Auxiliary Training: Sunday School
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Auxiliary training: Relief Society
Auxiliary training: Young Women
A seminar about learning and teaching in the Church comprised the Sunday School Auxiliary Leadership Training held in connection with the recent general conference.
In two sessions on March 24 and 31, the three members of the Sunday School general presidency, sustained a year ago at general conference, spoke in turn on focusing on the learners, orienting new teachers and participating in councils, among other topics.
"Why do we put 'learning' first?" asked Russel T. Osguthorpe, Sunday School general president, alluding to the topic of the training, "Learning and Teaching in the Church."
"Learning always, in our minds comes first, not just a great presentation, not a teacher who is very entertaining; that's not what Sunday School is about," he said. "That's not what teaching in the Church is about. It's about helping those learners come closer to the Lord, develop a stronger testimony and gain exaltation."
Brother Osguthorpe displayed an animated computer graphic projected on a large screen. It depicted a bouncing ball inside a cylinder, trying to raise a disc to the top of the cylinder. He suggested it symbolized a stake president trying to reach a goal to rescue a Church member in need. The second computer graphic showed three bouncing balls. He said they represented the stake president being assisted by his counselors. They were able to move the disc a little higher. Subsequent graphics progressively showed additional bouncing balls representing bishoprics in the stake, high councilors, auxiliary leaders, teachers and members. Working together, they were able to raise the disc all the way to the top of the cylinder.
Brother Osguthorpe asked attendees to think about a goal their local priesthood leader has been trying to reach and ask themselves what they can do in Sunday School to help make it happen.
"My prayer tonight is that we will all go away from this meeting committed to do something to help improve learning and teaching," he said.
David M. McConkie, first counselor in the presidency, said, "One of the most significant ways you can improve learning and teaching is to take the time to orient new teachers, preferably before they give their first lessons."
As a model for teacher orientation, he recounted the visit of the angel Moroni to the Prophet Joseph Smith (Joseph Smith — History 1:33) wherein Moroni called Joseph by name and said God had a work for him to do. "You will explain to your teachers that God has a work for him or for her to do," Brother McConkie remarked.
He added, "As you orient your new teachers, you will help them to understand also the importance of their calling."
Brother McConkie asked Sunday School leaders to include four elements in teacher orientation: Discuss the needs of learners, introduce the teacher to the Church guidebook Teaching, No Greater Call, invite teachers to set goals as outlined in the guidebook, and finally, give the teacher a copy of the lesson manual and discuss how to prepare a lesson.
"We invite you to commit yourself this evening to orient your new teachers," he said. "This will help you build a relationship with them. You'll be able to help them, not only through your initial orientation but as you visit with them later on. We promise you that as you do this you will be an effective tool in the Lord's hands in improving learning and teaching in your wards and in your stakes."
Matthew O. Richardson, second counselor in the presidency, spoke of Sunday School leaders' participation in councils, which he said includes their own presidencies, stake or ward councils and consultation with a high councilor, bishopric member or stake presidency member.
"The simplest thing we could do with improving learning and teaching through councils is to be a participant within those councils," he said. He cited a 1951 statement from President Stephen L Richards who was a member of the First Presidency at that time: "The genius of our Church government is government through councils."
Citing Doctrine and Covenants 88:122, Brother Richardson said it is typically quoted pertaining to teaching, but he applied it to councils, "where we have individuals sharing back and forth, counseling, reasoning together to improve circumstances and situations so that 'all may be edified of all.'"
Brother Richardson showed a video featuring a ward Sunday School president who told how he participates in his ward council. The Sunday School president said roll is taken in Sunday School classes in his ward. A summary report is distributed to each member of the ward council, enabling the council to discuss the needs of individual ward members, including those who may not be attending Sunday School classes. He said the bishop can then make assignments to meet needs, or members of the council can volunteer to help in some way.
Brother Richardson referred to a point in a handout distributed to attendees outlining the duties of leaders pertaining to Sunday School. The item he pointed out said the Sunday School president "attends ward council prepared to conduct training and suggest ways members can improve learning and teaching at Church and in homes." Three videos that will shortly be available for download on the Sunday School page of the Church Web site, www.lds.org, could be of help in that respect, he said.
At the beginning of the auxiliary training, leaders were invited to send their e-mail addresses to sundayschool@ldschurch.org, or to text their e-mail addresses via cell phone to 801-477-0204. The invitation was so that the general presidency can communicate with them and share other thoughts and materials as they become available.
