Our Sunday School Program
There is a ONE ROOM SCHOOLHOUSE class offered during the worship service for children ages preschool to sixth grade. Children participate in the opening portion of the worship service before being excused to spend the remainder of the service time in Sunday School. Bethel is blessed with exceptional teachers; some are currently employed with the Oconee County school district and others are retired teachers.
In one room and sitting around a large table, it is not unusual to find a four year old sitting next to an eight year old who in turn may be sitting next to a twelve year old. TheOne Room Schoolhouse model affords our children an opportunity to learn to socialize with groupings from all ages. Given that most family units are much smaller, the social involvement for the older children with younger children is a valuable experience that offers an opportunity to develop modeling techniques and leadership skills that may not be available to them at home where they are an only child or at school where they are grouped with others of the same age.
The One Room Schoolhouse model has another asset. This asset is the tutor, or fellow student. When you have children of varying ages and abilities, you have others who can help and assist the younger students acquire new skills. How often have you heard a teacher of a Sunday school class say they learn more by teaching than we, the class, will learn by being taught the lesson. Working to teach and clarify a subject to a student causes the teacher to gain a fuller understanding that may not have been required to just master the skill. The One Room Schoolhouse teacher becomes a supervisor of student teachers.