Childrens Discipleship

Training Experiences (CDTX)

Training Guide

Mission Statement
It is important for both staff personnel and volunteers to be familiar with the Core
Attitudes of Jesus' Great Commission Disciples, and the Core Lifestyle Goals of Jesus' Great
Commission Disciples. These documents guide the missional ministries of Water's
Edge Frisco. They are also the guiding documents of the new church plants that are
launched from our midst. Both core documents are presented at every Must Know
Seminar, and can be received anytime from our church office upon request.
Jesus Core Attitude for Life and Ministry concerning our Next Generation
Next Generation Priority
Passing the Christian faith on to the next generation and equipping them for their
life as missionaries is a highest and most holy priority. When Jesus commands His
church to, make disciples of all nations, that calling certainly begins with the
children that God has purposefully placed in our midst. Of course, the Great
Commission doesnt end there, but it certainly begins with the high and holy calling
of training children in the faith, and that responsibility should never be downplayed.
Deuteronomy 4: 9-10
Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your
eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make
them known to your children and your children's childrenhow on the day that you
stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord said to me, Gather the people to
me, that I may let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days
that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children so.
Psalm 79: 13
But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from
generation to generation we will recount your praise.
Matthew 18: 2-6
And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, Truly, I say to
you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of
heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever
causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to
have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of
the sea.

Matthew 19: 14
but Jesus said, Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such
belongs the kingdom of heaven.
Deuteronomy 6: 5-9
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit
in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when
you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets
between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on
your gates.
Psalm 71: 18
So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your
might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

Leadership
If you ever have a CDTX question, see below for whom to contact:
Pastor Mark Schaefer
Pastor
PastorMark@WatersEdgeFrisco.com

Susan Jakobsen
Childrens Discipleship Director
ChildrensDTX@WatersEdgeFrisco.com

Table of Contents
Orientation Checklist .............................................................................................................. 1
Attachment A Policies ......................................................................................................... 2
Attachment B A Guideline for Class Schedule ................................................................ 3
Attachment C CDTX Code of Conduct............................................................................. 5

Orientation Checklist
Every Waters Edge Frisco CDTX teacher and volunteer should review the following
list to be aware of expectations. Please check off each item as it is read, discussed, or
completed.
Background consent form submitted.
Review Attachment A Policies.
Review Attachment B A Guideline for Class Schedule.
Review Attachment C Code of Conduct.
If you are assisting, please check in with the teacher when you arrive to church. This lets
them know you are here so they dont have to worry about having help.
Parents are strongly encouraged to take their children to the bathroom before CDTX.
Reinforce this when you need to.
If a teacher or nursery worker becomes overloaded with children, PLEASE feel free to grab
another parent/volunteer to help out. We dont want any teacher/nursery worker to feel
overwhelmed by the number of children. Never feel that you cant ask for help.
Keep an eye on children around stacked chairs. And know that you do not have to stack the
chairs when you are finished for the day.
Clean up the classrooms after the children have left. Wipe down the tables and the
chalkboards. The kids love to help with the chalkboards, so you can let them do that at the
end of class.
Familiarize yourself with the supply closet. If you ever run out of supplies or need to
improvise, youll find what you need in there! Most of the other classrooms have things like
extra scissors, toys, pens, etc. stashed in the cabinets and drawers.
Keep your hands to yourself and use your words applies to the adults too! We strive to
maintain a calm environment when discipline issues arise.

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Attachment A Policies

To ensure the safety of the children entrusted to our care, it is Waters Edge
Friscos policy to complete a background check on all teachers and helpers
over 17.

We do not accompany children into restrooms. Parents are encouraged to

take their children to the bathroom before DTX begins. If a child needs to go
to the bathroom, volunteers should walk them to the bathroom door and
wait at the door until the child is finished and then escort the child back to
CDTX. If a child needs assistance, take them into church to find their parent.
Teachers/volunteers for the 1st/2nd grade class can stand at the classroom door
and watch to make sure the child made it to the restroom and then watch for
their return.

If you cant make your scheduled day, it is your responsibility to find a

substitute. Reference the monthly schedule for a current list of volunteers
and their contact information.

Children will advance to the next age-appropriate class around the same time
as the beginning of the school year. This is a natural time to advance the
children, since they are moving up grades at school as well.

Discipline issues should be handled as follows:

-

Refer to the Code of Conduct (Attachment C).

Talk to your lead teacher about any issues and be sure to communicate
any issues to the parents.

Teachers/volunteers should go get the parent(s) immediately if a childs

behavior escalates beyond control in class.

If a child is a disruption to the class, they will be asked to return to church

to sit with their parents.

We do not feed the children snacks due to allergies, cleanup, appetites, etc.

If a child is injured: There is a notebook that is easily found in the 2-5 cabinet
that contains incident forms. Please fill one out, make a copy, and give it to a
parent. Also please notify Wendy Thornell soon afterwards. First aid
supplies are marked and in the cabinets in both classrooms.

Do not leave a classroom unattended. If you are the only person in a

classroom and need assistance, stand outside of your room, with the door
open, and request assistance from the nearest adult, before leaving your
classroom.

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Attachment B A Guideline for Class Schedule

* Denotes very important, do your best to include this in the lesson.

On your Sunday, arrive 15 minutes before service to set up the room.

Stand at the back of the church, just outside of the sanctuary doors with the
helper for the service. The helper will hold the sign for the class you are
teaching.

*Introduce yourself, tell the students what they will be doing, review
expectations, *lead an opening prayer.

Welcome Activity. They love name games! *If there isnt time for a game,
have the children take turns introducing themselves. Their names are
important to us.

Creative Bible teaching and discussion. *Model opening the Bible to the
passage you will be reading. Demonstrate an attitude of awe and respect
when talking about the Bible or its content. Emphasize that the Bible is true.
Wait for childrens attention before reading from the Bible. Often times, the
Bible passage will be short and easy to understand. Take this GREAT
opportunity to read straight from the Bible in addition to the curriculums
version. The more they hear the passage, the better!!

*Activity to apply the lessons learned and how to implement them in their
lives this week.

*Bible Verse There will always be a Bible verse to correspond with the
lesson. Discuss with the children how the verse connects to the passage
and their lives. Have this written on the chalkboard before class. Open
your bible to the verse so they see it is from the Bible.

Bible Verse Memory Game/Activity.

*Closing Prayer, Discuss Take home activities.

When the last song in church starts: clean up, line them up, and hand out
take home sheets.

Ensure all students go with correct parents. Especially the 2-5s. Do not let
them leave the classroom without a parent. Your 1st and 2nd graders will
want to leave by themselves. Insist that they must show you their parent
before they leave. This ensures the safety of all of our children, especially
our new students, whose parents prefer that they stay in the classroom
until they arrive.

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*** Worship Music Play worship music as often as possible. I love to see their little
toes tapping as they work! They especially like Anthonys CD because they know
him and his music is great!

Helpers are expected to assist with the following:

Check in with the teachers prior to church to let them know youre there and
see if they need help with anything.

Ask the teachers what you can do to help.

When the pastors call the kids to the childrens sermon, go to the back of the
sanctuary to wait for the children, holding the sign for the class in which you
are volunteering.

As kids exit church, watch the halls and ensure no children escape the
buildingstay in the hallway until all children are in the appropriate class.

Help usher the children to their appropriate classes.

Assist the children and teacher with activities.

Help keep the children quiet while the teacher is doing the lesson.

Keep kids in line while the teacher passes kids back to their parents.

Assist clean up the room after DTX is over.

If you had any issues with a child during DTX, make sure you go to the
parent immediately and communicate (living out Matthew 18).

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Attachment C CDTX Code of Conduct

It is our sincere belief that all children are unique and created as blessings from
Godit is our hope that every child will follow this Code of Conduct and in turn
learn and grow in the grace of Jesus through Waters Edge CDTX.
Children are expected and encouraged to:

In the spirit of Jesus love, treat others as you want to be treated.

Show respect to teachers/helpers/and other children.

Keep hands, feet and object to self.

Follow directions in a timely manner.

Apologize for mistakes.

If a child does not follow these guidelines the consequences below will be put into
action

First Offense Child will be removed from the situation, and the parent(s)
will be notified after CDTX is over.

Second Offense Child will be escorted to the parent(s) immediately.

Third Offense Parent must come to CDTX with the child for 2 consecutive
weekends and monitor the child.

Fourth Offense Child will sit with parents in church for a portion of the
remaining quarter.

Offenses that warrant skipping to the fourth consequence include, but are not
limited to:

Hurting another child

Striking at an adult or child

Inappropriate use of language

Disrespect of teachers/helpers, other children

Blatant defiance of code of conduct

Last Revised: May 2015

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