Sunday, October 27, 2013

I'm taking the institute class "Teaching Seminary".  The classes are great.  I have been assigned to do my pre-service teaching at Herriman high.  I was hoping I would be assigned to teach at Riverton High.  That is where they were teaching last semester.  Chad Bailey was trying to get me assigned to teach in his class but they have changed how they want the teachers to teach.  He feels like he is out of date.  it didn't matter because Herriman is the school they are teaching at in the South end of the valley.  I had the option to teach at Kearns or Olympus.  I chose Herriman.  I have been assigned to Cole Neilsen.  This is his second year.  He moved down from Logan.  He makes teaching look very easy.  I had my first attempt last Thursday.  I thought I was prepared.  I created a few PowerPoint slides like Bro. Neilsen had done with his class in the past.  AS soon as I got up front I found out I had not prepared the correct way.  I prepared for a Sunday School lesson.  Seminary is very different.  The transition from Bro. Neilsen to me was very rocky.  I stuttered, I did not have the best questions for the kids, I did not use the best object lessons.  It was a very humbling experience.  I get observed in 3 weeks so I have time to fix a few things.  All the suggestions Bro. Neilsen gave me came directly from the handbook we have been studying all semester.  I don;t know why I did consult the handbook before I taught.  I think most of what the handbook teaches seems obvious but I didn't apply the handbook so maybe it is not as obvious as I thought.  I don't know what I will learn or if I'm expected to learn much from this experience but I hope I'm able to figure that out before it is over.

We had a fun experience at the last BYU game.  I took Hyrum to see the BYU v Boise State.  AJ and Jacob were there so Hyrum had more than the game to keep him entertained.  Hyrum is starting to understand football more which makes it all fun.  I normally sit by Mark and Lincoln on the same bench Dad but very far down the bench.  At least it feels like this.  Normally Mark is so commited to talking to Lincoln that I feel a bit isolated.  This time Kimberly came so Mark did not hav anyone to talk football so we were able to discuss the game.  It was great to have that experience.  I don't get a chance to talk to MArk often.  Our relationship is not a strong as I wish it were.  Any opportunity to stregthen it is welcomed.

Hyrum is participating in a 100 years of scouting celebration.  He is part of a Cub Scout choir.  They have been practicing downtown at the Conference Center.  It has been a large time commitment.   They have been practicing a few nights a week for 3-4 hours.  they perform this coming Tuesday.  hyrum had an accident at the last practice yesterday.  they were running off the stage and Hyrum tripped on a fog machine and feel and hit his head on some pipes.  Tiffany went downtown and picked him up.  They were very concerned about him and wheeled him out on a wheelchair.  He came home and we played XBox for a while to make sure he did not fall asleep.