Oct 04

Editor's Note: Yikes! No Lesson Plan?


Yikes! No Lesson Plan
by Kass Dotterweich

It happens -- rarely. But when it does, we can feel anxiety, stress, guilt, and embarrassment. On top of all that, we might pile on a sense of being irresponsible.

That's the mental distress of the moment when we find ourselves entering the learning space without a lesson plan.

What to do? Ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then, consider one of these ideas that some of you have shared with me over the years.

Continue reading "Editor's Note: Yikes! No Lesson Plan?" »
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Sep 20

Eucharist: Connection and Unity

by Jeanne Heiberg

Before Jesus was crucified, he prayed for us to be connected to God, to himself, and to all others: “…that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us…” (John 17:21). He gave us a way to help the connection happen. At the Last Supper, he took bread, blessed it, broke it, gave it to his Apostles, and said, “This is my body, given for you. Do this in memory of me.” We follow what Jesus said and we do this at every Eucharist.

This prayer activity helps students to understand that their lifelong calling is to grow in their deepest being where they meet and connect with God.
Continue reading "Eucharist: Connection and Unity" »
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Aug 31

Tips for the New Year

Be Welcoming

From the very first class, be sure to stand at the door as students arrive. Greet each student, introduce yourself, and ask your students' names. Tell them where to put their coats and ask them to be seated. Distribute name tags when all students have arrived and are seated.
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Aug 26

Tips for the New Year

The Most Important Thing You Teach

As a parish catechist, you represent the Church to the young people assigned to you. What you say and do, how you look, how you treat each child--all these things teach how you and, by extension, how the Church regards its young people. The most important thing is to make children feel good about coming to their parish, to make them realize that they will always be warmly welcomed, and that the Church community cherishes them and extends the love of Jesus to them.

Copyright 2011, Peter Li, Inc. This article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any form without permission, except for use with your classes or families.
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Aug 25

Tips for the New Year

Getting Acquainted

Often the youngsters in your class come from different neighborhoods and schools and do not know each other. And you may not know many of your new students either. That's why you need to spend some of your first class learning names. Start with name tags. You can buy blank ones that can be pinned on at a school supply store. Or you can have children make their own.  Click here for handmade name tag ideas. Collect the name tags at the end of class because you may want the children to wear them for the first few classes.

At the next class, gather the students in a circle and make a game of giving the correct tag to each child. Hold up a tag and caution the person to whom it belongs to say nothing, and have the class identify the owner. When all are wearing their tags, go around the circle and have each child share some personal information, for example, a favorite song, a favorite computer game, the name of a family pet, and so on.

Encourage children to use each other's names and to use yours as well. Tell them using a person's name is a sign of respect, and respect is important in every learning situation. Be sure to write on the chalkboard or a large sheet of paper how you prefer to be addressed, for example, Ms. Wilson, Mr. Bates, Sister Mary William, Brother Rob.


Copyright 2011, Peter Li, Inc. This article may not be reprinted or reproduced in any form without permission, except for use with your classes or families.

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Aug 24

From the Editor: NSVC, The Place for You

NSVC: The Place for You

Think of a place where you like to go: where you feel respected, embraced, cared for, and safe; where you find strength to face painful and unpleasant circumstances; where you can share your struggles and celebrate your accomplishments.

The concept of "place" isn't limited to a physical location. For example, a gathering of my children -- anywhere -- is a "place" that brings me great joy. When I find myself surrounded by books -- or absorbed in a single book -- I am in a "place" of promise, adventure, and excitement.

This feeling of "place" is exactly what we strive to provide to catechists with the National Society for Volunteer Catechists, a service of CATECHIST magazine. Continue reading "From the Editor: NSVC, The Place for You" »
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Oct 05

I-Am-With-You-Always Bracelets

by Margaret Stripe

Jesus said, “I am with you until the end of time.” For many young people, Jesus’ reassurance is not readily understood. Making I-am-with-you-always bracelets will help students understand the presence of Christ in their lives.

Where is God when we go through difficult times in our
lives? This is a hard question for adults to answer. It’s even
harder for young people, especially when they do not have
much life experience to help them understand what they are
experiencing — such as the death of a family member, being
left out by friends, or failing at something they’ve worked
hard to accomplish.
Continue reading "I-Am-With-You-Always Bracelets" »
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Oct 04

Best Practices for Teaching Religion: Pray at Every Opportunity

by Kate Ristow

There are a number of proven techniques that lead to successful classroom sessions. Making these practices part of your normal, weekly routine frees you to focus on helping your students grow in faith. In this series of articles, Kate Ristow will present eight basic best practices for teaching religion. Today's best practice: Pray at Every Opportunity. Continue reading "Best Practices for Teaching Religion: Pray at..." »
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Best Practices for Teaching Religion: Generate Discussions with Open-Ended Questions

by Kate Ristow

There are a number of proven techniques that, when used consistently, lead to successful classroom sessions. Making these practices part of your normal, weekly routine frees you to focus on helping your students grow in faith. In this series of articles, Kate Ristow will present eight basic best practices for teaching religion. Today's best practice: Generate Discussion with Open-Ended Questions. Continue reading "Best Practices for Teaching Religion: Generate..." »
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Oct 03

Best Practices for Teaching Religion: Get Students Working Together

by Kate Ristow

There are a number of proven techniques that, when used consistently, lead to successful classroom sessions. Making these practices part of your normal, weekly routine frees you to focus on helping your students grow in faith. In this series of articles, Kate Ristow will present eight basic best practices for teaching religion. Today's best practice: Get Students Working Together. Continue reading "Best Practices for Teaching Religion: Get..." »
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(Page 1 of 3, totaling 27 entries) next page »

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