How To Teach Others What God Knows

[Ray]

I'll be teaching a class soon where I'll be teaching some teachers to teach other people to learn, and I'll be open to ideas, just as I am right now, from the teachers who want to share how they teach.

When possible, keep it simple, and just share your idea in as few words as possible, in this thread.

If I'd like to know more I will ask some more questions to see how you teach others to teach others.

For beginning teachers:

It helps to ask questions to draw some responses which will show what others think about something.

And by responding with a question you can direct the conversation to discuss what you want to discuss.

If you ever end up doing most of the talking, then you don't have a lively discussion.

And the point of good teaching is to help others learn what God knows and wants to teach all of us.

So what are some good methods to teach others to teach what God wants to teach all of us?

I'd like to come up with as much input as possible, to teach others to teach others to learn.

Thank you, in advance, to all those who participate.

Oh, and btw, I don't think there's a wrong way to teach others.

I think there's a good way, and a better way to teach others, and I'm looking for the best of ideas.

[Ray]

Are people stumped or just not interested in this topic?

Maybe it will help if I suggest a line of thinking?

Think about Primary children... some very young, some older... and their own set of circumstances.

What could you do for them to help them to learn when you try to help teach them what God knows?

Use visual aids and object lessons... maybe?

Think about Young Men and Young Women... in Sunday School classes, and in their other classes after Sunday School.

They are 12 - 17, with their own circumstances... what other teaching methods would help them?

Girls like to talk, and boys like to do things... how could you use that to your advantage?

Think about the Adults in all of their classes... what other methods could you use to teach them?

Come on, now. I want to hear what you think. :)

[shanstress70]

When it's possible, I think it's best to teach with activities. That's how I learn best, and I know many other people are the same. For instance, when I was learning math, specifically fractions, I was able to grasp it better when my teacher did a cooking activity using fractions of cups and other measurements. I'm not one to learn by sitting and listening to someone talk - unless the person talking is sharing pertinent stories that are interesting or funny.

Good luck with your class.

[Ray]

Thank you, Shannon. I appreciate your suggestion. I also know from experience, that is good.

So what kind of activities do you think would be good for learning what God wants to teach us?

Do you have any suggestions for that?

How about activities to avoid while trying to learn what God knows and might want to teach all of us?

[shanstress70]

I think probably the best activities for learning what God would want us to know are those in which we provide service to those in need.

Some examples could be going on a field trip during the lesson to work in a food pantry or food bank. Or possibly a weekend volunteering for Habitat for Humanity or some similar organization. Another good thing would be hanging out with inner city kids and helping them in some way. And it's always good to help our elderly shut-ins. Of course I could list thousands of things.

Some activities to avoid while learning what God would have us know: hiring a prostitute for sex, selling drugs to children, stealing, being dishonest in our dealings with others, treating others as we would HATE to be treated. Once again, just a drop in the bucket!

[Ray]

Maybe it would help if we got specific, on one activity, before we get into other ideas.

I think your idea is to learn by example as well as to learn about the principles, and in the Church we do that, or at least try to do that, with... the Young Men and Young Women program, for instance.

... the lessons in Sunday School are applied to activities in the Mutual activity that week... where the YM and YW get together to coordinate some service projects that relate to their lessons.

... that's just one example of what I think you are talking about.

A great suggestion.

How about another activity that can also help others to learn what God wants to teach us.

I'll give an example I am thinking of now.

I like the activity of asking questions to find out what others think to help me get to know them, individually.

The more they speak up, the more I learn about them, as I continue to try to teach how to learn.

How about another idea on this or another activity, or another way to help others learn?

[Ray]

Oh, and btw, the topic of the lesson is about how to teach others what God knows and wants to teach us.

So it might help if we talk about how to know what God knows and how to know we are learning from God.

Any suggestions on that?

The lesson is not about teaching others to teach what we think, or what others think, about anything.

... unless we and/or those others are speaking for God, of course.

... but how do we help to teach that?

Should we presume we really know what God knows and then teach what we think God has said to us?

... or should we teach others how to know what we teach is from God?

Any suggestions for how to teach others that?

[shanstress70]

I thought you just wanted general ideas from any and everyone that you could apply to your church classes. I wasn't aware you were searching for any specific answers. It's like a quiz or something, it seems.

[Ray]

Heh, I'm looking for both general ideas and specific ideas...

... about how to teach how to teach what God knows.

And yes, I am serious. I'm not playing around.

I'm open to the best ideas you can give me. :)

[Rosewood]

Isn't this what all classes are about?

My motto for teaching is 'They may not remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel". Love them and they'll think you're wonderful, if they're enthusiastic it's easier to teach. Young people like competition. Hide the questions in balloons, the answers are in the scriptures. Thats a little noisey though. Scripture chases are good. Stories with suprising endings are good because it gets their attention.

Its kind of hard to do this without knowing the age. Are they teenagers or adults.

[CrimsonKairos]

Several pragmatic considerations have helped me teach more effectively in Church.

#1 -- Avoid (at all costs) asking for volunteers. The alternative to asking for volunteers is volunteering someone by name and asking them if they want to participate (say a prayer, read a scripture, respond with a thought, etc...). This leads to number two...

#2 -- Learn the names of as many class members as you can (if not all of their names). This allows you to do this: "John, will you read verse fifteen, please?" instead of this, "Hey uh, I forgot your name, yea, you in the back in the brown suit...will you read verse fifteen for us?"

#3 -- Give someone in the front row a laminated card that is titled "SCRIPTURE READING." Print below that the following, or some variation: "When you get this card, be ready to read out loud the next scripture verse the teacher names. After you've read the scripture, pass this card on to the person next to you. If you do not want to read a scripture out loud, pass this card on to the person next to you."

This helps keep the teacher from having to read all the scripture references by themselves (I can hear the snoring already...). So tell the class what the "SCRIPTURE READING" card is and means. Then give it to someone in the front row. Then, as the lesson requires scripture verses to be read out loud, simply say: "Will someone read verses blah-blah-blah from chapter such-and-such," and let the lesson roll forward on well-oiled wheels of teacher-preparedness.

[Ray]

Isn't this what all classes are about?

I hope so.

Its kind of hard to do this without knowing the age. Are they teenagers or adults.

I'll be teaching all the teachers who teach all the classes... the Primary, Sunday School, YW, the Relief Society and the different Priesthood quorum classes in my ward.

My challenge is to teach all the teachers how to teach to help the students learn what God wants to teach them.

Heh, and yes, I do have some ideas of my own, but I'm still open to all good suggestions.

... try to love them and let them know that you truly love them... as you try to help teach what God knows.

... give them a challenge... play some learning "games" with them... as you try to help teach what God knows.

... hide questions in balloons (or something a little less noisy) and let them know where the answers can be found...

... tell stories... or ask a question... with a surprise ending in mind... because it helps get their attention.

Ooooh, I like that one... and I try to do that a lot.

Thank you very much for all of those good thoughts. :)

[Ray]

Those are all good ideas, Crimson. Thank you.

... ask someone if they will do something... read a scripture, share their thoughts (bear their testimony)... say a prayer... as you try to help teach what God knows.

... get to know them by name, and get to know them, personally... as you try to help teach what God knows.

... make sure they have materials... and know how to use them... as you try to help teach what God knows.

Thank you very much for those thoughts.

[Ray]

Now how about getting a little more into the nitty gritty of this matter:

How can we teach what God wants us to teach them?

... does that presuppose we already know what God knows and wants to teach them?

... or can we teach what God knows without knowing that?

How can we know what God us wants to teach them?

... how do we know what God knows about that?

How can we know what God us wants to teach them?

... what do we do (or use) to know that?

Some people have suggested that we should use the scriptures, and yes, in my case, that is right.

I have been told to use "certain materials"... and those materials do include the scriptures.

... but is there anything else I can do (or use) to know that?

Any more suggestions, besides the obvious?

And btw, should we also state what is obvious to those who may not know what we know?

... how do we know if they already know what we know God wants us to teach them?

I'm still open to hearing all good suggestions. :)

[Rosewood]

OK, Ray. Is this another trick question? How about Moroni 10:3-5 or James 1:5?

Are you asking how would God teach His children? or how would a prophet of God teach the world? or how would Ray teach a teacher developement class from the book 'Teaching no Greater Call' ?

I have a feeling you're looking for something specific, so what's up?

[Ray]

At this point, I'm simply asking how it is possible to teach other people what God knows.

If you would like to develop that idea further, I would enjoy seeing you share your thoughts. :)

[shanstress70]

I don't think it's possible for us to SOME of what God knows. So how could we teach it?

[Ray]

I don't think it's possible for us to SOME of what God knows. So how could we teach it?

Would you please rephrase what you're saying? I don't understand what you mean.

Thank you. :)

[shanstress70]

Sorry, I left out a word. You're quizzing us about what is the best way to teach others what God knows. My answer is that we don't know a lot of what God knows. NO ONE DOES.

[Ray]

Sorry, I left out a word. You're quizzing us about what is the best way to teach others what God knows. My answer is that we don't know a lot of what God knows. NO ONE DOES.

Okay, I'll accept that as your answer, but how do you know that, Shannon?

How do you know no one knows a lot of what God knows?

How do you know what others know about anything?

How do you know God well enough for you to say that no one knows a lot of what God knows?

Do you know?

Do you think it is possible for you to teach anything that God knows?

How would you go about that, exactly?

How would you teach other people they don't know a lot of what God knows to be true about anything?

And WHY would you do that, exactly?

Why not just teach other people what you know that God knows that they don't already know that God knows?

If you know so much, enough to know God knows more, why not just teach the more you know that God knows?

[shanstress70]

OK, i will.

Thanks.

[Ray]

OK, i will.

Thanks.

Heh. :)

Will you teach anyone else how you do that, Shannon?

Will you consider teaching all of us now?

:)

[Rosewood]

OK, I'm back in. Let’s see. What do I KNOW that God knows is the first question? I know what he has taught me in the scriptures and through prophets. But how do I know that those things are truer than the tabloids?

There's a saying that says something like, 'pray like it all depends on God and work like it all depends on you'. So on my side would be preparation and thought. In what order should I teach the things I know? In what order did the Lord teach them to me? I think prayer was first........no, it was gratitude. No, humility then gratitude then prayer. My testimony that there is a God came somewhere around humility. Then who God is came somewhere around prayer. Hey this is fun; I wish I knew how to put in a visual aid. (I actually did this one time before and it ended up looking a lot like the Gospel Principle book.) Anyway then continue on like that.

I would only be able to truly teach those things that I have had confirmed by way of the Holy Spirit. That’s covers a lot of ground these days. That’s part of the spiritual side of the preparation. In order to teach those things that have been prepared, the Spirit would have to be present on BOTH sides of the lesson; with the teacher and with the student. Prepare the students ahead of time, letting them know to come spiritually prepared and then of course start the lesson with an invocation. Whew!

But back to the part that God knows. I know a few things that God knows. For instance, He loves me. I can't possibly know that like He knows it. But not having a complete knowledge of a subject doesn't make my portion of knowledge un-true. I guess this would be an important part of the preparation; to seriously analyze what you KNOW that God knows. The parts of scripture that haven't been diluted for our little brains so much that it's hard to find the core truth, without the parable.

Also isn't it true that God knows everything; so whatever I know, true or not, is something that God knows? But, I'm going on as if you said "teach the TRUTH that God knows". Even if we taught lies it would be something God know, right?

Well, I'm obviously not a linear thinker.

[rosie321]

how do I know that those things are truer than the tabloids?

I would only be able to truly teach those things that I have had confirmed by way of the Holy Spirit. That’s covers a lot of ground these days. That’s part of the spiritual side of the preparation. In order to teach those things that have been prepared, the Spirit would have to be present on BOTH sides of the lesson; with the teacher and with the student. Prepare the students ahead of time, letting them know to come spiritually prepared and then of course start the lesson with an invocation. Whew!

I know a few things that God knows. For instance, He loves me. I can't possibly know that like He knows it. But not having a complete knowledge of a subject doesn't make my portion of knowledge un-true. I guess this would be an important part of the preparation; to seriously analyze what you KNOW that God knows. The parts of scripture that haven't been diluted for our little brains so much that it's hard to find the core truth, without the parable.

Also isn't it true that God knows everything; so whatever I know, true or not, is something that God knows? But, I'm going on as if you said "teach the TRUTH that God knows". Even if we taught lies it would be something God know, right?

Well, I'm obviously not a linear thinker.

I don't think it's possible for us to SOME of what God knows. So how could we teach it?

I think you hit on some important things here. The Spirit drew my attention to it:)

1. We don't have a perfect knowledge of all things but are constantly growing.

2. God however in his wisdom has given us certain knowledge that we need.

3. He has given us others and scriptures to help us gain and understand certain truths.

4. To what degree might we actually shut out God or pieces of His truth if we aren't drawn to the things he has placed in our path to help us gain truth, knowledge and understanding? We need to encourage as the apostle Paul and others did those things that are good and holy so we gain that knowledge and experience for ourselves. That we might find the knowledge and truth we need for our particular circumstances.

we might ask God for help or knowledge but don't be surprised if you don't hear a resounding voice from Heaven. Many times other people will be put in your path.

I think empathy, humbleness, and patience are 3 of the greatest things a teacher can have to help them effectively teach.