October Mentor Meeting

We had a great time discussing Elder Eyring's talk "Raising Expectations".  Thank-you, Sara, for suggesting it.

Here are some of the issues that we discussed and decided on:

-Sibling groups will end at 12:30 from now on.  This will allow parents to pick up their youth if they are not staying for the journeyman classes. This will also help moms with babies and toddlers be able to take them home for naps.  It will also help the youth have accountability in not staying when they have not done the inspirements for the class.

-We are asking for a $4 donation to take the youth to the Nature Center for November's Master Class.  There will be another trip to the Nature Center in January for all of the youth and we are asking for a $3 donation for that.  You may pay all $7 at the same time.  If this would be a hardship for your family, we can take the money out of our Vanguard funds.  If you would like to sponsor a youth, you may donate extra.  No one was up for doing a fundraiser at this busy time of year, so instead, we will be asking for donations when our funds cannot cover expenses for some activities.

-If you are not receiving emails or yahoo group notices, please let Sara Pack know.  Also, if you would prefer a phone call when changes are made, please also notify Sara.

-The mentors try very hard to choose books and clips that are appropriate for youth.  However, some families have different standards than others, so please preview books and clips if you are concerned.  We do try to encourage the youth to put a book down or turn off a clip if they feel it is not conducive to the Spirit.  If they would like to substitute a book and still attend the class that month, they are welcome to do so with approval from parents or a mentor.

-Youth always have the option of writing their own inspirement and approving it with a parent.  If you feel your youth would get a lot more out of something with modified reading or different inspirements to help them understand it, please feel free to discuss it with them and help them achieve their own personal best in learning and understanding.  You know your youth best.

-The main Vanguard blog is found at wethevanguardyouth.blogspot.com.  There you will find links to all of the class blogs (if the class has a blog).  Links are also found in the yahoo group.

-Please come to the monthly mentor meetings if you would like to have your voice heard in decisions and to contribute your ideas.  The group will be a much better group if we have the voices, ideas and perspectives of everyone involved. 

If I missed anything or if you have questions, please call or comment below.

September Parent Mentor Meeting

We had a great meeting.  Thank-you so much to everyone who came.  We discussed To Learn and to Teach More Effectively by Elder Scott.  Some favorite quotes:

"The decision to participate is an exercise in agency that permits the Holy Ghost to communicate a personalized message suited to their individual needs."

"When you encourage students to raise their hand to respond to a question, while they may not realize it, they signify to the Holy Ghost their willingness to learn. That use of moral agency will allow that Spirit to motivate them and give them more powerful guidance during your time together. Participation allows individuals to experience being led by the Spirit. They learn to recognize and feel what spiritual guidance is. It is through the repeated process of feeling impressions, recording them, and obeying them that one learns to depend on the direction of the Spirit more than on communication through the other five senses."

And of course, the advice he says is the most effective path to truth and the inexaustable source of guidance:

"Throughout the remainder of my life, I will seek to learn by what I hear, see, and feel. I will write down the important things I learn, and I will do them."

We shared some insights about how we can better encourage this type of participation in Vanguard and at home.

People expressed how well their youth were responding to the high expectations and rising to them.  We are all excited to see our youth so motivated to learn and to study.

It was brought up that it would be nice to have a master blog where people can go in order to not have to keep track of the different blogs.  I have created one here: www.wethevanguardyouth.blogspot.com.  Remind your youth to use code names when they post since the blog is not yet private.  Once we get someone to add everyone's addresses as contributors to the blog, we can make it private if you would like.

Sibling groups are going great for now.  We decided to discuss them again when the weather starts to get cold to see how they are going.

Sis. J. mentioned that there is a sale going on right now for Elder Bednar's new book Act in Doctrine

I am sure there are several things I missed.  I don't have my notes with me, but if any of you would like to add more, please comment.  Also, if you would like to add more thoughts or ideas that you did not get to share or that I did not add, please continue the discussion and comment below.

Thank-you all for raising such incredible youth and for letting us be a part of their lives.  They are amazing.

Writing Inspirements

I hope we can help each other find ways to come up with powerful, motivating, meaningful inspirements.  These inspirements are an invitation to the youth to act. As they act on their knowledge, they will be blessed with the spirit and a higher capacity for truth and understanding.  Following is the process I go through when writing inspirements. Feel free to share more insights and ideas as you learn them.

1. Get an overview of the subject: 
F.A.C.E. talks about the importance of whole to part leaning.  It is important that we understand how this subject (history/geograhy, art/imaginative literature, math/science or government/leadership) fits into building of the kingdom of God.
Some good books for this are:
How Should We Then Live?
Gateway to the Great Books introduction
The Noah Plan books: History and Geography for Geo Conquest
          Literature and Stonebridge Art for Imaginative Arts
          Science and Mathematics for Face to Face with Einstein
         The Christian History of the Constitution of the United States (also explains how other             cultures and time periods have contributed to forming a country of freedom) for Leadership Academy

2. Get an overview of the time period:
The above books or
The History of the Medieval World by Susan Wise Bower

3. Find seven points of focus - events, people, creations (by God or by people), or ideas that I want to focus on - one for each month.

4. Find and read a classic and some background that pertains to that event, person, etc.

5. For each focus, as I read, I ask myself what would Heavenly Father want me to take away from this event, person, etc.?   What might he want the youth to take away from it?  What truths about how we ought to live are found here?  The answers to these questions help me find principles and ideas to focus on.

For example, when I was getting ready to teach Confucius, I was inspired by how hard he tried to get into a position of influence, but never could.  People knew he spoke truth, but did not want to give up their power.  He died having never achieved his dream of governing a people in the government he envisioned.  However, we, thousands of years later, know who he is and the truths he spoke.  There were several principles I could have taken from this, but I believe the principle for the month was "citizenship" so I decided to focus on the impact that one person can have when they are honestly seeking and applying truth, even if it seems like the impact is small.  (It is not necessary to always have the principle you teach be related to the principle of the month, but it can help them draw connections if it can be).  

6. Decide what readings to assign for the apprentice, journeyman and master levels.

For example, for Confucius, I might assign a short section from the Analects for the apprentice level as well as some background reading material (like a children's biography on Confucius).  For Journeyman I might assign some reading about China and some of the wars and types of governmental systems that were taking place at the time (maybe from an original source or a good text book that sites and quotes original sources like Bauer's History of the Ancient World).  For Master, I might assign more or all of the Analects.

7. I think of the goals for the inspirements for each level:

For the Apprentice level the goal is to spark the fire within them for learning more.  Projects will not be too time consuming so the youth will feel like they can accomplish them, but they will be worth-while and interesting so that as they do them, they will be inspired to take more time and go into a deeper level of learning about this person, event, etc.

For the Journeyman level the goal is to give them some skills and background, as well as some more curiosity about the focus so that they feel ready, competent and excited to read the master level book.

For the Master level, the goal is to read the ideas and thoughts of great people and to make them their own by applying what they learn to their lives.  As they start to taste the fruits of doing this in their education, they will hunger for it and be willing to work for it in the future.

8. I start to write some inspirements in each level about each reading. For all levels, I try to have an interesting, personal question (Why do you think about...? What is your favorite...? What would you do if...? What choice would you have made if you...?) that accompanies each inspirement as well as an invitation to apply it.

Apprentice level inspirements might include (with the assigned reading for this level) writing a favorite Confucius quote in Calligraphy, acting out or drawing a graphic summary of an event in his life that impacted others, or making a model of how one thing can impact something else - all with a personal question and application.

Example: "Write your favorite Confucius quote(s) in calligraphy and come prepared to share with us why you liked it.  See if you can find a way to apply it to your day."

Journeyman level inspirements might include (along with the assigned reading for this level)labeling China on a map, drawing the weapons that were used at the time of Confucius, drawing a picture of a major landmark in China, writing a report or making a slide show about what they would like to see if they were to visit China, or doing some research about the forbidden city and the events that led to that government after Confucius's death, for example.  All would be accompanied by a personal question and application.

The Master level inspirements could include (along with the assigned reading for this level) such things as writing a poem or composing a musical number that describes how one person can impact the world, giving an oral presentation about an experience they've had with one person changing a life, writing a report about their experience in reading Confucius's words and trying to apply them, a piece of art that represents what they learned from the book, or doing a word study on impact and presenting what they learned. Again, all would have a personal question and application.

9. I look to see if my inspirements are appealing to both genders.  Young men might be more interested in the action, weapons, achievements, for example.  Girls might be more interested in the feelings involved, in the daily life of the people, or the conversations that took place. (See Why Gender Matters)

10. I see if the inspirements appeal to different learning styles.  If I find there is not enough variety, I might add some art, drama, a logic problem, writing, graphic summaries, word studies, projects or other learning methods that appeal to the different youth. (See Multiple Intelligences)

That is an overview of the process as I see it.  It may need to be refined as we learn what works and what does not.  I also think it is better to have just a few well-thought out inspirements than a lot of them just for the sake of variety (I also think sometimes the youth get tired of reading them when there are too many options). I think the order of these steps is important since I have tried writing inspirements when one of my first priorities was incorporating learning styles, and those inspirements were not as effective or purposeful.

I hope this is helpful. I welcome your feedback!

Books to Capture the Vision

Those who will be mentoring the youth are asked to read from the following books.  It is also recommended that all Vanguard parents read them.

Increase in Learning by Elder David Bednar - chapter 2
BYU Idaho Learning Model 
Teach the Children by Neil J. Flinders - chapters 12-14 and 18-19
Norms and Nobility by David Hicks - preface, prologue and chapter 1
Teaching and Learning American's Christian History pages 141-249
A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille

The following videos are also recommended:

Some helpful supplementary reading:
The Great Conversation by Robert M. Hutchins
The Noah Curriculum Books
Gateway to the Great Books Introduction and Syntopical Guide
Why Gender Matters by Leonard Sax
Multiple Intelligences or book by Gardner

Release Form

VANGUARD YOUTH
Release Form
Effective August 2012- July 2013
Member’s Name:____________________________________ Gender: M F
Birth date:__________________________ Age:____________
Address:___________________________________________Phone #: ______________
Parent/Legal Guardian:_________________________________
Email Address:__________________________________________
Emergency Contact Person:___________________________ Phone #:_____________
Relationship to Member_______________________________
RELEASE, INDEMNIFICATION & HOLD HARMLESS: I, the undersigned, represent that I am the parent or legal guardian of the above mentioned child. I hereby recognize and acknowledge that there are inherent hazards and risks connected with certain activities and programs associated with the entity known as Vanguard Youth. The undersigned, on behalf of the above named child, knowingly and voluntarily assumes full responsibility for such risks and hazards. The undersigned is aware of the content of the programs and activities of Vanguard Youth and hereby represents that the undersigned member is physically, mentally and emotionally fit and capable of safely participating in such programs or activities. I agree as a condition of participation in programs or activities of Vanguard Youth, I will hold its officers, members, the property owner of where Vanguard is held and volunteers harmless from and against any and all loss, judgments, damage and expense incurred by reason of any claim or liability based upon (1) Personal injury (including death) or property damage to any person or building arising out of the negligent or intentional action of the undersigned member, or (2) Personal injury (including death) or property damage to the undersigned member, except to the extent that such injury or damage is directly intentionally caused by the acts or omissions of Vanguard Youth, its officers, members or volunteers.
Member Signature _____________________________________ Date ______________
Parent/Legal Guardian Signature___________________________ Date _____________

Out of Class Activities

Do you do activities outside of Class?

Yes, These are optional activities scattered throughout the year that youth may choose to attend if it works with their family culture.

Service Projects: Organized by youth to encourage a service-oriented leadership mentality. This encourages youth to see outside themselves in a practical way.

Game Nights: Used to reinforce the concept of the month with games that take longer than class time allows. This is a great time for youth to connect to their mentors and to one another.  It is also a great time to involve fathers!

Movie Nights: A look at media and how the concept of the month is portrayed with discussions.  Media can be a powerful influence on society, this is a chance to either explore the concept using this artistic medium, or see what "the media" is trying to sell current society about the issue.  There is a discussion at the end of the movie.

Outdoor Activities: Led by mentors to experience challenging outdoor experiences.  Young men in particular are more "vulnerable" to life-changing leadership moments in the outdoors, when being challenged. This is also a great chance for men to mentor the youth in a senses-engaging object lesson. These activities include a Vision Hike for a chance to inspire the youth to catch a vision for the year and an Outdoor Adventure at the end of the year which may include camping and a challenging experience.

 

Family Activities: Used to strengthen youth relationships through family interaction. Also allows the families to spend time getting to know each other better. It is often centered around a talent night, service opportunity, or the end of the year celebration.

Group Temple Day: monthly visit to a temple to encourage connection with God.

Fundraising Activities: This may be a car wash, garage sale, or other activity in which the youth raise funds for supplies or activities for the group.

Elocution Nights: Used to motivate the youth to develop their talents by setting some time for them to recite or perform something that they have been practicing or working on.