Teacher Tips 9 "The Dreaded Paper"

Ooh.  Few things tell the children that you are nervous or unprepared more than "the dreaded paper." But the pastor gave you a lesson and you've got to do everything it says or you might mess it up or forget something.  you think You need the organized thoughts of "the paper" to stay on track.  But the truth is, "the paper" is holding you back.  Sure, you might hit more details if you read it, but you'll lose the kids' attention.  It's okay to have it with you, but don't use it to teach.  Reading from a page cuts off your audience because you lose eye contact.  When you worry about missing details, you'll start hesitating, pausing, and checking the paper.  All that does is give little minds time to wander.  The key is to simply understand the basic point and how it applies to your object or character.  The paper is nothing more than a starting point.  Kids would rather listen to what YOU think than what the paper says.  I suggest simply reading your lesson through a few times at the beginning of the week and then put it away and digest it for a while.  Then when you get in front of the kids, it's YOUR lesson.  You won't remember every detail from the paper, but you'll be connecting with the kids.