I have a new class in Primary, with the new year. I have the 4-5-6 year olds - it's sort of combined. There's 12 kids and I have a co-teacher who is there about 1/2 to 3/4 of the time.
One of the children is a bit mentally challenged. He does well when he has a "job" to do and when things are "moving right along" - if there's a lag, he becomes more disruptive. So... what I'm thinking is that I need crafty or activity ideas for every lesson. Not special ones, but every lesson is going to have to be exciting and interesting and fabulous. (Oh, boy...)
Do you have any resources - websites or whatever - that are crammed full of great activities for Primary or Nursery age children? Not just stories but things for their hands to do?
The first week we made CTR shields for them to wear, last week was a chocolate/chowmein noodle nest with m&m's for eggs (got an egg when they answered the question)... They are great kids, but there's a lot of them and they need something for their hands.
What do you like as parents when it comes to your kids' Primary classes?
I'm also thinking of making some sort of handout each week to deliver to the kids that are inactive or didn't make it to Sunday Church that week.
Sorry so long... help me please.
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
Btw, a good way to keep kids occupied during a family vacation... give them each a roll of scotch tape. It's good for at least an hour of quiet, especially when they discover they can tape their sibling's mouths shut.
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
You know what would be good? Have a quick review right at the end of class...
"What was our lesson about? That's right, prayer! What was it about again?"
That way, when I ask my kid what they learned today, they can say "We learned about prayer." Instead of "Nothing." or "I don't know." As valuable as those lessons are, I doubt that's what they talk about EVERY week...
Umm...yeah, so I'm helpful. Second the surgardoodle site. I use it for teaching music too.
before class starts, I start by talking with the kids friendly-like. Often I will talk to them about what they heard in Sacrament meeting... which is fun, because I don't think a lot of adults even bother to ask kids if they learned anything from Sacrament meeting. It's fun to hear what they pick up. At some point I'll find a natural transition to talk about how the "adversary" doesn't want us to learn anything at church, and will often use some of our favorite things to do to stop us... He will try to distract our class and keep us from feeling the Spirit.
Then when a child starts to act out (or if I do...) I'm free to point out how we got distracted, then we all agree to try a little harder to focus and we move on.
It might be a good idea to give the children certain duties or responsibilities. Make up a job for said boy who can't keep his pants on... or whatever... it really varies according to age, but even the younger children can understand the Spirit.
Also I do find it difficult to teach a wide range of bodies. There's a lot of developmental progress that goes on between age 4 and age 6, so I'm surprised they combined them that way. You might suggest that the younger kids get a "special" teacher for part of the time you're together...
--Ray
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I'm not slow; I'm special. (Don't take it personally, everyone finds me offensive. Yet somehow I manage to live with myself.)
Thanks for all the suggestions. sugardoodle is great!
And I think I'm going to try to do a little friendly talking at the start... we also tried a little activity- "sewing" shapes with shoelaces - just as the kids were coming in... then we tied it in to following directions so we know what to do, etc..
I've thought about the quick review at the end, cuz I know the parents ask what they learned about. Then I thought that might be cheating. I mean, if they honestly don't know what we talked about, I didn't do a very good job, did I? I'm hoping my crafty activity or hand-out can help them remember the "point."
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
Cocobeem wrote: And I think I'm going to try to do a little friendly talking at the start...
We do this in YW. It's called "get your talk on" and it's a standard. The girls love it, they get loosened up which makes participating in class wwaaayyyy easier.
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"My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle."
I don't think the review is cheating. It's not that they don't know what the lesson was about...it's just that they don't remember by the time they get to the parents. If you give them a review hook to remember at the end of class, they can remember that quick review...which will help them remember the rest of the lesson.
A review hook... hook... ... is that like a one-liner type thing? Hook... like you hook fish with a hook... snags something... holds onto it.. Review hook. Review... like the part where they learn the line for their parents... and hook it. Hook it into their brain. At least until they can tell their parents. Then it's catch and release? No, no... that's not good. Review hook. Review... ...hook.
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Life is tough but it's tougher if you're stupid. -John Wayne
... is that like a one-liner type thing? Hook... like you hook fish with a hook... snags something... holds onto it.. 
