Using Come, Follow Me for Primary

Preparing to Teach in Primary

Remember that the home should be the center of gospel learning. This is true for you and for the children you teach. As you prepare, start by having your own experiences in the scriptures. Your most important preparation will occur as you seek the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

Come, Follow Me for individuals and families is also an important part of your preparation. It will help you gain a deeper understanding of the doctrinal principles found in the scriptures.

During your preparation, thoughts and impressions will come to you about the children you teach, how the principles in the scriptures will bless their lives, and how you can inspire them to discover those principles as they study the scriptures for themselves and with their families. Remember to be sensitive to children whose family circumstances may not support regular family scripture study.

Teaching Ideas

As you are making your teaching plan, you might gain additional inspiration by exploring the teaching outlines in this resource. Don’t think of these ideas as step-by-step instructions but rather as suggestions to spark your own inspiration. You know these children—what they need and what they can understand—and the Lord knows them too. He will inspire you with the best ways to teach and bless the children. You might benefit from using the “Sample Teaching Plan” at the end of this resource.

You have many other resources available as you prepare, including ideas in Come, Follow Me for individuals and families and Church magazines. For more information about these and other resources, see “Additional Resources for Teaching Children.”

Sharing Time

Sharing time should be conducted by a member of the Primary presidency and should include an opening song, prayer, and scripture or talk—all given by the children. Sharing time should also include singing time and sharing by children.

Singing time. The Primary music leader spends 25 minutes helping the children learn the gospel of Jesus Christ through music. Primary leaders select songs from the Children’s Songbook and from Hymns that reinforce the doctrine the children are learning in their classes. Each outline includes two suggested songs—one song that will correspond to the doctrine taught each week and one that can be practiced throughout the month.

Sharing by children. After singing time, a member of the Primary presidency leads the children in sharing how they are learning and living the gospel at home and in their classes. Ideas to encourage sharing are found in the study outlines in this resource.

Children’s Sacrament Meeting Presentation

The purpose of the annual children’s sacrament meeting presentation is to give children an opportunity to share what they have learned in Primary. Come, Follow Me for Primary does not give specific instructions for planning this presentation. The Primary presidency, under the direction of the bishopric, should counsel together to determine what songs the children will sing and how the children will share what they are learning from the Old Testament this year. (For more information about the children’s sacrament meeting presentation, see Handbook 2: Administering the Church [2010], 11.5.4.)

Some Things to Keep in Mind

• Parents have the main responsibility to teach their children. As a teacher, you have an important responsibility to support, encourage, and build upon gospel learning in the home. Be sensitive to children whose parents do not teach the gospel in their home. Include all children in gospel discussions regardless of their home circumstances.

• Repetition is good. Don’t worry if something you plan to teach is also taught in sharing time or at home. Children learn gospel truths more effectively when these truths are taught repeatedly. If you find that a learning activity is effective with the children, consider repeating it several times in your class—especially if you are teaching younger children.

• If you are teaching small children and need additional help, see “Meeting the Needs of Younger Children” in this resource.

• This resource includes teaching outlines for every week of the year except for the two Sundays when general conference is held. On other Sundays when Primary is not held because of stake conference or any other reason, families may continue reading the Old Testament at home according to the schedule outlined. In order to keep your Primary class on schedule, you may choose to skip a lesson or combine two lessons.