Asked for some specific questions to get feedback from both students and teachers about Sunday School in a comment on “So, You Were Asked to be the Sunday School Superintendent,” I knew my response would be lengthy and pertinent to many Sunday School Superintendents.
I am keeping this general enough to be broadly used. Simply tailor the questions to the age you teach and your particular situation.
Assessments of Sunday School could get detailed in measuring the effectiveness of the curriculum being used, the classroom space or facilities, teachers, and the like. You will find some assessment tools in the Christian Education Files resource on those areas. What I am going to provide in this post are questions measuring the overall effectiveness of your Sunday School ministry.
The questions about S.S. will measure the following:
1) The purpose for your Sunday School versus people’s perceptions of its purpose
The responses to this question should help you determine if you are adequately communicating and/or fulfilling the purpose. If not, you need to determine steps you can take to: 1) make sure your purpose is what it should be, 2) better communicate why you have a Sunday School, and 3) train leaders, teachers, and other Sunday School workers to better work toward that purpose.
2) The strengths and weaknesses of your Sunday School ministry
The responses to these questions should help you know what you should keep doing and in what ways you need to improve. You might not be able to act on every idea but you should at least prayerfully consider what you can do differently as a result of what was shared. Improvements could be made immediately or turned into long-term goals. But, asking for feedback is only beneficial if you plan to change where you can.
3) The effectiveness of your Sunday School ministry
The responses to these questions should help you determine if you are utilizing this program of the church to its maximum potential. The questions provided are thus divided into four areas in which Sunday School can be beneficial: 1) spiritual growth, 2) reaching out to the unsaved, 3) fellowship, and 4) assimilation.
As in all you do, make sure this whole process of evaluating your Sunday School is embedded in prayer. Ask for wisdom in drafting the specific questions you should use. Trust God to guide students in honestly responding. Pray God shows you how you should use the results of this survey.
The questions to measure your Sunday School’s effectiveness:
Under each of the areas you will find questions for students and then for teachers as they will be coming at it from different perspectives. It is recommended that you make two separate forms. The questions are close enough that it should help you see if there is a gap between what teachers think is happening and feedback from student realities. In most cases their responses should also provide some suggestions of what you can do to bridge that gap.
1) The purpose of Sunday School
Use the same question for both students and teachers:
- What do you think is the purpose of Sunday School?
2) The strengths and weaknesses of your Sunday School ministry
Use these questions for students:
- What makes you want to come to Sunday School?
- What makes you want to stay away from Sunday School?
- If you could change one thing about Sunday School, what would it be?
Use these questions for teachers:
- What is the most positive thing about teaching Sunday School to you?
- What is the most negative thing about teaching Sunday School to you?
- What can the church do to make Sunday School teaching a more positive experience for you?
3) The effectiveness of your Sunday School ministry
Measuring spiritual growth:
Use these questions for students:
- How has Sunday School helped you in your walk with God?
- What can we do to better help you know and love the Lord?
Use these questions for teachers:
- What evidence do you see that your class is helping students get to know and love the Lord better?
- What training, tools, or tasks would help you more effectively disciple your students?
Measuring outreach:
Use these questions for students:
- Would you feel comfortable bringing your unsaved friends to Sunday School? Why or why not?
- In what ways do you feel Sunday School is helping you want to reach out to your friends and families?
Use these questions for teachers:
- What evidence do you see that your class is drawing in and reaching the unsaved?
- What evidence do you see that Sunday School is better equipping your students to reach out to their friends and family?
- What training, tools, or tasks would help you more effectively use Sunday School as a means of reaching the unsaved?
Measuring fellowship:
Use these questions for students:
- In what ways does Sunday School help you develop Christian friendships?
- How have fellow students been used by God to help you grow in your relationship with God?
- How has your Sunday School class met specific needs you have had in your personal life?
Use these questions for teachers:
- What evidence do you see that Sunday School is helping students form spiritual bonds among one another?
- What is being done to build community among students?
- What training, tools, or tasks would help you more effectively build community among students?
Measuring assimilation:
Use these questions for students:
- How does Sunday School help you feel like a part of this church?
- How does Sunday School prepare you to get involved in the ministry of this church?
Use these questions for teachers:
- What evidence do you see that Sunday School is helping students get acclimated to the whole church and not just your class?
- What evidence do you see of students becoming better equipped to serve as a result of Sunday School?
- What training, tools, or tasks would help you more effectively assimilate students into total church life and ministry?
Please note: You are permitted to copy and use these questions to measure the effectiveness of your Sunday School ministry. If you are using all or most of the questions verbatim, you should make attribution to the source simply by a footnote such as: “Provided by Ministry Tools Resource Center – http://MinTools.com”
General Help on Doing Assessments:
Leadership Skills: Assessment
Ministry Needs Assessment