Friday, September 25, 2009

"Primary, Seminary, Institute" or "Good, Better, Best"

"Good, Better, Best!
Always Do Your Best,
Till Your Good Gets Better,
And Your Better's Best!"

Jacque Hegstrom, my Seminary co-teacher, gets the credit for inspiring thought and discussion among the Seminary youth about the following topic:

In Seminary we get a lot of tired kids who gives us the 1-2 words answers to questions. So, on the whiteboard, Jacque wrote "Primary Answers" "Seminary Answers" and "Institute Answers" and asked the class for a few definitions.

Of course, the youth know the difference: Primary answers are the very basics. The scriptures. Pray. Go to Church. Listen to the Prophet. The Seminary answers are a little more developed and thought out (hopefully). Then, with Institute Answers, Jacque explained that students would have read/studied the material and be able to give a "for instance" or a relevant question to clarify what they've been pondering.

Jacque encouraged the youth to at least aim for Seminary answers and if they want to shoot really high, to go for the "Institute Answers." I think it's a good template!

Listening to Jacque share her presentation with me, I realized how much I can learn from her (even though I've taught longer). Experience doesn't mean that we can't learn new tricks of the trade! It wasn't exactly "new" information for me but I do like the way Jacque got the youth thinking about their responses (and which category their answers fall under). And then she "Raised the Bar" encouraging them to give Institute Answers while still on the Seminary Level! Not bad for a 1st year Instructor!