Scott Lloyd Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 Ditto. When I taught youth that was my approach. We had great discussions.In fact this approach has been encouraged for many years, through the introductory material in the lesson manuals and through such resources as Teaching, No Greater Call. Maybe the message hasn't gotten through , but it is not a new approach. And no approach works unless and until the people on the ground (teachers and leaders) implement it.
cinepro Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 They tend to do a bang-up job in the Primary, why not the SS presidency?I suspect we'll start seeing female Sunday School presidents shortly after we start seeing male Primary Presidents.
Scott Lloyd Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 My son is SS President and we all moaned silently when he was called for the reasons you stated. But he really has magnified his calling and is very involved in the classes and often ends up subbing when teachers don't show up and don't get subs. Since he taught Seminary for years, it's not a challenge but he does a lot more than take attendance.When I hear of Sunday School presidencies who all they can think to do to occupy their time is take attendance, I'm fairly certain these are men who haven't bothered to crack open the handbooks or explore what's online at the official Church website. There is great scope for service and accomplishment in the calling of Sunday School president.
Nofear Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 Youth presidencies have long been supposed to determine the timing of the lessons based on their inspiration. It is part of their keys of presidency. And when they use those keys magnificent things happen withe the youth as one of our posters (Hamba Tuhan) described several years ago. Sounds like they are just making it clearer so the adults mess it up less, with this version.Point of correction: the youth presidencies (YM president or YW president) have no keys, none whatsoever. Those reside solely with the quorum president (deacon, teacher, or priest). Nonetheless, your initial statement that timing is supposed to be based on inspiration is correct. I'll be glad to see the new curriculum.
Scott Lloyd Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 (edited) Point of correction: the youth presidencies (YM president or YW president) have no keys, none whatsoever. Those reside solely with the quorum president (deacon, teacher, or priest).This is true.In fact, there are only four positions in a ward that entail priesthood keys. They are bishop (who, by virtue of his calling, is president of the priests quorum), elders quorum president, teachers quorum president and deacons quorum president.The high priests group leader does not have keys, because the bishop is the presiding high priest in the ward. And the stake president presides over the stake-wide quorum of high priests. That's why the guy in the ward is called the high priest group leader, not the high priests president.Keys, by definition, are the right of presidency in the priesthood, and auxiliary presidents — such as Young Men or Young Women presidents — do not preside over a priesthood body. Rather, they each preside over an organization that functions under the direction of the priesthood. Edited June 18, 2012 by Scott Lloyd
blooit Posted June 18, 2012 Author Posted June 18, 2012 How deeply are they dealt with, and is there some flexibility allowed for local discretion?I'm all for inoculation and all that, but it occurs to me there may be varying levels of interest, need, desire to learn, etc.I would compare it to teaching kids about sex. Yes, they need to understand the whole thing eventually, but it seems wisest, rather than unfolding the entire panorama all at once, to do it a bit at a time according to age, maturity, need to know, ability to process, prerequisite knowledge, etc.I question whether someone who can't intelligently define the distinction between the four books of Nephi should be hit with Adam-God theory or blood atonement. Or to be given a chart of the different First Vision accounts when they haven't yet read Joseph Smith-History in the Pearl of Great Price.Exactly Scott! All lessons are to be driven by the needs of the students and the questions they ask. These issues may be introduced, but the interest levels of the students and the inspiration of the teacher determine the depth they lesson goes.People will screw it up, but it's a great system. No more reading the manual as you present.
Scott Lloyd Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 Exactly Scott! All lessons are to be driven by the needs of the students and the questions they ask. These issues may be introduced, but the interest levels of the students and the inspiration of the teacher determine the depth they lesson goes.People will screw it up, but it's a great system. No more reading the manual as you present. Sounds like they're trying to follow the patter of Preach My Gospel, the current guide to missionary work.
Scott Lloyd Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 (edited) These issues may be introduced, but the interest levels of the students and the inspiration of the teacher determine the depth they lesson goes.I predict there will still be people in years to come who will complain that they weren't spoon-fed some things while in their youth (as in "I should have been taught this at church, even though I wasn't interested at the time").And so it goes. Edited June 18, 2012 by Scott Lloyd 1
Hamba Tuhan Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 Point of correction: the youth presidencies (YM president or YW president) have no keys, none whatsoever.rpn was referring to Aaronic Priesthood leaders.
David T Posted June 18, 2012 Posted June 18, 2012 (wants to see example lesson, table of contents, etc ...)
blooit Posted June 19, 2012 Author Posted June 19, 2012 I would love to share the table of contents, etc., but we've been asked not to give the password out. A detailed rundown should be presented in the October conferenceNot trying to tease, just trying to be good (after all, we are saved by works... right)
Nathair/|\ Posted June 19, 2012 Posted June 19, 2012 I'm glad to know you actually read my now-missing posts, rpn!As a coincidence but also a follow up, we had stake general priesthood meeting last night, and two of the speakers were young men from our ward, both of them soon to leave on missions (one in August and one still awaiting his call). The second of them was our sole active deacon when I was called as YM presidenct seven years ago. In his talk, he spoke about how he saw his callings, first as deacons quorum president and then as teachers quorum president, as 'largely symbolic', a matter which he said he and I did not 'see eye-to-eye on'. Then he talked about how he actually started to realise how serious I was about his leadership whilst he was a teacher and the experiences he'd had reaching out to less-active members of his quorum.One of those formerly less-active members was the other young man on the stand with him. He hadn't been active his entire previous life, but he received his endowment the first of the month, and I was back in the temple with him this past Saturday morning. His younger brother is our current teachers quroum president, and his mum and dad are both now active again. His mum was in the temple with him for his endowment, and we're hoping his dad will have his recommend again before the son leaves on his mission.In the congregation was another of the young men brought back to activity by the efforts of our former TQP. Because of a stake mixup, he wasn't sustained to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood last night, but he should be sustained at stake conference in August. This young man was attending with his 30-something brother who, inactive since he was 14, received the Melchizedek Priesthood in February (along with both young men who spoke).This is some of what happens when we teach our youth to take their leadership callings seriously.Thank you. I always look forward to your stories.
BCSpace Posted June 19, 2012 Posted June 19, 2012 When I hear of Sunday School presidencies who all they can think to do to occupy their time is take attendance, I'm fairly certain these are men who haven't bothered to crack open the handbooks or explore what's online at the official Church website. There is great scope for service and accomplishment in the calling of Sunday School president.They should be running periodic classes for all the teachers in the ward out of "Teaching, No Greater Call". They don't have to be the ones to teach it. Alas! Another meeting..... In our wards, which are smaller than average, we typically suggest only one counselor for the SS Presidency and both are directed to provide much substituion on their own. I've heard some pretty competent bell ringing too......
Scott Lloyd Posted June 19, 2012 Posted June 19, 2012 I've heard some pretty competent bell ringing too...... Years ago in a ward council meeting, the Sunday School president suggested that bells be rung to signal the end of classes and that he be the one to ring the bell, whereupon I immediately nicknamed him Quasmoto.
volgadon Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 Years ago in a ward council meeting, the Sunday School president suggested that bells be rung to signal the end of classes and that he be the one to ring the bell, whereupon I immediately nicknamed him Quasmoto.A cousin of Quasimodo?
Cobalt-70 Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 Part of the reason there is this failure to educate well, in my opinion, is that the calling of Sunday school president is one of the most under-performing callings in the church.In every ward I have been in the Sunday school presidency does nothing but track attendance, if they do that.I would be curious to know if Sunday school presidents in other wards are doing any training with teachers etc?Does it really take 3 priesthood holders set apart and called of god to track Sunday school attendance?Also with the wealth of amazing women teachers in the chrich why not make the Sunday school presidency a non gender specific calling?Amen.I was once in a Sunday School presidency where the three of us took turns ringing the bell that tells everyone class is over. That was our entire job. And ringing the bell is apparently a priesthood ordinance, because women apparently can't do it.
Scott Lloyd Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) That was our entire job.It may have been how you perceived your job, but it wasn't your entire job. See my prior post. Edited June 20, 2012 by Scott Lloyd
Grundelwalken Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 (edited) When I hear of Sunday School presidencies who all they can think to do to occupy their time is take attendance, I'm fairly certain these are men who haven't bothered to crack open the handbooks or explore what's online at the official Church website. There is great scope for service and accomplishment in the calling of Sunday School president.As a current Stake SS Presidency member, I agree that there is a need to have better teachers and teaching in the church. Our problem is the lack of interest in anything we try to do. If teachers and ward leaders won't buy in, we are in a world of hurt. We keep trying but the response is minimal. MW Edited June 20, 2012 by Grundelwalken
mtomm Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 Um, we've almost always had a female SS secretary in our ward. And until recently the secretary rang the bell. Unfortunately, the current secretary is too short to reach the button for the bell so now someone else has that hefty responsibility.
cinepro Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 makes me think women should be eminently suitable for responsibilities in the Sunday School Presidency.
Bob Crockett Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 As a current Stake SS Presidency member, I agree that there is a need to have better teachers and teaching in the church. Our problem is the lack of interest in anything we try to do. If teachers and ward leaders won't buy in, we are in a world of hurt. We keep trying but the response is minimal. MWYet teaching consumes 2/3rds of most members' time in church. I know the church has experimented with (in pilot programs) with doing away with Sunday School or somehow consolidating it with priesthood and relief society instruction.Release teachers who spend most of time letting members talk about things other than distinct scripture before them.
DBMormon Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 cinepro.... funny. I can't even get my wife to do the first part of doing the dishes.
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