Category: Teaching Methods

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I’m Trying To Teach Like Jesus

A common word that we use in the church is Christlike. Now, can you think of a scripture that uses the word Christlike? I’ll let you cheat and look. Heck, I’ll even let you do an electronic search. Can’t find it?

But seriously, if you do find it, I’d like to know. I searched far and wide, with no luck. I think it strange that a word that we use so often is not to be found in the standard works. Not super strange as in how Daniel Larusso won the Under-18 All-Valley Karate Tournament with an illegal kick to the face, but kinda strange like how it costs 1.5 cents to make a penny.

While the word Christlike may not be found in the standard works, the concept most definitely is. I would argue that the scriptures’ primary message is to define the word Christlike. Starting with the creation, to the fall, through the flood, the Abrahamic covenant, the Law of Moses, the life of Jesus, the early Apostles teachings, the Book of Mormon prophets, the restoration through Joseph Smith, down to the present day; there has been a consistent revealing of what Christ is like. A revealing of the nature of God, of what eternal life is.

According to scripture, there is a clear mandate to be like Jesus Christ. From His own lips comes the admonition to “be ye therefore perfect.” John teaches that “when he shall appear, we shall be like him.” By all accounts, the descriptions of Christ are interchangeable with the type of life we are commanded to live.

In our teaching of the gospel, the method must match the message. How can we expect to teach others to be Christlike through un-Christlike means? It behooves us, therefore, to be Christlike teachers. Easy to say, but what exactly does it look like?

In the appendix of Teaching In The Savior’s Way (see, it’s even in the title of the manual), there is a section about improving as a Christlike teacher. It is a great resource to analyze the kind of teacher that Jesus was, and assess our own attempts to be like Him. This evaluation is divided into 4 categories, which are further divided into behaviors that demonstrate the Christlike attribute. The 4 categories are: Love those you teach, teach by the Spirit, teach the doctrine, and invite diligent learning. If you haven’t taken the assessment, I highly recommend it. The behaviors listed are excellent habits that will improve your efforts as a gospel teacher.

Let’s look at the person of Jesus, and the kind of teacher that he was. The best place to examine Jesus as a teacher is the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), and his teaching of the Nephites in the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 11-30). I’d like to look at three aspects of Jesus as a teacher: the message, the method, and the messenger.

 

The Message

When Jesus taught, he frequently focused on personal behavior. He didn’t talk as if the problem was “out there,” but that the battle is in our own hearts. We are to act in a certain way, which can be summed up as loving God and loving our fellow man.

Jesus also spent a lot of time talking about helping others. To follow Christ is not to be above others, but to serve those around us. He cared about the poor, and about how we treat the poor. His teachings often were juxtaposed alongside the teachings of the Pharisees, who He chastised because they “outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Rather than a doctrine of superiority over others from self-righteousness, Jesus taught of our need to repent, that we each have our own cross to bear, and our own path to Heaven.

The crux of the message is the cross. That through his suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus saved us from death and hell. Jesus was very clear that, as the promised Messiah, He was the only way to the Father. We partake of His grace through our faith in Him, our repentance, and through baptism.

When Jesus visited the Nephites, after His resurrection, He gave a succinct definition of the gospel message.  “Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you–that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

“And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil–

“And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.

“And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.

“And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father.

“And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of men. And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words.

“And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end.

“Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;”

 

The Method

In literature, there are two ways to illustrate a powerful teacher. One way is to reveal the teaching and let it speak for itself. Another way is to show the effect that the teaching has on those who listen. Lucky for us, we can use both in Jesus’ case. Before getting into the style itself, let’s look at how people responded to Jesus’ teaching.

After teaching in a synagogue, “they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.”

Peter said to Jesus, “Thou hast the words of eternal life.”

The woman at the well, after just a short conversation, said to Jesus, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.” Then after recruiting more people to listen to Him, they responded with, “Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”

Those opposing Jesus responded by trying to kill him.

Clearly, Jesus taught in a way that elicited strong reactions. Let’s see if we can dissect his teaching and extract some concepts that we can apply in our teaching.

As mentioned earlier, Jesus’ teaching penetrated the hearts of the listeners, and caused them to look inward. In the sermon on the mount, He taught that we are not only to avoid bad behavior, but “to suffer none of these things to enter into your heart.” He didn’t waste a lot of time with things that are out of our control, which is empowering. We can control our behavior, and how we treat others; and this is the sweet spot where Jesus taught.

Jesus personalized His message to the audience. We have record of Jesus preaching to individuals, to small groups, and to large groups. He invited both the proud and the humble to repent, and come unto Him. The method and tone of the message varied depending on who He was talking with. He used parables that would be understood and could be applied by His audience. That’s a large part of the power of His teaching. He could relate to anyone, and by so doing formed a connection with his followers. That’s also one reason why the Pharisees tried to kill Him. They understood what He was saying, and it wasn’t pleasant for them.

The Messenger

Let’s get the oft used caveat out of the way: Jesus was the only perfect person. This should not deter us from trying to be the same kind of person that He was. And, for our purposes here, I want to focus on how the kind of person he was reflected in His teaching. Really, it’s hard to separate Jesus as a person and Jesus as a teacher. He didn’t seem to change from “regular” Jesus to “teacher” Jesus. Teaching was just a natural extension of who He was.

In John chapter 4, we read about Jesus teaching the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. We see the humility of Jesus on display. He took time out of His day, possibly to the disciples’ disapproval, to speak to this single individual. Not only a solitary person, but likely a social outcast. He did not view himself as too busy or too important to testify of His saving mission.

How about us? Do we feel like we are too important or busy to teach a small class? I once served as a Stake institute teacher. The class was designed for the young single adults for the 3 wards that met in the nearest church building, and was held every Wednesday night. I would leave work and get some snacks, then head over to the church to teach. One night, only 3 people showed up, 2 missionaries and a recent convert. At first, I thought, “well this is going to be a waste of the hours that I put into this lesson.” Luckily, I didn’t let that initial reaction ruin it. The smaller class size allowed for some personal conversations, which turned into a very spiritual moment. The four of us there probably had a more powerful lesson than ten “regular” classes.

Of course, Jesus didn’t only teach to an audience of one. Just two chapters later, he’s preaching to over 5,000. Here, we see the dichotomy of Jesus the teacher. While ever humble, His message was one of apparent self-promotion. I am the living bread. Come unto me. I am the way, the truth, and the life. I am the light of the world. Not to mention, that His use of “I am” had a deeper meaning, proclaiming Himself as Jehovah.

The way to reconcile these two opposing sentiments of humility versus self-importance comes down to the truth of His claim. If He was truly the Son of God, then He could remain humble yet still testify of Himself. Also, evaluate what He did with a following. Was He seeking to exploit His followers for riches, popularity, power, or an easy living? I think the clear answer to this is no, but that He was seeking to do His Fathers’ will, and for the benefit of mankind.

One word that comes up often in Jesus’ ministry is compassion. It is used as something Jesus possessed, as well as a moving force. In other words, because Jesus had compassion He was moved to action. The action comes from the characteristic. Jesus’ teaching came from a compassionate heart.

Does your teaching come from a place of compassion? Do you feel love for those you teach? Does this love drive your teaching? Can the class feel your compassion for them? If you don’t feel this Christlike love for others, pray for it. Get to know your audience. It’s hard to really know somebody and not feel compassion for them. Even crazy family members.

Jesus taught with passion as well as compassion. He cared greatly about His message, and His mission. He treasured up in His mind continually the words of life (DC 84:85), so that He was always ready to give an answer (1 Pet 3:15). Nowhere in the record do we hear Jesus say, “I’m sorry but I didn’t have enough time to prepare, so I’m just going to wing it.”

This passion also makes lessons more interesting. The gospel should not be the most boring message that your class listens to. Especially when teaching the youth. There are many messages being conveyed to their spirits, and most of them are very enticing. The advantage that we have as gospel teachers is that our message is rock solid. When life gets tough, and it always does, the gospel is a solid foundation. The fluffy stuff of the world is a sandy foundation. We have failed as teachers if we portray it as impersonal, boring, stuffy, rule-based, heavy-handed, or irrelevant.

At some point, we all come face to face with the reality that we are fallen, and in need of saving. In these moments, hopefully, we remember the words that we have often heard concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, and it sinks deep into our hearts. (Enos 1:3).

As we (and those we teach), in our insecurity and insufficiency, turn to our Savior in faith, we (and those we teach) will find a remission of our sins. We (and those we teach) will find a mighty change of heart.

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3 Ways To Increase Classroom Participation

Most of us know that it’s important to have good participation in our lessons. The Church seems to recognize this, as evidenced by the shift towards having more discussion and counseling during lessons. Here are a few ways to improve student participation.

 

Create A Comfortable Environment

I am naturally shy. If I am in a new environment, or if I feel uncomfortable in the group I am in, I close off. I don’t participate by sharing comments, or asking questions, or even volunteer to read. I usually will sit near the edges towards the back of the room, folding my arms and avoiding eye contact.

The opposite holds true if I am comfortable. I’ll make small talk with those around me. I’ll share my thoughts and feelings, and volunteer to participate. And this doesn’t only apply to church classes, but to any social setting. I have often thought about what it is that flips this switch between comfortable and uncomfortable. There are a few factors that I have come up with. One is knowing at least one or two people in the room, at least superficially enough that I have had a good conversation with them previously. Another factor is that I need to warm up a little bit with some small talk. If I have just sat through a sacrament meeting and am already fifteen minutes into class without talking, I’m not about to spontaneously start now.

As a teacher, you can assume that there are some in your class that are like this. So, try to start the class by encouraging some small talk. Even before the opening prayer, you can ask questions about the sacrament talks or the previous lesson. One thing that I have seen work well is to have the class talk to the person to the left, the right, in front, and behind them. They can share something about them, like their favorite superhero or ice cream flavor. Just something that lets them hear their own voice and interact with another person. Be creative and keep it light. You may see that this sets the tone for the rest of the lesson. Yes, it may create a little more chaos, but generally that’s a small price to pay to have the class open up for the lesson.

Ask Better Questions

A well placed, thought provoking question can turn a dud into a great lesson. Remember to make it open-ended, not too easy or too hard, and not fishing for a specific answer.

There are times in a class when I can’t help but share my thoughts. This is usually due to excellent questions posed by the teacher. Recently, I attended a class where the topic had something to do with the importance of the scriptures. The teacher asked the following, “What is your favorite scripture, and why?” This led to some great testimony and personal feelings being shared. As more people shared, it snowballed. Each person in the class took about 1-2 minutes and shared pure testimony. By the time the class ended, the spirit was palpable. Testimonies were strengthened, and hearts were knit together in love. To share such a spiritual experience with others goes a long way in preventing some of the major issues that wards face.

Use Variety in Teaching Methods

There are many different teaching methods, some of which tend to better class participation. Brainstorming can be a great way to get things going. For example, if you are teaching about the temple, try asking, “How can we show our children the way we feel about the temple?” Let people throw out whatever ideas they have and list them on the board. Don’t spend much time discussing any idea at first; just get a board full of ideas. Then, you can circle back and spend additional time on any idea as needed. Sure, you could have made the list yourself and presented it to the class, but people tend to “buy in” to an idea that they came up with rather than what they are told.

Demonstrations can also be used to increase participation. I remember a class many years ago, where two teachers, husband and wife, demonstrated how to hold a family council. They first demonstrated how not to do it, and then allowed comments from the class. They then demonstrated a successful family council, and again gave time for comments. There was a lively discussion, and I still remember the things I learned that day. If you can teach a lesson that stays with someone for years, you’re doing something right!

Participation Helps Bring The Spirit

Remember that class participation is not the end goal. However, an engaged class is a class that is more receptive to the Spirit. I believe that as you have more participation, you will also have more open and honest lessons, and more spiritual lessons. Please comment and share any tips that you have to increase class participation.

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4 Ways To Be A More Interesting Gospel Teacher

Just because you are smart, it doesn’t mean you are interesting. You might know a lot of facts, figures, dates and scripture references. You might have memorized hundreds of scripture passages. While these can help you teach a lesson, they don’t guarantee anyone will pay attention to you. My Mission President would often say, “light yourself on fire with enthusiasm, and when people come to watch you burn… teach them!”

Here are 4 ways to be a more interesting gospel teacher:

Change Up The Tempo And Teaching Methods

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: …A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; (Eccl 3:1,4). Changing the tempo throughout the lesson will keep more students engaged more of the time. A lesson that is only somber, quiet, and low energy will eventually lose the attention of the class as their minds start to wander. On the other hand, a lesson that tries to be fast paced and high energy eventually will tire out the class. By mixing up the tempo, with natural ebbs and flows in the energy, the lesson will be more interesting to the class.

Changing up the teaching methods is also a valuable way to keep the interest of the class. Different methods activate different parts of the brain, which is intellectually stimulating. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times, make a list of teaching methods, print it out, laminate it if you really want to go crazy, and keep it close at hand while preparing lessons. As you conscientiously prepare different teaching methods throughout the lesson, you will be a more interesting teacher.

Speak To Individuals, And Not The Group

Eye contact is important in communication, which I’m assuming you already know. Less commonly known is the importance of eye contact when in front of a group of people. Your default gaze may be at either whatever you are reading, the floor in front of you, the back wall, or looking “through” the group, avoiding eye contact with any individuals. This is a big mistake. You should make eye contact with individuals, and hold it for some time. A good rule of thumb is to initiate eye contact at the start of a sentence, and hold it throughout the sentence. As you start a new sentence, lock eyes with someone else. This way, you will engage several different students, but not creep any of them out. This excellent article gives 10 reasons why eye contact should be a major part of your presentation. I’ll give you one now, and I encourage you to read the rest. “When you don’t look people in the eye, they are less likely to look at you. And when they stop looking at you, they start thinking about something other than what you’re saying, and when that happens, they stop listening.” I absolutely agree with that statement. Try it out next time you teach, and see what results you get.

Have Your Body Language Match Your Speech

It’s confusing to your class if your body language doesn’t mirror the words coming out of your mouth. Picture Paul Revere, trotting along on his horse, mumbling about how the British are coming. It probably wouldn’t have inspired very many. It’s still true, and critically important. But, those listening probably would have been confused by the delivery.

It’s not difficult to improve your body language. But it does take work. The first step is to be comfortable. There are a few ways to get more comfortable and confident with your teaching. One way is to practice teaching. This can be done through video recording, talking to the mirror, or just finding some quiet place and talking out loud. Another way to become more comfortable is through visualization. As you envision yourself giving the lesson, which can be done almost anywhere, you will feel more confident when you are actually in the situation. Lastly, sometimes it comes down to “fake it until you make it.” Pretend you are comfortable in front of a class.

Once you are comfortable, your body language will come more naturally. So, moving on, let’s look at some tips for improved body language. One thing to always keep in mind is, “what is the emotional undertone associated with the point I am trying to make?” Then, simply match that emotion with your face and body. When you are talking about how much death occurred during Old Testament wars, a cheesy smile is likely not the appropriate delivery. Likewise, teaching about the joy of the resurrection probably shouldn’t be delivered in a   bored, tired manner.

Another tip is that being open is always better than being closed. Your class wants to know how you feel about the topic. Authenticity and vulnerability are much more important than a “perfect performance.” As you let your personality and testimony come through, you will be more effective, and more interesting. Open gestures, palms out, and not hiding behind a table, are all ways to convey openness.

Facilitate Discussion

When I am feeling the Spirit in a class, I am usually learning things I never knew before. Maybe that’s not even the best way to word it. I’ll let President Harold B. Lee say it, “When the time comes that your heart tells you things your mind doesn’t know, that is the Spirit of the Lord dictating to you.” Usually, I am excited enough about what I am learning that I want to share it with those in the class. A good teacher will recognize this fact, and let the class teach each other. Regardless of what teaching methods you use, there should usually be opportunities for the class to share spiritual insights with each other. The best teachers are able to walk the fine line between pure lecture, where participation is discouraged, and opening it up for people to talk about whatever they want, which can result in unedifying chaos. The operative word here is facilitate. As you guide the lesson along, facilitating good discussion, and keep things on a spiritual plane, you will have interesting lessons.

 

To put things into perspective, an interesting lesson does not mean it is a spiritual one, or that it isn’t priestcraft (another topic). Think of it like a good spice; it can help enhance the food (the gospel), but on it’s own it isn’t fulfilling or nutritious. The people in your class have some serious issues: sin, insecurity, hopelessness, sorrow, guilt, grief, and all kinds of spiritual maladies. These afflictions can be healed through the grace of Jesus Christ, which is administered through the Holy Ghost. Making a lesson more interesting should have in mind the goal to create a space where the Spirit can do it’s work.

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There Is Such A Thing As A Bad Question

This is a continuation of a previous post. More specifically, it is the other side of the coin. I discussed some of the elements that make up a good question. Here, we will discuss some aspects of a bad question. Let me clarify something first. I am not talking about questions asked by those in the class. The old adage regarding no bad questions holds true here (don’t trust Dwight on this one).

Questions asked by you, the teacher, however, can be bad. Here are some question types that are bad or, at the very least, less effective.

 

A “Guess What I’m Thinking” Question Is A Bad Question

Have you ever been in a class where the teacher asked a question, and it was obvious that she was looking for a specific answer? It usually doesn’t go over well. I was in a class where the teacher asked, “Which temple is the most important one?” After shooting down such answers as Nauvoo, Salt Lake City, Jerusalem, the teacher claimed that “the Kirkland Temple is the most important, because the keys to perform temple ordinances were restored there.” This was probably not the best question he could have asked.

A Question That Only Has One Answer Is A Bad Question

This rule doesn’t always apply, but usually does. Remember, the purpose of teaching is to create an environment where students can open their hearts to the voice of the Holy Ghost. Factual, trivia type questions usually aren’t very effective at bringing in the Spirit. In fact, it tends to separate the class into those who know the answer, and those who don’t. And, honestly, it is probably an answer that isn’t very relevant. Knowing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel didn’t cause much of a mighty change of heart for me.

A Yes/No Question Is A Bad(-ish) Question

This also isn’t a hard, fast rule, but is something to be aware of and to limit. The typical yes/no question doesn’t cause much thought, or tapping into past experiences. For example, “Was it raining when Noah built the ark?” is not a good question. Sometimes, a good yes/no question can be used to set up a better, open-ended question. You could follow up the previous Noah question with, “what insights do we gain from the fact that it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark?” Another way to use a yes/no question is to ask a question that will be answered by the scripture passage you just read, to get the class to read more critically.

A Too Easy Question Is A Bad Question

“How do you think Nephi felt when his brothers tied him up?” This question will probably be met with blank stares. Don’t insult the intelligence of the class. You may be tempted to ask an easy question, thinking that it will get the class warmed up. It won’t. It will probably get them to check their fantasy football scores.

A Too Hard Question Is A Bad Question

On the other end of the spectrum, we have questions that are too hard. Again, you don’t want to isolate part of the class. Like the Savior, a good teacher will craft questions that will apply to all, regardless of their level of gospel scholarship.

 

While not exhaustive, this should provide some good direction as we strive to ask better questions. I believe that asking better questions is the most important skill we can develop as gospel teachers. It is also one of the easiest skills to develop. So, go forward, asking better questions. Don’t beat yourself up for previous mistakes, but commit to improve from this point onward. You got this!