Teaching Problem Solution Finder

I used these questions on a worksheet to help students evaluate and understand personalities in the scriptures:

:: Character Study ::

Name:

Scripture:

Spouse/Children:

Age:

Hometown:

Occupation:

Describe this person using only three words. Circle the word you feel is this person's core quality:

________________ , ________________ , ________________

Briefly describe the person's attitude toward:

Him/Herself _______________________________________________
Family ____________________________________________________
God ______________________________________________________

What problem(s) has this person experienced?

Describe an event from the life of this person that is meaningful to you:

How does/might this person react when under temptation or stress?

How did/might this person solve their problem?

What did Heavenly Father/Jesus do to/for this person?

Wise people learn from their own choices; super-wise people learn from the choices of others. What can you learn from this person's choices (good or bad)?

Write the assigned verses or passages on a post it note. Mix up the order you will be covering the passages in, and stick an assignment under each seat in the classroom. When it comes time to read, have everyone look under their seat for their passage and read.

I usually employ this method when we have several scriptures to read from different areas of the scriptures.

When using this method -- especially with adults -- be sure that everyone in your class can read before class begins. If you know some members of the class are not thrilled with reading aloud, remind the class that it's okay to mispronounce words or read slowly. I do it, too, and Church is a judgment-free zone.

For many teachers, there is an imaginary line about 5 feet in front of the chalkboard, near the table. Students do not cross that line, nor do teachers. One of the best Classroom management skills you can develop is breaking The Plane, or getting in the habit of moving about the classroom as you teach.

There's a great discussion of this in the book Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov. It's Technique 15 "Circulate". He suggests that teachers cross that imaginary line during the first five minutes of every class. He suggests that teachers must suggest to their students that they own the room, and it's normal for the teacher to move around anywhere in the classroom. I have found this to be very helpful in my class. You already know that approaching a chatting student can help redirect them. You may need to tap them on the shoulder and point where they should be looking, or you might bend down and talk. Practice moving around the room as you teach so that students become comfortable with the idea of you moving around. It will help you address problems quickly and with minimal disruption.

I have been trying to learn this technique myself. It is HARD to cross that line for the first few times -- it's like a force field! But now, my students don't think twice about me moving in and among their tables or looking over their shoulders, listening in on a group discussion, or answering a private question. What's more, it's much easier for me to move toward a student and cut off their talking without breaking the discussion or causing a big disruption. Most of the class isn't even aware of me stopping a situation before it gets out of hand, because they are already accustomed to me moving around.

Have each student read a scripture on a gospel topic or a keyword written on a wordstrip and then place that wordstrip under the correct header.

EXAMPLE: I used this method to teach the plan of salvation. I divided the board into three sections: premortal, mortal, and postmortal. I also stuck Post-it notes with words like fall, creation, resurrection, birth, war in heaven, outer darkness, death, celestial glory, paradise, spirit prison, etc, underneath each of the chairs in the room. My Lesson opener was to introduce the material and then have the kids look under their seats to get their post it and stick it on the board in the correct section. Then as a group we would correct any mistakes, and we would go over each of the topics that needed explanation.

You know how this works: each student's name is written on a piece of paper. You draw a name out and that's the person who reads or prays next.

EXAMPLE: I use a bucket with craft sticks that have each student's name written on it. One end of the stick is red and the other is green. Students with red facing up, have been chosen. It's an easy way to remember who has already had a turn without having to keep track of a list. Students like that they can see they aren't being "picked on". I use it for randomly assigning prayers and keeping track of who has given prayers already. I have also used the bucket to draw names for scripture reading or sharing ideas as well.

It's easiest to use this method when a classroom's attendees don't change too much from week to week. But if you're using it in adult Sunday School or Elder's Quorum, you could have students write their names down on a list at the beginning of class, have a volunteer cut it apart, and then draw the names from the hat.

This is another form of student-directed randomized scripture reading. Students stand to read a verse and then call the name of someone else to stand and read the following verse. The kids are "popping" up to read.

This is also a good technique when you're doing Everybody Writes (each student writes a a brief response to something and then reports).

This is probably not a technique I'd use with adults, who can get very persnickety if called on out of the blue, UNLESS I had already established a good repoire with the class, had taught several lessons, and I knew that everyone in class could read.

Tell students you will give them sixty seconds to find out everything they can about a certain passage. If this is the first time your students have done an activity like this, you may want to give them a chance to tell you some techniques they might want to use: reading the chapter header, checking the footnotes, skimming, watching for the paragraph markers, etc.

Turn them loose. When the timer goes off, choose a student (randomly or otherwise) to tell what they learned about the chapter. Ask them to explain how they found out so much. Have another student or two do the same. At the end of the exercise, you may want to ask if anyone else used any techniques that weren't discussed, so that everyone can learn from other's ideas.

This is an easy way to start a lesson off so that everyone has the same background information before the class begins. It's also great for teaching students to use the scripture study aids.

WordStorm is kind of like brainstorming in that you take a topic word and write down the class' thoughts on the board. Easy Lesson opener.

EXAMPLE: I wrote the word "friend" on the board and asked my students to say words that describe a perfect friend. I noted their words on the board. When they slowed, I pointed out that Jesus Christ called some people his friends in the scriptures. Read D&C 83:77. It was his apostles... transition to the rest of your lesson

Teachers can randomly assign students to read randomly by calling them by name. The key is the order of the direction and the assignment. Here's how: "Turn in your Bible to Isaiah chapter 1. [pause] Everyone look at your scriptures. We'll be reading verses 1-15 aloud one at a time and discussing each individually. Verse one ...[pause]... John?"

The important thing is to direct everyone to the verse, pause, and then make the reading assignment. This direct and pause gets everyone to look at the material and then you make the assignment. Everyone is engaged with the material, and because they don't know who will be called on to read, they are paying attention. Now that the assignment is given, most students will follow along unconsciously because their attention has already been directed to the text.

I think this technique is best used when reading sections where you'll be discussing each verse as you move along. It's a little more serious and good for that kind of reading.

Some teachers are uncomfortable with cold-calling. Please know that cold-calling is not cruel or chastening or a negative teaching method. It's a way of helping each student engage and participate. There is an EXTENSIVE discussion of this technique on pages 111-125 of Teach Like a Champion by Doug Lemov.

In the gospel classroom, I don't use cold-calling for asking questions. I only use it for making assignments for reading or something else where it's easy for the student to participate. I also rarely use it to get someone's attention who is talking or distracted. Usually I touch that person on the shoulder and point at whomever is speaking. That's usually enough to get the person back on track without singling them out verbally.

Each student has a Styrofoam plate, a wet wipe, and a regular water cleanup (not permanent) marker. Ask students questions that can be answered in a few short phrases. They write their answers and flip over their plates. After a few moments, ask everybody to display their plates.

I have used this as a lesson review quiz and as a Lesson opener to help me determine what students already understand about a topic. When I know a little bit about what students already understand about a topic, I know where to begin our discussion.

You can also use this to have students search for answers in the scriptures, and then write them down.

Sometimes you can get real dry erase slates at the dollar store inexpensively. Styrofoam plates are inexpensive, readily available, and can be reused several times before tossing.