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8 Basic Steps to Planning Your
Program Year
Careful preparation and planning makes for a
meaningful education year! You will want to begin this process early and engage
partners who can be helpful in working many of the details.
Basic Planning Steps
1. Get personally focused and on board (spring)
2. Convene a leadership team for evaluation and planning (spring/early
summer)
3. Assess your needs and space requirements (early to mid-summer)
4. Recruit teachers, assistants, and helpers (early to mid-summer)
5. Order curriculum and collect supplies (summer)
6. Provide teacher orientation and training (late summer to early
September)
7. Provide meaningful kickoff for program year (Varies by local custom)
8. Support teachers and learning efforts (throughout the year)
1.
Get personally focused and on board
You’ve been invited or have stepped forward to spearhead the planning effort for
Christian education in your congregation for the next year. The first step is to
stop and prayerfully reflect on the opportunity God has given you. Seek God’s
counsel and guidance in prayer. Then take time to read this guide thoroughly and
begin to imagine the possibilities. Begin to map out a time line that respects
the culture and history of your congregation. Then, make a list of the tasks
that need to be done.
2.
Convene a leadership team for evaluation and planning
Maximize ownership and creativity by inviting a diverse group into the planning
process. Be sure to include some new players. A well represented team might
include Sunday school teachers, parents, youth, church staff, those with
property care responsibilities, those involved in music and worship, and a
congregation council member. The size of your team will depend on the size of
the congregation and the number of education offerings you will offer. Schedule
to meet monthly for planning through the summer or according to a pattern that
works best for your setting.
At your first meeting, begin the planning process with prayer. Invite the team
to walk through the educational space pausing to pray in several locations.
Reflect on God’s desire for each space. How might each learning space be a
cradle for transformation in the lives of the learners and leaders?
Shape your vision for Christian education by creating a purpose statement that
will move your congregation to a new and different future. Review any previously
existing statements and reflect on the theme and artwork offered through this
planning guide for input. Use this written statement as a launching place to
celebrate where God has led you thus far and to assess your current situation.
Let it be a guide for all of your planning.
Agendas for subsequent meetings could take their shape from this initial meeting
and need to address the planning steps highlighted at the beginning of this
section.
Note: The size of some congregations might warrant setting up separate sub-teams
for planning. In these places a separate group may be responsible for Sunday
school, confirmation and youth, and adult education offerings. Adapt this
resource to work with whatever configuration you use to do your planning. It is
primarily written from the perspective of the single planning team responsible
for the overall education ministry of the congregation.
3.
Assess your needs and space requirements
Take time to assess your needs for education. What will Sunday school look like
for your congregation? What about youth and adult education? Confirmation
ministry? What have been your patterns? What’s working and what’s not working?
Are there needs for change?
As you reflect on your needs, consider the following questions:
- Is group grading necessary? (smaller
congregations)
- Is there a need for multiple sessions of
Sunday school? (larger congregations)
- Is intergenerational learning an option for
your setting?
- Is Sunday morning education working for your
congregation? What might be alternate times?
- Is there a need for team teaching or cycle
teaching?
- Is there an opportunity for a Sunday school
opening or a Kid’s Church experience before classes divide out?
- What about summer Sunday school or “School’s
Off” activities?
- What’s working and not working with
confirmation and youth?
- What considerations are addressed to welcome
and include special needs learners and others with disabilities?
- What adult offerings might best address the
discipleship needs of the congregation?
Make a chart listing all the classroom and
education spaces. Consider the following issues:
- How’s the equipment, cleanliness, and state
of repair in your learning spaces? What needs to be attended to before
learning begins again?
- Are learning spaces being used to their
greatest advantage? Is there a need to share spaces? Are furniture and
fixtures appropriate for the age group that will use them?
- Assign classes to learning spaces based on
previous history, anticipated size of classes, and any special needs you
discern.
4.
Recruit teachers, assistants, and helpers
Map out your education program. Begin with Sunday school, but also include
confirmation, youth adult and other learning activities that may happen at
different times than Sunday. You may wish to create a grid on a large poster
board to facilitate healthy group interaction.
Based on your best estimates of class needs and sizes and the type of education
program you are offering, develop a list of the number of teachers, assistants
and helpers you will need. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and inspiration
in calling forward teachers in your congregation. Then brainstorm a list of
potential candidates paying attention to people’s spiritual gifts. Be sure to
remember those who have faithfully served and wish to continue to serve,
inviting new people to the table as well. Pick candidates and back up
candidates. Then, decide on your method of recruitment. Set a time line and work
to line up your staff as early as possible.
As you select candidates for teaching, think about other needs you may have
during the year. These might include: storytellers, costume makers, craft
leaders, supply organizers, writers, computer operators, record keepers,
photographers, mentors and musicians.
5.
Order curriculum and collect supplies
You may want to appoint a mini task force to review and evaluate several
curricula. Be sure to invite public school teachers to share their expertise
from a readability, age appropriate and practical point of view.
There are several options of
Sunday School curriculum available through Augsburg Fortress Publishers.
Consider the needs of your congregation as it facilitates disciple formation in
your local setting. Be sure to order resources in a timely way and certainly in
time for your teacher orientation.
6.
Provide teacher orientation and training
It is helpful to bring as many teachers, assistants, and helpers together as you
can for a basic orientation and training in advance of your education year. Use
the time to:
- Review your congregation’s vision for
Christian education.
- Build team spirit by welcoming and
introducing new and returning teachers to each other.
- Encourage teachers in their own personal
discipleship and faith walk, emphasizing the importance of mentoring and
modeling.
- Acquaint teachers with their classes,
teaching spaces, curriculum, partners, the policies and procedures, special
dates or emphases such as a Christmas program, supplies, and other special
consideration unique to your congregation.
- Highlight any plans you might have for
periodic or quarterly teacher training.
During this meeting it is particularly
important to take time to talk about the hopes and expectations concerning a
teacher’s own personal discipleship practice.
7.
Provide meaningful kickoff for program year
Make early plans for a special kickoff to begin your program learning year.
Rally Day can be a great way to set the stage for learning by bringing together
people of all ages for a combined church school event.
Early planning might include mailing special invitations during the late summer
to prospective students. A targeted community mailing might inspire unchurched
families to get involved for the sake of their children. A community canvass by
the youth group distributing information about your congregation’s education
offerings can be a creative way to invite neighbors to come and see.
Coordinate your Rally Day preparations with the congregation’s worship
experience. At the least, make plans to install education leaders during worship
on Rally Day. Click here to see samples of
installation rites. Greater value will come when several elements of the
congregation’s worship experience can highlight discipleship and the call to
lifelong learning. Coordinate with your pastor/s and other leaders to encourage
use of your theme in preaching, music, and prayers.
Rally Day is often the time for students to visit their classrooms and meet
their teachers. It is a festive day of commitment, heralding the beginning of
another learning year. A special program for all learners is a great way to kick
off a new learning year.
8.
Support teachers and learning efforts
Look for ongoing ways to support and encourage your teachers and helpers
throughout the education year. You might consider the following possibilities:
- Provide periodic teacher training sessions
to touch base, assess needs, fix problems, and teach concerning discipleship.
- Build an Email list serve with all your
teachers sending weekly updates or daily devotions.
- Take intentional time each week to connect
with one or two teachers for feedback and support.
- Remember each of your teachers and staff
daily in prayer.
More information on the 8 steps of planning
Adapted from Fanning the Flames of Discipleship:
2001-2002 Christian Education Planning Guide ©Division for Congregational
Ministries, ELCA
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