Teaching No Greater Call Part B: Lesson 5

Teaching Those With Disabilities

This week our lesson went into depth on the topic "reaching out to the one" into how to specifically help those with disabilities.  HERE is the link to the lesson in the manual.  I totally overplanned on this one, I only ended up having 30 minutes to teach and we barely got through almost half of the planned lesson.  Luckily, the discussion was so great that I think the lesson went in the perfect direction.  I will still include all of my planned resources here.

The manual had ideas for how to accommodate specific situations with disabilities (ie hearing loss, visual impairment, etc).   I thought this was good information but possibly not as applicable to the teachers in our ward since "hidden" disabilities seem to be much more prevalent.  Instead, we talked about how the Savior interacted with those with disabilities, how to increase our awareness and understanding, and how to meet special needs.

Intro

• First Presidency statement on disabilities

Following the Savior's example

• What did the savior do to reach and teach those with disabilities? How can we apply those to the ways that we teach? 
• Bible videos - Jesus forgives sins and heals a man stricken with palsy
• 3 Nephi 17:6–9 - Jesus heals the afflicted among the Nephites
• Luke 14:12-14 - Jesus teaching about the afflicted
• Luke 19:1–7 - Zacchaeus; he knew his name
• Bible videos - Woman taken in adultery
• LDS Leadership and Teacher Training Resources: “During His mortal ministry, the Savior showed great compassion to people who had imperfections of body and mind. He offered them hope, understanding, and love. As you teach such people, you should follow His example. Try not to feel uncomfortable about their disabilities. With love and sensitivity, you can help class members with disabilities participate in lessons. You may need to work with others you teach to help them understand and accept those with disabilities.”

Increasing awareness and understanding 

• How can you teach those in your class to be sensitive to the needs of those with disabilities or special circumstances?  This can be difficult while maintaining their privacy and not singling them out.
• LDS Leadership and Teacher Training Resources: “Many of the special ones are superior in many ways. They, too, are in a life of progression, and new things unfold for them each day as with us all. They can be extraordinary in their faith and spirit. Some are able, through their prayers, to communicate with the infinite in a most remarkable way. Many have a pure faith in others and a powerful belief in God. They can give their spiritual strength to others around them.” James E. Faust, “The Works of God,” Oct. 1984 general conference

Meeting special needs

• What are some specific experiences that you have had in teaching unique individuals that have required special preparation or consideration and what did you do?
• Embracing Ethan, Accepting Autism Jan 2013 Ensign - story of including Ethan in being ordained to a Deacon in the ward.  Read ideas for how to include members with disabilities at end of story.

Closing

• John 13:34-35 - love one another as I have loved you
• "Come, follow me," the Savior said. Then let us in his footsteps tread, For thus alone can we be one With God's own loved, begotten Son. - Hymn #116

Learning and Teaching in the Church

I found some videos posted on lds.org about Learning and Teaching in the Church and wanted to post the link here so I could use these videos in a future lesson.

The videos cover the following topics:

• We Are All Learners and Teachers
• Improving Teaching
• Using Councils to Improve Learning and Teaching
• Supporting Those Who Are Called to Teach

I also found 4 video clips that directly support the teaching no greater call manual:

• Oatmeal and Sunday School
• Teaching Helps Save Lives
• Love Those You Teach
• Una Historia de la vida de Ann Madsen

Teaching No Greater Call Part B: Lesson 4

Helping New Members and Less-active Members

I originally thought this lesson would be a tough topic to cover but as I researched and found resources and planned this lesson, I found I had too much good stuff to cover!  I really enjoyed teaching this lesson.  Class member comments were insightful and personal.  I thought my questions this week facilitated better discussion than some that I have had in the past.

I originally wanted to invite 2-3 less active and/or new converts to share their experiences with teachers in the church.  I asked my husband to share and another member that I knew had been less active in the past but he wasn't able to come to class, so it ended up being just my husband.  This is a personal topic that some may not feel comfortable sharing about but I thought the unique perspective was perfect for my class.  Other class members that had previously been new converts or less active members organically began to share.

HERE is the link to the lesson.  Below is the outline I followed for the lesson, including the video clip I showed (which was a bonus because it was 6 minutes long and very insightful).

Intro

• I told a story of how I went to a teaching conference by myself and put myself out there.  A few other people invited me out with them and were extremely welcoming and helped me feel comfortable.  I related this to new or less active members of the church.
• Show video clip from talk "Feed My Sheep" which has a great story and statistics about less active members - 0:00 - 6:19
• What stands out to you from this video?  What surprises you?  What did the spirit speak to you from this clip?
• Gordon B. Hinckley quote from manual

A Friend

• How can we extend the hand of fellowship to new or less active members?  What does this look like?  What if your class members are much younger than you?
• We read this quote from the church handbook about less active members:
• “Less-active members usually still believe in the gospel, but they may be experiencing difficult trials that make them feel uncomfortable attending church. They also tend to have fewer friendships in the Church, so they are less likely to feel they are among friends when they go to ward meetings. Those who return to activity often do so when they see that something is missing from their lives. As a result, they realize that they need to make changes in the way they live. At such times, they need the love and friendship of caring, active Church members who accept them as they are and show genuine personal interest in them.”
• Have ward member(s) share about how teachers affected them during the time that they were less active or a new convert 

A Responsibility

• I printed and cut up the 5 ideas from this section and had 5 class members read them while I wrote a summary of each idea on the board.
• Does anyone have any other ideas on responsibilities we can give new members and/or less actives to help them grow stronger in their understanding of the gospel and testimony?

Nurturing the Good Word of God

• 3 Nephi 18:32 - continue to minister to those sheep, for you know not when they will return
• D&C 18:10–15 - worth of souls/how great shall be your joy
• Has anyone here ever been a home/visiting teacher to a less active or new member?  Does anyone have any experiences they could share about ways that this has impacted them?