[Teachldsseminary] Students with Attitudes

[Kim]

Barb, 

I feel your pain.  I have been where you are.  I've had my things in my room
vandalized - I have had locks broken on church cabinets - I've even had my
new car keyed.  Just remember that these are all just things and can be
replaced but people cannot.  Have a good cry at home away from them and then
move forward with love.  

I will tell you that have taught both ways, I actually am of the opinion
that attitudes are worse when you have only one age group in the class.  I
am currently teaching a mixed age class and actually prefer it hands down
over just a single grade level.  Some days my freshmen actually lead my
upperclassmen - but other days it is the reverse.  

When I moved to this area last year and began my first year teaching here I
dealt with (and still do occasionally) quite a bit of what you are talking
about.  The kids in this area previously had no expectations put on them
except to show up occasionally (most would only show up the last 2-15
minutes of class).  Scripture mastery was not done.  Reading the scriptures
at home was never thought of.  In fact, most didn't even have scriptures.  

Love is the only thing that is going to help change attitudes.  Do not lower
your standards, but make sure the kids feel like you love them.  I have had
to learn out here that change will happen slowly.  By the end of last year,
my students were showing up within the first 10 minutes of class and all but
two of them were here to sing the opening song most of the time.  This year
things are even better.  No matter what time they arrive, I always let them
know that I am grateful they came.  

One of the things I really am focusing on this year with my class is how the
Spirit is the teacher.  We have had several lessons on this and I made a
point the first several weeks of school to ask the person saying the opening
prayer to please ask the Spirit to be with us in class today.  At our
parents fireside before school started, the Bishop and I both spoke on this
and then asked the parents to please pray every day for the Spirit to be
with the youth, with me as their teacher, and in our class.  Things have not
been perfect, but I am seeing a shift happen slowly.   Unfortunately, most
of our kids know the rote methods of prayer, but they do not really think
about what they are saying - this is something that we (and hopefully their
parents) have to teach them at this stage of life.  It is a process, a
journey, and so it will happen over time.  

It is very discouraging to walk into what you did yesterday.  I do not
believe it is coincidence that it happened on the day you were teaching that
lesson.  What a great reminder to you, and all of us.  Reread Exodus 6:5-6 -
Heavenly Father is aware of your struggle right now and He will be with you
and will help - BUT it will be on his timetable.  It helps me to remember
that these students are His children and He wants them to succeed even more
than I do.  However, He cannot take away their agency.  Teach them correct
principles.  I love Elder Packer's quote - True doctrine, understood,
changes behavior.  Make sure you continue to focus on the doctrines and
principles - help them to UNDERSTND the why's - their behavior will change
as a result of that, but it will be gradual.  

Know that you are not alone and that we all feel your pain.  Teaching
seminary is the hardest thing I have every LOVED!  

~Kim
Savannah, GA
 
-----Original Message-----
From: teachldsseminary-bounces at latter-dayvillage.com
[mailto:teachldsseminary-bounces at latter-dayvillage.com] On Behalf Of Barb
Gardner
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 9:11 AM
To: teachldsseminary at latter-dayvillage.com
Subject: [Teachldsseminary] Students with Attitudes

I am a first year, early morning seminary teacher.  There are 8 students in
my class.  There are 2 freshmen girls that are very enthusiastic.  Then,
there are 3 sets of 2 siblings each (2 of which are my own children) that
are upper class-men.  Does anyone have ideas and suggestions on how to deal
with the rotten attitudes of these upper-class students?  I am beginning to
see the value in dividing the class by grades.  

My fear is that their poor attitudes will rub off on the younger students.
Our seminary program has truly struggled for the past few years for various
reasons, so I've really been putting a tremendous amount of effort into
making the lessons interesting, getting the students involved, and making it
enjoyable, but most importantly, being on time and being prepared.

But, this morning, when I arrived, some of my visuals had been tampered
with, the clock that we use to sign in everyday is completely gone, and
someone had glued my scripture mastery aids together, making them unusable.
Now whether it was my students or not, I don't know, but it was the breaking
point for me and I lost my composure.  Ironically, I was teaching the lesson
about Moses not feeling confident about his calling to lead the people of
Egypt out of captivity.

Has anyone else experienced this type of struggle, and if so, what did you
do to get through it?

Thanks for your help
Barb G
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