Word studies

I highly recommend each mentor do at least one word study themselves to see what a powerful tool it can be to discerning truth!

Here are a couple "re-written definitions" from our youth on a word study on "work":
-work is a necessity that enables you to grow in heart, mind, and soul
-work is a form of activity that helps us grow and develop not only physically but spirtually and mentally as well.
-work is a kind of mental and physical education.
-work does not only brings happiness to ourselves but to many others

-work is an achievement of serving, learning, and completing a part of our journey through life.

(The following is the best instructions I could find on how to do a word study.  If anyone else has better ones, I would love it!  The purple highlights came from the site I got it from :)...)


Select a key word to focus on.

Look it up in the Webster 1828 dictionary. Select the definition for my focus (sometimes there is more than one definition):

Underline key words that stand out to you and define them:

Looking at how it is used in Scripture/Conference addresses. (Not in general quotes or other articles, at least for this purpose...)

Application: re-write the definition in your own words and how you are going to apply it.
Example:

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

E'AR, n. [L. auris, whence auricula; audio.]

The definition for my focus:

2. The sense of hearing, or rather the power of distinguishing sounds and judging of harmony; the power of nice perception of the differences of sound, or of consonances and dissonances. She has a delicate ear for music, or a good ear.

Defining my underlined words:

HE'ARING, ppr. Perceiving by the ear, as sound.
1. Listening to; attending to; obeying; observing what is commanded.

3. The act of perceiving sounds; sensation or perception of sound.

DISTINGUISHING, ppr.

1. Separating from others by a note of diversity; ascertaining difference by a mark.

2. Ascertaining, knowing or perceiving a difference.

SOUND, a. [L. sanus.]
8. Founded in truth; firm; strong; valid; solid; that cannot be overthrown or refuted; as sound reasoning; a sound argument; a sound objection; sound doctrine; sound principles.

PERCEP'TION, n. [L. perceptio. See Perceive.]

1. The act of perceiving or of receiving impressions by the senses; or that act or process of the mind which makes known an external object. In other words, the notice which the mind takes of external objects. We gain a knowledge of the coldness and smoothness of marble by perception.

4. The state of being affected or capable of being affected by something external.  

Looking at how ear is used in Scripture. 

I don't have a lot of spare time so I utilize search engines a lot. There are many references to ear in Scripture and it's hard to narrow it down for this post but you can research more on your own if you'd like to:

The organ of hearing:

Job 13:1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and understood it.

Capable of trying and distinguishing words:

Job 12:11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

God Made the Ear:

Proverbs 20:12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them.

Planted.

Psalms 94:9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?

God Opens Ears. 

Job 33:16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, 

Job 36:10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

God Judicially Closes Ears:

Isaiah 6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Seek Knowledge With Ears:

Proverbs 18:15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

Be Bowed Down to Instructions With Our Ears: Proverbs 5:1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:Be inclined to wisdom.

Proverbs 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;  

Application:  

We are made in God's image (He has ears-Job 13:1) but it goes deeper than that. God designed the human ear with purposes other than the physical mechanics to hear sound. He created it so we can hear to receive instruction and discipline (i.e. correction). He closes them to get our attention (a way of pursuing us). We are to be careful to what we listen to; we're to seek knowledge and wisdom.


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From Tammy Ward:

 

Do you guys want to take word study to a whole new level? I highly recommend the book "Aspire; The Power of Words" by Kevin Hall. You can read the first chapter for free here:

http://www.powerofwords.com/aspire-chapter-one.html

Here is a brief video with Kevin Hall, who is an LDS author, coach, speaker, etc. He is amazing. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFVMdt8L6mg

I am in the process of trying to connect with him on getting his books in bulk at a discount. I am also working with him to come and possibly speak to our youth. After viewing the chapter above and the video clip, let me know if this would be a good master day for a combined Vanguard activity. :)

He is so moving and ... inspiring. This guy understands WORDS...

Guidelines for mentors about classes

As we create this scholar environment for our youth, let us be mindful of the following:

Oliver DeMille, in his article “Force vs. Rigor” :

The tone of youth seminars for those 13 and above could be summed up as:

-You have important things to accomplish in your life, and you need a world-class education

-Push yourselves a lot harder!  Work! Work!  Work!

-What you have to contribute is unique and world-altering

-A great education is a fabulous thing, and it us up to you to go earn one!

-Study, study, prepare!  The world needs what you were born to do.

-Learn more about the areas that interest you, and dig so much deeper into the areas that haven't yet excited you.  You just haven't learned enough about them yet.

-All knowledge is fun, Study a lot more!  How exciting!

What each class should contain:

-At least one scripture

-At least one piece of information to add to their time-line

-your testimony about truth and the Savior

What each class can also contain:

-A Word study

-Music that is wholesome, uplifting, and inspiring

-Reflection moment after particularly impactful experience

-connection to the leadership theme for the month

-something that references the period of history we are studying for the year.

I would like to see us use a method I learned about called “the four R's” either in reflections or word studies:

-Research: study it out using scriptures, words of the prophets, the Noah 1828 dictionary, and other sources of truth

-Reason: write/verbalize your own conclusion of what the truth of that matter is based upon your research

-Relate: figure out how it relates to you in your life

-Record: write or draw your conclusions in your commonplace book

Please try to keep your material within the time frame allotted...going over often makes students restless and makes it harder to learn.

Julie had these great thoughts:

Classes:

Purpose?   Why does the student need to learn this?  As a mentor am I teaching to the purpose or am I just teaching to the subject?  For example if the purpose of constitution is to Help the student understand and apply the principles of freedom in their own life then every time we should be discussing how what we are learning applies to self...how rewriting the emancipation proclamation teaches us about freedom....perhaps by specifically looking for principles of freedom in the document, perhaps by writing a essay after about how the proclamation applies to you.   It gives the student and the subject purpose...rather than just work to be done.  We should always teach to the purpose.    Each class should have a specifically stated purpose and a wise mentor would reflect upon that purpose while planning and preparing for class time

 

Example...In speech my purpose is to help them be used to public speaking so that it is not so intimidating to them, to help them be better at speaking in public and to help them learn to think quickly and to have virtuous thought so that they always have something important to say.  I teach to the purpose by giving them time to speak, by giving them feedback about their speaking, by sharing scriptures that relate to speaking and elevating our thoughts, and by giving short lessons about skills such as eye contact and projection, etc.  as mentors we should always teach to the purpose or we loose or focus and become knowledge based rather than principle based

Value?  This goes along with purpose, but the youth need to see the value in the things they are learning.  This is really the application part.  At some points in our lives it is good to get knowledge just for knowledges sake, but it is so much more valuable to have knowledge for wisdoms sake.  If I can't apply what I'm learning to my life right now, my mission, or my foreseeable future I have a hard time motivating myself to want to continue gaining knowledge.  This is both the job of the mentor and the student to find value.  I think value comes from reading classics and from discussion of them with peers who are finding their own value.

Engagement? Are the student engaging?  Are they participating, are they sharing ah has, are they excited to learn, are they cheating, are they skimming the surface, are they just doing the minimums to get by?  As mentor we need to look at the level of engagement to see when we may have lost our purpose or our value.  Are the students responding by doing more than is required because we have given purpose and they have found value and are now willing to do the hard work.  

Example...Megan has mentioned that sometimes in the geography game there is cheating.  I mentioned that maybe that it was okay with the mentors to keep the game moving.  I was upset with myself later for saying this to her as I don't ever want to teach my children that it is okay to cheat or okay to allow others to cheat.  If students are compromising their virtue...and even just meeting minimums sometimes can be compromising virtue....then we may need to go back to purpose and value....please don't take this as an attack on geography :). That was not my intent only to show that engagement is a reflection of the level of purpose and value being discussed in the class.

I think if we are seeking always for purpose and value in the things we are teaching and looking for signs of engagement from the students then we are truly growing in light and truth not just knowledge.