Expanding your Lesson Options

Create file folders for common lesson topics

Over the years, you will find yourself repeating many of the lesson topics with a different set of youth or children. You don't need to re-invent the wheel every time.

1. Make a list of future lesson topics and create a folder for each topic. Whenever you come across stories, articles, or other teaching materials related to the topic, place a copy in the folder. You can even get parents and the rest of your youth workers and youth teachers to help you. Let them know what topics are coming up and ask them to be on the lookout for related information and to give you a copy of anything they come across.

2. Save your Lessons and Materials by topic. When you teach a lesson on a specific topic or Bible passage, photocopy it and place it in a folder for future reference. In the future when you teach the topic or passage again, you now have additional teaching ideas and activities to help you prepare your lesson.

3. Save your ideas and insights. Have a great teaching idea or activity for a lesson? Write it down and place it in a file according to topic. In the future when you teach that topic, your incredible insights and wonderful ideas won't be wasted.

4. Do the same thing for key events and activities. Put a copy of everything related to the event into a folder. Meeting minutes, publicity, contact persons, resources etc. Next time you have the event it will be so much smoother!