Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Thanks for the inspiration!

We had an incredible mentor retreat yesterday!  Thanks to everyone involved with that!

I would like to make this post a repository for links to the talks, notes and articles from that meeting.  Presenters, if you could just "reply" in the bottom with links to skydrive versions or google drive versions of your notes, that would be fabulous!  Also, if anyone had any epiphanies/ah-hahs! from the event, please also feel free to share.  It would be a great time to synergize!

Please include, also, in the comments, any links that were shared (Tresta, :)!) so that those of us who didn't write those down have them.  Thanks, everyone!

Here was our outline for the day, in review:



AGENDA

-8 AM Kick-off: quintessential Vanguard: the basic vision-30 min Mary Biesinger
-8:30 AM Special Musical Number : the Petersons

-8:45 AM Creating a spirit-led learning environment 30-45 min Becky Edwards

-9:30 AM Review of the 4-R method and how to effectively use it...particularly discuss Word studies and the power of reflecting and recording 30 min RaNae Housholder
10 minute break

-10:15 AM Use of different methods/elements in classes: lacking other feedback, I think it would be great to just have a discussion about a list of elements/methods.  I will put the list in initial registration packet for people to ideally review before then, so they will have time to prepare some thoughts, experiences, or ideas about them to share.  Does anyone feel a delightful yearning to facilitate this part? :) 45 minutes

-11:00 AM Mentoring in class: 45 min, Julie Johnson
11:45 AM: LUNCH (serve up 15 min). Discussion 30 minutes in different rooms
Leadership: Kitchen
Eureka: Downstairs Living Room
Geo-conquest: Downstairs Back Room
Imaginative Arts: Front Living Room

-12:30 PM Different personality styles: different systems, how to use it in class: 30 min Mary
 Biesinger 
 -1:00 PM Parents!  Monthly mentor meetings, how to encourage WAMs with their youth (weekly accountability meetings), effective communication modes with parents in your group 30 min Genevieve Peterson
-1:30 PM Youth leadership and junior mentors: standards, expectations, and how to effectively incorporate them and help them feel ownership. 30 min Marni Hall

-2:00 PM Discussion of "agency education"--how to involve the youth!  how to write inspirements, etc. 45 min  Karen

-2:45 PM A panel of youth for Q & A.  1 hour led by  Melinda and Maretta Scott
Musical Number: the Petersons
Final brief presentation 15 min: Mary

11 comments:

  1. Here is a link for "Tools and Elements of Vanguard": https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oAtCKS5bR4KA_f4TDzuvYM81ihq2Cg82nxxuArDR2hc/edit?usp=sharing

    Here is one for the learning styles, along with a couple notes from class: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pXvPFsdmlFWWHGN293I6TB-A58tLsq31YWPktKKfOJs/edit?usp=sharing

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  2. I came away with a need to be better at making my inspirements and sources classics and amazing, with a vision of slowing down the class time to allow for time for pondering and deep discussion and connections, and a bunch of resources :)!

    I also more fully realized how much better Vanguard works with meaningful inspirements to guide the extensive class time preparation that happens during the week.

    I have also already started using Marni's mentoring acronym in my own group as I try to mentor my new lens mentors more effectively.

    I also am excited to use graphic summaries and word studies more regularly as an effect way for the youth to internalize and apply what they are studying.

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  3. The Art of Mentoring

    Link to my Prezi...http://prezi.com/4orbajntedbr/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0sharef Mentoring.

    I have included my notes that I used to mentor the class. It also includes some ideas and methodology that we didn't have time to discuss in class...so if you wanted some ideas how to be a great mentor there are some ideas. (I added my notes as a second comment below)

    As I mentioned yesterday...the most important questions to ask yourself are not How do I be a good mentor, but What is a mentor? and Why do I want to be a mentor/Why do my youth need a mentor? And How will my students learn character? When we answer these questions the answers are usually How we should mentor...It is always good to start with the most important questions :)

    The most important thing to me about mentoring is having a vision. Why are you teaching this class? What do you want the youth to learn from this class? What changes do you hope they make in their lives because of your mentoring/the class?

    Remember the story of the Giving Tree read just from the perspective of the boy....It is not about me and my mentoring and my class...it is about the youth and their needing our apples, our branches, our everything to help them....and we will be happy in the end when we have given ourselves to them.

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  4. The Art of Mentoring

    What words do you think of when I say Art?
    Painter, Sculter, Composer....create...sees, feels, thinks, ponders, looks, listens, fails, trys, design:

    “I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” Robert Frost

    Robert Frost uses...Awakener...what does that make you think of?
    Awaken...

    What (is a mentor, is mentoring?)
    What one word would you use to describe mentoring?

    “see”
    potential
    walk with you
    lofty goals
    supports goals
    holds you to your commitments
    censures you when your wrong
    understands your failings...when your still working on it
    is happy with your success and sad at disappointments



    “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”--Plutarch

    Plutarch uses...kindle...what does that make you think of?
    Kindle....

    How do we kindle a fire?

    Why (why do we want to seek to mentor...have you ever asked yourself?)

    Meaningful work
    Whole environment
    Own genius
    Own responsibility
    Learn everywhere
    Gain character



    “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin


    How (this is the question we focus on...remember the other two questions can bring very profound insights)

    personalized study plan...how does this look in Vanguard
    identify where your students are at
    curriculum based on becoming, creating, learning
    fun...inspire
    Use the senses...eyes, ears, smell, taste, touch, talk, movement, spiritual? How?
    Write...learning, thinking, feeling...more discussion after writing!
    Discussions...planned, and spontaneous


    “True education does not consist merely in the acquiring of a few facts of science, history, literature, or art, but in the development of character.” David O. McKay


    Development of Character...what is the purpose of education if it is not this....As a mentor how will you teach character?

    Questions to think about

    Tools:
    Give vision of class, lens, purpoe
    See whole, not parts
    Learn from own experience, learn from others experience...we better be having an experience

    ******Advice from Youth:
    Try not to Lecture but to discuss
    Be organized
    Make it fun...learning can be fun

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  5. Tammy asked a question that we didn't have time to go into - what responsibilities do we give the presidencies? Maybe this could be a whole other post... I created one (link below), but haven't actually written anything there yet. But I will start on that as soon as I post my next comment.

    http://vanguardresources.blogspot.com/2013/08/youth-leadership-presidency-and-junior.html

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  6. Here is a link to my prezi on the 4R's and Word Studies

    http://prezi.com/erjk7uyl_mwl/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

    Link for 4R Method
    https://docs.google.com/a/housholderfamily.com/file/d/0BysRK6L3RkD9aVE2bHFwOGpqRU0/edit

    Here's a form for Word Studies-different than the one I passed out, but still good.
    https://docs.google.com/a/housholderfamily.com/file/d/0BysRK6L3RkD9clFHVkh4UE53Z3c/edit

    Here's the form for word studies that I passed out at the training along with an example.
    https://docs.google.com/a/housholderfamily.com/file/d/0BysRK6L3RkD9aDBkaklpRTBwcHc/edit

    One for graphic summaries:
    https://docs.google.com/a/housholderfamily.com/file/d/0BysRK6L3RkD9V3VZdDY0TExlRDQ/edit


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  7. “Leaders bring people to their best and help them stay there.” (Sterling Sill)

    STEPS TO LEADING THE YOUTH IN THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES
    Explain
    Demonstrate
    Guide
    Enable

    LEADING YOURSELF THROUGH THE ABOVE STAGES (as you lead the youth)
    Let them do it
    Expect that they'll need help
    Advise as necessary
    Don't get in their way

    Like John Wooden would, if you take the time to help "the one" become better, the whole team becomes better.

    HORSE STORY - about the boy the would drive the wagon while they were harvesting sugar beets. “The boy held the reins while the wagon was being loaded, until the load began to get too heavy. Then the father took over the driving, because the horses could pull more with the father holding the reins.

    “With horses or with [people], the ease with which the load is moved is determined in large part by who holds the reins... A skillful driver knows how to communicate to the team... He makes accomplishment easy, because the members of the team are then able to coordinate their effort and to work in unison. Even horses soon learn to have confidence in a capable master.” --”Leadership” by Sterling Sill, p. 86

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  8. I just wanted to say again how powerful word studies can be. When we use the 1828 dictionary it inspires us to want to discover more words and what they really mean. Watered down definitions, like ones that use the actual word to help define it, are not inspiring to our youth to want to pursue. Words are so fun, and learning their true meanings will help our youth learn to express themselves clearly and concisely. Use word studies!

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  9. Here is a link to my prezi:
    http://prezi.com/qttzjjjpsnuj/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

    When I mentioned in class what I have come to find that education is NOT (money, genius, mastery, profession, etc.) I forgot to mention that I don't think it is wrong to let the youth know that those things are byproducts of a good education. Different things can be motivating to some youth and it does seem like Jesus taught about temporal rewards as well as eternal ones. I just wanted to emphasize that our focus should be in following the lead of the Savior (following promptings, seeking to know His will for us daily in our education and application) and then all of the other things come on their own. This simple shift of focus can make a huge difference in how we teach and what we emphasize in class.

    I also wanted to mention again that my lists are not meant to be comprehensive (I'm sure we will find more ways to know, teach and serve and more principles behind writing inspirements in the future). I wanted to share some of the principles I had found in my experience so far in hopes that it would help others who are just starting and trying to catch a vision. I would love to hear more principles found in the future. I'm sure Vanguard will continue to grow in truth as we continue to seek understanding and that the specifics will change, but that the principles will grow and strengthen as we are open to seek further light and knowledge.

    Here is the hand out of ideas I gave out:
    1. Start with your Vision -
    a) Educational- Remember your educational vision and that we are trying to get them develop the character of Christ when selecting readings and inspirements.
    b) Lens - Remember what it is you want to accomplish in your lens. Some ideas are on the "4 lenses" part of the blog.
    c) Keep in mind the principle of the month when possible
    c) After selecting the readings, find principles in the readings.

    2. Ideas for the Study (Know) part of the inspirements:
    (Things taken in through our senses)
    Read
    Watch
    Experience
    Listen
    Observe
    Experiment
    Research

    3. Ideas for the Teach (Understand) part of the inspirements:
    (Creating something from what we learned)
    Ask introspective questions for them to ponder, and invite them to:
    Write a paper about the main point(s) taken from the reading
    Write a poem
    Present a skit
    Make a Prezi or PowerPoint presentation ( to use as a guide to present – not read the whole time)
    Present ideas on the whiteboard
    Make a posterboard representation of what was learned
    Build something (Legos, popsicle sticks, Minecraft, cardboard, etc) of what was learned or that represents what was learned.
    Draw a picture that has to do with what was learned
    Make a speech
    Play a song that represents what was learned
    Bring an object lesson
    Cook something that represents what was learned
    Write a song about what was learned
    Compare what was learned from the readings to something else learned earlier at Vanguard or in another setting.
    Draw a Graphic Summary (don’t forget to include the application to one’s life)

    Ideas for the Serve (Become) part of the inspirements:
    (Application to our lives)
    Listen to the promptings received as you read or teach and follow through
    Write down your promptings and act on one
    Practice with your own family
    FHE lesson
    Service project

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  10. Thanks everyone!! I got some great insight! All of these amazing resources will be incredibly helpful for the Box Elder Vanguard Kick Off Family Night tomorrow night. Some of you may have heard, I miscarried this day. No wonder why I couldn't think very straight in the back. Thanks for all of your love and prayers. :) I praise God even in the hard times. He is in control.

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  11. Here is my handout on Creating a Spirit-Led Learning Environment.

    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yq6p87HX24e0Wz4hnkHqlcBs1cpeu_6z0oqtj92ukLg/edit

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