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| | | Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 7/13/2007 10:49:31 AM
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| | We have used the rotational curriculum before, but this looks interesting for next school year. Has anyone used this for the midweek? Also, how do you divide up the small groups? By what ages? We do not have a large group of kids on Wed. nights, usually 25-30 kids Thanks Lynda |
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| | | Forum Expert
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Last Login: 1/14/2008 1:50:25 PM
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| | Hello, and welcome! I know that some people have used this for midweek, so hopefully some of those folks will be checking this out and reply. The Small-Group Leader Guides are divided into the following age levels: preschool, lower elementary, and upper elementary. Does that help you with thinking how you'll split your kids up? I'd encourage you to download a sample and try it out. And as another option, you can also try a sample lesson from FaithWeaver Friends (www.FWFriends.com), which was developed as a midweek program. It is based on a center rotation (each week) model with kids rotating through different Discovery Centers each week with their small groups. Let us know as you get other questions. Both programs come with Group's 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, so we encourage you to try whichever one looks like a better fit for your ministry goals. And let me know if I can be of service in any other way. God bless you and your ministry!
Deb Bernard
Curriculum Senior Marketing Manager |
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Last Login: 7/13/2007 10:49:31 AM
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| | We so much of the time have a hard time getting volunteers, so the rotational curriculum we have used works for people to volunteer once a month. Any chance of either one of these curriculums working that way? Thanks Lynda |
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| | | Forum Expert
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Last Login: 1/14/2008 1:50:25 PM
Posts: 234, Visits: 320 |
| | Hi, Lynda! Thanks for your question. There are some positions I'd recommend you getting commitments for longer periods of time than once a month, and this is most critical with the youngest learners who really need that consistency to feel safe and secure. In both Group's Living Inside Out and FaithWeaver Friends, I'd recommend that you recruit small group leaders for the year. If you need to break this up into shorter periods, I'd recommend a time of overlap between one small-group leader and the next, for a more comfortable hand-off for your learners. The good news is that both programs have no prep for small group leaders. They are the ones that show up and 'love on the kids' in their group each week. They don't prepare a lesson or lesson segment to lead. So look for people that want to connect with kids, and give them their attention each week, but don't want to have prep to lead activities. Both programs do have the opportunity for shorter term commitments from volunteers as well. In Living Inside Out, you can share leadership for your large-group time. You can do this in a number of ways. You can have a couple share responsibility for each week (you have up to 5 activities to select from for your large-group time), or you can have a different leader that leads all the large-group activities each week. With FaithWeaver Friends, you can have different leaders for each Discovery Center, and these leaders can change each week (or make a monthly commitment, etc). There is also the large-group opening, and you could change leaders there as well if you like. Does that answer your questions? Again, let me say that I believe it is critical to have volunteers willing to commit to your program for the longer term for your small-group leaders. Relationships are critical to feeling safe, feeling cared for, and feeling a sense of belonging. Please let me know if I can be of service in any other way. God bless you and your ministry!
Deb Bernard
Curriculum Senior Marketing Manager |
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| | | Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/13/2007 10:49:31 AM
Posts: 3, Visits: 5 |
| | THis does help me. It sounds like I need to check more into the Faithweaver Friends. I guess I should explain how our once a month teacher worked. We always had the "Shepherds" every week come to be with the kids, so that was constant, but on the rotational, we had different cl: Art, Music, Craft, etc...so those were the same people, but only once a month. Our wed. night is for about 1 hour total in class time. We have an opening for about 10 min., then dinner, then they go to class. I want to present different curriculums to my committee in a week and a half, so I want to make sure I present the right one. I value what you are saying and it really looks like Faithweaver would be the choice between the two of them?Also, when you say there are 5 large group choices, is that for every week on the Living Inside out?? Thank You Lynda Kauffman |
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