Teaching Teens

I saw a movie once where there was this knight in love with this lady.  He told her that he would win the jousting tournament for her.  She knew, however, that he received glory and riches and pride when he won tournaments.  She knew that he won tournaments for himself.  She told him, "If you really love me, prove it by losing for me."  So even though it meant the loss of his livelihood, the loss of his standing in tournaments, and opened him up for jeers and mockery and injury, he did it.  He went into the tournament and let the others beat him up.  She was overcome.  He really did love her.

I've thought about that as I struggle to be a successful teacher of teenagers.  Teaching teens is not at all like teaching adults.  I've taught lots of adult classes and received a lot of positive feedback.  I feel good afterwards.  I feel like I did well. 

There is absolutely no feedback from teens.  Did they feel the spirit?  Did they learn something?  Anything at all?  I have no idea.

And yet, if that was the only difference, I would still be a happy teacher.  However, adults also, even if they don't listen, at least sit quietly while you say your piece.  When you ask questions, they respond -- with insightful stories of their own -- and others listen while they talk.  That's really nice, too. 

So what if kids don't listen?  So what if they talk?  So what if you ask a question and they respond by telling you something totally unrelated that they thought was funny this week?  It's their choice.  Sunday School is how they like it!  At least they're happy.

I will tell you the problem.  The problem is that there is always at least one kid in that class who did come to feel the spirit and who does want to learn something and if you don't manage the class SOMEHOW then you have failed that sweet seeking spirit child of God.

And, really, even if those other kids think they'd rather have forty minutes of goof-off time, you've failed them, too.  Because that's why you're there.  To help them to feel the spirit.  To teach them something.

So I leave that class more often than not thinking that I have failed yet again.  And I wonder if I should step aside, because maybe someone else can do better.  I don't like failing.  I don't like not doing a good job.

That's when I remember that movie.  God gives us callings in this church and most of the time we succeed and we succeed because God has promised to help us.  He helps us and we get a good feeling seeing the success spring around our work.  Maybe sometimes I think I am serving God, but I am really serving myself.  Maybe I am preparing a good talk or a great lesson because I like to have people tell me I did a good job.  I love the buzz I get from a job well-done.

Sometimes, though, perhaps he gives us callings where we will not succeed.  There are stories in the scriptures of prophets called to teach people who God knows will not repent.  It happens.  Is it possible that God says, "I know that you like to win, but if you love me, will you go into this challenge and persist, even if it may feel a lot like losing?"

So, I will keep going to class.  I will keep trying new things.  I will try to get rid of the things that don't work and use the ones that do work more.  I will study and ponder and love those kids and try, try, try to get them to hear, really hear my conviction of the truthfulness of this amazing gospel.

Maybe sometimes I think I am serving God, but I am really serving myself.  At least when I am teaching teens, I know that I'm not falling into that trap.