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SALT LAKE CITY — Newly-approved curriculum for teaching young men and young women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be available for use in classrooms beginning in January.
The Church News reports the curriculum, titled Come, Follow Me: Learning Resources for Youth, "is designed to change the way teachers teach as well as the way students learn."
A letter from the church's First Presidency dated Sept. 12, 2012, says the new curriculum, "integrates basic gospel doctrines as well as principles for teaching in the Savior's way."
Come, Follow Me includes monthly topics which are intended to be coordinated across Young Men, Young Women, and youth Sunday School classes. Each topic includes "lesson outlines," which the church says are patterned after the Savior's way of teaching.
Elder Russell T. Osguthorpe, Sunday School general president, talked about the new resources during the faith's 182nd Semiannual General Conference on Sunday.
(The Savior) showed us not only what to teach, but also how to teach.
–Elder Russell T. Osguthorpe, Sunday School General President
"When the Savior taught, the learner's agency was paramount. He showed us not only what to teach, but also how to teach. He focused on the needs of the learner. He helped individuals discover truths for themselves. He always listened to their questions," he said. "These new learning resources will help us all learn and teach in the Savior's way, in our homes and in our classrooms."
Each month's topic includes more lesson outlines than can be used in a classroom each month. Youth leaders are encouraged to use inspiration to choose which outlines will best meet individual needs.
The online curriculum is also touted as being more flexible now than curriculum has been in the past.
Elder Osguthorpe said the resources will help with conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
"Learning for conversion is a continual process of knowing, doing, and becoming," he said. "When we teach true doctrine, we help the learner to know. When we invite others to action, we help them to do or live the doctrine. And when the blessings come that the Lord has promised, we are changed."
A pilot program involving the new learning resources has been underway in several states since earlier this year. A young women's leader from a ward in Meridian, Idaho, calls the new curriculum "really exciting." "It will help cement the gospel in their minds and strengthen their testimonies," Pam Lindsay said. She also felt that it encourages more youth participation.
The curriculum initially will be available online in January in 23 languages and will replace the existing manuals. The resources are available for review at lds.org/youth/learn. Included is a new guidebook, "Teaching the Gospel in the Savior's Way."
