It may be that some Sunday in the next month, many teachers will be faced with a very difficult situation . . . a class of one. It it not surprising that many will find this situation difficult of a couple of levels. Let's deal with two specific areas of concern.
Physically
In our present societal culture, my first piece of advice, when faced with a single student when it comes time to start your Sunday School class is this: don't.
I encourage all agencies of the Church to adhere to a two-deep policy: two adults present at all times with children. This is especially true when there is only one child in the class. How could anyone in the church be concerned about my conduct, you might ask. Tom Nummela must have a warped mind. None the less, for the protection of the volunteers involved as well as the children, this should be a matter of policy. It is often mandated by your church's insurance carrier.
If you find there are just two of you in the room . . .
- Join another class, one level up or down as needed. The other teacher will probably be surprised, but things will sort out quickly and everyone will benefit.
- Recruit another adult or parent to join you. The child's parent would be ideal. Everyone will be more at ease.
In either case, explanations will be a whole lot easier if it is simply in response to the church's policy.
Educationally
Assuming that you have that extra body in the room and are going ahead with the lesson, consider these realities:
- Discussion may be difficult.
- The lesson will go very quickly.
- It is time to get personal.
Getting personal will help on several levels.
As the teacher, be personal. Share your story. Make sure the student knows that you teach about Jesus because you love Jesus and know He cares for you. Reveal enough about yourself to give the student some opportunities to relate to you.
With the student, get personal. Spend some time at the beginning of class to get to know the student. Ask fact questions about family, pets, school, hobbies, sports, and other interests. Even if you know the child well, get to know him or her even better. The point here is both to learn and to let the student practice talking to you. When the lesson discussion comes around you'll find it will go much better.
Read the Bible account, re-tell the account, and ask review questions. The review could be a two-person drama, perhaps. You'll have time to round up a few props, practice the lines, and really get it right.
Build your review and application questions like a pyramid. Lay a base of easy questions, ones with obvious answers. Structure the questions so that the student cannot answer in one or two words. (Remember, you want the student to get comfortable conversing with you.) After the base has been laid, look for the analysis questions that will unpack motivation, why the people in the story acted as they did, and why God acted as He did in this situation.
When it comes to application, lead the student to see that he or she is like the person God helps in the story, more than the one who helps (not the Good Samaritan, but the man who fell among thieves; not the shepherd or the woman who lost the coin or the father, but the lost sheep, coin, and son).
As you teach, decide whether the application activities in the lesson will work with just one student. Invent your own craft ideas as you go along. Invite the student to illustrate the story on the board, or draw a picture on paper to share with parents. Take the child along to the supply room to gather some cool stuff to create some take-home art.
Finally, be brave. Sing the songs suggested in the lesson; no one will hear but you and an audience of one. Try something new; if it doesn't work, your learning partner will be forgiving. Above all, let the Gospel shine clearly. The class of one is a rare opportunity to assure that child of God's love and forgiveness in a personal way. Make the most of it.
God bless you as you teach God's child His Word.
