I have to confess: I rarely use the manual. I usually read through it once to get a feel for the direction they take the topic, and then I go online and read the current conference talks that supplement the lesson. And then I teach it my own way.
I know I sound like a total apostate when I say that, but "my way" of teaching isn't spreading some propaganda or going off on some crazy conspiracy theory. I stick 100% to the doctrine, root it in scripture, I think most folks could sit through a lesson I teach and raise nary an eyebrow. What I mean is that I've discovered over my years teaching that I feel strongly about certain teaching methods. My foremost goal is getting the girls to apply the lessons to themselves, and I personally feel that some things work better than others to get that to happen.
Here's what you could expect to see if you were ever to sit through something I taught:
1. Every lesson includes the scriptures.
I cannot stand it whenever I hear someone apologize for using so many scriptures. Who could say it better? What else should we be using?
Like Jeans mentioned in her commentary on lesson 3-30, women do frequently defer to men on the scriptures. Maybe it's the habit borne of generations of male missionaries, but I see it all the time and it irritates me. If we women are more responsible for the home and children, then shouldn't it be our duty to be *more* knowledgeable about the scriptures? I want to do everything I can to get my girls experienced with them.
2. Include personal anecdotes whenever possible.
I think we all learn better from someone we're invested in. I think if my girls know me and trust me, they'll trust what I'm telling them enough to put it to the test themselves. Marketers have proved this to be true - billions of dollars spent on endorsement deals says that it works. To make my teachings and testimony matter to them, I think it's more effective if *I* matter to them and if they know they matter to me. The latter point is accomplished at activities and other times, but I think the former comes out in the lessons. I try to open myself up to these girls, to tell them stories from my life that illustrate the points in the lesson, to allow them to get to know me, and I think that those stories make more sense to them than some abstract fictional "Jane" from the lesson.
3. If the anecdotes aren't personal, make them as current as possible.
Gosh, how many lessons include stories about the pioneers? I don't mean to bash. I married into pioneer stock that is revered and I've totally drunk the kool-aid. I've made scrapbook albums and gathered photos and collected stories. I know more about Jared's heritage than he does. And yet every time I come across another pioneer story in our lesson manuals I brainstorm some other story I can use in its place.
When 30 seems impossibly far off to a 17 year old girl, how can she relate to someone who lived over a hundred years ago? If I have a choice between a story from a pioneer or something that Elder Uchtdorf said, I'll go with Elder Uchtdorf every time. The girls know him.
4. Do as little reading as possible.
It's been my experience that whenever anything is being read, the girls don't pay attention. And if I do too much reading, I'll lose them completely. Instead I work ahead of time to get the basic gist of the stories down, and then work from an outline. And when we read scriptures I make everybody read along.
I also try to be careful to not say, "The lesson says...." I think the message comes across better if I take responsibility for what I'm saying so the girls know that this is what I believe, not what the book tells me to say.
5. Avoid "mormon myths" or stories whose provenance is indeterminate.
I'm not sure it's possible to go through seminary and YW without hearing some seriously wacky things. If every story I heard back then was true then the second coming would have happened five times by now. Maybe as a result I tend to be pretty strict about this. I don't even pass on stories that are from a friend of a friend. If I don't know* the person who experienced it, I don't share it.
*In my book Knowing counts internet friends unless they're predicting the end of the world.
6. Be as honest and direct as possible.
Maybe it was just me, but I was pretty darn shocked when I entered the adult world and discovered that things were not as I was led to believe. I went to BYU and discovered that there were people there who were drinking! :gasp: and having sex! :double gasp: And yet they still managed to get good grades and not crash their cars into trees or get pregnant! As I got older I met more people than I'd like to admit who had their whole fortunes stolen by bishops. Sometimes you get no reward in this life for doing good, and sometimes the people who do bad get the reward. If you keep the commandments you will be blessed, but sometimes not in a way that makes anything easier. It's a hard, sad, fact of life, but one I think it's easier to be told about before you experience it for yourself.
7. Prepare the girls for their future.
For this generation we're teaching, many of them will divorce. Even more of them will need to work. Some of them will marry and have kids, some of them won't. I try to be mindful of their future as I teach so that not every lesson is marriage/family, marriage/family, marriage/family. Developing a rock solid testimony and making good choices will affect everyone, regardless of where their future takes them.
To be honest, I didn't even realize I had such a rigid set of ideals until I sat down to write this post. I always have been a willful little thing.
Now, please understand. What I'm talking about here is the best efforts that I as a teacher can bring to the table. I'm not trying to lay out a plan that takes the credit for any success or leaves out the fact that any true learning is done through the Spirit. Rather, I think the best way I have of insuring the Spirit is there to teach these girls is by putting in the work in preparation, being mindful of my stewardship, and then of course inviting the Spirit in. I also think that the Spirit may be able to make up for a lazy lesson if the girls are working for it, but the chances for meaningful educational moments are so much higher if the Spirit is there while I use my best efforts and talents to impart this knowledge.
What about you? Do you have any set rules for yourself? What are your goals for the lessons you teach?
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
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5 comments:
I like your rules. One of mine is to create a learning environment: set up the chairs to accommodate the class you are teaching. Take down chairs if there are too many. A small-ish semi-circle does wonders to encourage participation, and rows allow people to disappear and zone out in the back.
On No. 7, though, I have to voice my little plug about the importance of supporting marriage/family as a viable option. As a SAHM, I feel like I get the message from many, many places that I am wasting my time or being lazy or stupid by choosing to stay at home with my children and not work outside the home. Our church may be one of the few places they hear affirming, positive support for making such a choice.
When this topic comes up with my younger sisters (unmarried) I often encourage them to understand that life is not usually all or nothing (working/staying at home or married/single) but is usually a combination of all of the above. Learning to adapt to various circumstances will be important for all young women (and men) of this generation. Which is why I like what you're saying about teaching testimony.
Thanks!
You had such good timing with this post! I was just working on Sunday's lesson and was thinking about how I don't ever follow the manual to the letter. As a YW president, I was getting worried that I was setting a bad example. After reading your post, I realized that adapting the lesson to our own stewardship isn't just okay, it's preferable! Thanks for the boost!
I also didn't realize I have a set of lesson goals I follow until I starting typing this comment. Some of my goals are:
1. Pray for inspiration. This is probably a no-brainer for most of you, but I sometimes forget. I love teaching. Love it! And sometimes I get wrapped up in things I think would be fun/educational/purposeful and I forget who's really in charge :) I have started to make a point to pray before I read the lesson for the first time, pray that I will be guided to what sections of the lesson I should focus on that will best fit the needs of my girls.
2. Everyone uses their scriptures. I love love using scriptures. I personally don't like "passing out" scriptures to read - if we're going to read a scripture, everyone's going to look it up.
3. Have a hearty discussion at some point during the lesson. Less of me, more of them. And if they're not feeling cooperative, I just keep asking questions until they start talking. I just try different angles and they usually open up. These discussions seem to be what they remember most from the lessons, so I make it a priority.
4. Use an outline. I agree with the whole not reading too much ideal.
5. Testify! I try hard to bear my testimony at various times during the lesson, especially after personal anecdotes and powerful scriptural passages. I've noticed that my YW tend to tune out close to the end of class, since they know the end is near, and so I make sure I have shared my testimony multiple times so hopefully they can feel that Spirit and the power of testimony.
6. Don't spend the lesson apologizing. I've been in lessons where the teacher (bless her heart) apologizes for her handwriting, the way she looks, the way she reads, what she didn't do, how she didn't prepare, etc, and it detracts from the Spirit. I think we are all self-conscious when we teach, but I try to remember to focus on the lesson and the Spirit, not my personal shortcomings (which are many). However, I don't think it's bad to share personal stories where I've learned from my mistakes. I want to be real & approachable, but I don't want to overdue the apologizing. Does that make sense?
7. Stick to the doctrine. As I said, I rarely follow the manual in its entirety and I love to use supplemental material. But I try to use material from conference, the Ensign, New Era and The Friend - adding primary songs and hymns where appropriate. There are lots of other stuff out there, but the YW deserve to know what I'm telling them is real, legit and comes from Heavenly Father.
Whew. Long comment, I know. But I loved reading your ideals and it's been beneficial for me to share mine (many of them are the same or similar). I'm excited to see others as well!
Terrific, everyone. Keep 'em coming.
reese #6 and dieMutti #4, on that topic of working from an outline instead of reading out of the manual, I don't bring the manual to church at all. I try to make whatever's in front of me as unobtrusive as possible, as small as a sticky note if I can. And I totally echo dieMutti #6 - it makes total sense - it's not about you the teacher, so don't get caught up in worrying how others perceive your "performance."
Rachel, I do that with the chairs too. I teach in the room that was just used for the YW opening exercises, so we fold the chairs we're not using and make the room feel smaller & more intimate.
The main rule - tie everything into faith in Jesus Christ and in His atonement.
It's also nice to use creative teaching techniques.
Angie
I avoid the manual. I hate how the lessons make me feel embarrassed, like I really can't read this stuff to the girls, they aren't morons. I do research on the web with magazine articles, I print it out and highlight important things, while putting my own questions next to them. I emphasize, pretty much every single lesson, that sins don't make you a bad person and you are never too far gone, ever. I don't want them to feel they are bad when they come to church.
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