Organize Your Materials

Knowing where your activities are and keeping them organized is critical for a CCD teacher. Having all of the materials you need for each particular lesson in a well organize and an accessible place makes it easier for you to find it quickly so you can use it with your students within a moments notice. This will also cut down stressful times for you while you look for a certain activity and allow you to plan your lesson the way you want it to be.

Here are some examples on how to keep your materials organized:

1. Keep it in a binder with dividers for each subject.


2. Have a small portable file box container with a handle so you can carry it easily and have everything in individual files.


3. Have color coded dividers/files for the binder or file box for keeping materials organized. A color coded dot can be placed on a unit of your teacher’s curriculum book that match the corresponding dividers/files. That way, the chapters that cover that unit will be together and in order.


4. Have your activities grouped accordingly for each subject with what you need to teach the lesson. For example:

Lesson Plans
Activities
Music
Worksheets
Coloring Sheets
Puzzles
Crafts
Games
Skits
Quizzes/Tests
Bulletin Boards
DVDs, Videos, PowerPoint presentations, Flannel Boards, Transparencies, etc.
Journal Writing
Take Home Sheet/Homework


5. Have all materials and lesson plans backed up on a CD so you can make extra copies whenever and wherever you want or need them.


How do you organize your materials?

Classroom Tips For Any Classroom

All teachers need new ideas on how to teach and to keep their students involved. Below are a few suggestions that you can use for your classroom:


Teaching Aids- lots of useful ideas for your classroom

How To Encourage Sunday School Class Participation- easy tips to incorporate into your classroom

Ideas For Many Areas of Classroom Management- lots of great ideas for you to check out

Classroom Management- for all grades

Forms and letters- Free downloads of forms and letters for Discipline, Academic, Communication, etc. Tons of forms and letters provided. Just click on "Forms and Letters" on the left and it will take you right there.

Homeworkopoly- a fun way to encourage students to do their homework

An Advent Gift from the Curt Jester

Jeff, Curt Jester, has kindly created a wreath complete with lit candle(s) to share (see my sidebar?) with those of us who want to celebrate Advent on our blogs. Also, if you want, he has a countdown to Christmas to go along with the wreath.

Thank you Jeff!

Disability Resource Manual: A Practical Guide for Churches & Church Leaders

Disability Resource Manual: A Practical Guide for Churches & Church Leaders






This guide was created by Ashley Peterson. It includes definitions of different disabilities, suggestions for relating to that person, and accommodations that can be made within the church. It also provides information for starting a disability ministry, providing care, the theology of disability, and the spirituality of disability. Included is an annotated resource list.

National Organization on Disability

Religion and Disability Program- Encouraging faith communities to remove barriers to full religious participation.

The Religion and Disability Program of the National Organization on Disability (NOD) is an interfaith effort urging national faith groups, denominations, local congregations and seminaries to identify and remove barriers of architecture, communications, and attitudes. The program reaches out to congregations and people of faith through publications, information referral, and various program initiatives.

The Religion and Disability Program has much to offer you in your journey towards building a faith community that is welcoming to all:

• Access to the Religion and Disability Program E-Newsletter, sent quarterly, a source of valuable resources and information for those working to include children and adults with disabilities in their religious communities.

• Enrollment in the Accessible Congregations Campaign, a campaign that seeks to partner with congregations of all faiths who commit to identifying and removing their barriers and welcoming people with all types of disabilities.

• Several publications, including our very popular That All May Worship: An Interfaith Welcome to People with Disabilities, which offer advice on becoming more accessible and welcoming to people with disabilities. Our other publications include Loving Justice, From Barriers to Bridges and Money and Ideas.

• Information on That All May Worship conferences, conferences that bring together people with disabilities and lay or ordained religious leaders to plan improved access—both physical and spiritual—in houses of worship.

• Access to the Interfaith Directory of Religious Leaders with Disabilities, a directory that provides contact information for over 130 religious leaders with disabilities who wish to foster communication with others in the religious community and the disability community.

• Assistance from the Congregations Who Care—Prepare project, a project to advise congregations on how to assist people with disabilities in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.

• Participation in the Seminary Project, a project that provides information to help seminaries welcome people with disabilities, and to better equip future religious leaders to serve, and serve with, children and adults with disabilities.

To find out more about the Religion and Disability Program contact us by phone at (202) 293-5960, or e-mail at religion@nod.org. You can also write us at Religion and Disability Program, National Organization on Disability, 910 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

Ministering to Children with Special Needs- books

*Here are a few books I found that might help you in ministering to children with special needs.



Welcoming Children with Special Needs: A Guidebook for Faith Communities by Sally Patton

Limited preview- See some of the book.



Special Needs, Special Ministry by Jim Pierson

Limited preview- See some of the book.



Children Matter by Scottie May, page 311

Limited preview- See some of the book.

Confused

I’m still wondering about the lurkers that visit my blog. Why do they come, what are they looking for? Lots of questions inundate my mind and I’m baffled as to what the answers could be.

So here is your chance to comment what you like the most and what you would like to see on this blog. This will help me so I will know what to post and I will try to accommodate you ASAP.

What To Give For Christmas

I’m not much for shopping and I really don’t need anything, but Oprah has the right idea about what to give for Christmas . . . love.

These heartfelt gifts are the ones you will cherish forever and will never forget.




Gratitude Boxes

All you do is get a container or box and decorate it. Then have everyone write a special note for that person to put inside. To make it easy, Oprah has made printable note cards for you.

What I love about you . . .

Thank you for . . .

My holiday wish for you . . .


Print these notes out and write your special message to that “special” person.


'Tis the season to let someone know how much you appreciate them and making it a wonderful Christmas for years to come.

Family Time

With today’s hectic life we spend less and less time together as a family. Most families are having a hard time making ends meet, but there are many activities they can do that won’t dent the budget. Here are a few just to get your creative juices going.


1. Play a favorite game or board game.

2. Pop some popcorn and watch a movie or DVD.

3. Make some cookies from scratch.

4. Watch a home movie/DVD or look at family photos.

5. Play a fun game outside.

6. Make an obstacle course and see who can get through it the fastest.

7. Make up a board game on poster board and play it.

8. Play a video or computer game and have teams.

9. Make something as a family (craft, toy, bird house, garden, etc.)

10. Rake the leaves into a pile from your yard and jump into it.

11. Ride bikes or go for a hike.

12. Go fly a kite.

13. Read a book or a Bible story together.

14. Plan and cook a dinner together to eat as a family.

15. Go camping (you can even do it in the back yard).

16. Make ice cream the old fashioned way.

17. Go pick berries, apples, oranges, etc.

18. Go fishing.

19. Make a calendar using family pictures to give to relatives.

20. Go to the park.

21. Do a family life blog. Fill it with family news, musing, tips, etc.

22. Volunteering for community service together as a family is a wonderful way of creating a special bond and lasting memories for families.

23. Walk the dog together.

24. Do a Scavenger Hunt or Treasure Hunt.

Scavenger Hunt- Make a list of things to find. Divide the family into teams. Set a time to find as many things as possible on the list. The team with the most items from the list at the end of that time wins.

Treasure Hunt- Plan a Treasure Hunt for the family by hiding something and making a map that everyone must work together to find it.

25. Make your own putt-putt course and play it.


~*~
Successful Family Activities
familieswithpurpose.com

Planning fun and successful family activities shouldn't be a chore for busy parents. Most just require a little fore thought and a little planning to be successful. So don't get bogged down in the details or overwhelmed with the planning. The first thing to spoil family activities is a stressed parent, so go slow and ease into your routine.

*Alternate between planned and unplanned family activities. Not every family activity has to be an elaborate outing. Sticking around home and just "hanging out" can be just as fun. Just don't let the TV, computer, and video games become a distraction.

*Be flexible. Sometimes family activities don't go as planned. The baby is tired, the car had a flat tire, or it rained when it was supposed to be sunny and hot.

*Make sure the family activity is something everyone will enjoy or at least tolerate. Talk over the family activities ahead of time and get everyone's input. This will help prevent resistance later on.

*Schedule your family activities on the family calendar. Plan out for a month when the family will be together and schedule the family activities accordingly.

Gifts For The Baby Jesus File Folder Game

This game is free, however it is only to be used for classroom and personal use. It may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted. All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on all activities are not my own and are from various internet sources.


Gifts For Baby Jesus File Folder Game





Directions: The object of this game is to collect gold, frankincense and myrrh. The player rolls the die and follows the directions. If they land on a GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, or MYRRH space, the player to their right draws a card and reads the question out loud. (If they cannot read, the teacher or someone else can read it for them). On each card is a question about Jesus’ birth. If they answer correctly, they receive a gold, frankincense, or myrrh card (which ever space they landed on). If they are not correct, they do not receive a card. Younger students do not have to answer a question and just receive a card. Players collect a gold, frankincense and myrrh card as they move around the board. Whoever collects all 3 cards first, wins. Continue playing to find out who comes in second, third, fourth, etc. place. NOTE: If the player lands on a space labeled GOLD, FRANKINCENSE, or MYRRH and they already have that card, they do nothing and the game continues.


Gifts for the Baby Jesus Game- Directions, Game Board, Question Cards, Game Cards, Spinner