Seminary, CES and Gen 1. - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Brian · 09-02-2007, 03:04 AM

So last week was Gen 1-4 in seminary.
I was reading through the lesson plan during stake conference, and was pleasantly surprised by what it said about the creation. It said we have no idea how it all got here, only why. It even gave a very useful example. Hold up the bible and ask, what is more important, knowing the details of the physical construction of the bible (binding processes, paper type, ink, font, etc etc) or what it all means. So I got excited that I could talk about the creation in a meaningful way and not feel guilty about straying from the lesson manual, like I had planned on doing anyway.
So, by Thursday, we had gone through the stuff in Moses 1 and were ready to goto Moses 2/ Genesis 1. I used the book analogy to set it up, and then said "We've all heard the primary story of what happened on each of the 7 days. blah blah blah. BORING! Today we're going to try and figure out what it means." That woke them up. They all got excited to see something different. Anyway, we then spent most of the class talking about how the creation of the earth and life is symbolic of each of our creation, and what that tells us about us, and how to find Jesus. For example part way through the creation, the earth was submerged in water, just like each of us. They were totally into the discussion and they brought up some things that I hadn't thought of before.
Wonderful class time, great spirit. Kids eat things up. seminary is a great calling. (It would suck as a job, but great if you don't get paid).

so we're already 3 chapters behind now, but next week we talk about the meaning of the fall.

il Padrino Ute · 09-02-2007, 03:37 AM

Good for you to get kids thinking outside the box. My oldest is in seminary this year, so I'm going to ask her what her teacher is saying about the creation.

Hopefully, her paid seminary teacher is willing to go your route as well, but I'm not going to expect it.

Brian · 09-02-2007, 03:44 AM

my daughter is a freshman this year, and her teacher is boring her to death. She feels like she is in primary. These kids are sharp and want to learn something, not just be bored with something they've heard 23984329874230949832576539845984327 times before.
And they want to have fun. nothing wrong with playing lots of games and acting stupid to make a point.

il Padrino Ute · 09-02-2007, 03:54 AM

It sounds like my daughter's teacher wants to just get through the lessons. Apparently, the only thing said about the creation was that God created everything in 6 days.

Can I send her to your class? Sure, you live in another state and she'd really have to get up early to get there, but at least she'd enjoy it.

Brian · 09-02-2007, 09:21 PM

10 hour drive, each way, but sure, love to have her!

non sequitur · 09-02-2007, 09:27 PM

Regarding seminary, I tell all my kids that it's important that they take it during first period. That way, if they oversleep they'll just be missing seminary instead of a real class.

il Padrino Ute · 09-02-2007, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by non sequitur

Regarding seminary, I tell all my kids that it's important that they take it during first period. That way, if they oversleep they'll just be missing seminary instead of a real class.

I always switched my schedule so that seminary came during the class when lunch was going on. Extra time for off campus lunches was a great thing.

Venkman · 09-04-2007, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute

I always switched my schedule so that seminary came during the class when lunch was going on. Extra time for off campus lunches was a great thing.

I lucked out with seminary. One year I had it after lunch, the other two years were 1st and 7th periods.

Archaea · 09-05-2007, 12:10 AM

I did better than all of you.

I joined my junior year in high school. We only had early morning seminary at the same time as swimming practice. In light of the fact that my family was unfamiliar with seminary, sports came first. And they still let me in to BYU. Of course, they liked my grades and test scores.

Donuthole · 09-05-2007, 05:09 AM

This is good to hear. I'm teaching early morning seminary for my first time, and I can't help but feel like the Seminary Manual is more appropriate for Senior Primary than for 9th and 10th graders. I'm only a week into it and I've pretty much abandoned the manual for the institute manual, save a good object lesson here or there.

09-02-2007, 03:04 AM	#1
Brian Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oak Ridge, TN Posts: 1,308	Seminary, CES and Gen 1. So last week was Gen 1-4 in seminary. I was reading through the lesson plan during stake conference, and was pleasantly surprised by what it said about the creation. It said we have no idea how it all got here, only why. It even gave a very useful example. Hold up the bible and ask, what is more important, knowing the details of the physical construction of the bible (binding processes, paper type, ink, font, etc etc) or what it all means. So I got excited that I could talk about the creation in a meaningful way and not feel guilty about straying from the lesson manual, like I had planned on doing anyway. So, by Thursday, we had gone through the stuff in Moses 1 and were ready to goto Moses 2/ Genesis 1. I used the book analogy to set it up, and then said "We've all heard the primary story of what happened on each of the 7 days. blah blah blah. BORING! Today we're going to try and figure out what it means." That woke them up. They all got excited to see something different. Anyway, we then spent most of the class talking about how the creation of the earth and life is symbolic of each of our creation, and what that tells us about us, and how to find Jesus. For example part way through the creation, the earth was submerged in water, just like each of us. They were totally into the discussion and they brought up some things that I hadn't thought of before. Wonderful class time, great spirit. Kids eat things up. seminary is a great calling. (It would suck as a job, but great if you don't get paid). so we're already 3 chapters behind now, but next week we talk about the meaning of the fall. __________________ e^(i * pi) + 1 = 0 5 great numbers in one little equation.

09-02-2007, 03:37 AM	#2
il Padrino Ute Board Pinhead Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement of my house, Murray, Utah. Posts: 15,941	Good for you to get kids thinking outside the box. My oldest is in seminary this year, so I'm going to ask her what her teacher is saying about the creation. Hopefully, her paid seminary teacher is willing to go your route as well, but I'm not going to expect it. __________________ "The beauty of baseball is not having to explain it." - Chuck Shriver "This is now the joke that stupid people laugh at." - Christopher Hitchens on IQ jokes about GWB.

09-02-2007, 03:44 AM	#3
Brian Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oak Ridge, TN Posts: 1,308	my daughter is a freshman this year, and her teacher is boring her to death. She feels like she is in primary. These kids are sharp and want to learn something, not just be bored with something they've heard 23984329874230949832576539845984327 times before. And they want to have fun. nothing wrong with playing lots of games and acting stupid to make a point. __________________ e^(i * pi) + 1 = 0 5 great numbers in one little equation.

09-02-2007, 03:54 AM	#4
il Padrino Ute Board Pinhead Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement of my house, Murray, Utah. Posts: 15,941	It sounds like my daughter's teacher wants to just get through the lessons. Apparently, the only thing said about the creation was that God created everything in 6 days. Can I send her to your class? Sure, you live in another state and she'd really have to get up early to get there, but at least she'd enjoy it. __________________ "The beauty of baseball is not having to explain it." - Chuck Shriver "This is now the joke that stupid people laugh at." - Christopher Hitchens on IQ jokes about GWB.

09-02-2007, 09:21 PM	#5
Brian Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oak Ridge, TN Posts: 1,308	10 hour drive, each way, but sure, love to have her! __________________ e^(i * pi) + 1 = 0 5 great numbers in one little equation.

09-02-2007, 09:27 PM	#6
non sequitur Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1,964	Regarding seminary, I tell all my kids that it's important that they take it during first period. That way, if they oversleep they'll just be missing seminary instead of a real class. __________________ ...You've been under attack for days, there's a soldier down, he's wounded, gangrene's setting in, 'Who's used all the penicillin?' 'Oh, Mark Paxson sir, he's got knob rot off of some tart.'" - Gareth Keenan

09-05-2007, 12:10 AM	#9
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	I did better than all of you. I joined my junior year in high school. We only had early morning seminary at the same time as swimming practice. In light of the fact that my family was unfamiliar with seminary, sports came first. And they still let me in to BYU. Of course, they liked my grades and test scores. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

09-05-2007, 05:09 AM	#10
Donuthole Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 175	This is good to hear. I'm teaching early morning seminary for my first time, and I can't help but feel like the Seminary Manual is more appropriate for Senior Primary than for 9th and 10th graders. I'm only a week into it and I've pretty much abandoned the manual for the institute manual, save a good object lesson here or there. __________________ Join the Prospective Utah Student Section today!