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– A poor teacher blames the students when they don’t participate or spend time staring at their screens. – A slightly better teacher laments the horrible lesson manuals and repetitive material for not engaging the students.
– The best teachers keep looking for new ways to make the old material fresh, to engage people’s thinking with the lesson, and to make the discussion more compelling than the 4 inch screen world.
I wouldn’t try to measure anything that’s a direct reflection on the teacher volunteer, although some of them are simply terrible. I would hold discussions where teachers share ideas to solve problems you’ve observed or heard about. You could ask people individually what they like and don’t like.
We just got new GD teachers this year, and it’s pretty bad. I am honestly considering leaving after Sac Mtg and that’s not like me. I’m not one to just cut out. I hate to be rude, but I feel like I’m being lobotomized. The teachers are lecturing on the same threadbare topics that we’ve heard forever. One of them is so bombastic and self-aggrandizing it’s insufferable, and he trashes his brother in his lessons (his brother grew up in the ward), acting like this guy is some kind of apostate or Laman/Lemuel type–which only makes me like his brother more and lose all respect for him. He’s just awful. The other teacher is simply boring. Neither of them seems to know how to engage a discussion. All the answers are rote. There’s no thinking required. No application of the gospel. Boring, boring, boring.
In High Priests I have an automatic poll in place. Those that are asleep vs. those that are awake. When I give a good lesson I can keep it about 50/50. Which reminds me of a joke a friend just told me. A baby was crying in an a room next to where the bishop was trying to teach a lesson. He eventually stopped the lesson and went into the other room. He came back and the baby was quiet. He then said, “I ordained him to be a high priest and he went right to sleep.”
SilentDawning wrote:Always Thinking wrote:So for him personally, he said feedback wouldn’t be needed. A couple things he suggested were maybe all the teachers (or anyone who has taught in the past few months) get together maybe on a Saturday afternoon or something and someone provides donuts and they all share ideas for ways that they prepare lessons, what things have worked for their classes, what things they liked that past teachers did, etc. Just to have a fun get together where they all can share their ideas and eat food. He liked that idea because he said he’d rather talk to other teachers and hear their experiences rather than hear people say things like ‘I once had a teacher who would study all week for their lessons’. He wants more realistic stories and tips from people who have recently taught.
Another idea he didn’t quite form, was something where they could all meet during one of the three hour blocks so that they don’t have to use their time during the week to go talk about teaching. Our ward also recently started a teaching class, that’s apparently just about teaching, and it’s not every week. My husband hasn’t been to one yet because we were gone a few weeks but he wants to check it out because he likes the idea. So just a few more thoughts for you.
You just described the new Teaching in the Savior’s Way program, minus the donuts.One thing though — I am looking at measurement from the perspective of an organization that wants to improve. So that means some kind of aggregated data about all teaching in the Ward. That way you can figure out what is workign and what isn’t…
But it could have donuts. Donuts (or bagels or fruit or some other delicious snack) might improve willingness to attend and participate actually.
FWIW, I am much like Br. AP. I can tell when I’m getting through and when I’m not, and I can adjust.
hawkgrrrl wrote:– A poor teacher blames the students when they don’t participate or spend time staring at their screens.
– A slightly better teacher laments the horrible lesson manuals and repetitive material for not engaging the students.
– The best teachers keep looking for new ways to make the old material fresh, to engage people’s thinking with the lesson, and to make the discussion more compelling than the 4 inch screen world.
I wouldn’t try to measure anything that’s a direct reflection on the teacher volunteer, although some of them are simply terrible. I would hold discussions where teachers share ideas to solve problems you’ve observed or heard about. You could ask people individually what they like and don’t like.
We just got new GD teachers this year, and it’s pretty bad. I am honestly considering leaving after Sac Mtg and that’s not like me. I’m not one to just cut out. I hate to be rude, but I feel like I’m being lobotomized. The teachers are lecturing on the same threadbare topics that we’ve heard forever. One of them is so bombastic and self-aggrandizing it’s insufferable, and he trashes his brother in his lessons (his brother grew up in the ward), acting like this guy is some kind of apostate or Laman/Lemuel type–which only makes me like his brother more and lose all respect for him. He’s just awful. The other teacher is simply boring. Neither of them seems to know how to engage a discussion. All the answers are rote. There’s no thinking required. No application of the gospel. Boring, boring, boring.
You don’t have to leave. That’s partly why there are foyer groups.
LookingHard: fantastic joke! Church members who accept a calling to teach don’t need a reason to feel bad about how they are doing. They need training on how to do better – and the less criticized they feel, the more likely they are accept and embrace it. You have said it yourself, SD:
Most people at church don’t want to be pushed; they want to be led. They don’t don’t want to be challenged; they want to be invited. They don’t want to be criticized; they want to be loved and served.
Again, if measurements are taken privately and used generically to inspire disucssion and collaboration, I have no problem with using them with church teachers. I belief strongly, however, that you are setting yourself up for disappointment if you try to create a formal process of evaluation based on measurements that is shared with others. (I don’t include surveys in the category of measurements for the purpose of this thread, since nobody who takes the surveys will see them as measurements unless that is what they are called.)
About twice a month, I bake some sort of treat and send it to HP with my DH. He feels that it increases attendance and sets a different tone for the hour. If nothing else, the guys stay awak to eat and participate while they nosh. When I was primary president, I made a huge number of small table clothes. We framed enough pictures of Christ for every classroom, and had a ward lady make a bunch of small durable center pieces. I came in on Saturday evenings to set up all the classroom chairs. So .. The teachers showed up on Sunday mornings and they could grab a tablecloth, picture of Christ and a centerpiece. Their classroom LOOKED like they were prepared. The teaching packets from library were always complete with all the pictures, handouts, and props. As a presidency, we asked our teachers to look over the next week lesson before they left the parking lot to go home. Just open the manual and glance at the next week’s topic .. So they wouldn’t put it off all week long. Just having them open the manual to look ahead a week made a difference on their preparations.
And we brought the teachers treats on a regular basis, and had two scheduled subs who rotated through primary to give teachers a scheduled occasional week off to go to RS or PM. Those simple things made a HUGE difference in how supported the teachers felt.
About boring teachers .. They are usually just so stressed that they haven’t hit their stride yet. Give them an occasional week off and let them be a student in the class. They will pick up teaching tips as they watch a more experienced teacher work the room. They don’t need criticism. They just need excellent examples to watch.
Old Timer wrote:Church members who accept a calling to teach don’t need a reason to feel bad about how they are doing. They need training on how to do better – and the less criticized they feel, the more likely they are accept and embrace it.
You have said it yourself, SD:
Most people at church don’t want to be pushed; they want to be led. They don’t don’t want to be challenged; they want to be invited. They don’t want to be criticized; they want to be loved and served.
I agree fully — my list of ideas, if individual, were voluntary on the part of the teacher, and would either be confidential, or shared with a leader only if the teacher wants to do so. I see no problem with voluntary self-assessment, or voluntary sharing of results — provided it is all driven by the teacher.
Quote:Again, if measurements are taken privately and used generically to inspire disucssion and collaboration, I have no problem with using them with church teachers. I belief strongly, however, that you are setting yourself up for disappointment if you try to create a formal process of evaluation based on measurements that is shared with others. (I don’t include surveys in the category of measurements for the purpose of this thread, since nobody who takes the surveys will see them as measurements unless that is what they are called.)
I think a formal evaluation process is a recipe for failure. However, a global measurement of teaching, used to create general strategies for improving teaching (frequency of Teacher’s Councils, offerings for class visits and observations if teachers want them, other strategies) is worthwhile. Otherwise, we, as an organization only get better by accident.
On the other hand, I do agree with setting expectations BEFORE people accept callings. If potential teachers don’t like the expectations, they can say so, and then not accept the calling. I personally would make it safe to do that. I would rather have a combined Sunday School class under an inspiring teacher than one class in a boring situation, and the other in an inspiring position. I think it’s better to leave positions vacant if the people filling them are not going to be dedicated.
I would list expectations of a) attending teachers councils, b) giving notice when away and arranging a backup teacher c) a willingness to embrace global improvement processes and d) a willingness to prepare early for classes. Indicate we do measure the members’ overall experience in the Ward, and we would like teachers to embrace the process and accept the global feedback (not individualized) and be willing to try their best to improve when their are themes in members feedback. Feedback would be given on a global basis.
If this is to threatening for teachers, then fine, they can say “no” to the calling. And I would be fine with that. Better to have a few teachers committed to improvement and working together for an inspiring church xperience, than a lot of teachers who are not interested in improving the experience they provide for the general membership. And by the way, this upfront expectation setting is something I do in my non-profit. It actually generates excitement in some people. You end up with a smaller team of people, and as a leader, find all kinds of surprising extras start falling in your lap. The experience attracts other strong people And by strong I mean, dedicated and willing to learn and improve.
I can understand the press to collect data to improve teaching, but maybe the best data in these situations would be a ward wide questionnaire for adults asking who enjoys teaching. Call the people who enjoy teaching. Combine classes (which can be difficult to do with small classrooms), allow team teach, and don’t call those who hate doing it. Provide relevant pedagogical training to the teachers on issues such as classroom management, active engagement, and letting them share ideas, and do this during fifth Sunday discussions when their classes are elsewhere. This wouldn’t address Primary teaching needs, which in my opinion can be more difficult to staff.
It has been my experience that the quickest and most lasting way to improve teaching at the ward level is to find the ones who like teaching and call them to teach, then provide them some extra support and training. Now, just because they like to teach doesn’t mean they are good at it, but it usually means they are interested and willing to try.
I also completely agree with the several opinions that positive reinforcement and lots of expressed love and kindness are also crucial. Sunday school teachers often feel very unsupported because… well, what type of men are often called as the ward SS presidency? Typically at least one is mostly inactive and at least one doesn’t really want to be there, and it’s about all they can do to collect the rolls and occasionally find a sub (though they stress that finding subs are the responsibility of the teacher). There are exceptions, of course, but I would bet that’s the situation most of us have experienced. Primary presidencies, on the other hand, are usually a bit more dynamic and engaged. I always felt much more appreciated and supported as a primary teacher than as a Sunday school teacher, but preferred the content and age of Sunday school and grew to hate the mind numbing sharing time.
I remember efforts over the years to effect positive change in ward level teaching. I remember being part of those efforts as a leader. Carrots seemed to work slightly, but what worked the best was finding the right person to teach, then stay out of their way.
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