[Teachldsseminary] TEACH - Cold Weather Strategies

Thu Mar 13 06:58:54 MDT 2008

Is there a powerpoint or something already in the Seminary files that would
do this?  Would love to but very limited in my prep time and knowledge of
computers....
Thanks!
Shalynn
EMS Bridgeport CT

On Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 7:40 AM, Julee Bernhisel <mamajb at tampabay.rr.com>
wrote:

> I have done a silent lesson each of the past three years of teaching.
>  They
> are ALWAYS effective and very powerful.  And as Tim said, you do have to
> be
> COMPLETELY silent.  I plan on doing my own version of the Gethsemane
> lesson
> the Friday before Easter.
> I highly recommend them.
> Julee
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tim Holder" <webmaster at latter-dayvillage.com>
> To: "'Free Email list for LDS Seminary Teachers'"
> <teachldsseminary at latter-dayvillage.com>
> Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 3:40 AM
> Subject: [Teachldsseminary] TEACH - Cold Weather Strategies
>
>
> > Below is a text only portion of my last newsletter to LDV seminary
> > subscribers.  I thought it perhaps worthwhile to share with the list.
> > Please note that there are no links included as anyone without a
> > subscription could not get to them, so I did not include them.  NOTE: If
> > you
> > are a filing cabinet subscriber and did not read this portion of the
> > newsletter, you can access it on your membership page, in the newsletter
> > archive section (lower left corner).
> >
> > If you are a list member without a subscription and would like details
> of
> > an
> > example email to you, correspond directly with me
> >
> > webmaster at latter-dayvillage.com
> >
> > please do not reply to the list requesting that information.
> >
> > COLD WEATHER STRATEGIES
> >
> > Are you struggling with colder weather, morning darkness, and lack of
> > student attention?  It's the wintertime blahs.  Warmer weather and
> > sunlight
> > always help to solve these problems, but what co you do in the mean
> time.
> > We
> > present just a few teaching strategies here that can shake things up
> > enough
> > in your class to re-stimulate those young minds you are nurturing, and
> > help
> > both you and your students have meaningful teaching moments.
> >
> > Remember, telling is not teaching. Teaching is 'presiding' over
> learning.
> > You preside and are charged with orchestrating learning classroom
> > situations.  Here a few suggestions to change up your normal teaching
> > routine; in essence shed to bright light on what can be learned and
> taught
> > at such an early hour.
> >
> > SEMINARY HIGH SCHOOL
> >
> > Seminary High School is a method of presenting your lesson concepts
> using
> > a
> > rotating class schedule, based on 'subjects' that you students might be
> > studying during their regular school coursework. E.g., teach a mini
> class
> > in
> > History, going over the historical settings and happenings in your
> lesson
> > block.  Then teach another mini class in English, reviewing the writing
> > techniques employed by the author in several verses.  Get into the
> meaning
> > of words, any similes, metaphors, etc. Give a vocabulary quiz.  Teach
> > another mini class - PE. Go to the gym for a short session of Sm Messy
> > Basketball or SM Broom Hockey.
> >
> > Well maybe you get the idea. Yes, this takes lots of prep time, but
> spring
> > it on a Monday and your students will be engaged differently for the
> rest
> > of
> > the week.  Follow up with mini-high school class sessions for the
> > remainder
> > of the years.
> >
> > Here are several example outlines to help you plan your Seminary High
> > School:
> > 1. Isaiah 36-47 Seminary High School
> > 2. Seminary High School - Sections 129 and 130
> > 3. Isaiah 48 - 52 Seminary High School
> >
> > SILENT LESSON
> >
> > Can you teach an entire lesson without uttering a word? Silence is
> golden,
> > especially as a change up from the sometimes normal boisterous seminary
> > classroom.  Key to this type of lesson; you NEVER utter a word, but give
> > directions to your students through overheads, flashcards, or a
> PowerPoint
> > presentation. But NEVER SAY A WORD. E.g., create flashcards with
> > pre-printed
> > questions and answers, such as "Read Verse :12 and tell me what Joseph
> was
> > instructed to do."  The silent lesson is most effective if you maintain
> > the
> > silence throughout the class period.  Here are a couple of examples:
> > 1. PowerPoint: Gethsemane Silent Lesson
> > 2. Silent Lesson
> >
> > Be sure and close with your written testimony, perhaps in a handout or
> > card
> > that they students can take with them.
> >
> > I can tell you from personal experience that this technique can also
> work
> > with a group of stodgy old High Priests.  After I once taught a silent
> > lesson to our HP group, several came up afterwards and thanked me for
> the
> > most spiritual lesson in years.  This can really work!
> >
> > OUTSIDE TEACHER
> >
> > Students tire of the same droning voice day after day (did I really
> write
> > that? You don't drone on do you?  Remember, telling isn't teaching, in
> > many
> > cases it is droning). Well change the voice at the head of the class.
>  If
> > you have a special topic and there is a spiritual giant or giantess in
> > your
> > midst, get them to each your lesson for one day. You could use your
> Bishop
> > or a bishopric member, a member of the Stake Presidency, a Relief
> Society
> > president, a Ward Mission leader, or even full time missionaries. The
> most
> > important points are to
> >
> > * Select the topic well in advance.
> > * Provide lesson materials, even photocopy the manual pages if
> necessary,
> > * Announce for several days prior that a special teacher is coming on
> > (insert day).
> > * Make sure you are there to introduce the guest teacher and to help
> with
> > class discipline (chances are there will no problems out of respect to
> the
> > new teacher).
> > * Follow up in the days following the lesson with quizzes and quotes
> from
> > the presentation.
> >
> > STUDENTS TEACH THE LESSON
> >
> > Assigning a student to teach a particular lesson has multiple benefits.
> > Your
> > students will pay different attention to a peer who is teaching, you can
> > get
> > a small break, and the student assigned will gain more from preparation
> > and
> > teaching than will ever get from just being a student.  It is a proven
> > fact
> > that teaching a subject dramatically increases retention.  If you have a
> > student who might be struggling with a topic, assigning them to teach is
> a
> > perfect opportunity to gain special knowledge.
> >
> > Lots of advance preparation is required; you must provide a full set of
> > lesson materials and lots of follow up as the student prepares to teach.
> > You must also be there to provide classroom help and reinforcement.  Any
> > student who acts up during the presentation is a perfect candidate for
> the
> > next student presentation, which is something you might announce to a
> more
> > rambunctious class.
> >
> > Lots of praise in front of the other students is very positive, as well
> as
> > a
> > private 'atta boy or atta girl.'
> >
> > Here's how I solved a problem using this strategy. I had a particular
> > female
> > in one of my classes who was so bright, articulate, and dynamic, that
> she
> > could frequently hijack an entire class period. She reveled in asking
> > obscure questions that lead the class into off-subject discussions. She
> > was
> > a handful. I asked her to teach a lesson. She accepted the challenge
> with
> > the look on her face of "this will be a piece of cake."  It was, until I
> > asked her patented kind of obscure, off-topic question from the back of
> > the
> > room.  In an instant I could tell from the look on her face that she got
> > it.
> > Her actions were causing chaos in the classroom and disrupting my
> efforts
> > to
> > lead her class though teaching moments. She now felt it. In the simple
> > turn
> > of the tables, and without a word being spoken between us, she changed
> > completely and never again did lead us off the path.  She turned out to
> be
> > a
> > wonderful contributor from that point forward and her lesson was pretty
> > great too!
> >
> > Examples:
> > Outline: Helping Students Teach Lessons
> > Students Teach Prophets
> > Student Taught Object Lesson
> >
> > You can use this method to bring out some of your shy students as well
> as
> > give your prospective missionaries a taste of teaching the gospel.  It
> > works!
> >
> > MARCH MADNESS
> >
> > If you have not started already, March Madness is a scripture mastery
> > activity from Linda Harper, a master teacher in South Carolina.  I will
> > not
> > take the time here to explain all of the rules, but here is a link to
> the
> > Old Testament version: OT SM March Madness Scripture Chase.  I will say
> > that
> > the March Madness theme plays on the NCAA (and high school to some
> point)
> > basketball tournament and the way that some Cinderella teams can make it
> > through the bracket.
> >
> > Classes that I used March Madness on got  so caught up in learning the
> > scripture masteries and their subject in general, that is was like a
> shot
> > of
> > nitrous oxide into our classroom (that's NOS in student language).  NOS
> > supercharges are engine for a short powerful burst: March Madness can do
> > the
> > same for scripture mastery in your classroom.
> >
> > The most important things I have learned in using March Madness:
> > * Make it a reward.  It is so fun and chaotic that I used it as an end
> of
> > day activity when the class was engaged and cooperative.  If they
> weren't,
> > no MM.
> > * The more Madness the better; nothing causes more fun and confusion
> than
> > outrageous consequences. If you class is super competitive, MM is ideal,
> > teams are so much in flux that strong students are always paired with
> > weaker
> > students.  Make them participate together.
> > * Use a nerf basketball and something to shoot into. It has to be real,
> > the
> > basketball portion. I had a basketball team starter that could NOT get
> > that
> > nerf ball into the waste basket from three feet.  He could hit three
> > pointers on the court all day long, but was completely inept with the
> nerf
> > ball. That just added to the madness and thrilled non-athletic kids who
> > could outshoot the star, in a good natured way.  It is all in how you
> > handle
> > the class.
> > * Have a good reward for the winning team.  I usually hosted the wining
> > team
> > for breakfast at my house, with mini-candy bars for everyone else. Of
> > course
> > that winning team and it's members was not decided until the very last
> > shot
> > and question, so everyone stayed in engaged.
> >
> > Well, that's it enough for now.  I hope these ideas will give you
> > something
> > to try with your classes and that you will have some special experiences
> > in
> > the coming months!
> >
> > Best Regards,
> >
> > Tim Holder, Webmaster
> > http://latter-dayvillage.com
> > webmaster at latter-dayvillage.com
> >
> >
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