Switching Hats

For many years now I have been teaching in the church. In all the age groups I have taught the children are the most divers in the language in need too use. I need to communicate to multiple age levels, grades first to sixth at one time. Also I train new leaders and communicate with parents. In the average church day I communicate with a multitude of different people and relate with all of them. This makes the ability to switch gears invaluable.
First I teach adults in the main service. The subject is communion and or Tithe and offering. This is done by speaking from the pulpit during the service. The congregation is of varied nationality, education, and background. Communicating with this group is best done personably. This is the easy part. After I teach adults I go to kids church.
In kids church I need to appeal to the youngest and keep the oldest ones interested in lessons that they have heard over and over again. Some of them are new to church and haven’t the slightest idea what I’m talking about half the time. Some of the first graders have had the bible read to them over the first years of their life making them sometimes board with the rudimentary lesson. Like the class room setting, kids church has the kids that like to try to take over the class and do what ever they want. This challenge can be difficult but it pays off in the end when you can tell that the children actually learned something that they can take home with them. All the time I’m in class I’m also teaching the leaders coming up how to work with the kids and make a meaningful lesson.
When class is over I have to switch gears again and speak with the parents while they are picking up their kids. The visiting parents are always particularly interested in what their children had been doing and if the kids enjoyed their stay. We talk about lesson plans and the vision of the department and what the benefits are for their children.
All these thing are done with my own children watching every moment and learning in the same classroom that I am teaching in. When I go home I have to switch gears from children’s pastor to Dad. The constant switching of hats is part of the job. The challenge make the job interesting and I wouldn’t change a thing.