• Introductions – Even if you know all of the Sunday School teachers, don’t assume that they all know each other. And in the case where your Sunday School teachers are all acquainted, there are always new things to discover about one another. Take the time to have everyone introduce themselves in a fun way. Icebreaker games are not just for kids!
• Curriculum – What curriculum are you using? What are the different components of the curriculum? You may wish to hand out curriculum at this meeting.
• Supplies – Where are supplies kept? What is the process for obtaining supplies? Are Sunday School teachers responsible for obtaining their own supplies, or does someone else do this?
• Rooms – Make sure all teachers know what room they will be teaching in, particularly if this changes from year to year. Is there storage space in the room? Is there a bulletin board and/or white board in the room?
• Sharing Space – In many churches, Sunday School rooms are used for other purposes during the week. If this is the case in your church, discuss expectations about how the room should look when they arrive and leave. Make sure teachers know the process for addressing sharing space issues if they arise.
• Substitute Teachers – Are teachers responsible for finding their own substitutes? Is there a list of persons who have indicated a willingness to sub? Ideally, have substitute teachers attend the teacher training event.
• Safe Sanctuary Policy – Does your church have a Child and Youth Protection Policy? If so, provide each teacher with a copy of the policy and have each teacher fill out required paperwork.

There will likely be other church-specific topics which you will want to include. For other ideas, or ideas for teacher training events throughout the year, take a look at articles from past Mondays. Or type “teacher training” into the search box in the upper right hand corner of this page.

~Sally Hoelscher