[Teachldsseminary] QUES: SM memorization

[katemwilson@comcast.net]

My first year teaching I thought I'd have them mark the SM's when we taught that section.  This didn't work very well for a few reasons.  If a kids happens to be absent on the day you teach a SM, their book may NEVER get marked!  (This has happened in my class...how he managed to sit through the rest of the year with all of our SM activities and STILLL not mark it is beyond me.  By the end of the year, the rest of the class would tell him "You know, it's the one you never marked."  And he'd find it!)  Also, some scripture masteries come so late in the book of scripture that if you wait to go over them until you teach that book or section, you lose most of the year.  I start using the SM's in games and reviews a few at a time, right from the beginning.  I usually introduce 3-5 a week so that by Halloween, we are using all of them in our games and scripture chases.  I say "I" introduce them, but I actually have the kids do them for the first 25 days of devotionals, and then I review 
them on Fridays.

What I have been doing the past few years which has worked fairly well, is that I send my kids notes a few times during the summer.  The first note also includes the first 10 SM verses with key words.  I encourage them to take 10 minutes and mark them right then.  (This also facilitates them "finding" their seminary scriptures during the summer so that they will have them by the first day!)  About a week later, I will send them the next 10, and then the next 5.  (I also tell them if they show me their books, marked, on the first day, they will get a small treat (a pack of gum, a "free tardy" pass, etc.)  

Hope this helps--

Katie Wilson
Midlothian, VA
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Debbie <debbie57 at gmail.com>
> Remember me?  First time teacher here.  ;-)
> 
> As far as SM goes........do you all have them mark their SM scriptures 
> right away?  Do you have them mark them as you get to that particular 
> scripture?  Do you introduce the SM scriptures to them all within the 
> first week?  Month? 
> 
> Thanks!
> 
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