Lesson Preparation Tips from Seminary Mom

[Jenny SmithParticipant]

I received a recent email which asked me how I prepare and plan for my lessons. Here is what I responded (modified slightly):

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“What I have found most successful for me in lesson preparation are four steps which I spread throughout the week:

“1. Look at the suggested block of scriptures for the week and create large word strips with summary gospel concepts (I get these from the teacher’s manual at the beginning of each lesson block – i.e. Helaman 13-16 ‘Some Important Gospel Principles to Look For’). For the word strips, I use each of the bolded phrases in the manual (i.e. page 205) and display those during the week to keep important concepts close at hand – this way I can refer the class to them off and on during the entire week as we touch on those topics. Visual aids help students retain that which they learned through auditory means.

“2. Read the actual block of scripture (a little bit each day) for the week and ponder what most important gospel “packet of knowledge” these kids need for each day – what would arm them the best as they go out into the world?

“3. Read what is suggested in the teacher’s manual for teaching ideas for the next day.

“4. From all this, I then summarize the most important teaching the spirit has led me to, into an actual hands-on activity for the kids. You know how researchers talk about multi-mode learning? That the more senses we use, the more we retain the knowledge? Well, that’s what I try to bring into the classroom after running through steps 1 through 3. I want to ensure my students are themselves researching in the scriptures during *every* class period. This is how they will learn to love the scriptures – by actually exploring them themselves.

“5. I do all this, but when the final moment comes, I try to follow what the spirit directs me to. And again, I cap it all off with an activity for each day where the kids are actually reading in the scriptures. I definitely do NOT want me up there just blabbing through the whole class. I can be entertaining, but nobody wants to hear me for all that time!

“If you are short on time for all that reading, just make sure to read the scriptures. That is where the meat of the lesson should come from anyways. The spirit will help you get the kids into the scriptures through different activities. They really need to be reading and learning for themselves – not just hearing their teacher talk about “stuff” in the scriptures.”
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To finish off, there are so many teaching tools available out in the world. And if I were teaching history or any other secular subject, I’d be very excited to use those. But really there is nothing which can replace the text of the scriptures. There is no other “living” record to read wherein after reading we can say we have heard the Lord’s voice. This is the text to be teaching from, supported by the materials from the seminary Student, Teacher, and Institute Manuals.

For is it not exciting to read in D&C 18:33-35:

“And I, Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, have spoken it. These words are not of men nor of man, but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man; For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them; wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words.

I want my kids to know this, to feel this, to love this! To that end, I try to follow the steps above in my planning. :0) But this is not the only way to prepare. A great (and brief) guideline is that which the church gives for those preparing Relief Society or Priesthood lessons. I love how the steps are so simple and so easily applicable to that which we do as seminary teachers. Here is the link: http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,5419-1-2831-2,00.html

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