Our CM team is too lenient
Your Question:
“How can I improve the ‘classroom management’ in our ministry? Some CM team members are too lenient, and let the children do whatever they want to do.”
The Issues:
The “range” of classroom management can stretch from “uncontrolled” to “dictatorship.” Both extremes can produce negative results. It may be easier to encourage a CM team member to “tighten up” the management of the classroom than to ask a team member, who operates as a “dictator,” to loosen up a bit. The powerful effect of creating ministry teams, who balance each other, in the classroom cannot be ignored!
Scripture Foundation:
“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace…” 1 Corinthians 14:33
Short Answer:
Just as in a public or private school, consistent classroom management principles and procedures are critical parts of creating a secure, safe, productive, and enjoyable environment for the children, their parents, and the CM team members. Consistent classroom management procedures flow from the CM vision and employ “tried and true” principles found in scripture and in many educational or child development texts. If you don’t have a set of classroom rules or expectations that spans the entire CM, you need to create them. Creating classroom rules will force you to consult with your own church and CM leaders, and seek God’s wisdom. If the rules are unrealistic, you will create unhappy children, frustrated CM team members, and eventually dissatisfied parents who may take their children to another church. Once you establish consistent classroom rules, you need to develop consistent ways for the CM team members to enforce those standards. Successful educators have developed ways to create “managed” classrooms that support fun and creativity without becoming “dictators.” Consult, and learn from, those on your CM team who know these techniques, and use those team members as “master teachers” for others on your team. If you have a team member who is too lenient, or too harsh, team him/her up with someone who is a successful manager of the classroom. Publicly compliment team members who are good at managing their environments in team meetings, etc. Let others learn from their techniques. For more help, click on the links below.
Visit other articles in the “Building The CM Team APPENDIX”
