11. Teacher Share: Ellie from Mountain Crest High

Ellie, a seminary teacher from Mountain Crest in Hyrum, Utah, talks about classroom strategies she’s found successful. 

Ellie describes using scripture study pages to get students off phones and physically engaged through writing, highlighting, and doodling, emphasizing the value of variety so it doesn’t feel like repetitive worksheets. 

She highlights a “pass and doodle” study page on Moses and the brass serpent, saying quick, verse-by-verse doodling and passing deepens observation, encourages discussion, and keeps learning fun. T

he host shares that a region director observed study pages and called it “deep learning.” 

Ellie also explains using humorous, “cringey” compliments and get-to-know-you interactions to build community, help shy students participate, and create a positive atmosphere where laughter supports reverence and spiritual learning.

Transcript

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we got Ellie from Utah. She wanted to share some of the strategies that she's used and found successful from some of the stuff that we've taught on, Seminary Helper. Where do you wanna go first, Ellie? Study pages. Should we start with that? Yeah, study pages. Scripture study pages. Tell me what your thoughts were about that. I love them. Hm. I was a little hesitant to start using them at first, because I feel like they do kind of denote this, like, worksheet, I don't know, thing in the student's brain of like, "Oh, we just have to sit here and write." Yeah. So I was a little hesitant to try them, but I found them to be extremely helpful for many reasons. I think tactile things always help students, at least in my classroom, getting students off their cell phones and engaged in the scriptures is huge. So when they're writing, when they're doodling, when I'm like, "Highlight this, what did you notice here?" And they can physically do stuff, I think that makes a world of difference. I love, I love the variety that the study pages come in, too, because there's always, like, the record your thoughts and that stuff with like the doodle. You know, that we had the one that was the pass and doodle. We have a pass and write. I think even the variety within the study pages helps a lot, so it doesn't feel like they're doing the same thing every time. That's my goal. So when I first started the study pages, they kinda came about because I'd done something similar. I'd printed off a copy of the Book of Mormon, and I studied that way. And I found that when I did, "Here, here's a study page," and I had these incredible lessons, and I used it just as a one-day tool a semester. And then one year I did it, and then I was, like, blown away, and I was like, "I'm doing that every day." But then I was, like, in this mental, like, "How am I gonna do this every day?" And that really exploded my creativity because I was like, "How am I gonna do this every day?" Mm. I want kids to engage in the word of God every day. And so I'm constantly in that wrestle of how can I make it new and creative and innovative. Now, you mentioned pass and doodle. What did that... What, what was that like for you? That was a huge hit. So the pass and doodle was the study page with Moses and the brass serpent. I think it's number 17, right? Was it? Yeah, something like that. I can't remember the exact number. Well, for those on School, you can go to number 17 under the, the, you know, Old Testament module. Look for number 17. Boom, there you go. Watch it. And that one was so fun because I feel like it engaged both the students' creativity of they're actually doodling the story, but also engaged their critical thinking skills. 'Cause I, when I do study pages in my classroom, I always pause, and we'll discuss, and I'll call on partnerships, and, you know, we'll share. So I don't just hand them the, the study page, and then they just quietly work on it the rest of class. There's- Exactly you know, back and forth. But it was really fun. And I don't know, when they spend time with just... I mean, it was quick. Like, we did two minutes per verse, and then we doodle and pass. I mean, it's fast. But even when they- spending, you know, just that short amount of time with one verse, it's interesting how much deeper it is of like, "Well, I noticed this word," which they would never... Like, if I read six verses, they would never do that. Or, "I liked how Moses reacted this way," or, "The children of Israel did this." I think they're-- like, it helps them just process it, I think, a little bit better. And then the doodling's just fun. I mean, it just adds, I mean, they're laughing at each other's ugly snakes, and, like, all the, all the silly, like, you know, Moses drawings. And so I, I think it's a really b- it was a really beautiful blend of we're engaged in the scriptures, we're critically thinking, "How does this apply to us?" But also we're just, we're having fun, which I think always helps things. Okay, I'm just thinking after that success I had with that in the fall, I need to do three. Yeah. Three in one semester. Yeah. And maybe I'll go on the group chat in the community and ask for volunteers to say, "Hey, let's work together and put together three lessons. I'll put together one, you put together another, and somebody else put together one, and then we got three lessons done." But they're guaranteed gonna be a hit because the- Oh, yeah passage doodle is a- Oh, yeah is awesome. And the Old Testament's so great for doodling. Yeah, it is. It's so crazy. So drawing it is so fun. Yeah. Okay. So I just wanna ask you this. You know, people see my, the study pages the first time, and they're like what the heck are you doing?" And to be honest, when I first came out with it, I was like, "What are people gonna think?" I still remember the first time my region director came in my class. I'd been doing study pages for, like, a year. I had their portfolios. And I was terrified what my s- region director was gonna think. A few of the teachers around me had known and were, But I was like, "What is he gonna say?" And this is about 10 years ago. And, and he observed class, and he just sat there, and he was just tapping his pencil. And I w- and then he started s- he stood up after class and started walking around looking at people's study pages. And I can't remember the exact phrase he said, but he said something like this. He said, "I, I wish I would've filmed that class." Hmm. "Because that was deep learning." And I was like, "Yeah!" He saw it, you know? Good feeling. Yeah. So give it a try. And if you watch the videos, like you said, I'm not, I'm not just giving out a study page and say, "Here you go." It's an interactive experience, right? So, let's talk about- s- compliments. You said you, you really embrace the compliment strategy. I don't know if you wanna explain. Could you explain a little bit more about that, what it looks like in your classroom? Yeah, I actually do kind of a similar thing to the last sister that you talked to. I can't remember her name, but she talked about how she found, like, really crazy cringey, like, kinda over-the-top compliments. That's what I do too. Like, I make them extremely kind of, kind of weird and odd, 'cause the, the students just crack up. And then I just have a list, and I change them every round. I'm like, "Choose the funniest one and go tell it to your neighbor." So they all share different ones. And it's so, it's special to watch them, like, read through them together and then laugh and like, "That one's so good. That one's so good." And they both choose whatever one. And so, I mean, it just adds that extra 10 seconds of interaction. And for those students that are really shy that, like, don't really appreciate talking about gospel things, I found that a lot of students won't talk about gospel stuff, but they'll talk about other stuff. So I integrate a lot of the get-to-know-you questions that type of stuff. And compliments were a huge one, because it just gave those extra students who are uncomfortable discussing scriptures or their feelings something to engage with their partner on. And I don't know, it just le- I mean, every, every time they, they switching, they, they switch partnerships, they're all laughing and, like, kind of smiling from these compliments, and I think it really helps. It helps the class community, and it just builds that positivity. The humor. I, I love what you're saying here, and I, I, I'm gonna experiment more with some of the, the cringey ones like you're talking about, because... In, in fact, you have to email me one or two slides of these cringe ones, and we will include them- Okay in the school right below the notes. O- okay, in the notes. Because, But I have done some cringey ones and, you know, you just hap- sometimes you just happen to co- upon one, and you never know which one it's gonna be. And the class just goes nuts with it, and they just laugh and giggle, and then we get back to work. Yep. And there's something about this fun, electric energy that can be mixed with scripture and gospel. Mm-hmm. And it's just a community-building thing. Like, laughter is underrated. Like, when I first started teaching seminary, it was all like, "Brethren." and be quiet, and the Spirit only resides in a, in an atmosphere of reverence. Mm-hmm. And I'm not saying we don't still practice that. But if you go to FSY, we're having fun, we got loud music, we're dancing, we're laughing, we're having fun, and kids are coming home crying because they felt the Spirit so strong. Yeah, a little bit of a Elder Kieran's general conference talk, you know, several conferences ago where he talked about reverence and how sometimes reverence isn't, you know, the seriousness that we think of. And that was huge in my classroom. If I have found s- like, classes that can laugh together, man, they can feel the Spirit together, they have camaraderie. I mean, if they can do that, if you can joke and you can be friends, you can do anything else in the classroom. That is such a good point. I really love that, and I'm just thinking, I'm just working in my mind like, yes, I gotta work on this, build this, this through the laughter. It's so fun. But I think this is one of the strategies you can do it, is just kinda these, these fun, cringey compliments that instill this positivity. Have you worked on the positivity in, in general? Or is that something you were always given natural with, you know? Oh, no, I, I would not describe myself as a super, like, peppy, outgoing personality. And I think... I don't know, that wa- that's kind of been an insecurity of mine with teaching, 'cause I think so many seminary teachers, I, I always describe it as they kinda have, like, the talk show host, host personality, where they're just, they're witty and they're quick, and they can just interact, and I've, I've never had that. That's so seminary teacher. I know. At least here in Utah, people. Oh, yeah, for sure. And so I was always just a little bit insecure of how can I connect with my students when I don't feel like I have that gift, and I found positivity to be the way. When your students just leave feeling better about themselves, feeling better about the world, feeling better about their situations, I mean, that's one of the best gifts that I can give them. Mm. You know, 'cause when, when you talk to your students, I just think so many of them are, are facing really hard things, and the world can be very stressful, and there's a lot of big decisions that they're facing. And so just giving them even that hour of just we're here to love each other, we're here to love God, and we're here to just feel the Spirit and just have fun, I think it's huge. So, I always try to, like, when they're leaving the room, I give them knuckles and I give them a compliment or something to hype them up. I have- we were kind of briefly talking about this earlier. I want to start doing your kindness videos on Fridays in my class, and I think I want to start kind of a kindness Friday, because we have a different schedule on Fridays, so our classes are a little bit shorter. But I've just found that in general, the positivity, I mean, that is the thing that connects you with students. That's the thing that builds the trust and it builds the relationships. I mean, even when you're only seeing them for a little bit every single day, when they, you know, feel your positivity and your love, it makes all the difference. Mm. Love it. Well, thank you very much, Ellie, for coming on and sharing a few ideas. Wait, tell me where you're at right now. I am in my office at the seminary building. I teach at Mountain Crest in Hyrum, Utah right now, so that's where I am. Mountain Crest High School. Yes. Hyrum, Utah, people. Yep. That's where it all began for me 29 years ago. Look at that. So fun. Full circle. And- Full circle you weren't even born, Ellie. You look like you're 17. Are you a senior teaching seminary? You're one of those, those students that was so good, they're like, "We're making you a seminary teacher next year." Oh, no way. Am I? Honestly, I always joke with this. If my s- old seminary teachers found out I was teaching seminary, they'd probably be so shocked. So I always remind myself of that. When I have students in my classes that I'm like, "Oh, they're a little rough," I'm like, "You know what? I was a little rough, too. It's okay. It all works out." That is awesome. Hey, everybody. You're awesome. Have a great day.