About this episode

In this episode, Kevin Jones and Chase Rockwood discuss overcoming classroom friction points to enhance student engagement in gospel classes.

Why do students glaze over in early-morning seminary? What really creates those points of friction in a classroom—and what can we actually do about it? In this episode, we sit down with Chase Rockwood, a religion professor at BYU-Idaho and longtime high school seminary teacher, to get honest about what today’s youth and young adults are really bringing with them into our gospel classes. Together, we break down the real-life reasons students disengage—spoiler: it’s rarely about the Gospel—and share practical strategies for navigating attendance, energy, social friction, and spiritual questions. We talk about ways to make lessons truly relevant, why music and routine may need a fresh look, and how to balance accountability with genuine love. Highlights include: Specific methods to discover what students are struggling with—and how to let that shape lesson planning Creative alternatives to the “same old” class openers, including music choices and engaging first-five-minutes activities Navigating tough classroom behavior while keeping connection at the center The critical role of parents and self-advocacy in resolving challenges Embracing diverse perspectives, even when they…

People in this episode

Host: Kevin Jones

Guest: Chase Rockwood

Topics covered

• classroom engagement
• teaching strategies
• youth education
• spiritual connection
• classroom behavior

Keywords

• classroom friction
• student engagement
• teaching methods
• gospel classes
• youth challenges

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: BYU-Idaho

More episodes of Teaching Restored

• E129: The Secret Ministry of Noticing: Why You Make a Bigger Difference Than You Think · June 1, 2026 · 53 min
• E128: King Before Kingdom: John Bushman on Making Jesus the Center of Our Teaching · May 25, 2026 · 1h 10m
• 127: Avoiding Contention While Sharing Gospel Truths · May 18, 2026 · 1h 8m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Teaching Restored podcast page.