Here We Go Again....

June 10, 2012

Just before church today I get a phone call from a teacher who loves to just dump her class of around 15 kids on me at the last minute on a Sunday morning.  Today I told her that I couldn't take her class.....she asked me why?  I just told her that I had some special things planned for my class and I didn't have enough to go around for her class too.  She tries to do this on a regular basis, and I've helped her out before, but it is getting out of hand.  She has "emergencies" every other week it seems.

I teach the 16-18 year olds, and her class is 12-13 year olds.  My class thinks they are the "babies", and they don't want them in our class.  My class is very protective of their crazy teacher who does crazy things, and I guess they just don't like to share the craziness!  The Bishopric member tells me on a regular basis if they even think of mentioning a change of teacher for my class....they are afraid of the revolt they will have on their hands.  It's true...I'm not trying to brag here....just saying.  Guess that means I won't be retiring anytime soon.....

 

So when we get to church Guy goes to talk to the bishopric member over Sunday School.  He tells Guy that they will talk to the teacher who keeps trying to just dump her class in mine.....ok.....SO

 

I start to teach my class, and then there are several kids from the 14-15 year old class that come into mine.....WHAT??

 

I let them stay, but then after church I emailed the SS president and told him that my class was not the dumping ground for any teacher who decided they would not be in church today.  I have 18 kids in my class, so when they decide to put other classes in mine I can have up to 30 kids when I am prepared for 18.

Teaching that many kids isn't the problem for me....heck, I could teach 100....but the problem is when you are prepared with an activity for 18, or  treats or handouts and suddenly you have so many extra what do you do?  My class knows that I have them....they look forward to them....and my class doesn't want their baby siblings in their class.  So I defended my class today.....guess we'll see what happens now.  The SS President said he sent the ones in today because there were 4 in the class....excuse me....then teach 4 kids.  I told him I thought that the SS Presidency should have taught the other class, and in the future I would appreciate being asked if I can take extra kids.

The bigger problem is that the younger kids ALL want to be in my class because they have been once, and they hear about what I do.....I should say the crazy things I do....and they want to participate too.  Maybe what we need is just a gospel doctrine youth class instead of this mass of confusion every week.  No, I'm not volunteering!  There is a limit to my craziness....just saying.

I must admit having lots of kids could come in handy when we play Gadianton Robbers, or the 2000 Stripling Warriors, or when we do the Ammon protecting the king's flock story....I mean some of them could be sheep! It could be fun to have a whole bunch of kids for the Samuel the Lamanite on the city wall story, or even next year for the mobs that attack the pioneers.  It's a different thing though when we are talking about more serious things with object lessons, and intimate sharing of testimonies.  And where were all these kids when we were building our ship the beginning of the year?

Today I took mirrors for my class with a question, Have you received His image in your countenance?  attached.  The lesson was about how Alma the Younger was teaching all the people in Zarahemla and Gideon.  And he asks them a series of questions....hence the question.  We talked about people in the ward that I can sometimes see their love for the Savior....a man seminary teacher, my visiting teacher, our stake president, the prophet.  We talked about repentance, and how truly being converted helps us to have the image of the Savior in our countenance.    I told them that Alma chapter 7 was like a contact lens for us regarding the Savior and his purpose in coming to earth.  We talked about pride, and being humble. We talked about how pride makes us feel like we are better than everyone.....and I told them that when I die I wanted to be in charge of the lightning bolts....so I could get back at the people who irritated me here on earth.....then how bad it was that I sometimes thought that.  My class decided that it was probably not a good thing to upset Sister Flanagan!  We talked about the difference it makes in our lives when we decide that the worldly things of this life....fancy clothes, homes, cars really don't make up for the things that being humble can bring into our lives.  The ability to serve others, to share what we have been given, to sacrifice, to strengthen our testimonies.

Then I watched as those 16 year old kids came up and picked up a mirror to take it home.  One of the boys said to me....Sister Flanagan....I have to have an octagon shaped one for my room.....OK....take one.  You would think that a 16 year old boy would think a mirror was something he didn't really need.

Score one for the crazy teacher!