Group discussions aka Sharing time

We have enjoyed two Ward Conferences and are looking forward to more in the near future.  It is our pleasure to present the sharing-time message when we come.  It also opens our eyes to the time, effort and struggles you may have on a weekly basis. 

The February Ensign has an article entitled "Conducting a well-tuned Group Discussion" I thought I would share.

"When you lead a gospel discussion, it might be helpful to think of yourself as a conductor of an orchestra. Those you are teaching are not the audience listening to the concert. They are in the orchestra, playing their parts to create music. The conductor coordinates the musicians, brings out the best in each, and helps their music become an inspiring work of art.

Here are several principles that will improve the discussions you lead:

Teach people, not lessons. Learners who feel loved by their teacher and by other class members will be more willing to share insights and experiences.

Invite inspiration. One of the teacher’s key roles is to direct the discussion so learners have the opportunity to feel the Spirit and discover truths for themselves. When revelation flows, all are edified—both teacher and learners—and rejoice together (see D&C 50:22).

Invite all to participate.

There are several other ways to help learners participate in the discussion. For example, you could:

• Ask them to ponder how they would answer a question before you ask for responses.    
• Ask them to write their answers on a piece of paper. Then you could ask a few of them to share their responses with others.    
• Invite them to respond to questions with someone sitting next to them or in small groups.    

Sometimes you may have a member of the group who dominates the discussion. If this happens, you could say something like, “Let’s hear from someone who hasn’t shared yet.”
Don’t be afraid of silence. Silence may feel like a lull in your discussion, but for learners it can be valuable pondering time.

Ask meaningful questions. Ask questions that encourage learners to think deeply about the meaning of scripture passages and gospel principles. As you prepare your lesson, think of questions that will help those you teach understand and apply the truths they learn. A few well-phrased questions can make a great difference.

Listen carefully. President Thomas S. Monson stated: “[Everyone] has a story waiting to be told. Listening is an essential element as we teach and as we learn” (“Examples of Great Teachers,” Ensign, June 2007, 108).
Ask follow-up questions. When learners share insights and experiences, you might sense that they have more to share. Consider asking follow-up questions such as these: What about that is important to you? When have you seen this in your life? What does this mean for us today?

Acknowledge responses. When someone gives a response, it needs to be acknowledged in some way. This can be done by making an appreciative comment about the response or by asking a follow-up question.

Keep the doctrine pure. Remember that the primary goal of teaching the gospel is not just to have a good discussion. Rather, it is to learn the doctrine so that our hearts can be changed and we can be converted. During the discussion, part of your responsibility is to ensure that true doctrine is being taught.  If someone shares something that is doctrinally incorrect, you have the responsibility to state the doctrine correctly."

Thanks for all you do! You tailor each discussion to fit your Primary and for that you and the children are greatly blessed.  We appreciate all you do and are continually impressed by the love and kindness you share with the children of this Stake.