Episode 14

Curriculum and Correlation – David B. Marsh

Russell Stevenson interviews David Marsh, who has worked developing curriculum for the LDS Church for decades. Together they discuss the nitty gritty details of taking a teaching concept from its inception stage to the classroom.

Who hasn’t found their mind wandering during a Sunday School lesson or wondering why the manuals repeatedly emphasize the same basic principles? And who writes these manuals? Are they scholars, professional teachers, or members who are called to the task? What is Correlation? The answers to these questions may surprise you.

Dr. Marsh walks us through the process of curriculum creation, which includes the following steps:

Concept Development Text Prototype Manuscript Creation Feedback Revision Full Prototype with Images Translation Publicity Printing

Manuals are reviewed by hundreds of people before they are distributed, including the managers and directors of curriculum development, executive directors, the Priesthood and Executive Committees, the General Auxiliary Presidencies (YW, YM, RS, SS, and Primary), and sometimes the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency.

From his years teaching and writing curriculum, David Marsh dispenses wisdom about how to approach our Sunday experience in order to minimize frustration. He speaks to the echo chamber of academia and our responsibility to seek out for ourselves the deeper doctrines of the gospel and become self-reliant learners.