Principles of Christlike Teaching: Love Those You Teach

Create a safe environment where all are respected and know their contributions are valued.

Skill

Communicate that you value students before they comment or as they raise their hand to comment.

Define

We can show love for our learners by communicating to them that we value their contributions. Sometimes when students comment, we may seem disinterested or may be distracted by thinking about what we are going to say next. It is easy to look away or begin looking through our scriptures as we think of how to respond. It is important to remember that students want to feel heard, acknowledged, and seen. We can help students feel this way by focusing completely on them as they share comments. One way to accomplish this is by turning your body to face them, making eye contact, and focusing on them for the entirety of their comment. Another way is to verbally express that you value their contribution even before they comment. When a student raises their hand, you could say something like “Jordan, we love hearing from you. Please tell us what you’re thinking” or “Thabo, we are excited to learn from you. What would you like to contribute?” These simple actions can convey to learners that their contributions are valued and essential to the learning experience.

Model

Notice the body language of this teacher as he listens to a student’s comment. He is facing and looking at the student. He is not focused on another student, the scriptures, or anything else. Is there anything else you learn from this picture about communicating to students that they are valued?

Click here to see a video of this model.

Practice

• This week, practice this skill by focusing on your conversations with other people and communicating that you value their contributions. Face the person and make eye contact as you talk with him or her. Remove any distractions, and focus entirely on the individual.

Discuss or Ponder

• What have you learned about the importance of both nonverbal and verbal forms of communication in expressing to others that you value them?

• What are some other ways that you can express to students that you value their comments?

• Take a moment and think of times when the Savior modeled this skill.

Incorporate

• During your next lesson, apply this skill by facing your students, setting your scriptures down, and making eye contact with students as they share comments.

Want More?

• Topics and Questions, “Communication,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org

• Mark Ogletree, “Speak, Listen, & Love,” Ensign, Feb. 2014, 14–17

Skill

Communicate that students are not only welcome but needed.

Feed My Sheep, by Kamille Corry

Define

Students need to feel needed. Teaching in the Savior’s Way states: “There’s a very good chance that almost everyone you are called to teach is struggling in some way to feel respected and valued. By the way you love and respect them, you can communicate that they are not only welcome but needed.” There are many ways a teacher can help a student feel needed in class. One way is to simply express the feeling in words. This can be done at any time by sincerely communicating to a student individually, or to the whole class, how a student’s presence or participation has improved the class experience.

Model

• Beth has just shared with the class why she loves reading the scriptures. Brother Singh says, “Sisters and brothers, I’m grateful Beth is part of our class to help inspire all of us to love the scriptures.”

• Sister Villar greets María by saying, “I’m so glad you’re here. Your smile always brightens my day.”

Click here to see a video of this model.

Practice

How might you express that a student is needed as you observe the following situations?

• Marco volunteers to offer the opening prayer.

• Sondra doesn’t participate much, but she is always on time to class.

• Amara invites a friend to class.

Discuss or Ponder

• What was your experience practicing this skill, and what did you learn?

• After practicing this skill, what do you feel is the difference between feeling welcome and feeling needed?

Incorporate

• Identify at least one student this week to whom you will express that she or he is needed. Continue doing this on a weekly basis or more frequently, if possible.

Want More?

• Jean B. Bingham, “I Will Bring the Light of the Gospel into My Home,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 6–9

• Quentin L. Cook, “Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity,” Liahona, Nov. 2020, 18–21