S4E1: Helping Students Take Responsibility for Their Learning

Seminary teachers often work hard to prepare meaningful lessons, yet students still sit quietly, wait for answers, or seem disconnected from the learning experience. Why does this happen, and how can teachers help students take responsibility for their own gospel learning? In this episode of the Teach Ye Diligently Podcast, Mark Mason and Travis Peterson explore one of the most important principles in gospel teaching: students must take responsibility for their own learning. When teachers carry the entire lesson, students often become observers instead of disciples. But when teachers learn how to invite learners to think, respond, and wrestle with the scriptures themselves, something powerful begins to change. In this episode, Mark and Travis explain three foundational principles that shape effective gospel teaching: • Understanding your students’ needs • Putting Jesus Christ at the center of everything you teach • Helping students take responsibility for their learning These ideas come from prophetic counsel and from the principles taught in Teaching in the Savior’s Way. The episode explores why many classrooms unintentionally train students to be passive and what teachers can do differently to invite deeper engagement and spiritual discovery. If you are a seminary teacher, Sunday School teacher, or gospel instructor who wants to see greater participation, deeper scripture study, and stronger conversion in your classroom, this conversation will give you practical insights you can apply immediately. Because when students begin to take responsibility for their learning, the classroom changes—and so do the students. Mark Mason and Travis Peterson serve as Seminary and Institute Coordinators in the U.S. Southeast Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and work with teachers across multiple stakes to strengthen gospel teaching and learning. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:58 The Reality of Starting Seminary Teaching 03:29 The Shift That Makes Teaching Easier 05:29 The Insight from Elder Bednar That Changed Mark’s Teaching 07:19 Why Teachers Often Misjudge Where Students Really Are 09:45 Principle 1: Understanding Students’ Needs 10:09 Principle 2: Centering Every Lesson on Jesus Christ 13:45 Principle 3: Helping Students Own Their Testimony Teach Ye Diligently Podcast Helping seminary teachers center lessons on Jesus Christ, engage learners, and strengthen student conversion through effective gospel teaching.