We come to the end of these 10 attributes of Teachers who teach in The Savior’s way. And it is appropriate that this characteristic be the last, since it is the best chance for our teachings to go beyond a lesson like hundreds of others our students have experienced. Learning in and of itself can be valuable, but the true power of learning is only discovered as it leads to changes in behavior. Especially in the gospel setting, teachers must realize the primary goal is not to share information, but to build testimonies. And the two most effective ways to build those testimonies are: to have the Holy Ghost present when you teach, and to encourage the students to act on what they have learned. Helping or guiding your students to act on what you have taught can turn a good or great lesson into a life changing experience. Figuring out the best way to make that happen should be a crucial part of your lesson preparation each week. And don’t forget the importance of following up later on goals or actions decided in past lessons! The start of each new class should be following up on the invited action from the previous class.
From the April 2010 General Conference, Elder Bednar shared these thoughts regarding inviting youth to act: “In the grand division of all of God’s creations, there are “things to act and things to be acted upon” (2 Nephi 2:14). As children of our Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the capacity and power of independent action. Endowed with agency, we are agents, and we primarily are to act and not merely be acted upon—especially as we “seek learning … by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118). As gospel learners, we should be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). Our hearts are opened to the influence of the Holy Ghost as we properly exercise agency and act in accordance with correct principles—and we thereby invite His teaching and testifying power.”
To see examples of how to get students to act on what they have learned, check out both of these 2 minute videos. These were made specifically for the youth Come Follow Me program, but the principles are applicable for all church classes, including the adults:
https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/learning-teaching-ideas/method-videos?lang=eng#video=inviting-to-act
Improve Quality of Our Teaching – Teach as the Savior Taught – Testimony Building, Not Information Sharing
In the news:
'Be a tutor'
By Sister Linda S. Reeves, Relief Society general presidency
16-JUN-2016
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865656327/Sister-Linda-S-Reeves-Be-a-tutor.html?pg=all
“Children come to this earth innocent and untrained, but their spirits are strong and their potential undimmed. We know that the children today are mighty warriors in the cause of truth, and warriors are seldom still and complacent. Your job as a Primary teacher is to help them tap their potential to take their place on the front lines in the fight for righteousness. If you will pray to see what He sees and feel what He feels, He will pour out His Spirit upon you. You will be blessed beyond what you can imagine, and I promise, your Sundays will no longer be a test of endurance, but rather, a miraculous and marvelous way to have your spiritual well filled each week.
“When the Savior visited the Nephites, He called the children to Him. He taught and blessed them, and called down angels to encircle them about with fire and minister to them.”
‘Clearly, those of us who have been entrusted with precious children have been given a sacred, noble stewardship, for we are the ones God has appointed to encircle today’s children with love and the fire of faith and an understanding of who they are.’
“I know that as we truly feel the worth of each Primary child, the blessings of the gospel will sink deeply into us. Primary is not babysitting, nor is it about forcing children to sit still and listen for two hours. It is about learning, feeling, and living the gospel by ministering to precious children of God.
‘It is our sacred responsibility as parents and leaders of this rising generation of children to bring them to the Savior so that they might see His face and the face of our Father in Heaven as well. As we do so, we also bring ourselves.’
New initiative takes education to Church members around the world
15-JUN-2016
“The Lord is moving with great power in the earth to make education available to many more of His children, and to strengthen learning and teaching of all kinds in His kingdom.”
“We are on a path into the future that will take us into new spiritual and educational terrain. The Lord is inviting us to do new things. He is directing us to change the way we work, to do better and be better than ever before.”
Sunday School 'discussion is a means, not an end'
Brother Tad R. Callister, Sunday School general president
09-JUN-2016
The Lord gave this command to teachers: “Teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:77). Perhaps in this context, doctrine means those eternal truths and ordinances, which, if understood and embraced, lead to exaltation. The Lord also taught how we should teach the doctrine: “by the power of my Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 43:15).
Of late, there has been an emphasis on teachers using discussion in the classroom, consistent with the counsel in Doctrine and Covenants 88:122: “Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesman at once, but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege.”
As a consequence, we hear of many inspired classroom discussions. Occasionally, however, we hear of discussions that are open and lively but at the conclusion, there has been little, if any, doctrinal focus or emphasis. In essence, there have been some therapeutic conversations or a sharing of experiences, but little connection to doctrine. I do not think anyone does this intentionally, but sometimes we may lose focus and think that a vigorous discussion, independent of doctrine, equals a successful class. It does not. Discussion is a means, not an end.
A discussion is not successful merely because it is robust or because many class members participated. Many robust discussions occur in business and secular settings and have nothing to do with building faith. A gospel discussion is successful if it increases faith, leads to a greater understanding of the doctrine being taught and inspires the participants to live the gospel more fully. Alma reminds us of the motivating power of doctrine: “The preaching of the word ... had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else” (Alma 31:5).
Role of discussion and discourse
Inspired teaching certainly includes discussion, but it does not, nor should it, exclude powerful discourse and instruction. The teacher is not just a facilitator of gospel discussion; he or she is first and foremost an instrument through whom the Holy Ghost can teach great doctrinal truths, bear powerful testimony and extend inspired invitations.
I do not know the perfect balance between discourse and discussion. It varies with the individual teacher and promptings of the Spirit. Unfortunately, the discourse method is sometimes overused at the expense of meaningful discussion. In the process of correcting this, however, the pendulum occasionally swings too far in the opposite direction, and teachers abandon any discourse for the sake of discussion as an end rather than a means. To rely solely on one method at the expense of the other may be discounting the most effective way to teach a given doctrine to a given group at a given time.
How do I ensure that discussions are doctrinal?
The ideal teacher is constantly striving to connect class comments to doctrine. For example, a teacher might say, “The experience you shared reminds me of a scripture.” Or, “What gospel truths do we learn from the comments we have heard?” Or, “Would someone like to bear testimony of the power of that truth we have been discussing?”
Self-evaluation
In our effort to teach more like the Savior, each of us might ask the following questions: Do I lecture because I see the lesson as “my presentation” rather than “our lesson?” Am I satisfied solely because we have lots of discussion or am I constantly connecting the dots — discussion to doctrine? Do I favor discussion because it allows me to minimally prepare and ask a few open-ended questions that fill the hour? Or am I doing everything within my power to teach the doctrine as contained in the scriptures and words of Latter-day prophets?
Conclusion
May we be obsessed (in a good way) with teaching the doctrine by the Spirit. President Eyring promised, “If you teach the doctrinal principles, the Holy Ghost will come” (CES Satellite Training Broadcast, Aug. 10, 2003). In essence, the doctrine is like a spiritual magnet that draws upon the enlightening and confirming powers of the Holy Ghost. As we humbly teach and focus on the doctrine, we become instruments in God’s hands and the Spirit becomes the ultimate teacher.