I often reflect on several different encounters I had with the parents of one of my students. On one occasion, the father had come to my classroom before school started for the day and in a nutshell wanted to know why I was putting his son in time-out so much (according to the student). I very calmly explained to him that in my classroom we are always talking about and practicing our rules and one of those rules is showing respect to others. I told him that if I saw people not showing respect they would be in time-out. His next line completely floored me: "I don't send my kid to school to learn respect." Now, Diane says that he probably didn't mean it as literally as I took it, but she also wasn't there to hear his tone of voice and she didn't know the whole context of the story.
The talk by Sister Margaret S. Lifferth from the Primary General Presidency brought me back to this very situation (and others) with this angry father. Her talked was focused on respect and reverence. One thing that stood out to me is her "appeal...to parents, teachers, and leaders to work together to teach, exemplify, and encourage the standards of respect and reverence that will strengthen our youth...." Even though her appeal was more focused toward a church worship setting, it has definitely validated my teaching of respect for others in a school setting. Other instances where this father treated me, Diane, and others very badly made me sad that his son wasn't learning from his father's example.
Something else I really enjoyed was how she stated that "reverent behavior is not a natural tendency for most children." Agreed. They have to learn it and sometimes it takes a VERY LONG TIME! "But it takes time, patience, and consistency. Remember that we are not only teaching a child his first lessons in reverence, but the child may be mastering his first attempts at self-discipline." I definitely said amen when Sister Lifferth finished her talk.
Ideas for teaching and exemplifying reverence: 1) "Love those in your class. Often the child who is the most disruptive needs your love the most." 2) "Take the time to explain what reverence is and why it is important." This is something that we are working on in our ward Primary. I missed a training meeting a few weeks ago that talked about reverence. It's just like the song: "Reverence is more than just quietly sitting; it's thinking of Father above." Instead of saying "Johnny you are sitting so reverently" we say "Johnny I love how you are sitting so still and listening." We do this because the quiet sitter might not be "thinking of Father above." Their mind might be elsewhere. So, during music time (hi, that's me!) and sharing time we try to show and explain that reverence is feeling the Spirit of the Lord and thinking about Jesus. I don't know if it's working, but as Sister Lifferth said, it takes "time, patience, and consistency." Maybe one day we will be blessed to see the effects of our teaching respect and reverence in our Primary (and our schools). I hope that I can be an example of respect for God and others so that my children may learn to do the same thing and learn what reverence really is.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Goal-Day 1
So as I mentioned in my previous blog entry, Kory and I have recently started weekly goals. After much thought and wracking my brain for an idea of a second goal I could have for the week, I finally (I'm almost ashamed to say because it took me so long) came up with the idea of reading 1 General Conference talk each day. As I was pondering the talk I just read a few minutes ago, I decided maybe blogging about some of the talks I read will be good for retention purposes!
Tonight's winner was a talk entitled "Finding Strength in Challenging Times!" by Elder Allan F. Packer. His talk was mainly about having the capacity to receive personal revelation in our troubled times and strengthening our testimonies through knowing certain gospel truths. One par that got me thinking was when he quoted Doctrine and Covenants 9:8 "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right." The thought crossed my mind at this point that this is what I encourage my students to do: Think about choices they are making or what they are writing in their journals or if the answer they have chosen makes sense with the test question. Now, they can't always ask me if it's right (like on the test) but they can ask for clarification and I guide and help them. I, too, apply this to myself when I think about certain things I want to do with my class or need to say to a parent of a struggling child and then I generally seek advice before taking the idea to the next level.
One other thing that enlightened my mind was when Elder Packer was speaking of noticing little "intimations" of the Spirit like a flow of pure intelligence that brings about "sudden strokes of ideas." I can't number how many times I have sat at my desk at school and thought about things that I would really like to change in my classroom, whether it be a routine or how my kids complete their Centers, etc. and ideas will just pop into my head as something I should at least try to see if I like it. The only regret from these experiences is that I have not written down everything that has been revealed to me. I have been able to recognize those experiences as receiving personal revelation and I am always thankful for those small moments when I can have "me and the Spirit" time to help me become a better teacher and even a better wife and family member.
I know I'm going to greatly enjoy having this goal for the week. More to come, I hope!
Tonight's winner was a talk entitled "Finding Strength in Challenging Times!" by Elder Allan F. Packer. His talk was mainly about having the capacity to receive personal revelation in our troubled times and strengthening our testimonies through knowing certain gospel truths. One par that got me thinking was when he quoted Doctrine and Covenants 9:8 "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right." The thought crossed my mind at this point that this is what I encourage my students to do: Think about choices they are making or what they are writing in their journals or if the answer they have chosen makes sense with the test question. Now, they can't always ask me if it's right (like on the test) but they can ask for clarification and I guide and help them. I, too, apply this to myself when I think about certain things I want to do with my class or need to say to a parent of a struggling child and then I generally seek advice before taking the idea to the next level.
One other thing that enlightened my mind was when Elder Packer was speaking of noticing little "intimations" of the Spirit like a flow of pure intelligence that brings about "sudden strokes of ideas." I can't number how many times I have sat at my desk at school and thought about things that I would really like to change in my classroom, whether it be a routine or how my kids complete their Centers, etc. and ideas will just pop into my head as something I should at least try to see if I like it. The only regret from these experiences is that I have not written down everything that has been revealed to me. I have been able to recognize those experiences as receiving personal revelation and I am always thankful for those small moments when I can have "me and the Spirit" time to help me become a better teacher and even a better wife and family member.
I know I'm going to greatly enjoy having this goal for the week. More to come, I hope!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Resurrection
No, I'm not dead. Still surviving and the prognosis for making it to the end of this school year looks promising. I only have 3 more real days of school left, then Friday is our field day and I say adios to my little munchkins and breathe a sigh of relief. Who knows how "real" those other 3 days will be. our schedule next week is packed full of assemblies, faculty vs. staff kickball game, and yes, a party in room 106! Join us if you like!
School has been just crazy and I think I'm looking forward to the end more than anybody else in the school. I am so ready to be done. Everyone pray that this next week will FLY!
Nothing much else is happening. Kory and I have started making weekly goals. Some weeks we have been better than other weeks at fulfilling our goals, but it helps us keep things in perspective. The last few weeks have been so busy we have just kept our same goals. We write them on an index card and stick them on the bathroom mirror. I must say this time around Kory and I have both been better at completing our physical goals than our educational/school goals. Getting grad school stuff going has been like pulling teeth and I think it will still continue that way for Kory. My excuse for not studying every day for the PRAXIS is quite lame and somewhat valid. I need professional development books to study so that when I do the practice exams I'm not just pulling random ideas from my head. Finding those books has been harder than anticipated. Hmmm.....I take the test in 3 weeks. We'll see what happens.
School has been just crazy and I think I'm looking forward to the end more than anybody else in the school. I am so ready to be done. Everyone pray that this next week will FLY!
Nothing much else is happening. Kory and I have started making weekly goals. Some weeks we have been better than other weeks at fulfilling our goals, but it helps us keep things in perspective. The last few weeks have been so busy we have just kept our same goals. We write them on an index card and stick them on the bathroom mirror. I must say this time around Kory and I have both been better at completing our physical goals than our educational/school goals. Getting grad school stuff going has been like pulling teeth and I think it will still continue that way for Kory. My excuse for not studying every day for the PRAXIS is quite lame and somewhat valid. I need professional development books to study so that when I do the practice exams I'm not just pulling random ideas from my head. Finding those books has been harder than anticipated. Hmmm.....I take the test in 3 weeks. We'll see what happens.
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