The middle part of Konnect is the teaching part—it’s all about introducing information. Let’s find out how you can lead small and lead effectively, even when you’re just watching a video!

Watch This:
This video will show you how to use the teaching part of Konnect to lead small.

Check Out These Tips:
A Note about the Teaching Part of Konnect
Kids are social learners—basically, they internalize and learn information when they are able to interact with other people. The following tips and tricks will help you leverage your small group as a social atmosphere where kids will be able to interact and better apply what they learn.

Point Konnection
This introduces the main idea kids will be focused on for the experience. Here’s how you can make it fun and effective.

• Emcees: When you introduce the point, you’re letting kids know what they need to learn from the episode. Yes, pray over offering, yes throw to the episode, but introducing the point, having kids say it with you, and telling them to look for it in the episode is very, very important.
• Small Group Leaders: Go all in on participating. By following your emcee’s leadership, you are encouraging kids to be excited, say the point out loud, and store it away to find out more in the episode. High five kids who participate and compliment them for their enthusiasm!
• Coaches and Techs: Follow the Emcee’s lead. If they’re praying or reciting the point, do the same. Continue to keep an eye out for any way you can support small group leaders.

Teaching Video
The teaching video can easily be seen as a time to “take a break,” but if you do that, your kids will do the same. Here’s how to keep everyone learning from the episode.

• Emcees, Coaches, and Techs
  Don’t distract small groups from their focus. Turn off microphones, but remain inconspicuously visible so kids can see you’re into the show and you’re participating by saying the verse and point out loud each time they come up.
  Pass curriculum bins to small group leaders and watch for any opportunity you can be of assistance.
• Small Group Leaders
  • Watch for distracting behaviors (like conversations about birthday parties, rolling around on the floor, pinching, hitting, or poking neighbors). Remind kids to focus on the video and ask the Emcee, Coach, or Tech for backup if you need it.
  • Don’t demand complete silence during the episode—instead encourage focused response. How do you do that?
    • When something funny happens, laugh, and encourage your kids to do the same.
    • If it’s sad, admit it quietly, and make kids feel comfortable to do the same.
    • If it’s shocking or surprising, keep your group a safe place for appropriate responses.
    • Participate verbally in saying the point and Bible verse along with the episode, and do the motions with the verse, too.
    • Compliment kids who participate, and redirect kids who are losing focus or are getting distracted.
    • Keep an ear open for kids to communicate with you. They may have a great observation or question that you can address quietly while the video plays, or that you can have them bring up during small group activity time or discussion time later on.

Verse Konnection
This is a recap of the episode’s teaching but it’s also an opportunity for kids to go over the Bible verse again. Here’s how to maximize this brief review.

• Emcees
  Be ready to respond to the strongest teaching in the episode in one quick, short sound bite. The Emcee Tech guide has a suggested script to help you keep it short, sweet, and concise, so you won’t run out of time to review the Bible verse.
  Prepare ahead of time on www.leaders.life.church (Great job! You’re already here!) to lead through the verse motions so you’re hitting the words, motions, and rhythm correctly. When you do it right, you’re making it easier for the kids to internalize it in a memorable, interactive way.
  Pitch to the small group activity, build excitement for it, and encourage kids to follow the direction of their leaders.
• Small Group Leaders: Just like with the Point Konnection, follow your Emcee’s leadership. Encourage your kids to listen, participate, and show them how it’s done by doing the verse motions and saying it out loud yourself.
• Coaches and Techs: Participate along with the Emcee as they lead through the verse, and look for ways you can help small group leaders keep their groups tight. If you see kids who are inching away from their group or pushing boundaries, step in to help out.

Talk It Over:
Now that you’ve watched a video and read a few tips, help the info stick! Talk over these questions with your experience coach or a LifeKids staff member. Share what you’ve learned with other leaders in Konnect!

1. While watching the Konnect episode, which behaviors do you think benefit kids in learning socially and which behaviors do you think become more distracting?
2. What do you think maintains a healthy balance between encouraging social learning and discouraging distracting behaviors?
3. What do you wish you could do better as a leader to encourage participation in your small group during the teaching part of Konnect? Ask an experienced leader or staff member for advice.

A special thank you to Orange and the reThink Group for their ideas and research on their “lead small” philosophy referenced in this article.