wherein Liz frets about the start of Sunday school

[edenfalling]

Summer session is done and regular services start tomorrow. So does RE. This means, unfortunately, that I will miss the Water Communion, since that will most likely happen after the kids leave the sanctuary and head up to the classrooms. *sigh*

This year I'm teaching Spirit Play, back with my preferred 1st-grade age group. I have one co-teacher, and I'm not sure which of us is meant to be the Door Keeper and which the Storyteller. I'd much prefer to be the Storyteller, since I'm not so good with greeting but I am damn good at storytelling, if I do say so myself. *grin* In any case, I'm meeting our new DRE at 9:30am to do a mini training session before everyone else gets there. Services start at 10:30 and classes at 10:45, but it's best to be in the classroom around 10:15, since some parents drop their kids off early and have the teachers decided whether or not to take them downstairs for the first 15 minutes of the service. (Also, you have time to do set-up and review that day's curriculum.)

The thing about Spirit Play is that it seems to depend on having the two teachers be there every single week, like clockwork, which means I will miss every service until January. Possibly until next June, since I don't know if anyone has volunteered for the spring session yet -- I certainly haven't heard anything about it, and since our previous DRE retired this past June, I have no idea how organized or disorganized the new DRE is.

Ah well, I'm sure it'll all work out somehow.

Comments

[willowgreen.livejournal.com]

Some years ago I looked at one of the "Godly Play" books that "Spirit Play" is based on, and it struck me as unduly rigid--I mean, having someone stand at the door to keep parents out? As a parent, I found that disturbing. Also, insisting that every child sit in the exact same position? So very un-UU. So I'll be interested to hear how it goes for you this year. I've never had the chance to look at "Spirit Play" itself.

In a moment of insanity I volunteered to teach again this year, albeit only once a month, after a 4-year break. I'm teaching the K-2 class again, using "Treasure Hunting, Take Two," which I've taught before and like a lot. But I'd forgotten what a shitload of work it is at the beginning of the year, especially if you've got a big class, which we do (for us, anyway). We've got 12 kids registered, which means we need to spray-paint at least 15-16 shoeboxes with gold paint before the second class session. I did that all by myself last time around and wound up with a sore index finger for weeks afterwards. This time at least I'm doing it with a buddy.

Good news for me is that we're adding a second service this fall, so I'll be able to go to church even on days when I teach. Some people don't like to spend the whole morning at church, but I really appreciate having that hour to sit still and listen.

[edenfalling]

Well, being that we are UUs, we feel free to modify the curriculum as we see fit. *grin*

It turned out that my co-teacher, Frank, had not received the mass email to all RE teachers, so I was the only one who got there in time to look over the course book and so on, which left me in charge. Yikes! I generally prefer to play second fiddle on the first week, since I am not naturally good with children; I do fine once we're acquainted, but the first week or two tend to be somewhat awkward.

Anyway, the basic idea of Spirit Play is to make the class a 'special' time and place, set apart from the rest of the week; hence the ritualism of the curriculum. *grin* I essentially got to pick and choose and decide what our pattern is going to be for the year, and I've settled on this:

1. Everyone comes in, grabs a mat, and sets the mats in a circle; one teacher should be at the door to greet each child by name.
2. A ritual opening, this one taken from Gandhi.
3. Joys and Sorrows, followed by the chalice lighting. A different kid gets to light the chalice each week, and decide what we're lighting it for.
4. A few minutes of structured break, in which we all get up and move around (as an attempt to keep things from boiling over during the rest of the lesson).
5. Storytime (and I am perfectly willing to be interrupted, no matter what the curriculum says).
6. Activity/Free Play.
7. Call everyone to snack (i.e., the Feast) with a little meditation chime.
8. Closing ritual.

If the main service runs long, we'll have more free play until the parents arrive, and we will try to say a formal farewell as each child leaves the room.

In a moment of insanity to match yours, I signed up to teach the spring session as well... *sigh* Oh well, at least it provides extra continuity for the kids!