I come from a long line of educators– college professors, first grade teachers, seminary teachers, music teachers, missionaries. . . I grew up being surrounded by beautiful, empowering examples of teachers. 

I attended Brigham Young University and received my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, and I loved discovering that “good teaching” can actually be accomplished through specific strategies, mindsets, and theories. I began teaching 6th grade and had so much fun implementing all the newest education research in real-time. 

At the same time, I noticed that in the Church, I was surrounded by a huge range of teachers. Some were confident; others were embarrassed. Some were well-prepared; others were flying by the seat of their pants. As I’ve had children of my own, I’ve seen what a difference Primary teachers can make in the lives of children! 

I sat there, seeing these well-meaning volunteers do their best to fulfill their callings, and wondering, “I wish I could just sit down with them and give them some advice, strategies, and outlines that would transform how they taught and make this easier on them!”

As the years passed and I received many opportunities to teach children at Church in a variety of settings, I finally made the connection:

While much of my formal education training as a teacher helped me become a better gospel teacher, I also learned that teaching at Church has some significant differences than teaching in a classroom. 

I have tried it all. I’ve fine-tuned my strategies and then fine-tuned them again. I’ve dealt with every type of behavior or attitude issue imaginable. And I can’t wait to share with you what I’ve learned so that you can be more effective and confident to teach kids in realistic ways.