Making Gospel Connections in the Classroom 40 Harmonizing Communication AMANDA CHRISTENSEN Principles: the Why and How GAYLYNN BEAN
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BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY-IDAHO | SPRING 2017 | VOL. 17 NUM.2 Making Gospel t Connections t UPCOMING EVENTS R&CW Conference Brown Bag / Pie Talk May 8 - May 26 | Submissions for Abstracts May 11 & 12 July 6 at 4:30 - 6:30 pm | Conference Day June 23 We invite faculty to encourage students to Brown Bag Discussions offer faculty an opportunity participate in this important showcase of learning. to share lunch together and listen to their colleagues speak about topics related to learning and teaching. Faculty have the freedom to speak about things they feel are innovative and enlightening, items they find successful in the classroom, and best practices. SAVE THE DATES Faculty Luncheon Faculty Banquet May 19 at 11:30-12:30 June 8 at 6-7:30 pm How do we improve our spiritual impact in the In the spring of every year, faculty members and classroom? How does faith impact learning, their guests come together to celebrate the teaching retention, and student mentoring? In this efforts of faculty at BYU-Idaho. The evening program presentation, Alan Wilkins, Director of the is to uplift and inspire faculty in their teaching efforts Faculty Center at BYU, will share research through presentation of the Exemplary Faculty on what makes spiritually strengthening and Awards. Spend a wonderful evening with us as we intellectually enlarging faculty. celebrate the great faculty of BYU-Idaho. t EDITOR IN THIS ISSUE OF PERSPECTIVE While attending an educational conference at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, I was asked by a professor of another institution what it was like to teach at BYU-Idaho. As we exchanged our personal and professional teaching experiences, I became more and more grateful for the unique opportunities afforded me as a teacher at BYU-Idaho. It is truly rare to have the freedom to teach and consider religious as well as secular subjects with our students. Being teachers of faith and also lovers of secular learning, we are able, in our classrooms, to use the Holy Spirit to teach our students while also applying the scientific method. Our students are able to use scientific journals as well as the scriptures to help make sense of the world around them and the great design of our Father in Heaven. We can help inspire our students to act for themselves while loving and serving others.1 Since not all things have been revealed nor discovered, it can be challenging at times to have a gospel- centered classroom. Not long before his death, Neal A. Maxwell gave an inspiring talk at the CES symposium at Brigham Young University entitled “Our Creator’s Cosmos.” Those of us who were lucky enough to attend were in awe of Elder Maxwell’s Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, appreciation of how astronomy helped him consider the that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, greatness of God. For him, learning astronomy enhanced his in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all testimony and gave him a greater appreciation of the vastness things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are of God’s creations. His testimony helped him realize and make expedient for you to understand; sense of the marvelous discoveries that are continually being poured out upon us. In his talk, he quotes Saint Anselm by Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under saying, regarding our students, we should help them “Believe in order to understand,” rather than “understand in order to the earth; things which have been, things which are, believe.”2 While testifying of the greatness of our Father in things which must shortly come to pass; things which heaven, Elder Maxwell quotes Carl Sagan. “In some respects, are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the science has far surpassed religion in delivering awe. How is perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are it that hardly any major religion has looked at science and on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of concluded, ‘This is better than we thought! The Universe is kingdoms.4 much bigger than our prophets said– grander, more subtle, Also, in the same section we are commanded to “...seek ye more elegant. God must be even greater than we dreamed.’” diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek 3 We, as teachers at BYU-Idaho, have the freedom to speak in ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even such a holistic way– considering our whole selves–physically by study and also by faith.5 and spiritually. The faculty of BYU-Idaho recently heard and felt the The Doctrine and Covenants teaches us the following: concept of gospel learning mixed with secular learning as I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one we listened to Clayton Christensen remind us to teach our another the doctrine of the kingdom. students with love, to help the students feel needed, to help the students teach each other, and to use case studies. I could 1. Learning Model: http://www2.byui.edu/LearningModel/student_ feel his care and kindness while being fascinated with his example.htm scholarship of disruptive innovation.6 2. Neal a Maxwell, Our Creator’s Cosmos, CES conference on A gospel-centered classroom does not limit our abilities to the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History 13 August 2002 study or teach in any of the fields of our expertise. It enhances Brigham Young University. it. It helps us become teachers more like the Savior–who is 3. Sagan, Carl Pale Blue Dot: A vision of the Human Future in the master teacher. In this issue, Perspective will share some space, 1994, 50 of the ideas and experiences of our teachers as they strive to 4. Doctrine and Covenants 88:77—79 provide a gospel-centered classroom. 5. Doctrine and Covenants 88:118 6. Presentation for a BYU Idaho Faculty Luncheon, February 16, 2017 KIRK ASTEL EDITOR Publication Committee Learning & Teaching Council [email protected] or [email protected] CALL FOR PAPERS AND THEMES The purpose of the publication committee is to encourage faculty to share their insights on learning and teaching and then publish them in the Perspective Magazine. To better meet your needs, we are soliciting papers for future publication, in print or online. In addition, we want to hear from you about the topics and themes that you would like to see covered in future issues of the magazine. To share your ideas or submit a paper, please contact the representative on the committee from your college. EDITORS Contact information for the editors of Perspective Magazine Joseph Anderson Biology [email protected] 245 BEN 496-4615 Lee Warnick Communication [email protected] 103 SPO 496-3712 Kirk Astel Religious Education [email protected] 156 BID 496-3937 Jon Klein Music [email protected] 282H SNO 496-4978 Tyson Yost History, Geography & Political Science [email protected] 262M RKS 496-4250 Megan Pickard Geology [email protected] 290 ROM 496-7678 CONTENTS 2 Life and Teaching Intertwined 30 Spiritually Strengthening and with the Gospel Intellectually Enlarging Faculty: STEVEN KUGATH What Students Want ALAN L. WILKINS & A. JANE BIRCH 5 Connect Four: Making Gospel Connections in the Classroom 40 Harmonizing Communication AMANDA CHRISTENSEN Principles: The Why and How GAYLYNN BEAN 10 The Tool-Kit: Tools for Testimony Clayton Christensen: REX BUTTERFIELD 43 On Teaching CLAYTON CHRISTENSEN & A. JANE BIRCH 17 Cultivating Tolerance, Appreciation, and Respect for 46 A Gathering of Consecrated Others Bringing the Gospel Employees into Classroom Instruction KELLY T. BURGENER DAVID D. PECK 21 Insights into Making Gospel Connections every class I taught at this liberal arts school afforded me opportunities to connect on many levels with my students. I opened the class with, “so how did you spend your leisure time this past weekend?” Four or five students, almost in unison, loudly let their classmates in on their “Partying.” Laughter followed, and I wrote “partied” on the blackboard and directed them past this reply to get at some other ways their leisure time had been spent, promising we’d come back to talk more about partying in a few minutes. After jotting down on the blackboard a variety of their weekend exploits, we dove back into the concept of partying. I asked for a show of hands of who had partied over the weekend. All but two students lifted their hands. The students were all well aware that I was a “Mormon” and not a smoker or drinker, but they knew me well enough to feel comfortable sharing just about anything. I played up Life and Teaching the idea that I might not be too educated on the concept of partying (though in reality I had been to many parties and Intertwined with in high school was a highly sought after designated driver). “So let me get this straight, “I began. “One parties the Gospel when they go to a designated location most typically STEVE KUGATH surrounded by friends or acquaintances. Step two involves Department of Health, Rec & Human Performance hopefully free access to beer or other alcohol which is then consumed again, and again, and again until a) your ride leaves, b) the beer runs out, or c) you pass out on the Partied!… That was the overwhelming initial response to floor. Sometime thereafter, you experience severe nausea, my query. I was teaching a “Leisure in Society” course at a a headache, and possible vomiting.” My comments drew small liberal arts school high in the central mountains of laughter, and a student blurted out, “Yep!” More laughter… Colorado.