Zone Resources,
I'm seeking feedback and suggestions with Zone Teaching. Please contribute.
How are things going?
What challenges are you facing?
How are you connecting the classroom with ZT?
What are some powerful experiences you are having?
Let's get some thoughts going!
Russell
My two ZT's are Doctrine of Christ (part 1) and Revelation through prayer (part 2). I've had some great experiences (with 15 or less missionaries) doing the 2 Nephi 31 read and practicing the invitation to be baptized. I had a really hard time when I had 40 missionaries to read 10 verses and talk about the doctrine of Christ.
ReplyDeleteI have been struggling with Revelation through Prayer to help missionaries effectively use this time. I have been giving them a part two role play (for my week 1 missionaries) of helping an investigator pray. For my week two missionaries, they have been working when the investigator didn't receive and answer or when God told them No, they shouldn't join the church. While these are good, they aren't producing my desired experience.
Generally, Zone teaching has been better than ever with the two week curriculum. I just feel that the fit between class lessons and zone teaching is a nice one.
ReplyDeleteOne challenge is continuity and establishing communication between teachers. If communication isn't high, then zone teaching can be disjointed from their class experience. Also, if communication lacks, then one zone teaching can seem disjointed and incoherent with the last. But I feel that this issue is largely resolved through communication between teachers and resources.
I have had powerful experiences in trying to create layered experiences with their classroom experience. In other words, I attempt to intentionally build off what they did and learned in class. For example, when I did Wednesday night's Zone Teaching, I taught revelation through church attendance. I had really good experiences in directing an activity that was intended to integrate their two lessons from the day (revelation through church and teach people, not lessons) or in directing an activity that would combine doctrine from chapter 3 with revelation through church attendance (for example I would have them teach the gospel with the goal of inviting/helping the investigator get to church). Those were some really really nice experiences. I have seen a good amount of missionaries have profoundly spiritual experiences in this, as I have strived to keep Christ at the center of it all.
Zone Teaching in the two week curriculum has been a positive experience overall. Most missionaries make comments about how much they feel it is enriching their understanding of what they are learning in the classroom. My two ZT periods focus on Revelation Through Prayer Part 2 and The Doctrine of Christ Part 2. Like CJ said, I try as much as possible to build off their classroom experience, without it feeling like they are just doing the same thing that happened in class the other day. This is particularly true of Friday when the missionaries come straight from class having had Revelation Through Prayer Part 1 and then have ZT with Revelation Through Prayer Part 2. Their experience needs to build on class without being too similar or too different. I say that because some missionaries are expecting ZT to be an entirely different experience...that it must be new and novel, and that we as ZT instructors will re-invent the wheel each day. When this is their attitude, the missionaries do not get as much out of ZT because we ARE doing Part 2 of a fundamental, and it is not going to be re-inventing the wheel. ZT is primarily a time to practice and have deepened experiences with the fundamentals. So, what does this mean? It means that we need to strive to make ZT an enriching experience, but yet not one where they expect it to be so different from class that if it were similar they would tune out. What else needs to happen? The ZT instructor needs to be reading the teacher log and communicating with other teachers to find out how they can meet the needs of the missionaries during ZT. This is still a time where needs MUST be met, and is not only time for more practice or discussion.
ReplyDeleteIn my view, ZT should be a great time to have minimal discussion (they have had lengthy studies and discussion in their classrooms), lots of practice, and time to evaluate. Are we using the tools we have been given to help missionaries set goals and evaluate where they are at? (i.e., Check Your Progress, the questions at the end of the fundamentals, etc.)
It can be difficult to make ZT meaningful with seemingly so much to do/cover, but I know that as we maintain our focus on the needs of the missionaries and the objective of the fundamental we are covering, that ZT can be an enriching experience for our missionaries.
Bryan makes a great point... I think the missionaries should know and understand that they are not going to get something wild and crazy in zone teaching that they have previously not had. I have found this is a great time to get some SOLID practices in and those solid practices come from some well structured practices. I am going to name a bunch of applications that helped me, but the bigger picture is that missionaries should be coming with excitement to reach a level that they didn't get to in the classroom - perfect the wheel.
ReplyDeleteI always like the missionaries to know the W's of the practice, and I always like the missionaries to have a couple of minutes to prepare.
Re-practices are absolutely invaluable. At times it can even be very helpful to have them re-practice prior to evaluating as a group so that they really start to stretch themselves.
Demonstrations are priceless. Think about splitting up the practices in the middle of Zone Teaching by giving them a demonstration, or maybe using a video as demonstration.
Be with the missionaries. With so many missionaries to look after, it can easily feel overwhelming to try and keep all of them on task. I found it is very helpful for the missionaries to know you are not going to BABYSIT them, but that you are going to HELP them. This is done by not observing the whole, but by getting in with the individual companionship during their practice times.
Overall, the new zone teaching has been a blast. One of the greatest insights I have received from the new format has definitely been the value of well structured and meaningful practices.