Emphasize the example of Jesus Christ.

Skill: Help students connect what they are learning with how Christ exemplifies the principle.

Define

Helping students place Jesus Christ at the center of their learning will help them have a more personal and powerful learning experience. One way we can do this is by helping students connect what they are learning to the life and example of Jesus Christ. You can do this by using connecting questions throughout a lesson. These questions help students to connect the life and example of Jesus Christ to

details of a scripture story,
principles in the scriptures, and
experiences in their own lives.

Model

Here are a few examples of how you might help students connect with the life and example of Jesus Christ:

After reading a scripture story and discussing the details, you could ask, “What in this story reminds you of the life and example of Jesus Christ?”
After identifying a principle, you could ask, “Where in the scriptures did Jesus exemplify this principle?”
After analyzing a principle, you could ask, “When have you seen Jesus exemplify this principle in your life or on your behalf?”
When discussing application of a principle, you could ask, “What from Jesus’s example helps you live this principle more fully?”
You could also ask, “How would living this principle help you follow the example of Jesus Christ and become more like Him?”

Click here to see a video of this model.

Practice

Use one or more of the following practices to improve your ability to help students connect with the life and example of Jesus Christ:

Consider the principle: “If we are obedient, despite trials, then God will help us.” In your preparation, practice connecting this principle to one or two examples of Jesus’s life in the scriptures.
Look at an upcoming lesson plan. Select a principle you are planning to help students identify. Practice writing two or three simple questions to help students connect that principle to the example of Jesus Christ.
Find a place in an upcoming lesson plan where you will focus on application. Practice writing two or three invitations that help students consider how the example of Jesus Christ could help them apply a principle.

Discuss or Ponder

Ponder what you have learned from this experience. Perhaps you could record some of these thoughts in a study journal. Consider the following questions:

What have I done previously to connect what students are learning in the scriptures to the life and example of Jesus Christ?
What have I learned from this experience that could improve my ability to help students make these connections to Jesus Christ?
What will I do to continue to improve?

Incorporate

Incorporate what you have practiced to help students connect what they are learning to Jesus Christ and emphasize His example. During the next week, choose one principle in each lesson that you will use to help students connect what they are learning to Jesus Christ and His example.

Want More?

Neil L. Andersen, “We Talk of Christ,” general conference, Oct. 2020
Section 3.1, “Unit 3: Teach the One,” Inservice Leaders’ Resources