So I have been in primary for coming up on two years this winter. I love parts of it; the teaching, the simplified but deep gospel message, the wiggle songs. I hate parts of it; (well mostly just one part,) I hate the utter chaos of the Sharing Time hour. When all the kids get together it is ridiculous. Now I know these are kids, and quite is not possible, but screaming, kicking and rudeness is unacceptable from senior primary. These kids know how to behave in church, or do they? There are no lessons about how to behave given in church and the presidency never bothers to teach the kids about proper behavior so it must be left to the parents right? Well I guess it shouldn't surprise me that I caught one of my "wigglier" eleven year olds father playing basketball in the gym during Sunday School. 
I skipped the intended lesson for my sharing time this summer and gave a lesson on reverence, not that it really helped much. Reverence is something that must be constantly reminded to these kids and I can't do it by myself. Some of the other teachers try to help but it needs to be a group effort between all teachers, leaders, and parents. Even other adults could set a better example in the halls. (To be fair to some of the parents I don't think they have any idea what their kids get away with in primary.)
So do I yell at every infraction every whisper, No. I don't want primary to be a jail cell, I think occasional whispers are okay, as are wiggles and the occasional slouch. (I am talking senior primary here.) What makes me say something is loud talking during a lesson or PRAYER, hitting, KICKING, and not singing when you know the words. Our song leader is awesome and should be shown more respect then she gets. If you don't like singing then sing quietly.
Okay so story time. So a few weeks ago I go on the class of girls below my class (age 10-12). Their teacher was gone and they were being disrespectful to the leaders giving the lesson. They were talking loudly and not paying attention at all to the lesson. One girl even lifted her leg up really high to kick one of my students, (no high kicks in a skirt please!) So I told them to stop talking and stop behaving like 5 year olds, (which total unexpected slam on our five year old class which is ironically really reverent and well behaved. Sorry Guys!) So I find out from their teacher last week that they spent more then ten min of class time talking about how mean and evil I am. (One boy stood up for me because I had had him in my own class for awhile and he was able to see that I can be sweet and loving and only want what's best for these kids.) How can they get anything out of a lesson if they are talking and can't hear it. How can they feel the Spirit if they are irreverently kicking and hitting. Am I perfect, NO, I have been known to talk in church, but I try. I strive to feel the Spirit when I can, and I have a respect for the Lord. I try to show my respect in HIS HOUSE at all times.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
I am so mean!
Posted by Emily Larkin at 6:35 AM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I'm the meanest person in my school too! Yay us! Well not all the kids think I'm mean, but I'm always hard core strict at the beginning of the year. Elem. age kids are old enough to sit still as long as they know you expect it. It's when you never let them know your expectations or correct them that they push the boundary. Maybe it's the educator in us that has no problem teaching behavior to other people's kids. :) But I think it is absolutely appropraite, even at church! So keep it up! By the way, the way to overcome the mean image is to praise the heck out of 'em when they behave.
ok, mae's face is so freaking cute even in a frown!!!
of all the things I feel capable of teaching young children, reverence has proved to be the most difficult by far. Potty training seems like a breeze up against having a silent sacrament meeting. But SR primary? yeah kicking is just unacceptable. If those kids can sit in a school classroom for 7 hrs a day, they can make it through sharing time.
Hilary deserves an emmy for her work as music leader...she is awesome!
I have actually been toying with the idea of having an "Emmy" Awards on my blog.
A Few years back I was a primary teacher to the 7-8 year olds. And they asked me to teach the sharing time lesson one sunday. we had a game activity, all that, then a part were we watched a slide show of christ and a primary song. During the entire show (the only time the quiet was required) it was the Primary Presidency who sat in the back and talked the whole 5 minutes. They didn't whisper, they talked, you could hear them just as well as the show, it was soooo frustrating! The kids were better than the adults, maybe these years later not anymore!
That is the most precious picture of Mae, I love capturing moments like that!
oh, I and love the EMmy awards idea!!!
Post a Comment