2.1.1 How well did the instructor help strengthen your desire to follow Jesus Christ?

Why this teaching practice matters:

• This practice is directly tied to the BYU-Idaho mission statement to help students develop as disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Elder David A. Bednar said, “In this special and sacred and set apart place, you and I have access to unparalleled spiritual resources that can assist us in developing and deepening our devotion as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the primary and most important reason for the existence of Brigham Young University-Idaho and for its sponsorship by and affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." [3]

Student examples of this principle in action:

• “Through sharing their struggles, testimonies and encouragement, my instructors help me to feel the Spirit and strive to be better.”
• “[My teacher would give] a spiritual thought at the beginning of class. Some of those things are ideas I go back to frequently that have become a part of my testimony. It has made me want to be a better example of sharing the gospel and following Jesus Christ.”
• “Many of my teachers take the time to bear their testimonies of the church and the Savior, often specifically relating their testimonies to the subject they teach whether that be religion, art, physics, or other subjects.”
• “[My teacher] helped me to strengthen my desire to follow Jesus Christ by his teaching of evolution. He told us all about the science and evidence of evolution, but also told us about the Bible story and how they don't really match up…. He taught me to look unto Christ in all of my questions and to trust in God when things don't make sense.”

Ways to triangulate your data:

• Invite a trusted colleague to observe a class with attention to tone, modeling, or gospel integration.
• Consider your answers to the following reflection questions:
  
  • Am I taking time to appropriately bear my testimony in class?
  • Do I model discipleship in how I treat students or the course subject material?
  • Do I help students see how following the Savior relates to the field or the course content?
  • Do I help my students see how God can help them with their learning and personal lives?

Ideas for improvement:

• When scores are low on this item, it does not usually mean that the instructor is detracting from discipleship, but rather that students are not consistently noticing or experiencing practices that explicitly support spiritual growth.
• Consider small, intentional ways to model discipleship within your teaching. For example, this might include briefly connecting a course principle to a gospel insight or vice versa, inviting students to reflect on how learning can strengthen Christlike attributes, or modeling charity, patience, or humility in classroom interactions. Reviewing the steps and principles of the BYU-Idaho Learning Model can help identify natural opportunities to support discipleship within your course.
• Seek insight from trusted colleagues or mentors. Talking with another faculty member about how they intentionally support students’ spiritual development—whether through testimony, reflection, course examples, or classroom culture—can provide practical ideas that fit your teaching style and discipline.