Oasis Children's Ministry
Oasis Director's Manual
Introduction
Oasis directors oversee the nurseries and classrooms at the Central Teachings. Collectively the directors, nursery administrator and program director comprise the Oasis Leadership Team. The "Director Job Description" provides a brief overview of the responsibilities of a director. This is meant as a more in-depth manual on specifically how these responsibilities should be carried out. Before reading this manual you should be very familiar with the Oasis Staff Handbook.
Qualifications
Because the position of director is a leadership position, it is necessary that each director fulfill the deacon qualifications of I Timothy 3, sign the Xenos Servant Covenant and work toward membership on the Servant Team, if not a member. It is important that directors have some ability and experience in administration and leadership. Teachers need an organized person on whom they can depend. Because directors interact with a number of parents and volunteers, they should be personable, sensitive and willing to listen to concerns and ideas of others. They should also have the big picture of how the Oasis ministry fits into the overall goal of Xenos Christian Fellowship in reaching the lost.
Prayer
Ultimately prayer is what makes Oasis an effective outreach to parents and children. Any ministry becomes an empty institution without dependence on God. Therefore, the directors should be devoted to regular prayer. In addition to times of personal prayer, whenever possible directors should join teachers or directors in prayer before or after the teaching.
Arrival & Initial Teacher Interaction
Directors need to arrive one to one-half hour before the teaching to check their for notes or information to distribute to teachers. As teachers and nursery workers arrive directors check in briefly with them to see if they have any special needs. It is also helpful for the directors to meet and welcome any substitute teachers.
Parent Interaction
As children arrive teachers are busy either checking children in or helping out at different stations in the classrooms. Therefore, this is not a time when they are able to talk with directors. During this time directors continue making brief "doorway" rounds looking for needs or anything unusual. New people are easy to spot and usually eager to talk to someone about the location of classrooms and/or Oasis policies. This is why wearing your director's name badge and vest is essential. Teachers should also wear their name badges in order to be identified by the parents.
Parent Room
New parents sometimes spend their first weeks in the Parent Room because they want to talk to someone in charge before they put their children in our care. During the meeting check the Parent Room for new people and, if appropriate, spend some time answering their questions and getting to know them..
Discipline
At times teachers will need help or direction in the discipline of a particular child. This may involve intervention by the director. Directors may need to give the teachers ideas on how to creatively teach appropriate classroom behavior (see Oasis Staff Handbook).
Attendance
Attendance is taken at each Central Teaching. One director will take responsibility to get the attendance of children and adults in each of the classrooms as well as the Parent Room and the Mezzanine. The totals are calculated and given to the sound technician. The attendance sheet is completed and placed in the Central Teaching administrator's basket. After class teachers will deposit their attendance sign-in sheets in the Central Teaching Administrator's basket.
After Central Teaching
Directors check classrooms to be sure they have been left in an orderly condition (see Oasis Staff Handbook).
Support Teams Interaction
When Support Teams are participating in your classrooms introduce yourself and offer any necessary assistance.
Classroom Evaluation
Because input, encouragement and constructive critique are very necessary for the teams to know where they are on track and where they need to make adjustments, each classroom should be observed and evaluated once each quarter. Teams are generally very appreciative of the time and care given to them for an evaluation.
The evaluation forms are to be used as guides for observation, completed during the class and shared with the team after the class. A copy should be given to each team member and the Central Teaching Administrator.
When Directors observe in a classroom they should inform the other classrooms where they will be in the event they are needed.
Director Absence
Directors should notify the Central Teaching Administrator, their co-directors and their Lead Teachers in advance of their absence. The co-Directors will fill in for the absent Director by distributing necessary materials and checking on all classrooms.
Director Meetings and Reports
The Oasis Leadership Team meets quarterly for food, fellowship, edification and planning.. A Director's quarterly report form should be completed for the Central Teaching Administrator.
Lead Teacher Interactions
Good communication is the key to avoiding confusion and keeping volunteers. Directors are responsible to communicate a large amount of information from the leadership team to the lead teachers who in turn should pass it on to their team members. Teacher team meetings should be encouraged to promote team unity and insure that the teachers are up to date on current events and information. Directors should have regular contact (personally or over the phone) with Lead Teachers to find out how their teams are doing. Lead Teachers should be encouraged to be in contact with their team members. Their level of involvement should be enough to know where encouragement, prayer and praise are needed.
Lead teacher meetings may be held anytime. If a Lead Teacher cannot attend a meeting, it is recommended that he/she send someone else to represent their team.
All lead and team teachers must be involved in a home group within Xenos. If a director is aware of a teacher who needs a home group, he/she can assist the teacher to find one or notify the Central Teaching Administrator for assistance.
At times the director may also be called on to act as mediator for a teaching team in order to preserve the unity among team members.
Oasis Special Events
Directors help the program director plan and execute a number of special events during the year. These events include but are not necessarily limited to orientation, training seminars, and teacher appreciation.
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