Children’s Classes

Comments from Canada concerning the article on Children's Classes

Dear Friends,

The issue of children's behaviour in Sunday Classes is an ongoing
concern to all of us interested in the spiritual education of children.
I found this gentle 'letter' on the European Baha'i Women's Network
(EBWN) website: http://ebwn.net/ and thought it was so simple, it
is something we could all consider. So here it is! Margaret

Dearest Margaret,

This is wonderful! I often tell people that children will do what we
expect when I'm doing book 3, I'm going to share this with all of the
zone 4 Tutors! Thanks! They are doing a wonderful job.

Much love, Melody



Rules of Behaviour for our Sunday Children's Classes

Dear Friends,

When a foreigner arrives in our town we do all we can to explain our
habits and our ways of life to him. With our children instead, we often
believe that they know all the rules of behaviour of our society. May
times it happens that our child says ? "I would have done that but no
one explained it to me". For this reason one of the first things to be
done in a Bahá'í' Class or in the home or on a trip or with guests, is
to explain to our children the 'ground' rules' and those Laws of God
which serve as Spiritual Guidance for all humankind. The existence of
these rules or guidance is to establish stability from which one derives
a sense of security: this state of being is created when we know our
limits of action and understand our relationship with others. If our
children know or understand that we will always have the same precise
reaction, we thus give to them security and faith and from this faith
blossoms the capacity to love. Another result of these fundamental rules
is that which assists children to acquire:

- The sense of responsibility
- Discipline
- Respect for others

a) The sense of responsibility derives from the knowledge that every one
    of us must contribute to the maintaining of order of the group.

b) Discipline is achieved when we follow the rules.

c) Respect for others means courteous behaviour of others towards us,
    and harmony, which this principle creates.

When children feel and see harmony and security, which come from
obedience to the rules, they understand the necessity and follow it with
joy. The principles should be few and clear/simple. If there are too
many rules the children will never learn to apply them in any situation,
but will lose themselves in the search for an adequate code of behaviour.

The following are examples of such 'ground rules' that can be used in a
Bahá'í' Class:

a. In this room we walk slowly and speak in a soft voice (this helps
eliminate, to a large degree, any disruptive behaviour).

b. We ask permission to touch the works of others and the materials that
are not ours.

c. We use the words 'thank you', please', and 'excuse me'.

d. When we use any of the materials or objects, we replace them in their
proper place.