Teacher Development Skills
Prepare yourself spiritually.

“Prepare yourself spiritually,” Teacher Development Skills: Teach by the Spirit (2023)

“Prepare yourself spiritually,” Teacher Development Skills: Teach by the Spirit

Principles of Christlike Teaching: Teach by the Spirit

Prepare yourself spiritually.

Skill

Use the document “Improving as a Christlike Teacher—A Personal Evaluation” to invite the Holy Ghost to help you refine your preparations to teach.

thumbnail of Teaching in the Savior’s Way

Define

After you prepare each lesson, go to “Improving as a Christlike Teacher—A Personal Evaluation” in part 3 of Teaching in the Savior’s Way. Consider how well each of the statements in the evaluation describes the learning experience you have prepared. Then, as guided by the Spirit, prayerfully select anything that needs to be improved in the lesson plan and make changes.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf shared the following promise about using the evaluation: “It will lead to introspection, reveal blind spots, and prompt inspiration about ways we can improve. … This self-evaluation can be a great blessing—today and every time we prepare to teach in the Savior’s way” (“A Teacher’s Checklist” [Teaching in the Savior’s Way with Elder Uchtdorf, June 12, 2022], ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Model

After Sister Olsen finishes her lesson plan, she turns to the document “Improving as a Christlike Teacher—A Personal Evaluation.” She prayerfully goes through each section of the assessment and chooses an appropriate response for each statement. She sees a place in her lesson where she can better use the words of prophets to teach a truth they will be learning.

Brother Sosi is working to invite diligent learning in his lessons. After he prepares the lesson, he turns to “Improving as a Christlike Teacher—A Personal Evaluation” to assess how he is doing in this area. He evaluates his lesson accordingly:

Invite Diligent Learning

  • (4) I help learners take responsibility for their learning.

  • (1) I encourage learners to come to know the Savior by studying the gospel daily.

  • (4) I invite learners to prepare to learn.

  • (4) I encourage learners to share the truths they are learning.

  • (4) I invite learners to live what they are learning.

He decides he can ask a question that encourages learners to come to know Jesus Christ as they study their scriptures daily and makes a change in his lesson.

Click here to see a video of this model.

1:47

Practice

  1. What adjustments might you make in your lesson plan if your personal evaluation looked like the following:

    Teach the Doctrine

    • (4) I learn the doctrine of Jesus Christ for myself.

    • (3) I teach from the scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets.

    • (3) I help learners seek, recognize, and understand truths in the scriptures.

    • (4) I focus on truths that lead to conversion and build faith in Jesus Christ.

    • (1) I help learners find personal relevance in the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

  2. Evaluate your next lesson plan by using “Improving as a Christlike Teacher—A Personal Evaluation.” Prayerfully consider how well each of the statements in the evaluation describes the learning experience you have prepared. Then, as guided by the Spirit, select anything that needs to be improved in the lesson plan and make changes.

Discuss or Ponder

  • How can implementing this practice lead to introspection, reveal blind spots, and prompt inspiration about ways you can improve?

  • What is the benefit of using the evaluation document with each lesson plan you prepare?

Incorporate

Want More?

Skill

Ask questions to assess your own experience and testimony with Jesus Christ and the doctrine and principles in the lesson.

man using laptop

Define

To prepare spiritually, you can reflect on your own experiences and testimony of Jesus Christ and the doctrine or principle taught in the lesson. As you pause and reflect on your own experiences and testimony, you will have greater confidence to stand as a witness for Jesus Christ and “The Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say” (Doctrine and Covenants 100:8). During preparation you can pause and ask questions that help you reflect. The following are examples of questions you could ask yourself:

  • How do I feel about this principle?

  • What experience have I had with this principle?

  • How has the Savior helped me learn and live this principle?

  • If I were to bear testimony of this principle, what would I declare and why?

The models and practices below are general examples. Training will be more effective if models and practice opportunities are connected to the next lessons that will be covered in the curriculum.

Model

Brother Almeida is preparing a lesson and identifies the following principle as one he may seek to help the students identify and understand: “As we partake of the sacrament and always remember the Savior, we will have His Spirit to be with us.”

Brother Almeida pauses to ponder his own experiences by asking himself, “What has been my experience as I have tried to remember the Savior when partaking of the sacrament?”

As Brother Almeida ponders this question, he realizes that remembering and thinking of the Savior during the sacrament has helped him feel the powerful effects of forgiveness and healing through the Savior’s Atonement.

Click here to see a video of this model.

1:9

Practice

Take a moment to ponder your own experience with and testimony of Jesus Christ for each doctrine and principle in the following list:

  • If we keep God’s commandments, God will bless us both temporally and spiritually.

  • A principle from the next lesson you will teach.

Discuss or Ponder

  • What did you learn or feel as you practiced?

  • How might you be more effective in teaching the principles and doctrine in your lessons as you apply this skill?

Incorporate

  • Each time you prepare a lesson, pause and consider your own experience and testimony with Jesus Christ and the doctrine and principles in the lesson.

Want More?