“Appoint
among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen 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” (D&C 88:122; emphasis added).
CONDUCT EDIFYING
DISCUSSIONS
·
Seek
the guidance of the Holy Ghost. He may prompt you to ask certain questions or
to include certain people in the discussion.
·
Help
participants stay focused on the topic.
·
Encourage
participants to share their thoughts by creating a loving atmosphere. (D&C
88:122)
· Do
not be afraid of silence after you ask a question. Often those you teach need
time to think or to look in their books before they share ideas, testimonies,
and experiences. (20 seconds is a good length of time to wait for an answer.)
Assure that there is abundant participation…
·
Listen
sincerely, and seek to understand everyone’s comments. Express gratitude for
their participation. Treat all comments with equal respect. Let them see you
listening to them, not just thinking about what you will say next.
·
Look
for different ways to include participants in the discussion. For example, you
might have them discuss questions in small groups or with the person sitting
next to them.
·
Consider
contacting one or two participants in advance. Ask them to come to class ready
to answer one of the questions you have prepared.
·
Do
not end a good discussion just because you want to cover all the material you
have prepared. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, xi-xii)
RECOMMENDED READING:
Teaching No Greater Call Chapters 14
An Atmosphere of
Participation
“Therefore, why is it that ye
cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of
Truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? Wherefore, he that
preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified
and rejoice together.” (Doctrine and Covenants 50:21-22)
“For by my Spirit will I enlighten
them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will – yea,
even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, not yet entered into
the heart of man.” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:10)
“In the classroom, teaching by the
Spirit is essentially creating the environment in which the Spirit can dwell
and asking inspired questions so that we can ‘teach on another the doctrine of
the kingdom’.” (To Be Edified and Rejoice Together, A Roger Merrill, Ensign, Jan 2007)
“Assure that there is abundant participation because that
use of agency by a student authorizes the Holy Ghost to instruct.” (Richard G
Scott, To Understand and Live Truth, 3)
“When you encourage students to
raise their hand to respond to a question, they signify to the Holy Ghost their
willingness to learn. That use of moral agency will allow the Spirit to
motivate and give them more powerful guidance during your time together.
Participation allows individuals to experience being led by the spirit. They
learn to recognize what spiritual guidance is.” (Richard G Scott, Helping
Others to be Spiritually Led, CES Symposium, August 11, 1998)
“Never, and I mean never, give a
lecture where there is no participation. A ‘talking head’ is the weakest form
of class instruction…Assure that there is abundant participation because that
use of agency by a student authorizes the Holy Ghost to instruct. It also helps
the student retain your message. As students verbalize truths they are
confirmed in their soul and strengthen their personal testimonies. (Richard G
Scott, To Understand and Live Truth, CES, February 4, 2005)
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To learn by faith, students need opportunities
to take action…
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“To learn by faith, students need
opportunities to take action… It is in that moment that the Spirit teaches.”
(Kim B Clark, BYU-Idaho, Oct 11, 2005)
“By having fruitful discussions in
Relief Society, we can learn ways to make family home evenings and family
scripture study more effective. I believe that as our homes are filled with
active discussions and honest communication, we will be better able to respond
to the perilous times in which we live.” (Bonnie D Parkin, Teaching: An
Entrance to the Heart, Fall 2004 Open House)
“Giving class members time to
ponder a question gives them time to think more deeply and to listen to the
Spirit…. Teachers can say things like ‘I’ll give you time to think’ or ‘Would
you please ponder this question, and then I’ll ask for responses.’” (Robb
Jones, Leading Class Discussions, Ensign, June 2009, 24-25).
“A teacher who takes up most of the class time
speaking is likely talking too much. In many lessons, student participation can
fill about half of the lesson time.” (John D Claybaugh and Amber Barlow Dahl,
Increasing Participation in Lessons, Ensign, March 2001, 34)
“As you actively listen to your
students’ responses and then sincerely acknowledge each one, you will create an
environment in which even those who are timid or new to the gospel will begin
to participate.” (Brian Gudmundson, Questions, the Heart of Learning and
Teaching, Ensign, January 2008, 26-29)
“The teacher will
take the lead in discussing the true principles from the scriptures that have
been highlighted in the course manual. But after a principle has been explained
and discussed, class members will then have ample opportunity to share their
understanding of the principle and to share ideas among themselves as to how
that particular principle can be applied in their own lives. The information that
each of us has gained from repenting and seeking improvement in our lives is
truly a pearl of great price, and it can be of immense value to others when
shared in the right setting. This great reservoir of knowledge, conviction,
experience, testimony, and love of our Father in Heaven and his gospel needs to
be tapped for the benefit of the Saints, for the benefit of the Church. I hope
you can see that we are excited about the possibilities of teaching in this
manner.” (Teaching by the Spirit, Joseph B Wirthlin, Ensign, Jan 1989)
“An effective gospel teacher helps “class members
participate meaningfully in the lesson. Such participation enables students to
teach and edify each other. It also can invite the Spirit into the class. It
enhances learning by making class members active rather than passive
participants. It will also help them apply and live gospel principles.”
(Increasing Participation in Lessons, John D Claybaugh and Amber Barlow Dahl, Ensign,Mar 2001)
“Teachers should help class members feel comfortable sharing
their testimonies, insights, experiences, questions, and ideas” (“Gospel
Teaching and Leadership,” in Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2:
Priesthood and Auxiliary Leader [1998],
303).
“The skilled teacher
does not want students who leave the class talking about how magnificent and
unusual the teacher is. This teacher wants students who leave talking about how
magnificent the gospel is!” (Virginia H Pearce, The Ordinary Classroom—a Powerful
Place for Steady and Continued Growth, Ensign, Nov. 1996, 12).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Why do we learn more
about a subject when we teach it? Why is the Holy Ghost considered the true
teacher? How can I as the teacher assist the class to learn by faith? How is
the principle of agency linked to learning by the Holy Ghost?
Preparing
Discussion Questions
As you prepare your lessons, you will ponder the material
you are to present. “Pondering is a form of prayer.” (Gene R Cook) As you
ponder, offer a silent prayer for understanding and insights into the material
you are studying.
|
The questions… teachers use are calculated to
draw experiences from the people in the class.
|
“As you consider
questions to use in a lesson, ask yourself, ‘Will they help those I teach
understand the main ideas of the lesson? Will these questions help those I
teach apply the gospel principles being taught?” (Teaching No Greater Call p.
68)
“The questions in the lessons are designed to allow class
participants to share what they have learned from their reading and to discuss
how they have applied the principles discussed the previous week. These
questions are also designed to be answered from the scriptural text instead of
from resource materials in a manual. We feel this direction will turn the
teacher and the students more to the Spirit, to the scriptures, and to prayer
for understanding.” (Joseph B Wirthlin, Teaching by the Spirit, Ensign, Jan 1989)
“Sometimes there is a tendency for teachers to assume they
must give all of the answers, that they must convey the total material in the
manual to class members, that they must draw in additional resources beyond the
scriptures in order to teach. Now we want teachers to more fully center on the
Spirit and on the actual present needs of class members. It also helps teachers
to search for the means to help class members apply gospel principles in their
individual lives. Hopefully, these class experiences will turn us more toward
the Lord, allow us to be touched more frequently by the Spirit, and thus make
successful our individual efforts to repent and change our lives.” (Gene R
Cook, Teaching By the Spirit, Ensign,
Jan 1989)
RECOMMENDED READING:
Teaching No Greater Call Chapters 16
Asking Questions
that Work
Jesus Christ, the Master Teacher,
often asked questions to encourage people to ponder and apply the principles He
taught. His questions prompted thought, soul-searching and commitment:
“When Jesus came into the coasts of
Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the
Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some,
Elias; and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But
whom say ye that I am?” (Matthew 16:13-15)
“The questions for teachers in the new
lessons are calculated to draw experiences from the
people in the class. We feel that the Spirit will confirm more
strongly the truthfulness and blessings of [gospel principles], if class
members share their personal experiences with one another, rather than reading
examples we here at headquarters (Church Education Department) have collected
for them. The very fact that these experiences are from the lives of the very
people in that class should bring a great spirit of testimony into the class. The resource material in each lesson will
center mostly on key quotes from General Authorities that expound and explain
the scriptures.” (Gene R Cook, Teaching by the Spirit, Ensign, Jan 1989)
“With the focus of helping students participate and feel the
Spirit, much of your lesson preparation should be devoted to developing
inspired questions that will help your students discover gospel principles for
themselves. Using carefully worded questions, you can guide your students
through a discovery experience, which will have far greater effects than a
lecture experience, in which a teacher dumps information on students. When you
do this students will move from being idle listeners to active participants as
they search their hearts for answers to prayerfully prepared questions. This
will allow the Spirit to have a greater influence on each person.” (Brian
Gudmondson, Questions, the Heart of Learning and Teaching, Ensign, January
2008, 26-29)
One sure way to transform a dull lecture into a lively, Spirit-filled lesson is by asking effective questions.
PROMPT DEEPER THINKING:
“Some questions help learners to think deeply about the meaning of scriptures
passages and gospel principles. These questions often begin with the words who, how, or why. They cannot be answered yes or no, and they usually have more than one answer.” (Teaching No
Greater Call p. 68)
·
Why do you think this revelation came at this
time in the history of the Church?
· How can God’s chastening be a blessing to us?
QUESTIONS THAT PROMPT SILENT
REFLECTION: “Occasionally you may ask questions that allow learners to
ponder silently rather than answer in an open discussion.” (Teaching No Greater
Call p. 69)
·
What have you done today that is moving you
toward eternal life?
“In your lesson preparation, plan
questions to ask throughout the lesson. Consider the questions suggested in the
manual. Think of others that might be helpful to your class. Seek the Spirit
not help you choose several questions for each main idea you want to teach.”
(The Worth of a Teacher, Ensign, April 2010, 35)
“To help class members discuss how
a gospel concept relates to their lives, you can ask three different types of
questions in a series:
·
A fact question: “Whom does the Lord
require us to forgive?”
·
An application question: “How does
forgiving someone affect us?
·
An experience question: What is a
positive experience you have had with forgiving someone?” (The Worth of a
Teacher, Ensign, April 2010, 35)
“One sure way to transform a dull
lecture into a lively, Spirit-filled lesson is by asking effective questions.” (The
Worth of a Teacher, Ensign, April 2010, 35)
“Questions should be clear and
motivate discussion. They should not manipulate or put words into the mouth of
a student. Discussions that invoke a yes or no answer are weak and do little to
stimulate insight. They are, however, appropriate when inviting commitment.”
(Richard G Scott, To Understand and Live Truth, CES, February 4, 2005)
AVOID CONTROVERSY OR ARGUEMNTS:
“Be careful not to ask questions that promote argument or highlight sensational
issues. Do not ask questions that create doubt or that lead to discussions that
fail to edify. Make sure that your questions move learners toward a unity of
faith and love. When there is disagreement, strive to emphasize points of
agreement and correct doctrine.” (Teaching No Greater Call p. 69)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Why is discussion so
important? How is it better than a lecture type lesson? Could I transform more
lesson statements into questions as I teach?
Increasing Participation
(This section is based on the article ‘Increasing
Participation in Lessons’, Ensign, Mar 2001)
As we strive to increase student participation in our
lessons, we may want to consider the following three suggestions: (1) talk
less, (2) use teaching methods that promote student participation, and (3)
provide positive feedback.
Talk
Less
Teachers who speak 90 percent of class time
are probably talking too much. Of course, teachers need to give explanations,
instructions, examples, stories, testimonies, and so forth, but their speaking
should be a planned part of promoting participation. In many lessons, students
can speak 40 to 60 percent of the time. This approach helps teachers avoid
becoming lecturers or the only dispensers of information. Instead, teachers can
be facilitators—helping students learn from the scriptures, from other
students, and from the Spirit. Of course, teachers may introduce the lesson and
help lay some groundwork and, at the end of the class, clarify and summarize
the doctrine taught. However, they should also be careful not to take a great
deal of time doing this.
“Lessons should help class members see how
gospel principles apply to daily living. Encourage discussions about how these
principles can influence our feelings about our Father in Heaven, Jesus
Christ, ourselves,
our families, and our neighbors. Invite participants to live according to the
principles being taught.
“Involve as many people as possible during
the instruction period by inviting them to read aloud, answer questions, or
share experiences” (Teachings of Presidents of the
Church: Brigham Young [1997], vi).
Use
Methods That Promote Participation
Teachers or parents could begin a lesson by
reading (or having a class member read) a few of the scripture verses or quotes
from the lesson material and then asking questions that elicit meaningful
responses. Questions that only require a “yes” or “no” answer, questions that
most class members know the answer to, and questions that require students to
guess what the teacher is thinking will usually not encourage participation and
meaningful responses. Rather, ask questions such as:
•
What do these verses mean to you?
•
How can we apply this in our lives today?
•
What did the Lord teach in verses … about …?
•
What gospel principles do you see in verses …?
•
How does … help you understand …?
•
What important things do you see in verses …?
•
What is another way to say …?
•
What would you underline or mark in these verses? Why?
•
How would you say this in your own words?
•
Can someone summarize what has been said?
•
What are some conclusions we can draw from this?
•
What comments or feelings do you have about this?
•
Would anyone like to tell about an experience that illustrates this principle?
• Do any of you have a testimony or an
experience of this that you would be willing to share?
Teachers need to give students time to
think about and respond to their questions or invitations to participate. A brief
period of silence is appropriate and should be expected. A teacher could let
class members know that the moment of silence is welcome by saying something
like, “I know you need to think about it for a few seconds, so when one of you
is ready to respond, go ahead and raise your hand.” If the teacher is
comfortable with the silence, the class members will be also. Teachers should
not pressure class members to tell about personal experiences or feelings if
they do not freely volunteer. Some experiences may be too sacred to share.
Provide Positive Feedback
Teachers “can help those [they] teach feel
more confident about their ability to participate in a discussion if [the
teacher] responds positively to each sincere comment” (Teaching,
No Greater Call, 64). Teachers should not ridicule or criticize any
questions, comments, expression of feelings, experiences, or testimonies.
Teachers should show courtesy and love and do their best to encourage helpful
participation. Teachers can help students feel that their contributions are
valued and that their participation is important, even if sometimes they must
kindly clarify doctrinal misunderstandings. Teachers should keep in mind that
students are taking emotional and spiritual risks when sharing personal
insights. They will hesitate to share again if they do not receive positive
feedback.
Teachers should not be overly concerned if
a student’s comment seems to be taking the lesson in a direction that was not
intended. Remember the teacher’s role is to help students
learn. Teachers should have the Spirit with them and follow its promptings. If
a comment is not helpful to the proper progression of the lesson, the teacher
may want to simply respond positively to what has been said, introduce a new
topic, and then ask again for participation. Some examples of ways to respond
to class members’ comments are:
•
Thank you for that comment.
•
I like the way you put that!
•
I think you said it well.
•
Let’s write that on the board; it is so insightful.
•
Did the rest of you hear that? Please say it again.
•
Thank you for sharing your feelings.
•
What a wonderful testimony you have shared!
Teachers
may also want to respond to comments in ways that encourage more participation
by saying:
•
That is a good question. Who would like to respond to it?
•
That’s interesting. Please explain more of what you mean.
•
How did you come to feel that way?
If
a class member states something that is inappropriate or incorrect, you might
want to say:
•
Thank you. The principle I want you to think about is. …
•
I’ve heard that too, yet my understanding is. …
Teachers sometimes have one or two
class members who seem always willing to answer questions or make comments. Be
grateful for their willingness to participate. President Howard W. Hunter,
however, suggested: “Do not fall into the trap that some of us fall into by
calling on the ones who are always so bright and eager and ready with the right
answer. Look and probe for those who are hanging back, who are shy and retiring
and perhaps troubled in spirit” (Eternal Investments,
address to Church Educational System instructors, 10 Feb. 1989, 4). Teachers
should not, however, pressure or force participation from students who, for
whatever reason, prefer not to respond, and teachers should not embarrass or
make class members uncomfortable while attempting to involve everyone.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Teaching No Greater Call Chapters
13-19
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