Micro-Training # 28
Invite diligent learning
Invite learners to prepare to learn
Theme
How to help students learn by themselves.
Illustrate
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared this familiar saying: “Giving a man a fish feeds him for one meal. Teaching a man to fish feeds him for a lifetime.” He then taught, “As parents and gospel instructors, you and I are not in the business of distributing fish; rather, our work is to help [those we teach] learn ‘to fish’ and to become spiritually steadfast.”
While your teacher’s role is important, your students are ultimately responsible for their own learning. As you prepare how you will teach, you should stay focused on your students and not just on what you will do. Rather than merely asking, “What will I do in class today?” or “What will I teach my students?” you should also approach lesson preparation thinking, “What will my students do in class today?” or “How will I help my students discover what they need to know?”
You should have faith that with proper guidance and encouragement, your students can understand the scriptures, learn to identify doctrine and principles, explain the gospel to others, and apply gospel teachings in their lives. For many students, putting forth such effort to learn from the scriptures may seem unfamiliar and somewhat difficult. However, you can help them understand, accept, and fulfill their role in gospel learning.
You can help your students learn how to take an active role in their spiritual learning, both in class and at home, by encouraging them to:
Develop a habit of daily scripture study.
Prepare their hearts and minds for the influence of the Spirit.
Discover how doctrine and principles are relevant to their personal lives.
Deepen understanding of the scriptures through diligent study, meditation, and prayer.
Ask questions and seek for answers that help them better understand the gospel and how it applies to their lives.
Share insights, experiences, and feelings.
Explain gospel doctrine and principles to others and testify of their truthfulness.
Develop scripture study skills, such as marking, cross-referencing, and using the scripture study aids.
Students are edified when they are led to search the word of God to discover truths about Jesus Christ and His gospel for themselves. They should be given opportunities to explain the gospel in their own words and to share and testify of what they know and feel. This helps to bring the gospel from their heads down into their hearts. As students consistently experience learning the gospel in this way, they gain confidence in their ability to study the scriptures for themselves and learn by the Spirit. They feel a desire to apply what they are learning in their lives. They are also better prepared to explain what they believe to others and to bear testimony of the doctrine and principles of the gospel.
You should remember that the most meaningful relevance comes through the Holy Ghost to the individual hearts and minds of your students as they engage in the learning process and work to discover for themselves how truths of the gospel connect with their personal needs and circumstances.
Quote from our Church leaders:
“Most of the teaching in the world is based on one of the five senses—hear, see, touch, smell, or taste. In your classroom you can teach by the power of the Spirit. Such communication begins by your encouraging each one you teach to participate rather than be a passive listener. In this way you can assess their understanding of what is taught, create a feeling of ownership, and also learn from them. More important, their decision to participate is an exercise in agency that permits the Holy Ghost to communicate a personalized message suited to their individual needs. Creating an atmosphere of participation enhances the probability that the Spirit will teach more important lessons than you can communicate. That participation will bring into their lives the direction of the Spirit. When you encourage students to raise their hand to respond to a question, while they may not realize it, they signify to the Holy Ghost their willingness to learn. That use of moral agency will allow that Spirit to motivate them and give them more powerful guidance during your time together. Participation allows individuals to experience being led by the Spirit. They learn to recognize and feel what spiritual guidance is.”
(Elder Richard G. Scott, “To Learn and to Teach More Effectively,” Brigham Young University devotional, Aug. 2007)
Invitation to act
When preparing your next lessons, think about what you are going to have your students do to get them more involved in the learning process. Then share your ideas and experiences with other teachers.
Share your thoughts, experiences or questions with other teachers on your stake teacher's WhatsApp group.
