[Teachldsseminary] Encouraging Class Punctuality (long)

[Marji]

Wow - 23 students, you go girl.  May the Lord bless you always.
Thanks for your note.
Marji

On 9/28/07, Mary Shipley <shipley0482 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Thank you for your words of encouragement! Great article.
>
>   -Mary
>   w/23 daily seminary students & counting!
>
> Marji <king.attolia at gmail.com> wrote:
>   I've thought about tardies a lot. It seems to me that the most fair way to
> treat tardies IF the problem is chronic and disruptive to the class and the
> student themselves is to keep track of the actual minutes the student is
> late, and add it up. Ten minutes a day for a week is an entire class
> period. Keep track of the minutes, not just the number of times a student
> is late, and establish a policy that the time will need to be made up for
> attendance purposes (within the 80% rule). That way, if the student's
> tardies are endangering their credit for the class, it is an accountability
> based on their actual requirement for make up.
>
> I lived way out in the country when I went to seminary. I came from a
> recent convert family and my dad was a non-member who used to drive me in to
> early morning seminary. I don't remember how many times I was late - I'm
> sure there were more than a few. But I do NOT remember EVER being chastised
> or reprimanded for being late to class. Sometimes we need to consider the
> situation, and just be glad the student is there - not put any stumbling
> blocks in their way. Welcome them to the feast of the Lord with open arms
> and make the best use of your time while you have them in your presence.
>
> DO NOT HAVE your students come to seminary only to hear you "trifle with
> words," as the scripture says. Do not ever trifle with your words or their
> time! You are on a sacred stewardship to raise the bar. Make it worthwhile
> to get up in the mornings and commune with the Lord prior to going out into
> the world.
>
> Teaching with love sometimes means making allowances for tardies. Much as
> we would like them to go away, they are not going to go away. Our challenge
> is to encourage attendance - moreso, to encourage ATTENTION while in the
> classroom by having something worthy and challenging to say to our very
> bright and promising students. Work on eliminating tardies by having
> something of the fruit of the tree of life for their nourishment every
> single day.
>
> Fun and games are all fun and games, but they are not all seminary. Let us
> focus on the things of the Lord. Remember prayer as a true force to
> enlighten the mind and bring to pass much good in the hearts of our
> students. Teach them the true power of prayer - do not let them go from
> your classroom still saying rote, primary level prayers. As we bring them
> to the feast of the Lord, and through his love and influence we touch their
> minds and hearts, their own motivation will swell within them to get out of
> bed and get to the "house of the Lord" together with their companions in
> faith.
>
> We call it in our class "overcoming the gravitational pull of Jupiter" - the
> gravitational pull of the mattress. Motivation them through personal
> conversion, not tally marks, and not concussive, recursive confrontations.
> This will prove to be less than optimal.
>
> Love the Lord and show forth his love unto them. They will love one
> another, and their association will become a joy unto them that will
> enlighten their understandings and begin to be delicious unto them. Your
> tardies wil decrease dramatically. Your children (yes, they are our
> children) will grow to love you, and you will be unto them a blessed
> messenger of the power of God unto salvation.
>
> Sometimes, too, it is the PARENTS who need the additional motivation to help
> their daughters and sons reach for the Son that early in the morning. I
> have an article here http://www.lds-nha.org/mattress.php that I wrote on
> that very topic. You might find it interesting and helpful. The
> subheadings, you will note are: Winning the Battle of the Mattress, Of
> infinite worth, Motivation, Imagine for a moment. These are some of the
> things that we need truly consider if we are to truly help our students and
> their families to grow in the gospel.
>
> The gospel net gathers of every kind, and we need to be sensitive to that.
> Help them all to reach their fullest potential. I have one student (a
> junior) who likes to close his eyes during class. I've taught him for three
> years now. He is my "cave dweller". Sometimes he puts his head down, too.
> Know what? He is always listening, and I've come to peace with that, and I
> allow him that personal space. His home life is not ideal, and he has some
> personal struggles. But he is there in seminary every morning, even if
> sometimes he comes in late. My duty to this child (and our duty to one
> another) is to bring him to the table of the Lord. Yesterday I asked my
> class which of them had felt the prompting of the Holy Ghost at some time in
> their spiritual growth. Yes, my 'cave dweller son' (for I do call them all
> my sons [or daughters]) raised his hand high at that question. The Lord is
> working with this young man, my son, and I will work with him also. All
> growth is progressive, and some students are more ready for the feast of the
> Lord than are others.
>
> Let us make sure they all know they are invited, nurture their talent to
> know and recognize the truth as it is known to us today, and light the way
> for them. The Lord will help us with the rest of the details. They are his
> children to walk in the light, too. We are all partners in this holy walk.
>
> May the Lord bless us all in our classrooms and in our homes and in our
> closets, I pray, as do we all.
>
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