CTR 4 teaching help

[bethlowParticipant]

I’ve just recently been called to be a CTR-4 teacher. They’re a wiggly bunch! :) I have not served in Primary since I was in the ward presidency 16 years ago. I have NEVER taught a class except to substitute. I have LOTS of singing, wiggling, stretching, moving, and art time built into my lessons. I know I need to entertain 90% of the time and teach about 10% of the time. I have several questions: Should these sweet little people be expected to sit in their seats (remember, wiggle time built-in) through all of Sharing Time and class time? What do I do with the little girl who wants to crawl all over the room, under the chairs, under the table, etc.? What do I do with the little boy who would rather spend his entire class time talking about himself, his family, his dogs, his toys and so on? What about the child who wants to lay on the floor and play dead the whole time?

Also, sharing time is WILD. Whenever parents visit, they talk about how crazy it is in there. Kids are crawling on the floor, talking loudly, hitting each other, even doing TUMBLING!! I have never seen anything like it. Only 2 teachers even try to have their kids be reverent and pay attention. How can I address this problem without sounding like I think I’m the new sherrif in town?

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Jenny SmithParticipant]

I’m not sure if this will help:
http://mormonshare.com/primary/teaching-sunbeam-class.php

but it has the tips from the old lesson manuals about dealing with this age group.

I hesitate a little in responding because I’ve never taught Sunbeams myself before, but I’ve watched others do it. In answer to your question about should the children be expected to sit through class and sharing time, I would say not at first, but children at this age can build toward staying seated. I’ve seen Sunbeams seated reverently while much older children act out.

Your class time has plenty of wiggle/play time built in, and hopefully sharing time teachers and music leaders are also adjusting to include movement in their lessons as well. If they are not, consider bringing up the idea of using movement to help younger children stay focused.

The new 10 minute break between classes is a great opportunity for teachers to help kids get the wiggles out. Take a timer with you and play “ninja missionaries” or “chase” outside for a few minutes. You can even stay in your classroom and have “indoor gym”. When the timer goes off, everyone lines up, folds arms, and walks quietly through the halls to Primary or the bathroom.

When I’ve taught Primary and kids wanted to try — er — alternate seating arrangements, I’ve generally said they can sit anywhere they want (under the table, upside down, laying down, face through the hole in the back of the chair, whatever), but they must stay that way until the end of our short lesson. That’s worked out for me. The kids figure out after just one lesson that it’s more comfortable to sit in the seat.

And I’m not above bribery with food either. :) In my CTR 8 class, I said, “Today’s most helpful/reverent/etc child gets to choose their treat first,” to help motivate the competitive boys.

It’s going to take lots and lots and lots of repetition. After you establish a routine, it’ll be much easier for the children to settle down.

As for other classes and reverence, you’ll need to address this with your Primary presidency. They can determine what the needs of children and teachers are and address those issues with training. If the problem is severe, a team meeting of teachers after church may help to determine problems and brainstorm solutions. It’s likely that some teachers may feel uncomfortable “disciplining” others’ children. They may feel abandoned or overwhelmed teaching a large class of active children and are exhausted by the time Sharing Time comes around. These issues could be addressed in a meeting where all the teachers were encouraged to help all the other groups as a team working toward reverence.

I’m sure others will have lots of in-the-trenches tips, too!

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