Random Musings on Teaching

Tonight I am grateful for good teachers and good meetings. I just got home from a Stake Primary Board Meeting: meaning everyone in the Stake who has any calling in Primary should have been there. (That's a lot of people.) Sadly, it was sparsely attended. Gladly, it was an excellent meeting on the power of teachers. The goal of Primary, churchwide, is to bring children unto Christ. The Stake Primary President had a rope with Christ on one end and the child on the other. Then she "added" the following people to the rope: the prophet, Stake President, Bishop, Primary President, Teacher. We talked about how teachers are the closest on the "chain" to the children and how important teachers really are. How critical it is to love and know the children we teach.

The keynote speaker then talked about how to be a powerful teacher. He happens to be a presenter/speaker by profession and he was so good. He talked about how powerful teachers have four things in common: they take responsibility, have faith, have hope and have charity.

A few of my favorite quotes from the evening:
"There are two things children should get from their parents: roots and wings" (Johan Wolfgang VanGoethe).

"The way we see people is the way we treat them, and the way we treat them is what they become" (Johan Wolfgang VanGoethe).

"No one can assist in this work except he shall be humble and full of love, having faith, hope, and charity" (Doctrine & Covenants 12:8).

Another example he gave was an acorn. Only one in 10,000 acorns that fall off a tree will grow into another tree. Why is that? Because an acorn requires just the right conditions to grow. Every acorn that falls from the tree knows HOW to grow, but not all are given the right conditions. Children know, innately, how to grow. It is our responsibility as parents, teachers, leaders, etc., to provide them with the best conditions so they can grow to their full potential.

Of course, it was way better than I can convey. It was, in a word, motivational. Just what a meeting should be.

Another perk: I got to go with my hubby, since he is serving in Primary right now, too! Yea for mid-week date nights:).

Kylene's First Primary Talk

Kylene gave her first talk in Primary this past Sunday. Last Tuesday, I reminded her we needed to decide what she was going to say. She knew the subject was supposed to be on prophets but I had every intention of writing the talk for her and helping her read it. But she told me she knew what she wanted to say and immediately started telling me. After her first sentence, I jumped up and started typing it out on the computer. Here is what she told me, with little to no prompting from me:

Jesus Christ testified that Adam was our first prophet and Adam's wife would be named Eve. Jesus Christ also testified that we would come to earth and after we died we would be resurrected like Jesus Christ was.

President Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today. He also teaches us the Gospel. He teaches us that missionaries are on this earth. Also President Monson teaches us that we should be kind to one another. Also President Monson teaches us that Jesus came to earth before we were born and when He was on the earth, He helped people and He taught the Gospel. President Monson teaches us that we have to be baptized to live with Jesus Christ again.

I believe that prophets live and we should follow them. I know this Church is true and I know prophets live. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

She then wanted to practice reading it almost every day last week so, needless to say, she was very ready for Sunday. On Sunday she was nervous but I told her that was normal and I knew she could do it. And she did! She got up and spoke so clearly and read the entire thing herself. I stood beside her feeling a little bit conspicuous, in fact! It was so fun to see her have the courage to do it and have her express those thoughts so clearly. Kyle brought the two boys in and sat in the back and listened. I love the Gospel and the wonderful truths our children learn, but also I love the skills they begin learning at such a young age (in this case, public speaking).