Willow Creek Friends Church Education Committee

MISSION OF WILLOW CREEK FRIENDS CHURCH CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE

IT IS THE BELIEF OF OUR COMMITTEE THAT EVERY CHILD AND ADULT NEEDS TO EXPERIENCE JESUS CHRIST AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT HE CAN HAVE ON ONE'S LIFE. WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS OUR DUTY TO CREATE A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT NURTURES THIS PROCESS. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
PROVIDING ACCURATE, LOVING, AND INNOVATIVE SUNDAY SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMS FOR THOSE ATTENDING WILLOW CREEK FRIENDS CHURCH.
CREATING AN AESTHETICALLY PLEASING ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO LEARN.
PROVIDING TRAINING FOR ALL CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS.
PROVIDING NECESSARY MATERIALS TO ENHANCE THE LEARNING PROCESS.
THE USE OF CURRICULUM DESIGNED TO REACH ALL LEARNERS.
PROVIDING NURTURING AND LOVING TEACHERS.

WILLOW CREEK FRIENDS CHURCH STRIVES TO CONSTANTLY IMPROVE ITS EDUCATION PROGRAM AND DOES SO THROUGH MONTHLY EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETINGS. TEACHERS ARE ENCOURAGED IN THEIR ENDEAVORS TO BETTER THEIR PROGRAMS AND ARE GIVEN THE NECESSARY SUPPORT, WHETHER MONETARY OR SPIRITUAL IN NATURE, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE IN THEIR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES AND CHILDREN'S CHURCH PROGRAM.

IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING EXCELLENT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND CHILDREN'S CHURCH PROGRAMS, WILLOW CREEK FRIENDS CHURCH AND OUR EDUCATION COMMITTEE PROVIDE ROTATING WEDNESDAY NIGHT STUDIES COVERING DIFFERENT THEMES. SESSIONS USUALLY LAST FOR 1-2 MONTHS AND COVER SUCH TOPICS AS CONTEMPORARY QUAKER BELIEFS. THESE STUDIES REPRESENT THE COMMITMENT WILLOW CREEK FRIENDS CHURCH HAS TO PROVIDING MULTIPLE AVENUES FOR OUR MEMBERS AND VISITORS TO DISCOVER CHRIST.

THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE OVERSEES THE NURSERY AND THE NURSERY ATTENDANT WHO WATCHES CHILDREN FROM 9:30 A.M. UNTIL 12:00 P.M. OUR CURRENT NURSERY ATTENDANT HAS A HISTORY OF WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN NURSERIES. OUR ATTENDANT IS HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND MOST IMPORTANTLY A LOVING NURTURER. SHE IS INVOLVED IN OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM AND VALUED AS A NECESSARY COMPONENT OF OUR CHURCH. WILLOW CREEK FRIENDS CHURCH PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT ENVIRONMENT FOR NURSERY AGE CHILDREN TO EXPLORE THROUGH EDUCATIONAL TOYS, INTERACTION WITH OTHER CHILDREN, AND EXPOSURE TO A CARING ATTENDANT.

OUR VOLUNTEERS AND EMPLOYEES WORKING WITH CHILDREN USE TIME-OUT AS OUR PRIMARY FORM OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION AND USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH A CHILD ABOUT HIS OR HER BEHAVIOR. SUCH AN APPROACH ALLOWS A CHILD TO THINK THROUGH MISBEHAVIOR AND CREATE A PLAN FOR SOLVING FUTURE PROBLEMS. AS DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING, PARENTS ARE INVOLVED IN MAJOR INCIDENTS OF MISBEHAVIOR AND ENCOURAGED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR PROGRAMS.

EXPECTATIONS

WILLOW CREEK FRIENDS CHURCH, LIKE MANY OTHER CHURCHES, HAS EXPECTATIONS FOR THE CHILDREN ENROLLED IN OUR VARIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND FOR THOSE ADULTS VOLUNTEERING THEREIN. THIS LIST OF EXPECTATIONS WILL MAKE CHILDREN AWARE OF THE EXPECTATIONS EXISTING WITHIN THE WILLOW CREEK FRIENDS CHURCH CONGREGATION, WHICH INCLUDES THEIR PARENTS. THESE EXPECTATIONS ARE SIMILAR TO A SET OF CLASSROOM RULES. SUCH SYSTEMS ALLOW CHILDREN TO MAXIMIZE THEIR LEARNING AND HELP TO ESTABLISH A MORAL CODE THAT OUTLINES HOW WE SHOULD TREAT ONE ANOTHER.

IT IS ALSO HOPED THAT THESE EXPECTATIONS WILL HELP THOSE ADULTS WORKING WITH CHILDREN KNOW THE WAY A PARENT WOULD PREFER A SUNDAY SCHOOL OR CHILDREN'S CHURCH TEACHER TO DEAL WITH THE BEHAVIOR OF HIS/HER CHILD. TO HELP ENSURE THIS THE PARENTS CURRENTLY ATTENDING WILLOW CREEK FRIENDS CHURCH WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CREATION OF THESE EXPECTATIONS.

THE FOLLOWING OUTLINES THE EXPECTATIONS EXISTING FOR CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND THE ADULTS WHO WORK WITH THEM:

1. A PROBLEM FOR A TEACHER IS A PROBLEM FOR A PARENT.

2. BEHAVIORS SUCH AS NOT SHARING, NOT PICKING UP MESSES, OR OFF TASK BEHAVIORS RESULT IN A WARNING FIRST. IF THE BEHAVIOR CONTINUES THE CHILD IS SENT TO TIME-OUT FOR ONE MINUTE PER THE YEAR AGE OF THE CHILD FOLLOWED BY A DISCUSSION OF THE BEHAVIOR BETWEEN THE ADULT AND THE CHILD. FINALLY, IF THE ABOVE DOES NOT RESULT IN CORRECTION OF THE BEHAVIOR BY THE CHILD, THE TEACHER WILL REPORT THE SITUATION TO THE PARENT.

3. SEVERE BEHAVIOR SUCH AS BITING OR HITTING REQUIRES THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF A PARENT.

4. VERBAL DISRESPECT OR OUTBURSTS SUCH AS PUT-DOWNS TO OTHERS OR A TEACHER, COMMENTS PREVENTING THE DELIVERY OF A LESSON, OR STATEMENTS SUCH AS "YOU'RE BORING", ETC. ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE AND WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A BEHAVIOR WARNING AND THE SCENARIO DESCRIBED IN STATEMENT 2.

5. BATHROOM VISITS AND DRINK BREAKS ARE TO BE DONE PRIOR TO THE START OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL SESSION.

6. SUNDAY SCHOOL AND CHILDREN'S CHURCH TEACHERS ARE TO SET LIMITS IN THEIR CLASSROOM THAT ARE COMFORTABLE FOR HIM/HER.

7. TEACHERS SHALL CONTINUALLY TRY TO IMPROVE THEIR DELIVERY OF LESSONS AND PROVIDE AN INTERACTIVE AND CREATIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT.

THESE EXPECTATIONS WILL ASSIST US IN PROVIDING QUALITY CHRISTIAN EDUCATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.