As mentioned in prior posts, the beginning of the year started out with a huge attendance of children in the Valiant class. The average was from 12 to 16 students. It seems like we were introducing ourselves every week as not everyone was acquainted with those who were either visiting or those who had recently come back to church.
Danny would generally give the lesson and I would be there to discipline. When Danny wasn't there to teach, I would teach and ask someone else to sit in with me. Often I would ask Roland, but when I did the lesson on creation this year, it was Danny's mom that sat in the class with me.
I introduced the class to Sugardoodle's Passports by Melanie Day (found here) - as I am currently unable to open the Sugardoodle sight, I am hopefully giving credit to the correct person. I did not know how well this would appeal to the older children but knew that it might to the younger ones. I used this knowing that we might separate and I would be teaching the five youngest Valiants
Those willing to read took turns reading scriptures that explained the details of the creation found in Genesis 1, Moses 2 and Abraham 4 and 5. I had each of the children fill out a journal page separated into four parts
One was filling hers out so diligently that she ran out of space and I told her she could use the back. Danny's mom had contributed a lot of thought and meaning into my lesson as well. I thought it went well. Better than the following week when I tried my hand at explaining the Garden of Eden and Fall with Jenna blocks as illustrated in this post.
I had set displays up on a table surrounded by 16 chairs. Jenna helped me with the Jenga and the chairs. I sent her to her own class but may have been better off keeping her. My good intentions contributed what I felt had been a disaster! This has nothing to do with Darcee Pergler (the creator of the game) but rather my own lack of control and discipline over my students.
I think I had 14 children in my class that day no other adult. They all wanted to touch the Jenga pieces and either rebuilt the tower or continue playing. I kept on asking different children to move to the vacant chair as Carly couldn't seem to keep her hands off of Casey. Shannon will talk to Anne or Helen. Thomas acts up no matter what. I was not pleased with the results of their focus . . . the blocks themselves and the lesson subject hadn't mattered.
Carly decided that perhaps we could play a different game. How about musical chairs? Weren't we already sort of doing that? I wasn't going to reward their ill behavior with games of any sort . . let alone ones that had absolutely nothing to do with the gospel. And I told them so. I pushed the table out of their reach and told them that they needed to focus on the lesson please. What was our purpose for being in primary?
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Last week I divided the rooms. I set up a small table with 5 chairs in a circle and Danny's brother set up her room. I had planned on introducing my class to the ribbon idea that was used in my seminary bowl days. (see this post)
I had looked for ribbon while we were at Big Lots in Roseburg, though I did not find what I was looking for . I found instead a garland made from heart links
and thought it might be fun to use those with message scripture instead - the first appropriately "A broken heart and a contrite spirit . . ." as I had to break each heart in order to each on separately.
I had also decided to return to the passport lessons as it seemed to be more effective with the younger children who I would be teaching. I also had created (based on others' ideas) a picture-ized Article of Faith page for us to memorize.
Just before Sacrament meeting started, I was told that Danny would not make it to church however, and so I taught both groups. It wasn't as big deal as there were only seven students. And though I had enough material for the scriptures and article of faith for each student, I went a different direction and again related the account of why we have the Pearl of Great Price and why it is important part of scripture.
My class was reverent while I was teaching, but once we got into sharing time/singing time, the volume and disrespect had gone up greatly. Emily (who is in CTRs) sat in front of me. She fiddled with her necklace. Whoever was presenting sharing time asked her several times if she would put it under her chair. She'd pretend to, but then she would start playing with it again. I tapped her on the shoulder and asked if she would like to come sit with me. Surprisingly, she not only said yes, but seemed excited about it. She put everything on the floor under her chair without my having to tell her.
Yesterday was the first day that Danny and I taught the kids separately. I had three that attended my class and I think she said she ended up with only six. I used the passport and gave them hearts and ribbons to wear and I introduced them to Enoch and some vocabulary words and then we attempted to memorize the 10th article of faith.
Danny said she just reviewed. She still doesn't feel well. I don't think 6 kids in that room may have given the same sensation of being claustrophobic as I believe 10 to 12 kids will. I don't know if this separate class thing will last the duration of the year. But I think I am having more success with Thomas being part of a smaller class. I think that perhaps the younger ones may not feel so lost in the shuffle and hopefully will better learns.
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