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| | | Junior Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/16/2008 11:07:53 AM
Posts: 17, Visits: 40 |
| | Preteens are toggling between kid behaviors and teenage attitudes. They desparately want to be teens but are not about to stop being little kids. How can our ministries be a bridge for them to safely and confidently navigate this transition? |
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| | | Forum Guru
Group: Moderators
Last Login: 3/14/2008 3:59:12 PM
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| | When churches think "transition" is a one-time event at the end of the year, they make a big mistake. The most effective churches are those that make the entire last year of a child's children's ministry experience a transition. The entire year! That means parent-child events, bridge events with preteens and junior highers, parties where both ages are together, junior high leaders coming to teach preteens in the children's ministry--and so much more. A long-term commitment to transition is really the only way to keep preteens from falling through the cracks! |
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| | | Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 11/7/2007 6:26:52 PM
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| | We brought our 6th graders "back down" from Jr. High (7th & 8th) last fall. That was popular with the parents - but obviously not with the kids! We went from a 4th/5th group to a 5th /6th and are quickly seeing how this age group is so vulnerable and how we are at risk of losing them if we don't meet them at at their new level. The kids who LOVED Sunday School a few short years ago are now rolling their eyes at just about everything. I am SO excited about the Grapple curriculum! It's an answer to prayer and I know the kids will love it. We are using Living Inside Out with them now - which is great for the lower grades, but is just too juvenile for the preteens. The online community is going to be so cool for the kids and a great way to help them stay connected and feel a sense of community they don't get now (or ANYWHERE for that matter). I just ordered, and received, the "Preteen Launchables" Kit from Group and it is full of great insight into the preteen mind.  If you don't have it, I highly reccommend it. It has great ideas, a preteen ministry blueprint to keep you on the right track and a great little book about understanding preteens - it's great! I want all of our leaders to read it. It also has fun games and ideas you can use. We will rely on this until Grapple is released. |
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| | | Forum Newbie
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Last Login: 4/10/2007 4:46:55 PM
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| | I did download the grapple cirriculm but I was not too sure how it would work. Other than the online community it doesnt seem too different, the actives not too much older. I know it does not come out until May but does anyone have any more details about this. Our cirriculm now seems to be going pretty good but I am always on the look out to find something to better reach these darling kiddos! |
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| | | Forum Guru
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Last Login: Today @ 6:33:15 AM
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| | What we did with the preteens is we made them helpers (they had to sign a "contract" with the expectations and their parents signed to) for our kids ministry we also have a sunday class just for them when they are not helping where the issues they face are talked about. Also we got out youth pastor to come talk with them so they are comfortable with him when they get ready to move up to youth. It is a tough issue and we have had some problems but for the most part when you give them a little responsibility they seem to grow and blossom. If you would like to see a copy of the "contract" contact me and will send it to you. Hope that helps! Melissa - NY |
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| | | Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/16/2008 11:07:53 AM
Posts: 17, Visits: 40 |
| carbandy (2/15/2007)
I did download the grapple cirriculm but I was not too sure how it would work. Other than the online community it doesnt seem too different, the actives not too much older. I know it does not come out until May but does anyone have any more details about this. Our cirriculm now seems to be going pretty good but I am always on the look out to find something to better reach these darling kiddos!One of the big differences in Grapple is the element of choice for the students. At this age, preparing them to make the right choice is key, so Grapple integrates this into the program. Voting on games, choosing from several styles of prayer, etc. all contribute toward keeping this age engaged as well as preparing them for the future (and deepening their walk with Christ). And, the topics are covered in a more age appropriate way than most other curriculums. Rather than shying away from tough questions, this curriculum encourages kids to reveal what they're really thinking and work through those issues using the Bible. Lastly, because kids this age are starting to discover and develop deeper relationships, much of the 'grappling' happens with students working together. They not only learn from each other but also learn about building healthy relationships and experience the power of God working through their peers. |
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Forum Expert
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Last Login: Yesterday @ 10:23:09 PM
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| We did a test with a Grapple lesson and the kids loved it! Loved it! They had sooo much fun! The games were great and the kids loved to be "part of" the lesson! I can't wait!!!
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| | | Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/5/2007 12:18:29 PM
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| | What curriculum are you using now? I am looking for something exciting and wonderful and have signed up for Grapple once it is available but need something else in the mean time. |
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| | | Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 7/2/2007 12:02:24 PM
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| We also found that our 5th graders were outgrowing Children's Ministry and that our 6th graders were quite ready for Junior High...So, we created Club 56-a ministry specifically geared towards our 5th and 6th graders. We meet on Fridays from 4-5:30 and it has been incredible! We start each week with time to hang out and play games and then do a large group game, teaching time and then the majority of the time is spent in small groups doing application and really talking through life and the lesson they just heard. We are using Pulse, which is designed for Jr. High, but I am just gearing it down a bit to fit our kids. I love Grapple though and will most likely switch to using it in the fall!
We also started a Sunday School class just for our 5th and 6th graders called "dive deep". We picked up some of Karen Henley's books and are really diving into the basics of their faith such as: salvation, prayer, worship, service, etc. The kids have grown so much this year and they are being challenged!
Our 5th and 6th graders need to be taught in ways that are relevant and tangible so that they can apply what they are le |
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