Friday, July 19, 2013

Don't buy any books yet!

The mentors do not have their lists ready yet. Please be patient with us. We are all doing something new and are learning as we go. Remember, this is new for all of us. As mentors, a couple of us want to attend the training on August 6th. 

The books that are posted on this site and at the 4 class sites are just ideas and mainly to add something to the look of the blog in general though the books are all worth having at some point.

Pray for us. Really, ask that as the mentors our minds be open to promptings and guidance for what our youth need.

 This is such a new experience for me. I am meeting with a mentor on Monday and she may help to guide me to see the big picture better.

Yard Sale Anybody?

Families,
We wanted to give opportunity for youth to earn a little of their tuition cost by participating in a yard sale. However, we have only heard back from one family.
Is this the wrong time for a sale? It is schedules for August 2 and 3rd. Is your family attending the LDS homeschool conference on the 3rd at BYU? I know our mentor Tresta Neil is the coordinator for this conference and she and her family will be busy this weekend.
Plus we have no items to sell yet anyway. Do you have items to contribute?
We will be two youth to accept donations on Monday the 22nd from 8am-10am and Tuesday 23rd from 5pm-7pm provided there are items to be dropped off.
And then we will need youth to volunteer 3 hour blocks of time on Friday, August 2nd and or Saturday August 3rd.  The sale is tentative for 9am-3pm both days. 9-12, 12-3 are the shifts.
This is the only weekend Belinda and I can offer before Vanguard starts in September.
Please email me with your responses. Is the timing wrong?, does your youth already have the money to attend?, can your family or youth help with the sale and which days/times? Should the sale be just one day?
We need some input and support otherwise we will cancel.
Thank you,
Nickie

Registration closes Friday, 19th at midnight

Hello Potential Vanguard Families!
Today, at midnight, is the last opportunity to register for Vanguard Youth of Provo before I do a head count and open any available chairs to those already on the waiting list. Can you believe there is a waiting list?!
Those who gave an email confirmation already, PLEASE REGISTER YOUR YOUTH HERE. Really, have your youth do it. It's quick and painless.
Those who have not confirmed by email or registered do so by midnight tonight. HERE

Parents, we will offer child classes during Vanguard provided enough mothers or fathers help volunteer. Do you see this is going to be a family effort in many ways? REGISTER YOUNG CHILDREN HERE.
We need a count for both youth and children. Please help us help your family by registering.
REMINDER: Sign up for emails when something gets posted at the Vanguard blogs. Youth should sign up for "Follow by email" for each of the 4 class blogs as well.
Thank you,
Nickie and Belinda

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Reading Chapter 18 of Teach The Children

This is really an interesting chapter. Parents who's youth are attending Vanguard need to try and find this book by Neil J. Flinders. It's called Teach the Children An Agency Approach to Education.

Here is a quote from page 311 that fits me and speaks for me.

 "Academically, my credentials are limited. It's almost as if you're down here with your finite wisdom bouncing around and taking the hard knocks; every once in a while, by hard work and persistence, you feel that spirit of enlightenment that has divine origin. Then you say, 'Eureka!' and you run with it...If you are a humble follower of He who knows all truth, the doors are wide open. The Lord will help us use our talents to inspire one another in all kinds of things."
-(David Allan's story of his role in developing a standard for atomic clocks.)

Chapter 18 is about scholarship. The meaning as it's related to man's relationship to God, man's relationship to man, and man's relationship to nature/things.

I also liked this quote. "True scholars create, report, explain, and clarify (4 R's); they listen, comprehend, confirm, correct, and reject. To engage in debate, disputation, argument, contention, self-serving salesmanship, and other forms of intellectual compulsion is not scholarship-it is rhetoric."

I had to look up rhetoric: 1828 dictionary says

RHET'ORIC, n. [Gr. from to speak, to flow. Eng. to read. The primary sense is to drive or send. See Read.]
1. The art of speaking with propriety, elegance and force.
2. The power of persuasion or attraction; that which allures or charms. We speak of the rhetoric of the tongue, and the rhetoric of the heart or eyes.

Aristotle defines rhetoric as the 'art of persuasion'. It's the skill that convinces everybody of anything for a fee. It the training and skill by which ne can make unimportant things seem important so says Hugh Nibley.

As parents with youth in Vanguard we need to read this chapter as well as chapters 19, 12, 13, & 14. I'm guessing the whole book is a good idea too....in time.


Parents, RSVP for this event if you can attend

You are invited to attend the
1st Annual Vanguard Mentor Training Retreat!
It will be held on Tuesday, August 6th from 8am-4pm
at 655 Sunset Drive, Kaysville UT.
We will be happy to provide at least the following classes:
(official schedule to come!)
-Kick-off: quintessential Vanguard-Creating a spirit-led learning environment
-Review of the 4-R method and how to effectively use it
-Use of different methods/elements in classes
-Mentoring in classes

-How to celebrate and mentor different personality styles
-Helps in working with parents, youth leadership and junior mentors
-Discussion of "agency education"
...along with a panel of Vanguard youth for Q & A

The cost is only $10 (unless you sign-up to bring a food item, in which case it is $5) payable at the door, which includes a light breakfast bar and lunch.  Registration begins at 7:30 so please arrive a little early, and you can pick up your packet of handout then.
We are excited to present this power-packed day full of instruction and discussion!  Please feel free to come, even if you are not part of a Vanguard organization.   We welcome your input and participation.
Hope to see you there!
Please RSVP to Belinda Ballantyne at tball765@q.com, even if you have already contacted me, so you can receive future emails regarding this event.
Hope to see you there!


(Nursing babies only please)

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Begin Now To Prepare For Vanguard

Hello Parents and Youth,

As we prepare our inspirements for September, I realized that there are things I want my daughters to read in preparation for Vanguard this fall. You may be feeling the same way. Or at lest you are wondering a little about the whole idea.

General Information to start with:
                                                      1. August 6th: General Vanguard meeting in SLC. 8am-4pm
                                                      2. Parent Vision Day will be in August. TBA
                                                      3. Youth Vision Day will occur in August too. TBA
                                                      4. Please have your youth register at the link on the right hand side of this blog. 
                                                      5. Release forms will be coming and Parent participation forms as well.
                                                     6.
                                                     7.

Ways To Prepare for Vanguard: Parents
                                                     1. Read Chapter 2 of Increase In Learning.
                                                     2. Watch Elder Packer the link is under the Speeches category on the right side of this blog.
                                                     3. Read the first 3 speeches under the Speech's link.
                    

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Vanguard Vision Newsletter: Pioneers for Freedom

Vanguard Vision Newsletter: Pioneers for Freedom: Awesome words from Pres. Thomas S. Monson: ( July 2013 Ensign message : "the World Needs Pioneers Today") The passage of time d...

Vanguard Vision Newsletter: 3 Levels of Contribution...give them a choice

Vanguard Vision Newsletter: 3 Levels of Contribution...give them a choice: "Reweaving the Fabric of Freedom" by The Center for Social Leadership I like this article, because it gives three levels of cont...