The people in the back of the class

[Sunday21]

We have about 10 people who sit as far in the back of the Relief Society room as possible. They fall into a few categories.

English speakers: either disabled or supporter of disabled person. If not disabled, then have many grandchildren and are waiting to see if grandkids need to leave nursery.

Nonenglish speakers: A) refugees: frightened and timid. B) Spanish speakers. Immigrants from south and Latin America, less timid and afraid but often suffering from the language barrier.

i often arrange Relief Society lessons with buzz groups, sending an experienced sister back to help out the frightened and timid. Initially everyone including the experienced sister range from reluctant to resentful although by the end, everyone is happy.

my question, maybe I should just leave well enough alone? None of the other teachers tries to reach the people in the last row. Do you sit at the back of the class? If so, why? How do you feel about the teacher trying to get you to contribute?

Edited August 15, 2016 by Sunday21

[Guest MormonGator]

5 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

We have about 10 people who sit as far in the back of the Relief Society room as possible. They fall into a few categories. English speakers: either disabled or support or of disabled person. If not, then have many grandchildren and are waiting to see I'd said grandkids need to leave nursery. Nonenglish speakers: A) refugees: frightened and timid. B) Spanish speakers. Immigrants from south and Latin America, less timid and afraid but often suffering from the language barrier.

i often arrange Relief Society lessons with buzz groups, sending an experienced sister back to help out the frightened and timid. Initially everyone including the experienced sister range from reluctant to resentful although by the end, everyone is happy.

my question, maybe I should just leave well enough alone? None of the other teachers tries to reach the people in the last row. 

Sunday, you are the nicest person I've ever met online.

No question you are doing the right thing by trying to get people involved. The language barrier can be beaten though!  I'm sure that someone in your ward speaks multiple languages. Could you demand that they sit in on an RS meeting and translate?

The church sometimes wonders why people don't show up to church more often. Well, you are doing the right thing by making it more inviting! 

[Sunday21]

8 hours ago, MormonGator said:

Sunday, you are the nicest person I've ever met online.

No question you are doing the right thing by trying to get people involved. The language barrier can be beaten though!  I'm sure that someone in your ward speaks multiple languages. Could you demand that they sit in on an RS meeting and translate?

The church sometimes wonders why people don't show up to church more often. Well, you are doing the right thing by making it more inviting! 

Thanks! I wonder though if some people prefer to be left alone...although they are all smiles by the end of the class...not at the beginning though!

[theSQUIDSTER]

Sunday,

I think you're doing exactly what you should.  The teaching curriculum introduced for our youth a couple years ago is now being used for ALL teachers and we're currently in the process of moving all teaching in that direction... where, ideally, everyone in class participates.  That's the goal anyway so keep doing what you're doing!  Sounds like you're doing a really great job to me.  :)

 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-06-003-teaching-the-gospel-in-the-saviors-way?lang=eng

 

[Guest MormonGator]

3 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

Thanks! I wonder though if some people prefer to be left alone...although they are all smiles by the end of the class...not at the beginning though!

LadyGator and I sit in the back and we just politely decline if called upon. People will usually shake their heads and you choose someone else. 

[anatess2]

12 hours ago, Sunday21 said:

We have about 10 people who sit as far in the back of the Relief Society room as possible. They fall into a few categories.

English speakers: either disabled or supporter of disabled person. If not disabled, then have many grandchildren and are waiting to see if grandkids need to leave nursery.

Nonenglish speakers: A) refugees: frightened and timid. B) Spanish speakers. Immigrants from south and Latin America, less timid and afraid but often suffering from the language barrier.

i often arrange Relief Society lessons with buzz groups, sending an experienced sister back to help out the frightened and timid. Initially everyone including the experienced sister range from reluctant to resentful although by the end, everyone is happy.

my question, maybe I should just leave well enough alone? None of the other teachers tries to reach the people in the last row. Do you sit at the back of the class? If so, why? How do you feel about the teacher trying to get you to contribute?

I sit in the last row of RS.  It's the Filipino/Korean row.  We like the back because we can get a bit noisy with our whisperings and not distract the class.  You put a bunch of Filipinos together and they'll make comments about the class among themselves - it's like we feel our comments are too unimportant to have to interrupt the rest of the class with, but important enough to whisper among our friends in the back. 

Our RS teachers have no problem with us contributing.  We are the most outspoken in the class.  From all the way in the back.

In any case, usually the RS teacher hands out "Readings".  Like, they would be discussing something in class and then say, "Reader Number 1", and whoever has the paper that the RS teacher handed out before class that has the number 1 on it gets to stand up and read what's on that paper.  Yeah, we in the last row usually don't get those "Readings", so I think they orchestrate handing out those to the not-as-vocal class members.  Maybe you can try something like that?

 

[Guest]

I am one who sits in the back, I have social anxiety, and groups of people make my anxiety worse. Going to church is hard enough, to participate in class makes me have great anxiety and some I have had anxiety attacks. By sitting in the back by the door I feel a little better and always have an escape route if needed because of the anxiety. 

I generally like to be left alone and enjoy just listening to the class discussion and feeling the spirit. If we are split up into smaller groups I am ok, I have anxiety but it's not that bad, but when I am "forced" to participate with the whole group my anxiety gets very bad and continues even after church. 

I don't really like the new idea the church has come up with where there is more participation, some people just don't understand there are those who would rather listen then discuss. I am in the Nursery now so luckily I don't have to worry, about class and participating, it makes for a much more enjoyable Sunday.

[Guest MormonGator]

10 minutes ago, miav said:

I am one who sits in the back, I have social anxiety, and groups of people make my anxiety worse. Going to church is hard enough, to participate in class makes me have great anxiety and some I have had anxiety attacks. By sitting in the back by the door I feel a little better and always have an escape route if needed because of the anxiety. 

I generally like to be left alone and enjoy just listening to the class discussion and feeling the spirit. If we are split up into smaller groups I am ok, I have anxiety but it's not that bad, but when I am "forced" to participate with the whole group my anxiety gets very bad and continues even after church. 

I don't really like the new idea the church has come up with where there is more participation, some people just don't understand there are those who would rather listen then discuss. I am in the Nursery now so luckily I don't have to worry, about class and participating, it makes for a much more enjoyable Sunday.

I feel so sorry for your struggles with anxiety. It's a hidden condition so people don't know how the pain it brings. :-(

[zil]

I'm sorry to hear about your anxiety - I know that's a very real problem for many.  Before I understood the science of introversion, anything involving a group was very difficult for me (partly because I couldn't predict / control my reaction - not understanding what caused it).  It's much easier now.

10 minutes ago, miav said:

I generally like to be left alone and enjoy just listening to the class discussion and feeling the spirit. If we are split up into smaller groups I am ok, I have anxiety but it's not that bad, but when I am "forced" to participate with the whole group my anxiety gets very bad and continues even after church. 

I don't really like the new idea the church has come up with where there is more participation, some people just don't understand there are those who would rather listen then discuss.

Some of us do understand, but it's also a simple fact that we learn better through participation than through passive listening (and few people know how to actively listen).  It's also a fact that you don't need anyone else present to feel the Spirit, and only in a group can we learn from each others' experiences, and then only if we share them.  So given the limited time we have available, it makes sense that the lesson be a discussion rather than a lecture, and be designed for the group.

That said, there are ways to enable participation for those who want it without forcing it on those who don't, and I absolutely hate anything which forces people to participate*.  For example, when I teach, I use the new (old, really, Teaching in the Savior's Way) program that was first started for the youth, but I use it, for example, by asking the sisters to find a scripture which addresses the following topic (and then give them the topic), then, after sufficient time (~2-3 minutes), I ask volunteers to share their scripture and then tell why they chose it.  (The old method was passive - I tell you what scripture to read, you read it, I tell you why we read it - poor teaching / learning method.)  Obviously, this isn't the entire lesson, but one or two of these mixed in with questions and discussion are all we need for a good lesson.

Those who don't want to share still get the benefit of testing their knowledge of the scriptures, of learning to search and recall them, of pondering the topic for a moment and considering its meaning for them.  They also get the benefit of others' thoughts, and these thoughts are founded in scripture rather than just stating their own opinion or experience without considering how that opinion / experience relates to scripture.  (The old way was to ask a question and get everyone's personal opinion, 99% of the time without an accompanying scripture or GA quote to give that opinion a doctrinal perspective / foundation, and without anyone else having (the opportunity) to act.)

Yesterday, our teacher had the class break into three groups (she gave them the chance to choose how they wanted to split up and they passively insisted on being told, so they were told), and assigned each group a block of scripture to study looking for principles / symbols which relate to the Sacrament.  As has always been the case in my experience, some within each group formed a sub-group and discussed, others chose to read on their own.  And it was good either way - some who read on their own shared their personal insights.  Some who discussed in groups summarized the group's insights.  Some stayed silent.  All options were available and it was a great lesson for all who chose to make it a great lesson, regardless of their chosen form of participation.

Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our lessons have been moving farther and farther from "here's how to apply the gospel in your life (which was often assumed to be the cookie-cutter ideal life)" to "here's the pure doctrine, you figure out how to apply it in your life".  Other things in the church have been moving the same direction - farther from the "Law of Moses" style and more toward the "here's the doctrine, act on it" style.

*(Want to see me hell? Try to force me into heaven.)

[Sunday21]

9 hours ago, miav said:

I am one who sits in the back, I have social anxiety, and groups of people make my anxiety worse. Going to church is hard enough, to participate in class makes me have great anxiety and some I have had anxiety attacks. By sitting in the back by the door I feel a little better and always have an escape route if needed because of the anxiety. 

I generally like to be left alone and enjoy just listening to the class discussion and feeling the spirit. If we are split up into smaller groups I am ok, I have anxiety but it's not that bad, but when I am "forced" to participate with the whole group my anxiety gets very bad and continues even after church. 

I don't really like the new idea the church has come up with where there is more participation, some people just don't understand there are those who would rather listen then discuss. I am in the Nursery now so luckily I don't have to worry, about class and participating, it makes for a much more enjoyable Sunday.

Thank you for your contribution. The situation that you describe is the sort of thing that I was wondering about. Perhaps the small groups idea is one to think about?

[Sunday21]

9 hours ago, zil said:

I'm sorry to hear about your anxiety - I know that's a very real problem for many.  Before I understood the science of introversion, anything involving a group was very difficult for me (partly because I couldn't predict / control my reaction - not understanding what caused it).  It's much easier now.

Some of us do understand, but it's also a simple fact that we learn better through participation than through passive listening (and few people know how to actively listen).  It's also a fact that you don't need anyone else present to feel the Spirit, and only in a group can we learn from each others' experiences, and then only if we share them.  So given the limited time we have available, it makes sense that the lesson be a discussion rather than a lecture, and be designed for the group.

That said, there are ways to enable participation for those who want it without forcing it on those who don't, and I absolutely hate anything which forces people to participate*.  For example, when I teach, I use the new (old, really, Teaching in the Savior's Way) program that was first started for the youth, but I use it, for example, by asking the sisters to find a scripture which addresses the following topic (and then give them the topic), then, after sufficient time (~2-3 minutes), I ask volunteers to share their scripture and then tell why they chose it.  (The old method was passive - I tell you what scripture to read, you read it, I tell you why we read it - poor teaching / learning method.)  Obviously, this isn't the entire lesson, but one or two of these mixed in with questions and discussion are all we need for a good lesson.

Those who don't want to share still get the benefit of testing their knowledge of the scriptures, of learning to search and recall them, of pondering the topic for a moment and considering its meaning for them.  They also get the benefit of others' thoughts, and these thoughts are founded in scripture rather than just stating their own opinion or experience without considering how that opinion / experience relates to scripture.  (The old way was to ask a question and get everyone's personal opinion, 99% of the time without an accompanying scripture or GA quote to give that opinion a doctrinal perspective / foundation, and without anyone else having (the opportunity) to act.)

Yesterday, our teacher had the class break into three groups (she gave them the chance to choose how they wanted to split up and they passively insisted on being told, so they were told), and assigned each group a block of scripture to study looking for principles / symbols which relate to the Sacrament.  As has always been the case in my experience, some within each group formed a sub-group and discussed, others chose to read on their own.  And it was good either way - some who read on their own shared their personal insights.  Some who discussed in groups summarized the group's insights.  Some stayed silent.  All options were available and it was a great lesson for all who chose to make it a great lesson, regardless of their chosen form of participation.

Don't know if anyone else has noticed, but our lessons have been moving farther and farther from "here's how to apply the gospel in your life (which was often assumed to be the cookie-cutter ideal life)" to "here's the pure doctrine, you figure out how to apply it in your life".  Other things in the church have been moving the same direction - farther from the "Law of Moses" style and more toward the "here's the doctrine, act on it" style.

*(Want to see me hell? Try to force me into heaven.)

Thanks so much. These are great ideas. I will use them. We are starting a class entitled 'teaching in the Savior's way' so maybe they will teach us these new approaches. Thanks!

[zil]

4 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

Thanks so much. These are great ideas. I will use them. We are starting a class entitled 'teaching in the Savior's way' so maybe they will teach us these new approaches. Thanks!

Yes, that's a new church-wide program, and it's not a class (at least, it's not supposed to be), it's a Teachers' Council - where you study how to teach the way the Savior did, and council together about how to apply the principles and improve teaching in your specific conditions.  It's fabulous.  The material is online and in the Gospel Library app, so anyone can study on their own (but counseling together is highly valuable in addition to the study).  Enjoy! :)

[Sunday21]

9 hours ago, zil said:

Yes, that's a new church-wide program, and it's not a class (at least, it's not supposed to be), it's a Teachers' Council - where you study how to teach the way the Savior did, and council together about how to apply the principles and improve teaching in your specific conditions.  It's fabulous.  The material is online and in the Gospel Library app, so anyone can study on their own (but counseling together is highly valuable in addition to the study).  Enjoy! :)

Thanks! I really value your tips. Kind of you to take the time to explain. We need the help up here in the hapless north!

[Sunday21]

On August 14, 2016 at 10:14 PM, MormonGator said:

Sunday, you are the nicest person I've ever met online.

No question you are doing the right thing by trying to get people involved. The language barrier can be beaten though!  I'm sure that someone in your ward speaks multiple languages. Could you demand that they sit in on an RS meeting and translate?

The church sometimes wonders why people don't show up to church more often. Well, you are doing the right thing by making it more inviting! 

Hi Mr Gatror! Big wave to you! We have a few heroic souls who have returned from missions/grown up in multilingual households and boy do we use them. One of the nice things about going to church in a very high needs/rust belt/nonmormon area is that if you have a skill, we use it! Non of that 'you didn't serve a mission so we don't want you' stuff here! My bishop did not serve a mission. In mainland ldsville, I doubt I would be teaching at all! So if anyone out there would like to feel needed...we have callings for you!