Online Reflection: Know, Feel, and Do posed some difficult, and probably uncomfortable, questions. It is likely that you have volunteer teachers with little Biblical or denominational literacy. How can you, as the learning planner, help teachers develop a more mature understanding of the Bible and the beliefs and practices of your church?

1. Discuss your congregation's learning focus with your pastor or learning committee. Where should teachers put their time and energy? What "end result" do you hope to achieve? This is not an easy decision. However, it is one that must be made in order for you, the children, and the teachers to be successful. In the words of a wise education professor, "If you don't know where you are going, you'll never know if you get there."
2. What resources do you have with information about your denomination's beliefs, biblical interpretation, theology, sacraments, worship practices, and daily faith practices? Gather them together. Tell teachers where they can find them. Make copies of information from your denomination's Web site. Lutheran Basics for Teachers is a quick and inexpensive reference book Lutheran teachers can carry to class each day. www.augsburgfortress.org
3. Link your volunteers together to talk about the content they are teaching — and so they can continue to learn.

• Be sure teachers know where they can get the resources you want them to have.
• Invite your pastor to be a part of your electronic or person-to-person group discussion for this part of the Online Training for Sunday School Teachers. Ask each teacher to e-mail or phone in three questions, compile the list, and give it to your pastor. The pastor may wish to be a part of an in-person discussion, send a group e-mail response, or post answers on your church Web site.
• This is a good time to start a "Questioning Center." Find a place where teachers, as well as children and youth, can write questions they want to discuss. You could offer 10-minute "stand-up" workshops based on these questions — perhaps right after class or between Sunday school and worship.
• Help teachers make a plan to continue their personal or electronic connections after the Web training is complete.