Primary 2 June 1st

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Using a Variety of Methods from Lesson to Lesson Elder Holland movingly suggested, “I am not certain just what our experience will be on Judgment Day, but I will be very surprised if at some point in that conversation, God does not ask us exactly what Christ asked Peter: ‘Did you love me?’” Tonight I invite each of us to evaluate how much we love the Savior, using as a measure how joyfully we keep our covenants. The Savior said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

- Sister Linda K. Burton

When a homemaker plans a week of dinner menus, she is not likely to decide to prepare identical meals on seven consecutive nights. Even when her budget is so limited that she has to prepare potatoes every night, she soon learns that there are many ways to serve potatoes. The gospel can likewise be presented in a number of different ways. No teacher should fall into a monotonous pattern of presenting the same kind of lesson week after week. When you use a variety of learning activities, learners tend to understand gospel principles better and retain more. A carefully selected method can make a principle clearer, more interesting, and more memorable. As you prepare to teach, ensure that you use a variety of teaching methods from lesson to lesson. This may mean using something as simple as a colorful poster or wall chart in one lesson and a list of questions on the chalkboard in another.

Using a Variety of Methods in Each Lesson In addition to using a variety of methods from lesson to lesson, you should teach each lesson with variety. Children, with their natural curiosity, respond especially well to a variety of learning activities— usually between five and seven per lesson. Youth also respond well to a variety of methods. Even if you teach adults, you should consider using at least three methods in each lesson.

(The above suggestions are from “Teaching, No Greater Call”)

Nursery Primary 1 Primary 2

June 1st – June 1st –

June 8th –

Primary 6

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June 8th –

June

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June 8th – June

8th

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June 15th – June

15th

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June 22nd – June

22nd

June 29th –

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June 29th –

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June 22nd –

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As the teacher, you have the most direct contact with your students. You have the most unstructured time to tell them about things that matter to you, either in the context of the lessons or in the moments before or after you teach. You build the closest relationship with the children. However, there are many other people in your Primary who also deserve love from the children, and you are just the person to teach them to do that. When you have a few minutes to fill, ask them who the Primary president is. Who is the first councilor? The second councilor? The secretary? The chorister? The pianist? Make it into a game to see if they can remember. Take a few minutes when you finish early to explain the duties of one of the people on the board. For older children, create a matching game and put it in your bag for a day when you have some extra time. List all the things the leaders do in one column, and the names of your leaders in the other. Let the children draw lines to the person who does them. (Some duties are done by more than one person.) As you teach, express love and appreciation for these people and help the children appreciate the work they do. “I really loved Sister A’s sharing time today, didn’t you? She must have worked a long time on the game you played.” “Did you like the new song Sister B taught us? She really helped me to think about the Savior in a new way.” “I just love Sister C. She works so hard and loves you all so much!” “What would we do without Sister D to keep track of who is here and to remind us when to go back to closing exercises? Secretaries have so many things to do in Primary!” Do your students know that everyone in Primary is a volunteer? This can be important information to older children. One child, upon learning this exclaimed, “You don’t get money to teach us? Then why do you do it?” This was a great opening to express my feelings for the children and for the opportunity to serve in the church. Help your students express appreciation for these leaders. Often a lesson calls for children to make a card for someone. Select a leader and describe that person to the children. Invite them to make cards or think of a homemade gift you could make that person. For instance, you could cut out large musical notes and have each child write a sentence of thanks to the music leader. Draw a staff and let the children decide where the notes go. If you know music, you can then play or sing the tune they have just created, but you may not want to glue them down until they are satisfied with their tune. If there is someone your children especially love, let them write letters and draw pictures to be made into a book. Encourage your class to pray for their Primary leaders. This helps them to develop love for them and to understand the divine nature of their work. When they see how much you love your leaders and begin to understand the nature of the callings, they will also learn to love them.