August/September

Jump Starting the Year

Organization is one of the key elements in becoming a successful catechist. When we are organized, it helps us to feel more in control and enables us to focus on what we have been called to do: share our Catholic faith with children. Here are three tips to help you get organized.

1. Plan Your Space
Whether your “classroom” is a partitioned section of a large hall, the family room of your home, or a traditional space with desks, chairs, and chalkboards, take time to consider how you can best utilize the area. Ask yourself the following questions:
• Where will I have the children sit as we work in our texts?
• Where will we pray?
• Where will the class gather to work together on arts and crafts projects?

Ideally, you should have enough space for the children to sit on chairs or the floor for the formal part of a lesson; an area they can gather around, sitting or standing, for prayer, and an easily-cleared space for projects—with furniture and flooring that can be wiped clean in case of spills. If you don’t have the space for movement between these areas, keeping in mind that even the smallest change of venue helps to keep the children alert, plan how you can adapt the area during class—by sliding tables or chairs against the wall or shifting quickly to a nearby room more suited to your next activity.

2. Prepare a Prayer Area
If there is an empty desk or tabletop in your space, you’re all set. All you’ll need to do is add religious symbols appropriate to your chapter theme and the season. If you don’t have a flat space suitable for a prayer table, you’ll need to be a bit more inventive. A portable TV tray is perfect for creating an instant prayer area—it’s lightweight, folds easily, and can be stored in a corner of a cloak room or closet.

Basic items for the prayer table include a Bible, a crucifix, a candle (lighted or not, depending on fire regulations), and a fabric cloth in seasonal or liturgical colors. Add and delete objects or symbols as appropriate throughout the year that relate to your lessons—a bowl of water if Baptism is your theme, a loaf of bread for a lesson on Eucharist, a paper scroll inscribed with the Ten Commandments if you are teaching morality. Some catechists prefer to have the prayer table completely set up before the children arrive for class each week, while others find that children are more responsive if they have the opportunity to take turns “setting” the table each week with the symbols you provide.

3. Pack Your Tool Kit
Your catechetical leader will usually provide a supply box stocked with many of the basic items you’ll need for class sessions: pencils, crayons or markers, lined paper, masking tape, a stapler and staples, and chalk and an eraser. You will need to request specific items for different projects called for in your lesson plan—things like construction paper, index cards, yarn, watercolors and brushes, a video, music tape or CD, and so forth.

However, you will also need your own “tool kit” to transport back and forth from your teaching space to your home. You might prefer a large canvas tote bag, but a plastic milk crate or banker’s box with handles works just as well. Keep the resources you need each week in the kit—your Catechist Guide, a folder with your class list, family contact information, any important forms or policies regarding teaching in your parish, a notepad, and several pens. From week to week, you can add specific items called for in your lesson plan—magazines to make a collage, for example, and your prayer table supplies. You may also want to include a few “goodies” in your kit—colorful stickers, prayer cards, a bag of sugarless candy, a pad of post-it notes, and other items you want to have on hand. Keep your kit in a specific place, so you’ll always know where it is. That way, on class day, you’ll be “good to go!”

October

Getting to Know You: Building Community in the Classroom

As Jesus began his public ministry, he gathered together a diverse group of disciples. He spent time with the disciples, traveling with them and sharing meals together, teaching them to pray, and more fully explaining his teachings so that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, they could continue his work in the world after he returned to the Father. In short, he formed the disciples into a community of believers, ready to share with others the Good News he shared with them.

You, too, have a diverse group of “disciples” who have been entrusted to you for this catechetical year. Your goal goes well beyond merely finishing your textbook. In addition to sharing the truths of the Catholic faith with the children and helping them to apply what they learn to their daily lives, you are called to create a classroom community that in a sense is a microcosm of the Church—the Body of Christ and the new People of God called together in Jesus’ name.

Building community begins with helping the children get to know one another and, hopefully, eventually leading them to respect one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. This doesn’t happen overnight. Try a few of the ideas below to begin forming your class into a community of disciples.
• Prepare an information sheet for each child to complete during the first few weeks of class. If you work with primary-aged children, create a form that can be taken home and completed with a parent’s help. Older children can fill in the information on their own. In addition to biographical data, provide space for the children to indicate their interests and opinions, such as what they like to do on a day off from school; something they are proud of; two things they want their classmates to know about them, what they want to be when they grow up, and a lists of favorites—foods, movies, TV shows, and so forth. Over the next several weeks, take time to discuss different items on the questionnaire. It will help the children begin to recognize all they have in common and to learn a bit about one another.
• Have the children work in small groups frequently throughout the year. Working with three to five peers on a common goal helps the learners to recognize the many gifts and talents they each have to offer to the community.
• Begin class with ice-breakers for the first several sessions. A perennial favorite is “Ball of Yarn.” Before class, roll a long skein of yarn into a ball and also prepare a list of “quick response” questions (places I have visited, favorite holiday, most cherished possession, family pet and name, favorite hobby, etc.). Gather the class into a large circle and, holding the end of the yarn string, call out one of the questions, toss the yarn ball to one of the children. The child should catch the ball, respond, and toss it to another classmate, while still holding on to the string. Repeat this procedure several times until the yarn ball has been tossed around the group, several times. At this point, the children will be holding several different parts of the string ball. Have the group look at the design they’ve created with the string and identify what it says about your class. The ideal answer would be “We’re all connected!” However, accept any answer that helps the children recognize they are a group with a common purpose. This game often gets a bit rowdy, so make sure you play it in a large, uncluttered area.
• Honor a different “child of the week” throughout the year. Create a poster displaying the child’s name and picture and invite the learners to affirm their classmate by naming qualities that make the person special. Have one of the children write the qualities the group suggests on the poster. Conclude this activity working with the group to use the qualities they named to write a petition about the child. For example: “Lord, we thank you for Makenna, who tries to be a friend to everyone.” After each child has been honored, assemble the petitions into a class litany. Have the children respond, “We are the Body of Christ, Lord, called to love and serve one another” to each petition.” Pray your class litany aloud together often.

Keep in mind that building community is an on-going endeavor. Continue to find creative ways to help the children interact with one another throughout the entire year and to provide them with opportunities to live their faith by demonstrating caring and respect for one another.

November

Teaching the Saints

The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults explains that a saint is a “person who, after having lived a life of virtue, dies in the state of grace and has been granted the reward of eternal life by God. The saints enjoy the beatific vision and unceasingly intercede for those still in earthly life. They also serve as a model and inspiration to us” (AC Appendix A. Glossary). The lives of the saints show us what it means to love God and others, to put our beliefs into practice, and to demonstrate our concern for others.

The saints are a light for us on our journey of faith because they lived their faith in concrete ways. The saints come from all walks of life and from every racial, social, and economic group. What they share in common is their desire to respond to God’s call. Teaching about the saints give students the opportunity to see how those who have gone before us in faith who lived out their baptismal calling in extraordinary ways. The example of the saints can motivate our students to express their faith in Jesus by acting with love, care, kindness, peace, and justice toward others.

Incorporate the saints into your weekly lessons in the following ways:

• Go to www.FaithFirst.com to locate saint stories to share with your students. Weekly profiles of saints can be found in the Kid’s Clubhouse (Grades K-3); the Kids Only Club (Grades 4-6); the Teen Center (Grades 7-8), Faith First for Families; and the Catechists and Teachers section.
• Purchase a book on the lives of the saints. Make sure that it is organized according to the calendar. Take time each week to read aloud a story from the book and help the students make the connection between the saint’s life and lived faith. Ask your catechetical leader to suggest an appropriate book for the grade level you teach. Better yet, let your catechetical leader know that a book on the lives of the saints would make a excellent Catechetical Sunday or end-of-the-year gift for each catechist!
• After sharing a saint story with your class, invite the students to suggest ways in which they can follow the saint’s example in their own lives.
• Choose a “Saint of the Month” to share with older students. Invite the students to use various saint reference books and the internet to research biographical information about the saint. Have the students write short reports or create skits highlighting some aspect of the saint’s life. You might also have the students work in groups to create a poster or bulletin board display on the saint.
• Over the course of the year, encourage the students to compile a booklet of saints they have “met” in your class. Give them time of a regular basis during your sessions to add to the booklet. The booklet pages might include a profile on the saint, a drawing that illustrates how the saint showed love for God and others, and a short prayer. At the end of the year, display the booklets in a public area of the parish so that others may benefit from your students’ work.
• Using resources suggested by your catechetical leader, explain the beatification and canonization process to older students. Invite them to visit the Vatican web site at www.vatican.va to learn about the holy men and women who have been beatified or canonized recently.
• Explain to your students that the Church teaches that everyone in heaven is considered a saint, whether or not they have been officially canonized. Remind them they we are all called to sainthood and that if we try our best to live as disciples of Jesus, we, too, will be welcomed into God’s kingdom and share everlasting life with the Communion of Saints in heaven.

Celebrating and Proclaiming the Word of God

The theme for Catechetical Sunday and the entire 2008-2009 catechetical year, The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church, is also the theme chosen by Pope Benedict XVI for the Synod of Bishops that will take place from October 5-26 this year. Just as bishops from all over the world, chosen to represent their local conferences, will gather to study, pray, and discuss the role of Sacred Scripture, catechists are invited to spend this year reflecting on the importance of the Scriptures in our personal lives and our relationship with Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh. We are also called to renew our commitment to proclaiming God’s Word to our students. Our mission is to help those we teach to grow in their knowledge and love of God’s Word.

One of our joys as catechists is to open the Scriptures to our students and help them to appreciate what a wonderful treasure the Bible is. Here are some ideas for helping students develop a life-long love for God’s Word.

Enthrone the Bible
Highlight the centrality of the Scripture in our lives by giving the Bible a special place on your classroom prayer table. Drape a seasonally-colored cloth over the table and place a Bible stand in the center. If you do not have a Bible stand, place a book underneath the cloth to elevate the Word. Set a candle next to the Bible and complete the display by using a wide ribbon in a seasonal color as a bookmark.

Enthrone the Bible by having students process in line from outside the classroom to the prayer table, with one student carrying the Scriptures on high. Have the children sing together an Alleluia verse or some other appropriate song. After the Bible has been placed on the table, encourage the students to show reverence for God’s Word by tracing the Sign of the Cross on the open Bible, bowing before it, or touching it reverently with their hand. Each week, as you prepare to read from the Scriptures, begin with an invocation of praise and thanksgiving, such as, “We thank you, Lord, for the gift of your Word!”

Teaching Students to Use the Bible
Even students as young as third grade can learn to navigate their way through the Scriptures. Pair the students up and give each pair a Bible. Turn to the Contents page and point out the two main parts: the Old and New Testaments. Have them count the number of books in each section. Ask them to locate the first page in Genesis and read the first passage aloud. Do the same with the first passage in Matthew. Point out and explain the significance of the chapter and verse numbers. Then have the partners work together to find specific Scriptural passages you list on the board. It will be slow going at first, but once the students “get it” they will feel a real sense of accomplishment. During subsequent classes, have students locate the Scripture you are studying each week in their classroom Bibles.

Acting Out the Scriptures
Dramatizing a Scripture story often helps students to better understand its meaning. This is most effective when the story involves multiple characters: the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37); the Coming of the Spirit (Acts 2:1-13); or the Calming of the Storm at Sea (Mark 4:35-41). After sharing and discussing the story, work with the class to prepare a play. Older students can do this on their own, working in groups. Have props on hand to bring the story to life: a few old robes; costume beards; and objects mentioned in the passage. The students will enjoy performing their plays for one another, but for very special occasions, arrange for them to share their dramatizations with another class or during a prayer service with parents in attendance.

Praying with the Scriptures
Choose a relevant verse from your weekly Scripture story to proclaim in prayer with the class. Have the students repeat the passage as a refrain during a Prayer of the Faithful. Invite students to work in groups to study the Psalms and find an appropriate passage that mirrors your lesson theme (God’s love, faithfulness, presence, forgiveness, greatness, and so forth). Praying with the Scriptures helps students to recognize that God continues to speak to us today.

Eight Kinds of Smart (pdf)

How do Children Learn?

Many Gifts, One Lord
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord.
1 Corinthians 12:4-5

How do you prefer to learn new things? Do you like to attend a lecture or watch one on TV? Do you like to read novels or see movies and reflect on the life messages they hold? When you cook, do you follow a recipe or learn through trial and error? Do you just want the facts, or do you like open-ended questions with lots of possibilities? The way in which you answer these questions tells a lot about how you prefer to learn and express yourself. You may prefer to learn by listening, by seeing, by imagining, or by doing. Children, as well, have preferred learning styles.

But there is another way to think about learning. Learning preferences may reflect only our “comfort zones.” According to the popular theory of the well-known educator, Howard Gardner, each of us is born with at least eight different ways of processing and responding to new information that he calls “multiple intelligences.” We might think of them, as one write has done, as eight different ways of being smart. All of us possess each of these kinds of “smart” in one degree or another. The particular combination of these intelligences that we have is one of the things that make each of us unique. One or several of these intelligences is probably dominant is each of us.

Some children learn and express their ideas through words, others by thinking things out or putting them in categories, and still others learn by using their bodies. Some learn and express themselves best when things are presented in a musical or rhythmic way. Some are best at writing and quiet, self-directed activities, others at group activities or sharing. Still others learn best through their contact with nature, through field trips, or by nurturing plants and animals.

In religious formation, as in classroom education, attention to the variety of gifts among the children will help them grow in an understanding of their faith and deepen their relationship with God. Good curriculum offers you many different strategies to honor the gifts that already exist in your learners and to encourage them to express themselves in new ways. Here are some activities related to the eight intelligences that support the different ways that children can learn about their faith and express their relationship with God and one another.

Language – and Music – Related Activities
• Researching word meanings
• Word games and puzzles
• Reading and Bible search activities
• Storytelling and journal writing
• Learning hymns and Mass responses
• Writing prayers or songs
• Using background music for activities

Object – Related Activities
• Learning “how many?” of different categories: sacraments, Apostles, and so on
• Celebrating the liturgical seasons of the Church
• “You are there” activities placing oneself in the action of the Bible story
• Using maps and models
• Graphic organizers to display information visually
• Posters and “designing” activities
• Crafts and classroom dramas
• Using gestures with songs and prayers
• Expressing response through dance
• Nurturing plants and animals
• Creating gardens or nature areas on school grounds

Person –Related Activities
• Cooperative-group learning activities
• Peer tutoring and sharing
• Teaching other students
• Games and simulations
• Quiet prayer times
• Writing and drawing in journals
• Creating autobiographies
• Self-assessment activities

For Reflection
What kinds of activities did you enjoy most as a child?

What kinds of activities are you most comfortable leading? What is a new kind of activity you would be willing to try with the children?

The Learning Environment

Creating an Inviting Environment
Create an environment that is inviting but also oriented. Use pictures, posters, flowers, banners, and plants to make the room visually appealing. Arrange the room so that you can be accessible to every child. Such a setting helps to facilitate interaction.

Put chairs in a circle. A circle allows children to see one another, puts each learner on an equal footing, and helps create a sense of community. You as the catechist are part of the circle.

Arrange separate areas for specific tasks. Areas for prayer and for discovery or for show-and-tell table, as well as large group activities are desirable.

Use a variety of visual materials. Bulletin boards, posters, and paintings, engage learners. A bulletin board that has been set aside for the children’s work helps them feel that the room belongs to them and permits the sharing of their work.

Review safety and fire codes. Review building-specific plans with the children in the beginning of the year and occasionally throughout the year.

Create an Emotionally Positive Environment
Through your example, show the children how you expect them to behave. Show reverence and respect for each child in the group. Be sensitive to the children’s feelings as well as their ideas.

Build a warm welcoming spirit. Show by your actions and expression that you are happy to be with the children. Call the children by name and welcome them warmly to each session. Let them know that you expect them to do their best and that you will do your best.

Encourage the children to praise one another. Model behavior that supports being kind and caring. Celebrate birthdays and name days. Send home special notes to children who miss a session.

Allow the children to share their concerns. Respect their need for privacy but help them to realize that, during the session, it is safe to share. Discuss events that are part of the parish community, too.

Give the children ownership. Invite them to help with tasks such as taking attendance, assisting with prayer, distributing materials, and watering plants.

Create a Safe and Disciplined Environment
Live by session rules. Begin the year by talking with the children about your expectations. Next explain that to attain these goals the group will need to follow certain rules. Together with the children, create rules based on mutual respect and personal responsibility. Write the rules on a large poster and refer to them often. Try to keep the rules general and have as few as possible. Be sure to communicate to parents the rules that you have established for the group sessions.

Make safety a priority. Be sure to arrive before the children to inspect the room. Do not leave them unattended. As you greet the children before the session, take note of any injuries or other health problems that may require special attention on your part. Do not depart the facility until all the children have been picked up by a parent or guardian.

Provide consistent routines. The ways in which you welcome the children, begin the sessions, and take attendance, as well as the other ongoing tasks, provide repetition and a safe, comfortable structure for them.

Model desired behavior. If you expect the young people to act in a certain way, model that behavior for them. Make ample use of praise. A nod or a smile can do wonders!

Expect attention. Wait until you have the attention of every learner before you speak. Don’t attempt to speak over the children’s chatter.

Do low-profile intervention. Be careful that a child is not rewarded for misbehavior by becoming the focus of attention. If possible, approach a misbehaving learner inconspicuously, giving a quiet reminder of your expectations. If disturbances continue, enlist the help of the director or coordinator of religious education and the child’s parents or guardians.

Give direct instructions. Begin by telling the children what will be happening during the session. Outline verbally and on the chalkboard what they will be doing. If you wish, explain that there will be time at the end to chat with friends.

Monitor the group. Circulate around the room, giving your attention to each learner. Observe how each one is doing and offer help as needed. Again, use a quiet voice as you give your personal attention to each child.

Media Savvy Catechist (pdf)

Strategies for Asking Questions (pdf)