What do you expect from your Sunday School Teacher?

I quit going, Rosa. I had expected a teacher who
actually studied the material and would teach, but
what I got was the same old cliches, the same old
assumptions, the same old shallow teachings, and
a teacher who biblically functionally illiterate.

I know that sounds mean, but it is horrifyingly true.
I would rather not waste my time.

Boy. Am I going to regret writing this and erase it?
Probably.

 

I have been fortunate that I have only had 1 sunday school teacher who did not study and prepare for the lesson. I found another class to attend.

 

I expect him to study and know what he is talking about, since he writes our material(we wanted something more then what we were gretting out of those quartlies, more meat, less milk), I expect those regular handouts for the next weeks lesson so we can study. And thats exactly what we get, he is very good, studies sometimes 20 hours a week for our lessons, studies just about evey night of the week. He is always well prepared.

 

Well, I expect,of course, a good lesson. I think he should be an example to his class in faithfulness, in backing the pastor, in the way he dresses, the way he talks , and really just everything. I am not saying he should be perfect or can not make a mistake only that he should be a good example of what his students should be. He should pray for his students. Again, I am not expecting perfection or that we have to agree on everything. He doesn't have to be the most interesting Sunday school teacher or the smartest, but someone who cares and I can look to for guidance.

 

Well, we quit going to our Adult Bible class too. Even though our teacher had all the things we thought we were looking for, he lacks one thing...sincerity.

I don't mean that he isn't sincere in his love for God or his desire to adhere to the truth of the Bible. I mean that when he talks to you, it doesn't feel like he's listening...it feels like he's late for an appointment and your wasting his time.

Laurenda

 

What do I expect?

1. A person who loves Jesus with all her heart.

2. A person who glows with the joy of knowing
our Lord.

3. A person who cares about the members of her class.

4. A person who studies the lesson each week and knows her Bible.

5. A person who is dependable.

My teacher is an 82 year old woman and she meets all of the above requirements. She is loved by all ages in our church. She plays the piano for the adult group, sings in the choir and teaches our ladies class.

 

I am seriously thinking of quiting, going to Sunday School. There is no participation at all. We sit like a lump on a log, and he does all the talking and reading. The lesson varies to his way of thinking, regardless of how the scripture should go. Its boring.

I do not think Sunday school is what I like for me. I think it is more for someone who does not study their Bible; and that person can get a summery of someone elses time of studing.

I wish I could find a really good Bible Study, where everyone participates. And where everyone really likes looking the stuff up. It does not have to be on Sunday or Wednesday. I guess thats a fantasy Study, hu!

Sherrie

 

Sherrie, it sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

Laurenda

 

I'm really shocked at this thread. Everyone is giving up! In situations like this I think you have two options that take priority over quitting.

1. Re-examine your expectations and your listening and see if the problem isn't you.

2. Do something to change what's wrong with the class. I can't imagine that a teacher would be horrible enough to make you quit and nobody else would agree that he's not doing a very good job. Help him out, if that won't work do what you can to change it.

Quitting should be the LAST option, and I see that as a major reflection of what's going on in churches everywhere. Don't like it? Quit. And people find soooo much that they just don't seem to be able to deal with, but they'll put up with the same types of things at home.

Anonymous poster.

 

Welcome Anonymous poster.

You had the nerve to say what many people were thinking

I am afraid that I have been guilty of the very same thing...I don't like this church, I don't like this class, etc. etc. When in fact it was not the church, it was not the class it was ME!

A year ago, our wonderful Sunday School Teacher moved and we had a new teacher (the one I described in an earlier post). At first many of the ladies dropped out of class because they just knew that the new teacher could not do a good job. Well a year later, they have all returned. We participate in class. Sometimes we get off the subject of the lesson, but we are still learning and uplifting each other.

Last Sunday, the best part of the class was the opening prayer by one of the dear ladies. The Lord had answered her prayer and she was praising him in her prayer. Talk about goose bumps...We could really "feel" the Spirit in our Class.

We study using the LifeWay Pathways Guide (SBC).
Currently, we are studying Prayer.

 

Well,, I can only speak for myself. I really had something else I really wanted to say, but I will refrain from saying it.

I will quit if I do not care for it. Or if I am not getting anything out of it. Or if it is a waste.

I do not need someone to come behind me and try to make me look stupid, because I do not agree with Sunday School. I am quite capable of making adequate decissions about whether a Sunday School class is correct or not.

The problem with Sunday School, is there is very little time to actually have a real study group. Most churches run Sunday School around 9:45 to 10:40. Then another 10 minutes is used to collect the offering, class prayer request, see how everyone has been....etc. Then when it gets down to the nitty gritty, there is only a few minutes for actual Sunday School.

Maybe only a few study their book, or lesson....and then its always the teacher who starts the show, and it is always geered to what amazes him. Then we say nothing the whole time we sit there. He does the talking and he does the reading scripture. I have switched to several different classes and have switched churches and it is always the same.

I personaly get nothing from it! I study my Bible. And I will read and study the lesson. But what is the since in studing the lesson when no one else is, and there is no feedback asked in the class. And most of the time I feel like a 12th grader sitting in a Kindergarten class.

Sherrie

 

Sherrie, you would make a great Sunday School Teacher!

You could start a ladies class and Bible Study.

I know how you feel. The Sunday School Class is not long enough, but it really does depend on the teacher how much study gets accomplished.

Think about about it. Maybe your dissatisfaction is an encouragement to start a class.

 

My wife and I were living with her folks over in Alabama several years ago--there was a church I pastored that hated going to church like some of ya'll hate going to Sunday School! I'd hear comments like "Ain't gettin' fed!" etc--Folks, listen! If you get hungry enough you'll eat anything!! You get hungry enough--you'll tear the wallpaper off the wall and eat the glue!

We went to church at her home church while we were there--and participated in Sunday School!! Top notch!! Sunday after Sunday after Sunday--nothin' but the Word of God--steak for a starvin' preacher and his wife!! When we got a call to go to another church and had to leave that Sunday School class--my wife and I squalled like litte babies 'cause we were going to miss that Sunday School class!

I've been pastoring now for 15 years! Believe me! I know who wants to be there and who don't! Don't quit! DOOOONNNNNNNN'T quit!!! Even if you go to Sunday School and the teacher spooned out only a penny's worth of knowledge--hang on to that penny like it were the gold of Fort Knox!!

Your Southern Baptist preachin', Sunday School lovin' buddy,
Blackbird

 

After many years of teaching and sitting in various Sunday School classes, I have found that the class is what you make of it. If you are predisposed to be anti SS then you will have some of the fatalist attitudes that have been expressed in this thread. If you want interaction, raise your hand. Ask Questions. Make comments. Get something started. I have had classes where it was like pulling teeth to get anyone to respond to anything. Then someone would visit, ask some questions and get the ball rolling. It was wonderful. If you want more - BE MORE.

 

Here are my comments:

1)Too many churches advertise SS beginning at 930, but I can think of one church I've belonged to where the Bible teaching didn't begin until 1010.

2)Too many churches use SS attendance as a barometer of spirituality. Does a super-high attendance at SS mean that people's lives are really being changed for good?

 

I really love sunday school..because
this is wear you can learn alot at my church...

I agree with thankful thought..

But for my apinion on what do i exspect?

1. comitment.
2. study
3. faithful
4. pasion for the word
5. & most of all Love the lord
6. & to be & esample for other's
7. & to be willing to answer question
8. & I fill they should be at worship.

The teacher we have has been teaching for
around 40yr's. & She's still very much on
fire for the Lord. She's still faithful in
all services..

I have been at a Church before. Where their
childern's S.S.teacher never atended Worship.
Now to Me that should not have been allowed.
Cause that was no esample.The childern would
grow up to beleave that's okay..

But the problem was nobody would standup & say
anything or no one was willing to take over..
But now their's no future at this church..

But for the church I was speaking of the teacher
of 40yr's. This church is growing in spirit &
No's. out of all the teacher's We have...very
few time's is their ever a replacement needed
But when needed...there is someone willing to
step forward......

WILLOW 2

 

I find this thread interesting. When we started, our pastor was leading the SS class. He was frustrated at time with the lack of participation. He found someone else to lead it for him, largely because an 8:30 service, 9:30 SS, 10:45 service was wearing him out. And class inevitably started late because someone wanted to grab the pastor.

The man who took over was in the reseves. He would ask me to fill in for him once a month. We did this for about a year. Still not a lot of participation. Well about 3 weeks ago, he got called up. I am now our classes full time teacher. I still see no participation. I was getting worried that it was just my wife and I that felt this way.

I've tried doing things because I didn't like doing the lesson when I was a student, felt like it was milk (and skim at that). So we still go by the lesson, but we try to go more verse by verse through it. I hand out a half-sheet of paper with the verses typed up in logical blocks. That way everyone has a copy (they no longer have an execuse to not read). I also put some questions about the lesson and how it relates to class.

Sometimes the questions have been personal (eg "I spend ______ % of my prayer time in confession") other times they may be things we can get out of the verse (eg "T F I can coerce God by my prayers") The thing is, people are afraid to answer.

As a sunday school teacher, what I want out of my class is for participation. Tell me what you notice about the verses we are reading, (does Solomon use a particular name of God that emphasizes a certain character when he prays. )Just about anything is better than siting there and staring at me wondering what time it is, is it time to leave yet, is the next service starting.

Just my 2cents

 

Good one...quitting was my last option. We gave it almost 11 years. We've grown weary in the battle.

These are our two options:

1. Deal with it head on...hoping that a possitive change will occur without casualties. (Accepting the inevitability that there are always casualties.)

2. Pray about what to do...and then do it.

I admire your desire to keep on fighting for everything you get. I used to be like you.

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference". And He has.

Wisdom Seeker