We all have christmas programs coming up, so I have been trying to teach a few different CS christmas songs to the primary kids instead of always singing the same three songs. Picture a Christmas and Little Jesus is the goal for this sunday.
Here: http://primarysingingtimeideas.blogspot.com/2010/11/picture-christmas.html is a very helpful link. I used many of the pictures provided here and substitued a few different ones. I took a 5 x 7 picture frame from home and plan to teach the song how she suggested at the linked blog. Which is, basically, having the children take turns framing each picture in the appropriate order and mixing it up each time.
However, I'm also adding some hand motions. For example, every time we sing "picture a" we'll make a rectangle in the air with both hands. And "baby Jesus" we swing our arms like coddling a baby. I'm hoping by adding motions they will help the words stick a bit more as I know for a fact I taught this song last year but the children claim they don't know it (which means it didn't stick).
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
A New Start in Primary
I know it is only the last sunday of October 2010, but last week was our primary program (which was simply wonderful, btw) and the primary leaders and I have been discussing a lot of ideas for a renewal of sorts in the way we run primary. We have a few focus points and concerns that we are looking to improve on and we really want the children to be excited for primary EVERY week as well as feel the spirit EVERY week and begin to understand the gospel principles within each lesson/song.
Articles of Faith
I've been wanting to do a long term goal of filling a small treasure chest for a while now. At first, it was going to be "Songs We Treasure" and we put a coin in when we learn a new song or something like that. In discussing with the primary presidency, we've transformed this idea into an Our Treasures: Articles of Faith. Each of the 13 articles will have an assigned bead color/type and as the children complete each article, a "pearl of great price." We'll also have a notebook where we can mark off which child and which article(s) they've learned and then they can add the corresponding bead to the treasure chest (putting a star next to their name on the wall works, but then we have no idea which ones they know and which they don't). The goal is to fill it by the primary program next year. That way, we can celebrate the completion of the program and where we've gotten in our Articles of Faith at the same time. Personally, I don't care for the songs in the Children's Songbook for the Articles of Faith, but we are going to give them another try.
Bringing Scriptures
We tried this wonderful doorhanger idea that I think I found on sugardoodle.net, but the doorhangers that were purchased were too small and the stickers too big, so it didn't work very well. We now have new, bigger doorhangers and somewhat smaller stickers that they earn each sunday that their whole class brings their scriptures to class. The class teachers now keep track of their own doorhangers and keep it in their class box.
Opening Exercises
One of our issues is an unorganized opening exercise routine. My idea to fix this is to make a large poster board with a place to put up the monthly theme and monthly scripture, a nice welcome to primary sign, openning song and prayer and closing prayer with laminated papers where we can write on/wipe off the name of the child doing each that week, same idea with the child giving the scripture and talk/testimony ("speaker"), and a place that says announcements to remind us to address if there are any. This way, we have a certain, set order in which we do all these things, a routine. Also, everyone will know what children are involved in openning exercises that day instead of us always having to ask the teachers and being told last minute that a child is not here or prepared.
The only change to this after talking with the primary leaders is that we are putting this on one of our boards up front permanently instead of on a poster board. YAY routine!!!
Personally
I've made a goal to get better about letting my pianist know what is going on each week ahead of time. Without trying to, I've become a last minute preparer and while I've been blessed enough to manage great lessons nonetheless, next year we don't start church at 12:30 we'll start at 9:30. I can't get up sunday morning and expect to have time to prepare a whole lesson nor is it fair to myself, the children, the pianist, or Heavenly Father who is trying to help me teach them the best I can. I hope to start this off as soon as possible and be able to prepare at least two weeks ahead of time so that I can have something prepared if I have to miss church and get a sub. The primary program has most definitely renewed my energy and love for primary and I am determined to become better.
One last thing I'd like to personally achieve is to post some of my ideas on this blog. There are so many other wonderful blogs out there--I am by no means trying to compete. Those blogs have helped me out so much the last year, I just want to try coming up with some of my own ideas or explaining how I altered some of their ideas for my own primary. Hopefully, it helps spread these ideas around for other primary choristers and helps them realize that all our primary's are unique and we are responsible for praying about our lessons to make whatever ideas we've had or found teach OUR primary children best.
I look forward to a new start in primary!!!
Articles of Faith
I've been wanting to do a long term goal of filling a small treasure chest for a while now. At first, it was going to be "Songs We Treasure" and we put a coin in when we learn a new song or something like that. In discussing with the primary presidency, we've transformed this idea into an Our Treasures: Articles of Faith. Each of the 13 articles will have an assigned bead color/type and as the children complete each article, a "pearl of great price." We'll also have a notebook where we can mark off which child and which article(s) they've learned and then they can add the corresponding bead to the treasure chest (putting a star next to their name on the wall works, but then we have no idea which ones they know and which they don't). The goal is to fill it by the primary program next year. That way, we can celebrate the completion of the program and where we've gotten in our Articles of Faith at the same time. Personally, I don't care for the songs in the Children's Songbook for the Articles of Faith, but we are going to give them another try.
Bringing Scriptures
We tried this wonderful doorhanger idea that I think I found on sugardoodle.net, but the doorhangers that were purchased were too small and the stickers too big, so it didn't work very well. We now have new, bigger doorhangers and somewhat smaller stickers that they earn each sunday that their whole class brings their scriptures to class. The class teachers now keep track of their own doorhangers and keep it in their class box.
Opening Exercises
One of our issues is an unorganized opening exercise routine. My idea to fix this is to make a large poster board with a place to put up the monthly theme and monthly scripture, a nice welcome to primary sign, openning song and prayer and closing prayer with laminated papers where we can write on/wipe off the name of the child doing each that week, same idea with the child giving the scripture and talk/testimony ("speaker"), and a place that says announcements to remind us to address if there are any. This way, we have a certain, set order in which we do all these things, a routine. Also, everyone will know what children are involved in openning exercises that day instead of us always having to ask the teachers and being told last minute that a child is not here or prepared.
The only change to this after talking with the primary leaders is that we are putting this on one of our boards up front permanently instead of on a poster board. YAY routine!!!
Personally
I've made a goal to get better about letting my pianist know what is going on each week ahead of time. Without trying to, I've become a last minute preparer and while I've been blessed enough to manage great lessons nonetheless, next year we don't start church at 12:30 we'll start at 9:30. I can't get up sunday morning and expect to have time to prepare a whole lesson nor is it fair to myself, the children, the pianist, or Heavenly Father who is trying to help me teach them the best I can. I hope to start this off as soon as possible and be able to prepare at least two weeks ahead of time so that I can have something prepared if I have to miss church and get a sub. The primary program has most definitely renewed my energy and love for primary and I am determined to become better.
One last thing I'd like to personally achieve is to post some of my ideas on this blog. There are so many other wonderful blogs out there--I am by no means trying to compete. Those blogs have helped me out so much the last year, I just want to try coming up with some of my own ideas or explaining how I altered some of their ideas for my own primary. Hopefully, it helps spread these ideas around for other primary choristers and helps them realize that all our primary's are unique and we are responsible for praying about our lessons to make whatever ideas we've had or found teach OUR primary children best.
I look forward to a new start in primary!!!
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