I'm teaching Sunday School this year and I'm experiencing a bit of difficulty with the kids...?

Question

First off, it's obviously hard to keep their attention since they're interested doing in their own thing. I don't feel that they have disrespect for me; they're just out of control. (The age group, by the way, is kindergarten-3rd grade.)
I clearly explained to them that whoever follows my instructions well in class will be rewarded at the end (stickers, erasers, etc.). If they don't follow instructions, they will not receive a reward. A couple have responded well to this and do follow my instructions. Today I had two kids that had tantrums because they didn't get prizes. I told them next time they might if they follow instructions better.
And lastly, there's a kid who's generally a trouble-maker; puts others down, wants to do things their way, etc. (one of the ones who threw a tantrum), who I'm generally having trouble dealing with.
Any advice?

Thanks for your help, everyone. There's something good in each question, so I'm putting it to vote.
Thanx again

Answer 1

Do you have any friends who are elementary school teachers? Are there any at your church? Ask your pastor to introduce you to some, then, do your best to be open-minded to her suggestions, which will seem foreign, lol (my sister in law teaches school and teachings kids is wayy diff. than adults, hard for me to do, also) and take notes, I hope this helps...

Answer 2

up the bribe. your method thus far is bribery - you do this, i'll give you that. erasers are only interesting for so long. it means more work, but try something like cake or brownies or cookies. sugar is always a good kid getter. also, try rewarding throughout the class, not just at the end. that will help them stay focused. and it gives them encouragement. use the erasers throughout the class, with a big prize at the end. you can also try games. teaching through games or through acting out a goofy story usually works. make a fool of yourself. they'll like you better for it and stay focused on you rather than getting lost in thought or orneriness.
hope this helps, lol.

Answer 3

Well, reminder them over and over agian that if they don't do what you tell them that they will not get a reward. Give them a warning system, 1 - warning, 2 - timout, 3 - loss of reward, 4 - go sit with parents, or something like that. I used the sam tequnique with the same age group. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I am a Sunday school teachers aid and what i have learned would have a prize chart. For every day they are good in class they get to get a sticker. For every 4 or 5 stickers they get they get to get a prize from the prize box!! Good Luck, I hope that it works for you.

Answer 5

You will need to teach them in a way that will keep their attention. Make Sunday school a little fun. Make it a challenge for them. And give them tests just like in regular grade school.