Teaching Strategies in the Bishop’s Office With Maria Eckersley

Maria Eckersley lives now lives in Draper city, but was born in Illinois and raised in Blackfoot Idaho. She is the designer and creator of Meckmom.com.  The blog started out as a blog for mom tips, and has now transitioned it to a blog designed to make “Mom-life easier.”  The site has great ideas and principles for family home evenings and scripture study.  She also has a Youtube channel designed to help with object lessons and ideas improve teaching.  Maria currently serves in her ward as the gospel doctrine teacher. Episode Highlights * 7:10  Shares the experience of having her husband called to be the bishop. * 9:14  Advice for Bishop’s and their wives, “Although he can’t share specific details.. he can come home and tell you how he is changing through the process.”  “What did you learn today?” * 11:22 Turning the bishop’s office into a classroom. * 12:14 Maria was a partner with Sugardoodle.net and created the youtube channel to help her husband teach lessons * 13:10 Teaching people not lessons * 13:45 When teaching Primary kids, have as many visuals as possible.  They love object lessons, surprises, and using as many senses as possible. Break lesson into three basic points. * 15:28 When teaching the Youth be authentic.  Tell your own stories and experiences.  Use simple object lessons that relate to things they use or see everyday.  Guide them to resources and tools that they can use.  Use LDS.org and Mormon.org to answer difficult questions. (17:53). * 19:08  When teaching adults tell stories.  Adult’s need time to think and relate to the stories you are telling.  Direct the students to the stories in the scriptures.  Ask more questions then information and be vulnerable. Object Lessons: * 23:54 Teaching adversity to primary kids by using dice. * 25:30 Teaching adversity to the youth by using a piano. * 27:08 Teaching adversity to adults by using the allegory of the olive tree Jacob 5: 21-22. * 28:12 Teaching primary kids how to resist temptation by using a fishing lure and bait. * 29:28 Teaching youth how to resist temptation by using a wooden spoon, “Stirring the harts of men.” * 31:07 Teaching adults how to resist temptation by using the Lehonti principle “poisoned by degrees” (Alma 47). * 33:36 Teaching Primary kids about repentance by using cotton candy. * 35:16 Kurt’s magic trick * 37:07 Teaching teens about repentance by using a $10 bill. * 39:25 Teaching adults about repentance by using wheat. * 40:40 Teaching how to understand and feeling the Holy Ghost, by asking primary kids to rub their hands together. * 41:45 Teaching teens how to understand the Holy Ghost by relating it to Wifi. * 43:00 Teaching adults how to understand the Holy Ghost using Moroni’s promise. Links: