The Workshop Rotation Model (WRM) is based on the multi-intelligences theory by Howard Gardner (to learn more about Howard Gardner’s Theory, click here:  http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.php.

The idea of the WRM is to teach one Bible story over the course of 3 to 4 weeks using different classrooms that approach the story in different ways.  We call this period of time that it takes to teach one story a session.  A WRM school year is typically made up of 10 sessions.  In other words, during the school year, we teach 10 stories.  Each year, a different set of 10 stories is taught.  After 5 years, the lessons repeat themselves.  So whatever stories a student learned about as a Kindergartener, they will learn again as 5^th graders.  Click HERE (.pdf file) to see the 50 Bible stories that we are teaching at EGCC using the WRM.    

At EGCC, we have four classrooms: Arts & Crafts, Movement & Games, Science, and Storytelling.  For more information about the classrooms, click HERE (.pdf file).  We have three classes arranged by grade: K-1st, 2nd – 3rd, & 4th – 5th.   Each week, one class will be in one classroom.  Then, the next week, the classrooms stay the same with the same teacher (with some age appropriate adjustments), but a different grade will rotate into it.     So for example, the K – 1^st graders were in the Science class last week, and this week, they are going to learn about the same story, but in a different classroom (for example: Arts & Crafts).  Then next week, they will finish the Session by rotating to the Storytelling classroom. 

One weakness of the WRM is that it limits the time between teacher and student more than a traditional Sunday School model does.  There are two ways in which we try to address this "relationship deficit" between children and adults.  The first way is with the “shepherd.”  The shepherd is an adult who rotates with the class every week.  This adult learns the childrens' names and helps the children do the different activities in each class.  To further help the shepherd and the teacher get to know the kids, we’ve also created a “Question of the Week” that the shepherd asks the students at the start of each class.  The question is a personal question, but is also relevant to the story we're learning for this session.  To help the kids think about the question ahead of time, we send the Question of the Week out by email to all the parents who have kids in the WRM.   

Lastly, all WRM Classrooms consist of the teaching actions of Tell, Show and Do.  Some classrooms specialize in one action more than the others.  As a whole, the classrooms make a powerful learning combination.  However, no matter how effective, please remember that Christian Education is supplemental.  Christian discipleship is a daily, hourly practice.  Christian education can enhance, hone, and intensify Christian practices, but it can never, ever, be a replacement for it. 

To see lesson plans from a previous year, click HERE.