Change--Change--Change for 2011

These are the most noteworthy changes that have been made by the Primary General Board and will affect how you plan for next year. If confused regarding these changes and how they will affect your calling, counsel with your bishop and ward council to make sure the needs of each child will be met.

How has the Primary schedule changed? 

• Opening or closing exercises are eliminated. Sunday Primary is normally held for 1 hour and 40 minutes. Children in the nursery stay in their nursery class for the entire time. The other children attend two sessions. In one session, children meet together for 50 minutes for sharing time. In the other session, they divide into smaller classes for 40-minute lessons taught by their Primary teachers. The children and teachers who attend sharing time and classes have a 10-minute break between the two sessions. (See Handbook 2, 11.4.1.)

Do we still have quarterly activity days? 

         No. They are no longer part of the program. The quarterly activity days referred to on page 18 in the Faith in            

         God guidebooks are no longer a part of the program.

Link to Frequently Asked Questions

PDF of Teaching No Greater Call

CLICK HERE FOR:  On-line version of Teaching No Greater Call

Teacher Initiation Documents

1.  Teacher Orientation--for Ward priesthood auxiliary leaders

2.  Teacher Job Chart--for teacher

3.  Counseling with Teachers--for auxiliary counselor responsible for teachers


**Documents created by Lenexa Stake Sunday School Presidency--2010

Teaching No Greater Call

**These TNGC references appear in the 2011 Sharing Time Guide

2011 Outline for Sharing Time--I Know the Scriptures are True

-----Teaching, No Greater Call references:  (TNGC)-----

2011 Challenge--Throughout the year, give children opportunities to share what they have learned from their scripture reading. This will give children a chance to share their experiences and help motivate others to read their scriptures at home.

Consider ways to help all of the children in your Primary have success in reading their scriptures throughout the year. For example, children who do not have support at home could be given opportunities to read at church and then add their names to paper chain.

Scriptures:  Reading directly from the scriptures can help children feel comfortable with scriptural language. Make sure to define difficult words or ideas (TNGC 50-51)

Inviting children to learn from the scriptures will help them develop a lifelong love for the word of God. plan ways each week to invite the children to use and learn from their scriptures.  Here are some ideas to teach using the scriptures:
1.  Memorizing scripture can help teach children the doctrines of the gospel
2.  Invite the children to point to each word as you read a scripture out loud. Ask younger children to listen for a specific word or phrase and raise their hands when they hear it.
3.  Reading directly from the scriptures can help children feel comfortable with scriptural language. Make sure to define difficult words or ideas


General Teaching Principles
Preparation:  As you plan your sharing times, first read through all of the lessons for the month. Then balance the activities you plan to use according to the time you have and the needs of your Primary. For example, you could complete half of a longer activity one week and finish it the next week or repeat shorter activities to help the children review.  (TNGC 98-99)

---Object Lessons help the children understand ideas in a simple and familiar way (TNGC 164)
---Focus the children’s energy through appropriate movement to keep them actively engaged.
---Children are more likely to apply doctrines if they come up with their own applications. Children also feel love and validation as their ides are repeated by the teachers and other children.
---When teaching the children a song, use your hand to show them the melody. Raise and lower your hand as the pitch changes (TNGC 174)
--It is often easier to understand a gospel principle when it is expressed as part of a scriptural story (TNGC 55)
--Using children in visual demonstrations will get their attention and prepare them to learn.
---You may need to adapt activities to the needs of your Primary. For example, if your Primary is large, you may have the guest speakers move from group to group instead of moving the children from one speaker to another (TNGC 179)
---Children will learn more effectively when a variety of teaching methods are used.
---Inviting Responses: Children are more likely to respond to questions if the are given time to ponder. Consider telling them that you will give them time to think before asking for responses. (TNGC 69)
---Stations are places where smaller groups of children participate in various learning experiences (TNGC 179) In large Primaries, stations can be as simple as teachers moving between groups.
---What will the children do to learn?  Asking this question as you prepare activities will help the children learn through participation.
---Using pictures or other visuals helps children a principle or doctrine to an image in their mind, which increases their ability to understand and remember what they have learned.



Small Groups--Participating in small groups gives more children the opportunity to participate. Class groups could be used for small groups and teachers could help ensure participation and maintain reverence.

Strengthen understanding:  When children share what they learn in Primary with others, it strengthens their understanding. Give them opportunities to share and encourage them to do so.

Adapt Activities to the ages of the children in your Primary.

Reverence: Children are more likely to be reverent when they are involved in learning. (TNGC page 82-83)

Songs:  Singing about a doctrine helps children learn and remember it. Children also learn better if they see a visual or perform an activity in conjunction with the music. (TNGC 172-175)
Primary songs teach gospel truths in such a way that children will remember them throughout their lives.

Object Lesson:  can be used to create interest, focus the children’s attention, or introduce a gospel principle (TNGC 164)

Different Age Groups:  Plan your sharing times to engage both older and younger children.

Sharing feelings:  Give children opportunities to share their feelings about the gospel. This will invite the Spirit and strengthen the children’s understanding of how the doctrine applies to their lives (see TNGC 63-65)

Repetition: Children learn through repetition.

Drawing: If you plan to draw on the chalkboard, practice your drawings ahead of time. DO NOT apologize for your lack of artistic ability. Apologizing will only draw attention to that particular aspect of your drawing. If you are uncomfortable drawing, ask someone to help (TNGC 162-163)

Writing:  Inviting a child to write on the board will make him or her feel  valued. It will also help hold the interest of the other children.

Show Love:  Look for opportunities to show your love to each child. As you show love for those you teach, they become more receptive to the Spirit and more enthusiastic about learning. (TNGC 31)

Variety:  Planning activities that involve the children in a variety of ways enhances understanding and application.

Review:   Connecting a doctrine to a physical activity or visual will help the children remember it (TNGC 182-183)

Guest Speakers:  When inviting guest speakers to Primary, remind them to keep their messages simple so the children will understand. All guest speakers should be approved by the bishopric.

Teach by Example:  how to show love and respect for others (TNGC 18-19)  Minister to the teachers in your Primary by offering encouragement and support. Then help the children see how they  can love and encourage one another.

2011 Primary Challenge Ideas

2011 Challenge - Find opportunities for children to share what they have
read in the scriptures

Ideas:
1) Charts or bulletin board postings
2) Bring our scriptures weekly
3) To encourage scripture memorization put a monthly scripture on a
card on a ring that they can keep. Each month add a new card to the
ring. To help younger kids put pictures on the back side of the card to
jog their memory.
4) When children are assigned talks in primary encourage them to talk
about what they have read and learned in the scriptures.
5) Weekly scripture bookmark
a) select a verse or two (you may select a theme for the week) for
each day of the coming week
b) formulate a question regarding the passage
c) using 3 columns to a page you can create 3 bookmarks per page
EXAMPLE:
PRAYER
Sunday -
Alma 5:46
Helaman 3:35
When?

Monday -
Moroni 7:48
How?

Tuesday -
1 Nephi 15:11
How?

Wednesday -
2 Nephi 3:8-9
Who wants us to pray?

Thursday -
Alma 37:37
What do you pray about?

Friday -
Alma 13:28
Why pray?

Saturday-
Moroni 10:3-5
Why pray?
I had the kids put their name on the bookmark and fill in the answers
with simple 2-3 words and then bring them back to me at primary the
following week for a reward. I targeted the Senior Primary. I also
challenged the teachers to participate.
6) Choose scriptures to read during the week. Have the children keep a
"scripture journal" and write what they learned. Have the children
bring their journals each week. Select a few (or one child) to share
during opening or closing exercises.
7) Progress poster to show child participation
8) Culminate effort in a quarterly activity in the fall. One ward had
a water balloon fight in August with squirt guns and shields. The kids
had a blast!
9) Involve the teachers by having them track scripture reading progress
in class rather than taking time to do it in sharing time.
10) Encourage teachers to have children read scripture passages as one
of their teaching methods
11) Encourage teachers to assign children scriptures to read to prepare
for the next week's lesson.

Cub Scout Leader Specific Training on-line!

I am glad to announce that the Cub Scout Job Specific training is now live online at MyScouting!

 

To access the training, go to www.scouting.org, click on MyScouting on the right end of the blue bar at the top, log in (or create an account if you do not already have one), click on E-Learning under the Training tab on the left, scroll down to the gray tabs and click on Cub.  This will show you a list of all the trainings that apply to Cub Scout leaders.

 

This addition will now give you three options to complete job specific training:

   1.  Complete job specific online.

   2.  Complete job specific at an in person scheduled class.

   3.  Request an in person training event for your entire pack.  What better way to get everyone on the same page?

 

Your District Training Team is committed to helping you become a 100% trained unit.

 

Don't forget that all leaders MUST complete Youth Protection training BEFORE they register or participate in activities with the youth.  As you recruit new leaders this fall, they must complete Youth Protection and attach a copy of the completion card or certificate to their membership application to get registered.  Also, every registered leader in your unit MUST have completed youth protection within the past two years to be rechartered in December or January, so make sure you don't have surprises when recharter time rolls around.

 

Every boy DESERVES a trained leader and, as a reminder, all Cub Scout Leaders much complete the following to be considered trained:

     Fast Start Training for their registered position

     Youth Protection Training

     Job Specific Training for their registered position

     This is Scouting

 

Judy Yeager

NT District Registrar

Priesthood Preview

Planning for the Priesthood Preview for your oldest primary-aged boys should be on your agendas for the Fall.

I am curious to learn what plans you are making for this special event and how many boys you anticipate attending.  

For further assistance in planning, please refer to this LDS site:

Priesthood Preview

Sharing Time POSTERBOARD

If you wish to use this helpful board for an upcoming sharing time, it is NOW stored in the Overland Park Building library.  Contact Stephanie Bishop to use.

Cub Scout Documents

This link contains files for introducing a cub to the Cub Scout Program, cub budgets, and other documents handed out at the LDS Regional Cub Training in November 2009.

http://public.me.com/sebishopmobile

Password: lenstakeprimary

TAX EXEMPT FORMS

The new Kansas Tax Exempt form, and the Missouri Tax Exempt form, are both out on our Stake and Ward Website -- Stake Home Page, then click on "News and Information".

They are towards the bottom of the long list of documents shown there, and yes, any Ward can use them.

Everything you could ever want is out there on that website.

The Missouri form can be given to merchants to prove Tax Exempt status, BUT the merchant is NOT obligated to honor it. It is the merchants choice whether he wants to mess with it or not.

NOTE: The NEW Kansas Tax Exempt is now MUCH Simpler to use - no need to restrict it's use to $500 or more.

Using these forms, I recently set up a TAX FREE account at Office Max. I have a number that I use when I purchase supplies for the Primary at Office Max. At Costco, using a BUSINESS membership ($100), I have a TAX exempt # printed directly on my membership card. When I purchase supplies for the church, I simply refer to the number on my card and my purchase is tax exempt.

Both of these accounts took about 20 minutes to set-up, depending on the line! WELL worth the time spent.

CubMaster Training

When calling and sustaining new CubMaster/ScoutMaster in your units, please keep in mind that new guidelines have been issued by the BSA.

The following applies as of 2010:

In order to submit an official BSA application for new CubMaster/ScoutMasters, a leader needs to provide PROOF of training. As a Stake Primary, we have offered LDS specific CubMaster Training on a yearly basis--usually in the late Fall. The BSA usually offers monthly training.

In addition, their are official BSA training links on this site at the RIGHT.

11-year-old Scout Information

Information for 11-yr-old leaders, those who might need a review of the program, and primary counselors over 11-year-old, the information on this LDS Scouting Web Site is helpful.

http://www.ldsscouting.org/11yearolds/11yearolds.html

This link will provide some answers to the confusion regarding changes the General Primary Presidency has made for Class Names and Fifth Sunday Sharing Time for 2010

I apologize for not getting this to you sooner as many of you have already addressed and solved the issues.

http://www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,7701-1,00.html

Webelos Summer Camp--2010

Primary Presidents/Cub Leaders

Please consider the following Webelos Camp ideas and respond by January 5, 2010:

Camp Naish Webelos Camp--PROS

1. Positive outdoor experience with all staff leaders/resources/equipment/food provided for 3 days

2. PINS earned all at camp

3. Unity created with other Cub Scout Packs

Camp Naish Webelos Camp--CONS

1. Camp Fee--$115

2. 3 BSA trained Webelos leaders need to attend and pay full fee

3. Travel to and from Camp Naish gets tedious and LATE because the LDS scouts do not camp overnight

4. Time spent walking between activities could be used learning

5. Webelos Draw (Jan. 23) does not allow for date of camp to be guaranteed

Webelos SUPER Saturday Activity--alternative to Webelos Camp--PROS

1. FEE--greatly reduced from the $120--approximately--$20

2. Same amount of PINS earned in one 6-hour session

3. No time wasted in travel to and from camp

4. Date/Time/Place is chosen by attendees

Webelos SUPER Saturday Activity--alternative to Webelos Camp--CONS

1. Webelos do not get the "camping" experience with access to boy scout tents

2. Event MUST be organized by Lenexa Cub Leaders of the wards--including ALL resources--teachers--equipment--place--etc

3. Communication and Coordination--WE WILL need a Stake Webelos Camp SPECIALIST to coordinate this one-day camp--

4. Lenexa Stake Primary Presidency WILL not be responsible for this as we are running other camps.

A SUPER SATURDAY ACTIVITY outline used by the Lenexa Ward is attached and is a WONDERFUL resource for the Webelos Lenexa Stake Specialist to use for the Super Saturday, if decided.

Primary Program Notes

1. Senior primary children help Junior primary children with their parts in place of presidency. Faith in God requirement passed off

2. Hand out a "comments" card to the congregation and have them write down their thoughts during program. Read these cards during Sharing Time after program

3. Use song descants during some of the song--Activity DAy Girls can sing

4. Have a "youth" guest" pianist

5. Children present "personal" spiritual experiences during their primary program part

6. Use pictures from activities/events through-out the year and put together a short slide show to show after the program.

7. When singing a song, use actions and words to perform song

8. Have the congregation join in singing some of the songs other than the one presented from Hymnal

9. Program should be presented in 4th Quarter--Sept-Oct-Nov--Dec

10. Instead of having younger children come to microphone, have the children speak into a microphone passed by their teacher.

11. Don't be scared to use other "CLASSIC" songs--Wise Man, Foolish Man--songs audience KNOWS and REMEMBERS

12. Use a 11-year-old guest chorister to direct a song in a "ROUND"

13. Use special musical numbers during songs

LDS Regional Cub Scout Training

Thanks to Lorri Kearns, (NT Trainer), Dave Schultz (NT District Commissioner), Judy Yeager (NT ) John Naylor (NT Commissioner) and Gigi Coleman for assisting over 50 Cub Scout Leaders in the Kansas City region to become fully trained in their respective positions. This supports the BSA Training Initiative set for the next century. Valuable information was presented from LDS trainers who serve in LDS/BSA positions in scouts.

For more information, I will be posting documents given at the training in the next couple of weeks.

Here is a link to the BSA/LDS web site for more info.

Training for Teachers--Oct. 25 Leadership

Providing on-going Teaching for Teachers

In counseling with teachers, leaders should allow the teachers’ needs and concerns to guide the direction of the discussion. To help teachers think about how they are doing and what they can do to improve, leaders may want to ask questions that prompt careful thought, such as those in the following list. Such questions can also help leaders discover specific ways to help.

-- How are you feeling about your calling as a teacher?

--Are there some experiences you have had with your class that you would like to talk about?

-- Will you share some examples of how class members are responding to the lessons you teach?

--What are some specific needs of individual class members?

--What are some of your goals as a teacher?

--What can I do to help you accomplish your goals?

--What are some topics that you feel should be addressed in teacher improvement meetings?

--Create Clear and concise expectations concerning SUBS—emergent and non-emergent

--Treat Them Like Royalty by Asking about Their Lives

Leaders should listen carefully to teachers’ responses and help them find answers to their questions and concerns. Leaders can encourage teachers by helping them see their strengths and the good things they are accomplishing. When they offer suggestions, they should do so with humility and love. They should keep in mind the following statement by President Spencer W. Kimball:

“I find myself hungering and thirsting for just a word of appreciation or of honest evaluation from my superiors and my peers. I want no praise; I want no flattery; I am seeking only to know if what I gave was acceptable” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 489)

LINK---Orienting Teachers---LDS site

Improved Gospel Teaching—A Leader’s Guide

Teaching Guidebook—For Teachers

Scheduling Building

"Thus, none shall be exempted from the justice and the laws of God, that all things may be done in order ..." Doctrine and Covenants 107:84 (emphasis added).

The Church, our Stake, and our Wards are great due to many reasons, one of which is that there is order in God's house. As Bro. Anderson has informed me that the 2010 Stake calendar is 99.9% complete and that I can now begin to accept 2010 Resource calendar requests from the Wards for the Stake center, I beg a moment of your time to cover several items:

1. Activities on the Stake calendar do not generate a building reservation on the Resource calendar. If an activity requires a building (or portion of a building), a Resource request must be sent in by the organization that wants to use the facility. While the Stake takes first priority for Resource reservations, Stake organizations are not exempt from submitting a Resource request for their activities. This should be done by each organization as soon as possible, as the Wards are already planning their own activity calendars and need an accurate Resource calendar to select potential dates.

2. Bro. Anderson has been generous enough to enter a number of the main Stake events on the Resource calendar. As your organization goes through the process of submitting Resource requests, please review the Resource calendar to see, first, if there is already a Resource reservation for your event and second, if the details in the reservation are as you need (time, rooms, contact information, etc.). Please send an updated request if needed. The more accurate the information, the smoother the system runs.

3. It is possible that all the details that go into your 2010 Resource request (exact time range, all needed rooms, etc.) may not be finalized at this point. If this is the case, when sending a Resource request, use your best guess to set an approximate time range (including set up and take down time)and the rooms needed. A contact person and their phone number should always be included in a Resource request. A secondary Resource request can be submitted later if the time range and/or rooms need to be updated. This will allow the Wards and other groups to have a good idea of what is available on any given date.

4. Please request only what is needed. There is nothing wrong with scheduling the entire building if need be. However, each building is a valuable asset that often can accommodate multiple users to accomplish the mission of the Church.

5. The "Make this a repeating event" feature should not be used if you will be deleting Resource requests throughout the year. For example, the Youth dances will be on the 3rd Saturday of each month (if memory serves me correctly). However, at this point it is not known which Stake will host the event each month. Bro. Ramsey will submit a Resource request for each month and notify me which dances will be held at other Stakes, I, in turn, will be able to delete that month's dance from the Resource calendar, freeing the building for others to use. The Church's system is not sophisticated enough to allow one event in a series to be deleted.

6. As we have not been in the new Stake center as we move across the end of a calendar year, any standing events from 2009 (that would not be addressed in item 1. above) should be submitted as a Resource request, if the activity will occur at the new Stake center.

7. The Stake offices (the HC room, in particular) are not able to be scheduled by me. Any such request would be covered directly with Bro. Shipp, outside of the Resource request process.

I greatly appreciate your patience and understanding. While these items may seem rudimentary, we know that by small and simple things great things come to pass. Through meticulous application of a few procedures, unity in the Stake is fostered by limiting scheduling conflicts, avoiding misunderstandings, and circumventing possible resentment. From the point of view of the Stake center building scheduler, it might also make my job a bit easier :-) It will also assist the other building schedulers if Stake events are to be held at their facilities.

Bro. Pfeil

Church News Article on Importance of Cub Scouts

Church News

Cub Scouting is the foundation

By Jason Swensen
Church News staff writer

Published: Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009

CIMARRON, NEW MEXICO

Bishops and branch presidents — want a deacons quorum filled with young men well prepared to perform their Aaronic Priesthood duties? Start first by building successful Cub Scout dens.

That was the message shared here by Sister Cheryl C. Lant, Primary general president, during the recent Priesthood Leadership Conference at the Philmont Scout Ranch.

"Cub Scouts are part of the whole [priesthood] picture — it's where we lay the foundation," she said.

Sister Lant may have appeared to be preaching to the proverbial choir. The dozens of men in her audience were all priesthood leaders in Scout uniforms who had come to Philmont in hopes of strengthening their respective quorums, troops and, yes, Cub Scout dens. Still, Sister Lant reminded the leaders about the essential role the ward and stake priesthood leadership should play in Cub Scouting. The young boys in the blue and gold uniforms are not merely the charges of the Primary.

The purpose of Scouting and Cub Scouting is the same: to provide activities and leadership opportunities to young men in the Church preparing for future duties as missionaries, fathers, husbands and temple-going Melchizedek Priesthood holders.

Sister Lant taught that the Primary's Faith in God Award need not operate independently of Cub Scouting. Instead, Cub Scouting helps boys get the most out of their Faith in God experience.

"Faith in God helps us to focus on what it is we want to teach these boys," she said.

Several Faith in God Award requirements — such as serving others and developing talents — fit nicely with tasks Cub Scouts perform to earn their various badges. Cub Scouts are also encouraged to earn the Scouting Religious Square Knot.

Sister Lant said local Primary leaders sometimes feel overwhelmed when asked to implement both Faith in God and Cub Scouting in their ward or branch. That won't be the case when Primary presidencies and bishoprics fully understand the compatibility found between the two. Sister Lant suggested that Cub leaders first learn the purposes and requirements of the Faith in God Award. "Then they can use its guiding principles as they approach Cub Scouting."

It was no coincidence that Sister Lant was sporting the regulation yellow Cub Scout Den Leader uniform for her presentation. Wearing the uniform, she said, helps both the leaders and the boys feel they are a part of something important. Encourage the boys to wear their uniforms to all of their Cub Scout activities.

Sister Cheryl C. Lant, Primary general president, points out the value of the Cub Scout uniform during her recent presentation at Philmont's LDS Priesthood Leadership Conference. The uniform helps young Scouts and their leaders feel united.

"They act different when they are in their uniforms," she added.

Buying a new Cub Scout uniform may pose a financial challenge for some families. A few of the Philmont participants spoke of organizing a "uniform bank" in their ward or stake to help offset the costs. Sister Lant also recommended that families donate their "gently worn" Scout uniforms to inner-city groups operating troops and dens.

Sister Lant said new Primary presidencies may not fully realize the importance of a well-run Cub Scout den.

Participants at Philmont's LDS Priesthood Leadership Conference work together to build a crude pinewood car during Sister Cheryl C. Lant's presentation on Cub Scouting. The program can work well with Primary's Faith in God Award.

"Priesthood leaders need to understand that these women need training so they understand [their callings]."

In closing, Sister Lant shared her beliefs in the Scouting program and its role as the activity arm of the Aaronic Priesthood. Cub Scouts is another tool that local priesthood and Primary leaders can utilize to train and prepare boys to receive that "preparatory" priesthood. "Truly the work we are doing is the work of the priesthood."

Philmont participants were also reminded during Sister Lant's presentation that Cub Scout activities can also be a lot of fun. The Primary leader divided the men into small groups, handed them the basic parts of a pinewood car and told them to start building. Minutes later, they nostalgically gathered around a pinewood derby track and staged spirited races.

Participants at Philmont's LDS Priesthood Leadership Conference work together to build a crude pinewood car during Sister Cheryl C. Lant's presentation on Cub Scouting.

There were plenty of high-fives, a few beaming winners and even some good-natured, pinewood derby ribbing amongst the middle-age stake presidents and young men leaders.

"This is Scouting" replace New Leader Essentials

This is Scouting-(formally New Leader Essentials)-this course is offered through our online learning center at

www.olc.scouting.org

Please note: if you have taken New Leader Essentials you do not need to take This is Scouting.