Respondents were invited to add miscellaneous comments and suggestions at the end of their survey. This page is a collection of some of those comments. Some reflect sentiments expressed by many. Others are uniquely phrased, or raise an interesting subject I felt was worth noting here. The majority of comments received were words of appreciation for Rotation.org and the Model itself. I've excerpted some of those too.
One thing which will be apparent reading these comments is that one church's strength is another's weakness. Several people offered opinions about the published Rotation curriculum they had purchased or training sessions they had attended. It was a mixed bag -some good, some not so good about each. Those comments are summarized at the bottom of this document.
The color coding in this document is not intended to highlight specific comments. I only added color and a line to visually break up the page for easier reading. There is no order or grouping to the comments either. I simply copied them as they appeared in my list. <>< Neil MacQueen, Rotation.org Admin.
I have greatly appreciated the work that has been done on this site. I personally have found it extremely helpful and frequently recommend it to others, even if they are not currently doing Rotation.
Wish you could magically provide teachers --I thought rotation model would really solve that problem, but it seems now that we have an expectation of only 2 weeks/month, it is even harder to find teachers.how did we do it when we used to ask for a 3 month commitment.
I'm still really new at this. I find wrm very labor intensive even tho' I have two helpers. How do you get workshop leaders...without calling everyone you know individually?
I have used the Cokesbury rotation curriculum for two rotations but am unimpressed with their workshop activities. We are attempting to use some found on your site and adapting it to a Christmas Around the World rotation starting this Sunday. We really are feeling our way here. The kids like it a lot and seem to be retaining the material tho' they get a bit sick of it by 8 weeks.
It's great to know that we aren't alone in this.
Finding your sight and resources has been a gift from GOD! Thank you for all the time and effort of all who have been involved and the talented group of writers. I saw a bunch of burned out teachers get new energy and excitement. And the reactions of the kids have fueled their passons. We have even begun a childrens time in our service to reinforce the lesson and show the adults
what they are learning;Great site that has helped us get our workshops off the ground, provides encouragement, some laughs, helps us feel connected (we are not in this alone - others have the same problems), don't change a thing for me!!! Love it!!!
I would like to see more on the smaller churches using rotation. I am sometimes stuck for ideas, and most seem to be too much for my numbers and my finances.
Without the web site, we would not have been able to do it!!!!!!
We find it a challenge to come up with ideas for our older students - grade 7/8s.
Rotation.org helped us breathe new life into our Sunday school and we have been spreading the word ever since. People from other churches are now calling us and coming to see our little church because they have heard about our computer lab and the rotation centres. We could not have done it without rotation.org. Our attendance is definitely up and stays up and the kids are learning and having a lot of fun. Thank you.
Our church has benefitted in more ways than you can imagine since we started this project. Our Sunday school attendance is up 50% over last year. The congregation has come together like never before - it is a contagious fire.
We are creating our own at this point, but are glad to know there are ideas out there should we need additional information. I think all details need to be included in a posted rotation. Songs - their source; recipes, . . . A few times those things are mentioned without their source so others can quickly find and use them running through the entire church.
We are just getting started with Rotation at our church. We are 3 weeks into our second 6 week rotation. Parents are telling me that their kids eagerly anticipate which class they will be in each week, teachers are having a ball and the kids are learning and retaining what they are being taught.
I love writing curriculum!!! Two but my pastor wants me to purchase curriculum instead. The church is so far in the red in the budget area, there is NO money! The pastor and I differ theologically. I think that is at the heart of the problem.
Our drama workshop seems to be going very well. We're not having trouble recruiting and the children LOVE this workshop. (Although it's CRUCIAL to find a leader who is comfortable and skilled with drama! We're including a couple of high shcool drama students in our team of leaders!) What makes it successful for us is our costumes and props--all left over from previous Christmas programs. So we haven't spent a lot of money but the children don't seem to mind using their imaginations!
Requests: We need suggestions on teaching your own children in your classroom (they only Misbehave for me! other teachers say their kids do the same thing.)
Suggestions on how to vary it so that kids that have perfect attendance aren't bored to death by the same introductory information at the beginning of each lesson plan.
It is distinctly easier to find interested people, but harder in the sense that it is more ongoing. I do a Spring push and a Fall push for teacher sign-up, but usually need to find another 1 or 2 folks every couple of months. It's not hard to find them, just a continual process.
I wish we could find intelligent and interesting Christmas pagents/shows/services that pull the rotation semester together in a culminating theme. I did this once last year and loved it. Everything we did that semester was part of the journey toward Christmas, and the kids remembered it all as they presented what they had learned in the Christmas Pagent. But it about killed me, and I can't do that every year and stay sane and married.
At first (5-6 months using Rotation) I expected a total turn around in our Sunday School. When that didn't happen, I was let down, because I had read about all of these outstanding results from other churches. However, we have experienced more regular attendance of the 30-40 children on our roles, happier teachers, happy parents, and a genuine good feeling in the Sunday School area. My associate pastor says that I should be happy with that and see what happens when the search committee finds a senior pastor. Probably she's right!
Having literally stumbled onto rotation.org, I have to believe I have been called by God to bring rotation to our Sunday school kids. It has been a huge investment of time and energy on my part but I have been really enjoying it. Since receiving this survey I have made a point of asking kids and their parents what they thought of rotation. The feedback has been positive so far. I have been absolutely amazed at people that have offered help or have said yes when I asked them to help. I have great hopes for even greater things in the future.
The sharing (through rotation.org) is the other part that is so exciting. Through the web site I also found out about the Detroit area group doing rotation and have been to one of their meetings. Sharing among that group is also enlightening.
I couldn't have undertaken this project without the help of this website. We were able to get up and running in two months!! I was concerned that we continue to provide solid Biblical teaching and application and feel that is happening.
I just wish more people would GET INVOLVED!! Our church is suffering from such a lack of commitment that it is really draining me physically, emotionally and mentally. I am paid staff, so I guess they figure it is my job, even though our Pastor has tried to set them straight, even from the pulpit!! Wah-wah-wah. Thanks for being there.
We are a bare bones group .....struggling to get others involved...... but still plugging along because the children are excited and this is a wonderful program........
We need to keep finding ways to encourage all of us to contribute. It takes time that most of us don't have....but we need to find it. If we contribute they ideas can flourish and the rotation idea will, too. But, if only a few contribute, the idea will die. It is at its best when many are creative together. I have not been good at this!
I am currently attending seminary, but was led to seek part-time employment in a church to help see what God's call for me is. The church for which I work had a Sunday School that they felt was falling apart. I had just become aware of and visited a Rotation Church, so I presented that idea to them. It fit very well with my experience, as I had run a live-away Bible camp week for elementary for six years and taught high school science, computers, and math for 11 (where I often wrote my own curriculum. The experience has been wonderful. The Sunday School has grown and people are very involved. I teach an adult study once a month for the teachers and create the curriculum, but have been helped by resources at Rotation.org. Thank you for blessing me and the church for which I work as well as the families of the children.
Rotation has been the best thing to happen to sunday school in ages. Our families love it and it is helping other church members get involved with the children. It is easier to get teachers but that is still our biggest problem. Keep up the good work.
The teachers, Pastor and children especially are really excited about our Sunday School.
The Drama, Puppets and Song teacher has never taught Sunday School before and he absolutely loves it. The other three teachers haven't been teaching for several years and they have come back to help rejuvenate our Sunday School.
Last year, Sunday School ended with only 2 children (who are sisters). This year, we have 20 children registered with an average weekly attendance of 14. Several of the children are from broken homes and every other Sunday, they go to visit with the other parent.
1. We've found that a design team of 4 or 5 works better than 10 or 12.
2. Promotion/advertising on a constant basis, in a really visible way has been crucial.
3. Giving kids a space for which they feel a sense of ownership has been helpful and important.
4. We've found that working on art projects that can become part of the church "decor" has increased enthusiasm --- no more popsicle-stick projects! We've had the same experience with music/rap projects.Without rotation.org resource, we never would have committed to switch to the Rotation Model.We have found it necessary to create our own curriculum, which I can do with all the ideas on the website. Without it, our team of volunteers could never pull it together!
Requests: MUSIC and a music curriculum - maybe there is one out there, I have not seen it yet. Our faith tradition and our church in particular is known for its music and we would like to incorporate that into our rotation model.
We have a group that meets to discuss rotation, and that's helped a lot, also. One thing that we've discussed is sharing resources - for example, if you have a lesson that requires 25 cookie sheets, you can borrow them from someone else in the network instead of buying them.
The Rotation Model is the greatest thing that has happened to our church school!
We decided to "go rotation" in June and started Sept. because of the training and resources available on your website. Our program has increased our attendance by 25% in the first month because the word got out that there was something new at St. Paul's. More than 50% have earned perfect attendance so far! Parents are excited because their kids are excited. I will support your continued efforts in any way I can. God Bless!
I'm amazed at the number of persons who don't really understand the purpose behind using rotation - it's not just a "cute" way to teach.
I have ABSOLUTELY NO original creativity, but I love to take other's ideas and adapt them to my purposes. It is SO good for us to be doing Workshop Rotation--has brought our Christian Ed and adjoining adult program to life. But it always seems so tenuous--like it could all fall apart tomorrow.
I have talked to some of the nicest and most helpful "new friends" and am very thankful your web site is available.
Because we are a small church and have only 3 workshops I find the expense of purchasing a commercially produced curriculum not very prudent. That's why I write my own.
Those who are familiar with the program we had before, can see the difference in what the kids know now. Dedicated teachers, don't ever want to go back to the "old way".It's a no brainer for them. The kids seem to enjoy the classes. They are bringing their friends along more often, which is very encouraging.
I think the concept of Rotation.Org is outstanding--and it keeps getting better! I think it is great model of what Christian community is all about. There are so many creative and talented folks scattered across the country, and it is wonderful to share each other's ideas and lessons
Really, your site is the only site for rotation. Our Rotation SS would not be off the ground without your site. It was a lifeline that I clung to that allowed me to grab a few more people and drag them on board!
This SS program has brought enthusiasm to our whole congregation. One change, brings another change and so on...
Unfortunately this method just didn't work in our congregation. We just don't have a committed enough group.
Recruitment hasn't been difficult at all for any of the workshops, but in 12* years of doing Sunday School here I've never had problems with recruitment
Yay for rotation.org.!!! Without it, I can't imagine that we would be able to have a decent Sunday school program. Little money, no director, just a few moms and a pastor who are excited about coming up with thoughtful, spirit provoking, interesting, workshops that can teach our kids what they need to know when they need to know it.
I have worked with kids ministry for about 18 yrs and I have to say that the last 2 months have been the easiest I have ever had it. Recruiting teachers has never been easy and they are loving it. The kids have never been more excited. My own son said that he had never understood the Prodigal Son until now. Experiencing the story over a 5 week period really cemented it for him.
Having been unable to sell the idea of rotation to the parents for Sunday School. I had one parent come to me after the summer was over and tell me that "Sunday School should not be fun." So I started using a modified version when I started offering Children's worship during our 10:45 service. I have grown from 5 children 3 years ago to over 40 children today. My 18 year old son
wants to go back and attend rotation because he doesn't remember the stories he "learned" attending the traditional Sunday School.In New England, our churches are just beginning to discover all of the benefits of rotation and yet, many are implementing without fully understanding the format. Most often, they change their structure and lessons, but not the learning environment. This is disheartening to me, as it won't last and will become only a passing fad.
The rotation model has opened up new doors for me in ministry, and as one in the middle of the Certified Christian Educator process, it is heavily featured in my exam process. I don't think I can ever go back to traditional church school again (except maybe summer when numbers don't work) and am willing to spread the word. As mentioned above, I recently resigned my position at a highly theologically conflicted church, but the one thing that everyone (well, except one woman and her son and that's a whole other story) could agree on was Rotation. I think I had about 20% of the adult membership involved in children's ministry - including a 90 year old woman who made me a coat out of old neckties for the Joseph unit!
One extra note I have not seen addressed as well as I expected- age appropriate lesson plans. A larger church across town implemented Workshop much to the frustration of students and teachers alike because they gave teachers of all age groups ONE general lesson plan. While that is fine for educators like us, I find that even professional teachers may not be skilled in adjusting lesson plans for an age group they have little experience with. We have some great teachers, but most are inexperienced with "adjusting" lesson plans for age-appropriateness. From the beginning, we have made 2-3 lesson plans per workshop with adjustments for different ages. Public school teachers may be familiar with cognitive developmental stages but are often not familiar with faith developmental stages.
Summary of Survey Comments about Purchased Rotation Curriculum:
21 survey respondents specifically commented on Rotation curriculum available from Cokesbury, Augsburg, Cornerstones, Potters Workshop, and PCUSA, although the survey did not ask about individual published curriculums by name.
12 made reference to their purchased curriculum as being: Too complex or having Too much content/choices. 2 said it was too simple.
4 were concerned about theological fit. 3 felt the activities were too young for their kids. 7 said their curriculum was too expensive, and were considering changing once they felt more comfortable with the model.=end=