First Grader Halfway Through His AWANA Book?

[Job384]

This is our first year for AWANA, and I don't think that I yet fully understand how it works. A week ago, I prepared my son for the S and P Sparks verses, but when I picked him up, he was signed off on S, P, A, R, K, and S. He said he learned the others in class. I quizzed him, and he did know them. I thought they might have pushed him through because we missed a class while on vacation. Today I had him prepared for three verses because I assumed they had the whole class going at that pace, and he did seven, excluding the Return Flights. He now has his wings and two jewels. I paid attention when picking him up to see if they were moving all of the kids along this pace, but only one other child had wings, and some did not yet have vests.

 

My son is now halfway through his book. How is he doing this? What happens when he finishes it? (At this rate, he's going to be done in two or three weeks because he already knows the books of the New Testament.) Do I need to tell him to slow down? Is there something I should be asking his teachers?

 

(Side note: With all of the AWANA specific terminology, I bet this post sounds insane to people who have never done AWANA.)

 

Somebody who knows AWANA well, please explain this to me.

 

EDIT: Corrected. I put "Two weeks ago" when I meant last week,

[thegirlwhopaintedtrees]

My daughter made it through all of her first book and half of her second book last year.  They got time to review their verses at AWANA, so she would memorize a whole lot more during that time, than just those we had practiced at home.  When he finishes the first book, he should just move on to the next book.  At least, that's what they did at our AWANA.

[Job384]

Okay, he must be doing it during the review time then.

[Dory]

My 1st grader is about halfway through his book as well. I think it's pretty normal. He seems to be remembering them and can tell them to me so I'm not too worried about it.

[sdobis]

If I remember correctly, once you do ish your book, you have to do all verses again. Then you move on to extra credit. We had a boy in Sparks who was eventually given entire chapters memorize. Once you move up in grades and books, the sections seem to catch up to these excellent memorizers. I think this is why it is such age to fill their brains with a ton of facts. They have great memories. Later comes more understanding.

[Blessed Mommy]

Okay, for the past four years I've been a Sparks leader, and my older girls have gone through all three of the Sparks books.  My girls are also great at memorizing, so they finished their books usually in December.  After they finish all of the verses in the book, they go back to the beginning and review almost all of the verses.  If there is a circular space labeled "review" next to the original sign-off line (where the Sparks leader signed and dated the first time your child said the verse), then your child needs to say these verses again to their leader, and the leader will initial the circular space.  Once they've done that, there is an extra credit booklet ($8) you can purchase with additional, more challenging verses.  If they finish these booklets, they earn a Sparky pin that goes next to their wings on their vest, on top of the review patch (which is earned after they review all of their verses).  My daughter and another little girl finished all of this by March, so our AWANA secretary found and printed off some verses for the girls to memorize so they could each continue to earn points toward AWANA bucks for store night, and so they would have something to do.  A student is not to move on to the next book until the next school year.  Otherwise, some kids would work through all three books, and have nothing to do during their third year in Sparks! 

[athomeontheprairie]

Wow. That's all I can say. Our club must be set up a little differently. after they make it through the first book they have the review book. but they aren't allowed to move on to the next year's book. how big is your club? even with extra help in our Sparks & T&t classes, if they didn't know all those verses coming in there's no way we'd have enough help to teach them. as long as he is retaining the verses I say great job!

[LinRTX]

The information you have received so far is correct. One thing that has been overlooked however is that Sparks is a K-2 program. So since your child is in first grade, he can do both the K books and the 1st grade book. He should not be able to move on to the 2nd grade book. He can do the books , review, and extra workbook for both K and 1st this year.

 

Linda (who has worked in AWANA for 18 years and has 3 Citation achievers)

[Jess4879]

Okay, for the past four years I've been a Sparks leader, and my older girls have gone through all three of the Sparks books.  My girls are also great at memorizing, so they finished their books usually in December.  After they finish all of the verses in the book, they go back to the beginning and review almost all of the verses.  If there is a circular space labeled "review" next to the original sign-off line (where the Sparks leader signed and dated the first time your child said the verse), then your child needs to say these verses again to their leader, and the leader will initial the circular space.  Once they've done that, there is an extra credit booklet ($8) you can purchase with additional, more challenging verses.  If they finish these booklets, they earn a Sparky pin that goes next to their wings on their vest, on top of the review patch (which is earned after they review all of their verses).  My daughter and another little girl finished all of this by March, so our AWANA secretary found and printed off some verses for the girls to memorize so they could each continue to earn points toward AWANA bucks for store night, and so they would have something to do.  A student is not to move on to the next book until the next school year.  Otherwise, some kids would work through all three books, and have nothing to do during their third year in Sparks! 

 

We only did Sparks for one year, but this is how our club worked as well.  I was a parent helper and they'd have the kids recite what verses they learnt at home and then immediately start working on the next verse. We had two "practice sessions", one at the beginning of the class and one at the end. After covering the material several times in the first session, the majority of the kids were able to recite it in the second session and were signed off on that piece.  For us, the retention was short term with this method.  I, of course, realized that after she'd forgotten it all.  LOL

[Blessed Mommy]

I forgot to mention that each child works through the books at their own pace.  There will be some children who come every week and say 5 or 6 verses, while others will just say one.  The children are encouraged to complete at least two sections/verses per week in order to finish their books by the end of the year.  In our AWANA program, we tried really hard not to make it a competition between the children. 

[...................]

Yep, the above posters are correct.  Let them move him through faster.  It's OK because he will turn around and review it all again and then earn his Review pins.  Additionally, there are actually 3 books in the Sparks program so your son can finish the K book and move straight to the first grade book instead of Review.  At our old church, in the AWANA program, the kids were not encouraged to move to a new book above their grade level.  But if they started the program late, then they were indeed encouraged to move to the next book INSTEAD of doing the review.

 

You should still work hard with your son at home because this takes a TON of pressure off the Listeners and also means your son learns more verses.  Then, if he "crams" a few extra while he is there at AWANA, that is OK because a lot of it will be reviewed.  So it wont end up being cram and forget, later on.

 

And, lastly, by the end of Sparks and the beginning of TNT the verses are very long.  TNT is a lot of work!  It has long long passages, doctrine questions and assignments such as short writing projects, contacting missionaries, creating posters, etc. etc.  It is hard hard work just to finish a book, let alone earn the Silvers and Golds.  

 

The program is very very well organized, well laid out, and developmentally appropriate.  It takes into account that some kids will "cram" because they just don't have parents workking with them, and it's OK because it's all reviewed again later.   :hurray:

[Job384]

Thanks so much for the replies. I have a much better understanding now. Appreciate you all.

[Mom2TheTeam]

Okay, for the past four years I've been a Sparks leader, and my older girls have gone through all three of the Sparks books.  My girls are also great at memorizing, so they finished their books usually in December.  After they finish all of the verses in the book, they go back to the beginning and review almost all of the verses.  If there is a circular space labeled "review" next to the original sign-off line (where the Sparks leader signed and dated the first time your child said the verse), then your child needs to say these verses again to their leader, and the leader will initial the circular space.  Once they've done that, there is an extra credit booklet ($8) you can purchase with additional, more challenging verses.  If they finish these booklets, they earn a Sparky pin that goes next to their wings on their vest, on top of the review patch (which is earned after they review all of their verses).  My daughter and another little girl finished all of this by March, so our AWANA secretary found and printed off some verses for the girls to memorize so they could each continue to earn points toward AWANA bucks for store night, and so they would have something to do.  A student is not to move on to the next book until the next school year.  Otherwise, some kids would work through all three books, and have nothing to do during their third year in Sparks! 

 

 

The information you have received so far is correct. One thing that has been overlooked however is that Sparks is a K-2 program. So since your child is in first grade, he can do both the K books and the 1st grade book. He should not be able to move on to the 2nd grade book. He can do the books , review, and extra workbook for both K and 1st this year.

 

Linda (who has worked in AWANA for 18 years and has 3 Citation achievers)

 

Both of the above are true at our club.  My son was in 1st last year and it was his first year in Sparks.  (He had previously done Cubbies and I did AWANA as a child.) He did the book by the Jan and then did the review and extra credit and had nothing left.  For 2 or 3 weeks, he just sat there during book time.  :(  I tried to get him the second book after he completed the first (instead of reviewing and doing extra credit) because I knew he wanted to do all 3 and missed the first year.  They thought he was in K and would not let us have the next book.  I talked to them in more detail just a couple days ago.  When she realized he was in 1st last year, she felt very badly for not letting him move on.  She said he can do both this year to get his 3 year book award.  He is determined to do both books plus both reviews and both extra credits!  Plus, we missed the first 2 weeks of AWANA this year.  But, he is determined.  We'll see what we can make happen.  ;)

 

Anyway, mine often comes home with a verse or two more than what he learned at home.  I think its nice they do that, but at the same time, they don't really have it memorized, KWIM.  They do most of them again in review though.  So, it all works out.

 

Enjoy!! 

[GSOchristie]

Like others have said, i was told if he finishes the book, there is an extra credit book. We joined in late January last year and he finished the book by April. I was a little curious as to what they would have him doing since downtime equals getting into lots of trouble for him. His BSF verses are much harder than his Awana verses, so that has slowed him down a little, which is a good thing :). It's amazing how much information their little minds can absorb!

[knittingmama]

We were told that we can't go ahead in books, even with my little guy starting in 1st grade. We just did the extra credit book and weren't allowed anything else.

[LifeLovePassion]

Do you listen to the CD that came with the book? My dd doesn't have to work very hard with me at verse practice, she picks it all up from just listening to the CD all.the.time.

[ChristusG]

I'm a 1st grade sparks leader and my dd is also in 1st grade sparks this year.

 

Here's how our church does it.... They do the whole book, then go back through and do the reviews. Then do extra credit. Then the commanders challenge, which is memorizing big portions of scripture. We don't allow working ahead to the next years book.

 

We have 30 minutes for handbook time. The kids will take turns reciting what they've learned at home and then I'll try to work with them on learning new verses if there is time.

[Homemama2]

Hi! 

Yes, as others have said, since he is in first grade, he will work through the Kindergarten book (book 1) then move straight into book 2 (first grade).  He should NOT do the review or extra credit in the kindergarten book.  Review and extra credit is only for kids that finished the book for their grade level early.  If he then finishes book 2 this year, he can then do the review for book 2 and then move into the extra credit book for book 2.  However if he doesn't get them finished this year, he will not continue with the review or extra credit books for book 2 next year; he will move into book 3.  You can't finish up the reviews and extra credits the following year (so these awards are harder to earn.)  Hopefully I'm making sense.  :)

 

Also, the leaders are "suppose" to only allow 2 'helps' per section (not per verse).  A 'help' is suppose to only be a word or two to get the child going, not a sentence etc.  They are not allowed to help with the reference because they want them to be look them up later in the future.  Our church use to be more lenient and gave help with references or longer helps than what the rules say, and we realized the kids were not really memorizing them.  Now that we have gotten more strict, the kids are really learning them and remembering them much better.  :)