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Learn the doctrine of Jesus Christ for yourself.

“Learn the doctrine of Jesus Christ for yourself,” Teacher Development Skills (2022)

“Learn the doctrine of Jesus Christ for yourself,” Teacher Development Skills

Teach the Doctrine

Learn the doctrine of Jesus Christ for yourself.

Skill: Create open-ended search questions that help learners discover gospel doctrine and principles for themselves and do not lead students to a specific response.

Define

Open-ended search questions invite students to discover and understand truths in the scriptures for themselves rather than leading them to a predetermined or specific response. This approach can make a student’s study of the scriptures more relevant and can allow the Lord to teach and inspire them personally. These questions (1) include an invitation for students to consider what stands out to them personally, (2) eliminate the need for students to look for something specific that the teacher has in mind, and (3) can allow students to ponder how truths identified and understood can be applied in their personal lives. These questions could be used when inviting students to search verses to identify truths and in seeking to further understand truths they’ve identified.

Model

Here are a few examples of how you might help students discover and understand truths for themselves with open-ended search questions:

  • Rather than inviting, “Find the verse where the Lord teaches us the importance of obedience,” you could ask, “What principle stands out to you in these verses?”

  • Rather than saying, “Jesus emphasizes our need to have faith in Him in these verses,” you could ask, “What principles can we learn from the teachings and example of Jesus in these verses?”

  • Rather than asking, “Can you see how the Lord is reminding us to pray always in this verse?” you could ask, “What message about prayer is the Lord trying to help you understand from this verse?”

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 discover and understand truths for themselves:

  • Look at Moroni 10:32–33. Practice identifying more than one principle to see how students might identify a variety of principles from these verses. Write down one question that would allow students to discover multiple principles.

  • Consider a scripture block you are planning to study with students in an upcoming lesson. Rather than planning to have students read these verses and look for a specific principle you have already identified, practice writing two to three open-ended search questions to help them discover a principle for themselves.

  • Look at an upcoming lesson plan. Select a principle students might identify from the verses being studied. Practice writing two or three simple questions to help them further understand this principle in a way that doesn’t lead them to a predetermined or specific answer.

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 help students learn through open-ended search questions?

  • What have I learned in this experience that could improve my ability to ask open-ended search questions?

  • What will I do to continue improving?

Incorporate

As you prepare your lessons this week, create two to three open-ended search questions that help learners discover gospel doctrine and principles for themselves and that do not lead students to a specific response. Write them down and try asking each one with a family member, with a colleague, or by yourself. Identify one to ask in the classroom, and use it in your lesson.

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