In Reply to: Children's Sunday School: grade promotion posted by Steve Arnold on April 29, 1998 at 12:27:29:
I understand your problem completely....My suggestion is to base the classroom placement on the child's reading level as Sunday school curriculum is reading based. As a classroom teacher and a Christian Education Director, we have to help parents realize that even in a classroom situation, there are chidldren of varying levels of competency. Children in sunday school are not subjected (generally) to scientific or mathematical lessons...they are all based on reading a lesson. As far as emotional readiness, it has been my experience that parents are not easily persuaded that their child is immature unless they already recognize it. This is an issue that may work itself out in time and should not be allowed to interfere with the smooth running and promotion of children. If you use a non-subjective criteria (ie: reading level) then parents can say little about your decision.