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> So What's the Difference
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"Spot the difference" was born out of a desire to see resources that could relate to the average Australian child. When we ask what do our children need today. I would say:
 Informal learning centres
To be involved in the learning process
To see that someone has answers to their everyday questions
Leaders willing to journey with them, not teach at them
A structure that allows them to question and wrestle with issues
Spot the Difference Curriculum has been written with all of this in mind. It is very different style
of learning to classic educational system. Spot the Difference aims for the following:
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STD material is written as it is used with a number of groups of children, in a number of settings- Kids Clubs,
camps or Sunday Schools. It is written, used with children and changed accordingly before it goes to print. It
is written predominantly with the 12 year old, non-Christian boy in mind believing that they are often the most
difficult to interest and reach.
It is also written assuming that the children know nothing about the Bible or Jesus. This means that it can be
used with Christian and non-Christian children alike.
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If you use this curriculum over the 4 years that you have the ages 8-12 years, you will cover all the essential
things in the Bible, From the beginning to the end. This does not happen by going in a linear from, from the
beginning to the end, but rather picking up on relevant themes for the children over the 4 years you have
taken the children through the Bible. (See "A Complete Approach for more details")
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Educationalist will tell you that we all learn best when we are active in the learning process. This material
puts children into stimulation games, situational issues, small group discussion, drama, games with a strong
message, at the very least enables them to be vocal during the teaching, with question and answer or making sounds
and cheers during story telling. It is taught from the perspective that we are all in a journey of learning together,
they are able to question, struggle and wrestle with the teacher about what god has to say to them. It also gets away
from the Schoolroom style which children get 5 days a week and don't need for another day on the weekend.
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Many of our children leave Sunday School at 12, feeling that God has nothing to say to them. This curriculum is written
with the focus being relevant themes that the children are dealing with everyday and then look at what God has to say to
them regarding their issues. This is picked up in a variety of ways, through the drama the children are able to relate
to the character and ask the question through that character. Also by, looking at people in the Bible and showing that
they were real people dealing with issues similar to us. Thirdly, through simulation games the children are put into
situations where they have to solve relevant issues for themselves. Finally the theme that is build upon each week,
starts from where the children and the questions they are asking.
As a teacher I know that we all learn very differently. The School system for a long time as concentrated on one
style of learning, the Analytical style. For many children if they learn differently, they learn at school that
they have problems in behaviour or just feel like a failures. Sunday School or Christian Education must be different!
The Bible teaches in Corinthians that we all have different gifts and skills and that they are all valuable and equal.
To truly teach this to our children there must be a variety of styles that we teach allowing for the individuals
within our groups. This curriculum picks up the main 4 teaching styles and designs each term so there is an equal
amount of teaching learning that goes on for each learning style. It allows children of different styles to engage
in learning fully at all times and sees the value for variety in life and learning.
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Much of the curriculum around has books that must be bought for each child or additional material that must be bought
to support the material. This curriculum has everything in it for a term. It is set up with photocopable masters so
that it can be used for 10children or 200 children with little difference in cost. It allows flexibility ti use
master while it suits the particular situation the Church is in.
You only buy a term at a time and can choose what you would like to teach each term rather that having
to follow a whole years curriculum that is set.
The structure is also flexible in that it has different ideas and option and each Church uses what
works for their situation. Although it si all set out for them, it also allow for individuality
and style to come through, which makes it authentic for each group. You are not so tied into a
curriculum financially and programmatically that you can't change anything to suit your circumstances.
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The leading curriculum ranges from $60-80 to $200-300. There are many smaller churches who struggle
with resourcing their ministry, this curriculum is workable for them. Also, coming from a large
Church situation, I got frustrated buying workbooks and worksheets that I never used. This way
you photocopy what you need from week to week.
The visual world that our children live in is very different to the world that the Christian Church portrays
This curriculum has very contemporary visuals and concepts or themes is one of the main things
that we get very positive feedback. The visuals alone stand as something unique from much of the curriculum that is sold today.
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It has been used in the following denominations: Churches of Christ, Baptist, Vineyard, Uniting, Anglican,
Lutheran, Christian Life Centre, and Assemblies of God.
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Australia and New Zealand within Sunday Schools, Kids Club and camping programs
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