Ten Commandments for Effective Sunday School Teachers

Notes from the Sunday School track, 2008 Iron Sharpens Iron

Developed by Shirley G. Spencer

  1. Thou shalt know Jesus Christ as thy Savior and Lord.

    How can you teach what you do not know? As teachers of the Word, we must be reborn into the kingdom of God.

  2. Thou shalt know and love the Word of God, which includes the tenets of thy fellowship.

    Make study of the Word of God something you do regularly, not just in preparation for teaching.

  3. Thou shalt maintain an active prayer life.

    Some key prayer points for teachers:

    1. Pray over each lesson
    2. Pray for your students
    3. Pray for the leadership of your church, including the pastor and other teachers
    4. Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit
  4. Thou shalt know thine own self.
    1. Know your own gifts and calling

      Each of us has been endowed with strengths and weaknesses. We give our strengths back to God to be used for His honor and glory. We allow our weaknesses to become strengths by submitting them to His Lordship.

    2. Know your own learning style

      We tend to teach the way we learn best. Do you learn best when you can see something, hear something, do something, touch something, or when you have an opportunity to discover facts?

    3. Recognize your innate talents

      When possible, incorporate your natural talents into your teaching experience.

    4. Be able to laugh at yourself

      Lighten up; don’t take yourself too seriously.

  5. Thou shalt know thy students.
    1. Know their names and the correct spellings
    2. Know their individual learning styles.
      1. Auditory (hearer) – learns best when listening or talking about something (lecture, question/answer, dialogue, discussion groups, etc.)
      2. Visual (looker) – learns best when they can see something (visual aids, books, workbooks/worksheets, etc., writing activities)
      3. Tactile (toucher) – learns best when they can touch something (puzzles, games, modeling clay, etc.)
      4. Kinetic (doer) – dramas, role play, demonstrations in which they are involved, learning centers, object lessons they can touch or hold
      5. Intellectual (fact-finders) – factual information, research projects
    3. Know and affirm their giftings and callings
    4. Recognize their innate talents
    5. Know something about the environment in which they live
    6. Realize each person is valuable
  6. Thou shalt know the basic rules of education.
    1. Age-level characteristics
    2. Basic learning styles
    3. Bridge-building; the important of taking the students from the known to the unknown
    4. Student involvement
    5. Application
    6. Repetition and review
    7. Making learning fun.
  7. Thou shalt know thy Bible-based curricula and the resources available to thee.
    1. Curriculum is a tool prepared by experts to assist you in presenting the principles of God’s Word. Study it thoroughly so you are able to move the lesson along without reading directly from the teaching guide.
    2. Most curriculums include more material than can be presented in a single session. Carefully consider the Lesson Objective and Central Truth then ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to apply that information effectively to your students’ lives.
    3. Use brief personal references as illustrations. Do not base the lesson on your own story. Stay focused.
    4. Study the curriculum early and often to be thoroughly prepared and to give the Holy Spirit time to show you the most effective approach for your particular students.
  8. Thou shalt know what is expected of thee as a teacher and the cost of thy commitment.
    1. Time for study, time for visiting and contacting students, time for prayer, time to attend seminars and other learning opportunities
    2. Punctuality
    3. Realize you are part of a team, an important link in the discipleship chain.
    4. Relationships that might interfere with or derail your commitment
  9. Thou shalt be teachable.

    The effective teacher realizes how important training is to the whole teaching process. He or she seeks to have a teachable spirit.

  10. Thou shalt know thy purpose in teaching Sunday school.

    Write a statement of purpose. Base it on the phrases in the Great Commission.