Rewarding the Good

Here is a principle to live by in working with children: Looking for GOOD and not BAD.

If you are having a discipline problem in your junior church or sunday school class then you might want to read this article. Your MAIN goal is to teach the children and help them grow. You can not do that if you don't know how to keep them listening.

1.Only the GOOD will win
2.Keep your rules simple
3.Never change your rules
4.Your rewards must be exciting
5.Your games must be fun
6.The "secret agents" must be fair

HOW TO HANDLE DISCIPLINE

I.Only the GOOD will win

This should be your mindset for every week. You want to have a positive approach. Let the kids know ahead of time that if they listen and obey the rules they will get picked to come play the games or to win a prize. I always let the kids know this while I'm explaining the rules. Right away, the children understand that if they don't behave and obey the rules they will not have a chance to play games, earn prizes, or get recognition. If you ONLY tell them the positive benefits and make those benefits attractive, the negative will not be missed.

I know of several teachers that only threaten the kids. "If you don't stop that", or "Next time you do that", or "I've had it with you." The problem with this is you said the same thing before. The children know that, so your threats no longer matter. They hear threats like this all week. When they come to church it should be different! A positive approach will do more than a negative approach. As the teacher, you must make the positive so attractive that the children can not resist obeying your rules.

II.Keep your rules simple

Sometimes rules are made on the spot or out of frustration. Don't have a lot of rules or make them too long. I have three rules. I have used the exact same rules since I started working with children. These rules have never changed. The children should be able to remember the rules. On that matter, YOU should be able to remember the rules. Say the rules over and over throughout your program.

My rules are: Sit up straight; Hands in your lap; No talking.

While going over the rules say something like, "Boys and girls, today we are looking for those who sit up straight, keep their hands in their lap, and don't talk, unless it's time to talk..." Saying this will remind your regulars and clarify the rules to the newcomers.

III.Never change your rules

If you change the rules some kids will just stop trying. Your rules must be consistently yet lovingly enforced. Whenever I give a prize away, I always tell the children to put the prize under their seat. This would be classified as ONE rule for the earned prize. If the child does not put it under their seat but decides to play with it instead, you must then you must then act on the disobedience. I usually take the prize away. I guarantee, you will only have to take a prize away from a child one time for every one to get the message. The children must "see" that your rules are enforced and they are enforce in a fair way.

IV.Your rewards must be exciting

I use a company call Kipp Bros. for all my toys and trinkets. Small toys from this company are perfect for the prizes. You don't want to go broke by buying expensive gifts. I purchase my candy in bulk from Sam's Club Warehouse. When I place an order from KIPP, I usually buy the items that come by the gross. This gives me 144 prizes for less than ten dollars. These are the type of prizes that nobody wants but a kid. But they sure get excited about the little "gizmos and gadgets". I usually get my ribbons and certificates from a "school supply" store. They are beautifully designed and very inexpensive.

Your display of prizes should be exceptional. Don't give prizes out of a beat up cardboard box. Put a tablecloth on your table, a CLEAN one. I usually have a tablecloth that matches my theme of the month or special occasion. You want this display to be the BEST because it is one of the greatest incentives you have.

Purchase larger items for "special" promotions. Don't wait for a church-wide campaign to have a large prize. Maybe get a $10 item that one or two children could earn by the end of your "special" promotion. Be creative! Think!

V.Your games must be fun

This is the part where you can be really creative. I am constantly making up crazy games for the kids. My games usually involve a lot of the children. I don't want to have a game that involves two kids. Especially if I have a large crowd.

Having games will help reinforce your lesson. The children know they need to listen close because they want to know the answers for the game. I use games to accomplish three things: Bible review, Scripture memory, and as energy relief.

VI.Your "secret agents" must be fair

The "secret agents" are the ones that are looking for GOOD behavior. A lot of times if we are not careful, we look for the bad kids and expect the good ones to be good. This is not smart!

You must be fair. Don't pick the same child every week. If you do, the other children WILL notice. Some kids struggle to obey, because it's not what they are used to doing and they are not taught to obey in their own home. We must keep in mind that even children have problems. They might have home problems on their mind or maybe they have not eaten and their stomach hurts. However, all the kids must know that they EACH have a chance to win. Keep a balance.

Train your "secret agents" to look for improvement in behavior. If you have a child that normally misbehaves and you can tell he is improving and he is trying hard, you better pick him. This will show that every child has a chance to win.