Group Study Guide

Jan Marler

Purpose: To provide participants with the opportunity to reflect on what they read in this resource, talk with one another, and apply the information to the children in their homes and groups at church or school.

Objective: Through reflection and conversation, participants will develop an understanding of the children in their homes and their groups at church or school. With this understanding, they will be able to transform their methods to match the needs and characteristics of their learners.

Participants: This plan is for parents, teachers, leaders, coaches, and ministers who relate to children in grades one through six.

Sessions: This plan can be used in a variety of settings including retreats, planning meetings, and conferences. The suggestions are generally designed for one-hour sessions, but you are encouraged to adapt it to meet the needs of your group. For example, you can easily adjust the suggestions to fit a 15-minute training segment during a planning meeting. Some of the session outlines are designed for shorter sessions. Combine these with another outline for one session to meet your needs.

Feel free to use the sessions in any order. A conclusion exercise to the entire study is located at the end of the session titled “Technological Implications for Parents and Their Children.” Use this exercise at the end of your last session.

Approach: This plan is designed for discussions based on what participants have read in this resource. The convener serves as facilitator of the discussion. Group members participate by sharing their reflections or thoughts concerning what they have read. The exercises enable the participants to identify implications for applying the information to their group of children.

Room Arrangement: Tables and chairs arranged in a square is preferable so that participants can see one another. If tables are not available, arrange chairs in a circle.

Sessions:

• Introduction
• Learning Approaches and Multiple Intelligences
• Brain Development
• The Importance of Parent-Child Bonding
• Spiritual Growth in Children
• Mental Growth in Children
• Physical Growth in Children
• Emotional Growth in Children
• Social Growth in Children
• Discipline and Behavior Issues
• Children with Special Needs
• Blended Families and Divorce
• Multicultural Issues
• Technological Implications for Parents and Their Children