Teaching a Class of One

You've heard about "an army of one." How about a class of one?

In many Sunday Schools, especially as summer takes its toll, a class of a single student is a common experience. How do you teach a class of one? Let me start the list of things to consider.

• Leave the door open. This is an invitation for others to join, including late-arrivers or students who might be shy. It also is an alternative to the best practice of staffing two-deep. (One child and one teacher in a closed room will run counter to most child-safety policies.)
• Don't fret. Give your class of one the clear impression that it is "business as usual"; don't make your one student feel bad or odd for having come to hear God's Word.
• Make conversation, Part 1. You've talked to children one-on-one before (your own, a niece or nephew, the child of a visiting friend, and many others). Take the opportunity you've been given to get to know this child as a friend. Ask the student about his or her week, family, pets, favorite activities, plans for later in the day.
• Make conversation, Part 2. Work to make your class discussion an extension of this conversation. "I like to start each Sunday School lesson with prayer. Will you pray with me? Do you have anything we can pray about?" "This is the leaflet that goes with today's Bible lesson. What event from the Bible do you think this picture is capturing?"
• Watch for opportunities to extend the lesson. The lesson will fly with only one student to teach. Discussion will be brief; sharing will take place quickly. You will have extra time. Plan ways to use the extra time profitably.
• Take a field trip. Visit the sanctuary to see the baptismal font up close. Talk about the vocation of pastor and visit the church office area (where many students never get to go). Be sure to let your Sunday School director know where you and the child are going. Don't leave the building without a parent's permission.
• Don't ignore opportunities to use music. If you or your student are shy about singing, you will be tempted to skip using the songs or hymns that are associated with the lesson. Don't. Use the recordings as listening opportunities. Read the words together. Listen to the music as you do written activities.
• Solicit feedback. If your "class of one" is a talker, you have a tremendous boost. He or she will likely answer your questions willingly and perhaps even volunteer contributions to the conversation. If he or she is more reticent, find other ways to learn whether the student is assimilating the information you are sharing. Watch for non-verbal cues: nods, puzzled expressions, the light of understanding. Utilize non-verbal methods for feedback. "Point to the words in the Bible text/lesson leaflet that tell us why Jesus did this." "Let's draw a picture of how this event in Jesus' life ended."

What tips do you have for teaching a class of one?

God will bless your efforts to teach even just one of His children His Word!