I follow up with phone calls  week to ten days before the event because not many people RSVP, even by E-mail.  In the Useful Godly Play stuff section of this site you'll find a copy of the post card I'm sending out next week.

Creating Teacher Profiles

Some Godly Play programs are small -- only two to four teachers. Filing paper work such as Teacher Profile forms and Policies and Procedures booklets may seem unnecessary in a family-sized church, but there are some good reasons for having detailed records on file.  Remembering teachers' interests, hobbies, and birthdays will help you thank and recognize them. It will make their Godly Play teaching experience more satisfying. Knowing about particular skills may help in the planning of special Godly Play classes or intergenerational events. In the case of  a health or family emergency, someone unfamiliar with your Godly Play program and teacher may need access to details you usually keep in your head.

The best way to gather this information s is by speaking directly to each teacher and filling out the form yourself. As you listen closely to what the teacher says, you may learn -- and want to make note of -- information not listed on the form. You may also want to fill out Profile forms for other non-teaching volunteers such as craftspeople, feast coordinators and materials-gatherers.

What does a profile form look like?  For an example of the one I use, see the Important Godly Play Stuff part of this web site.