One of the pitfalls that I often succumb to when planning a lesson is focusing on what I am going to do without regard for what the kids are going to do (other than soak up my pearls of wisdom, of course). In the end, I find that I am putting a lot of pressure on myself as the catechist to “perform.” If Christian Initiation IS an apprenticeship (and I believe it is) then we must consider what our young apprentices are doing! 

With that in mind, I revisited the Confirmation “learning stations” that I created for last year and refined them so that they are truly learning stations: areas where the young people complete a task under the supervision of a catechist (as opposed to areas where the catechist presents a mini-lesson).  Our first Confirmation Intensive (four 2-hour sessions held during December and January) is next week and we’re finalizing our plans.

We use Confirmed in the Spirit (Loyola Press) and each intensive draws from 2 of the 8 chapters. The first intensive focuses on the Sacraments of Initiation and the signs and symbols of Confirmation. Each of the 5 eighth-grade catechists will facilitate one of the learning stations - the kids will spend 10-12 minutes at each station. The structure allows for a half-hour at the end of the session for the kids to reunite with their “homeroom teacher” to review what they have done/learned and for the catechist to reinforce the “BIG IDEAS.” Here’s what I’m proposing:

Learning Center A - Getting to Know the Holy Spirit

• Students will use Bibles to complete Blackline Master 1 (pg. 109 of CIS Catechist Guide)
• If time remains, review the answers
• Materials needed: Bibles, pencils, copies of BLM 1

 Learning Center B – Symbols of the Holy Spirit

• Students will create a simple mobile of the symbols of the Holy Spirit (water, oil, fire, and dove) from page 5 of CIS student book
• Materials needed: Popsicle sticks, string, scissors, invisible tape, hole puncher, pens, small index cards

 Learning Center C – Sacraments of Initiation

• Students will complete a crossword puzzle on the sacraments of initiation (see attached PDF files )initiation-crossword-puzzle; initiation-crossword-with-answers
• If time remains, review the answers and provide some background as needed
• Materials needed: copies of crossword puzzle  

Learning Center D – The Words and Actions of Confirmation

• Students will focus on 3 main actions of the Confirmation Rite: laying on of hands, anointing with oil, and the words “Be Sealed with the Holy Spirit”
• Students will be given a blank sheet of paper (11 x 17) and will be asked to trace both of their hands on it and to write beneath (Laying on of Hands); next they will dip their thumb into some vegetable oil and then trace a cross with that thumb on the paper so that the oil seeps in and to write beneath (anointing); finally, the catechist will allow a few drips of wax from a lighted candle to fall onto each paper – after it cools a bit, the students can impress a coin or medal into the wax (the way letters used to be sealed) and to write beneath (Be Sealed)
• If time permits, provide a little background about each of the 3 actions
• Materials needed: 11 x 17 paper, pencils, vegetable oil in a small bowl, pillar candle, coin or medal

 Learning Center E – The Role of the Bishop

• Students will create miniature miters (bishop’s “hat”) and crosiers (bishop’s staff)
• To make the miter, each student receives a small index card and cuts it in half (vertically)
• Next, each student cuts the corners of each piece so that they are in the shape of a house with a pitched roof.
• Both pieces are then stapled together on the edges (not the top or bottom)
•  the miniature miter can now be “opened up” a bit as if it was to be placed on the bishop’s head
• To make the crosier, each student is given a piece of aluminum foil about 6 in. by 6 in.
• The foil is rolled as though rolling a cigar
• Then, the top is curved into the shape of a shepherd’s staff (like a candy cane)
• If time permits, add more background information about the role of the bishop, the miter, and the crosier
• Materials needed: scissors, small index cards, stapler(s), sheets of aluminum foil 6 x 6

I received the following email and thought it was worth sharing because it points to the fact that we catechists are finding ways of connecting with one another so that we can better ourselves and become more effective catechists!

Joe - thanks for the site. I just started teaching 13 year olds on
Monday nights - my first time teaching ANYTHING. My father and brother
are both school teachers and when I went to them for advice, thinking
they would have the secrets to dealing with kids this age, the basically
told me how hard it was and that you just have to work through their
behavior.

Searching around the internet for support I was surprised to learn how
little there is out there - how few real ideas are out there (at least
as far as my surfing was concerned) - until I came to your site.
Reading what you write I feel like you’re in there with me in my class
and it all feels so much better. I’m not really at a loss for ideas; my
theology classes at Fordham already inspired in me a love for learning
about God and religion and for exploring my faith. And I have always
felt that there was something missing in how we carry young people
across the threshold from childhood’s “Jesus is my friend” to a serious
attempt at coming to terms with God in their lives and what it all means
in real and practical terms. So the challenge compels me and the kids,
for all their obnoxiousness, are all just so bright and passionate about
life. But in those moments after class, alone and cleaning up after
them, sometimes (oftentimes) it’s just so discouraging. Your site has
helped me through those times.

I hope I can continue to be of help and I know that so many of you are of great help to me. Thanks!

In my last 2 posts, I shared how being open to the Holy Spirit can move one’s class in unexpected directions. Today, I can reveal what happens when one (namely ME!) is NOT open to the movement of the Holy Spirit!

I like to use audiovisuals in my lessons. So, on Monday evening, I planned to show some segments of the DVD Peter and Paul - segments that would bring to life and complement the text we were reading about the early Church. So here’s what happened:

• I had spent a good amount of preparation time previewing the DVD and mapping out the various segments I wanted to show.
• The night before class, I checked my equipment (I show videos through my laptop hooked up to an LCD projector and a couple of portable speakers) to make sure everything was in place. Lo and behold, I realized that I had lost the cable that connects my laptop to the projector! I had inadvertently left it in Milwaukee after my recent presentation there. Now what?
• I remembered that there is an Office Depot not far from where I work. So on Monday, I drove to work instead of taking the train and, during my lunch break, dashed over to pick up a cable. I even asked one of the workers there if I had the right one and he confirmed it.
• When I got home that evening, after dinner, I pulled out my equipment to hook things up and - what do you know - it was the wrong cable!
• Defeated, I started to put away my equipment (speakers, projector, laptop) but then realized that there is an Office Max not far from the parish where I teach…I could go and purchase the right cable!
• I quickly threw my equipment back together (or so I thought) and dashed to Office Max on my way to  class. I found the correct cable this time and was off and running.
• I got to class, hooked up the laptop to the projector and, voi·là, the movie was up and running.
• One problem, though - where was the sound?  I had left my speakers at home!!!
• Defeated again. Or so I thought. The classroom had a TV with a DVD player! I quickly ran over to figure out how to use that equipment, popped in the DVD and it did indeed work. I had a minute to spare before the kids arrived.
• When the time came for me to show the DVD segments, it occurred to me that I had mapped out the segments on my laptop, identifying them by the lapsed time…no such meter existed on the DVD player. I showed the first 2 scenes successfully but after that, I could not navigate quickly enough to find the other scenes I had hoped to show.
• In the end, I would say that this audiovisual presentation was inneffective! I never did get to find the segments that showed Paul courageously preaching the Gospel even in the face of hostility.

Perhaps that Spirit was trying to tell me all along to CAN THE VIDEO!!! However, my stubbornness would not allow me to let go: I had prepared to show a video and doggone it, I was determined to do so!

Oh well, you win some, you lose some! The lesson? “If at first you don’t succeed, try again, but if you continually don’t succeed, try something else!!!“

So, after we spent some time in discussion and praying for their classmate Joe who had died suddenly last Friday (as I described yesterday), I transitioned the young people into a guided reflection. I had planned on doing the guided reflection first this week as opposed to saving it to the end of class. It turns out that this was probably a good thing since they were already in a prayerful state of mind. Thank you, Holy Spirit!

I reminded them that 2 weeks ago, when I was absent, I included a guided reflection (a recorded reflection on CD) in the sub’s plans. I told them that a catechist normally would not ask a sub to lead a guided reflection but I said that I told the DRE and the sub that “my class knew how to handle it.” As it turns out, I was informed that there was a good deal of giggling during that guided reflection (the sub hadn’t said anything to me however one of the girls in my class is the daughter of a fellow catechist and she lamented to her mom that the reflection was spoiled by immature behavior…and word got back to me!). I told them that this was disappointing. I reminded them that what I am trying to do in these meditations is to help them get in touch with God within themselves. I said that we often go through life looking for God when all along we can find him within ourselves.

With those words of encouragement, I sent them off to their “sacred space” - their little nooks and crannies in the classroom. I dimmed the lights, allowed them a little time to get comfortable and then began playing the guided reflection. Wouldn’t you know it, within a few seconds, there was chatting and giggling. I wandered about throughout the room, putting out the little “brushfires” of misbehavior. I was “this close” to turning off the CD player and putting the lights back on when things began to calm down. For the rest of the reflection (it was a 10-minute piece), things went pretty well.

Now, the good part.

When the recorded reflection ended, I turned off the CD player and continued leading a reflection on my own, inviting them to spend some time talking to God: thanking him for this time together, telling God what they are happy about, sad about, worried about and so on. I built in lots of pauses. I invited them to tell God how they need his help in the days to come and to listen to what God may be saying to them. I allowed a long pause. There was complete silence (there was no instrumental music playing in the background at this point). I allowed the silence to go on for several minutes. All we heard were the distant sounds of an occasional car engine, a police siren, a dog barking, or a door slamming down the hallway. There was perfect stillness. We enjoyed this for about 3 or 4 minutes (an eternity with 8th graders!) before I slowly called them back to their places.

They came back slowly, quietly, and calmly. I told them that I was proud of them and that those last 5 minutes or so when there was such stillness was precisely what I had in mind for them. I joked that it took about 7 weeks to finally achieve it but that it was worth it. I explained that this is something that they can do on their own and that I often engage in such prayer while commuting on the train each day. They seemed intrigued by that. I reminded them that all they have to do is imagine that Jesus is sitting next them and to talk to him “as one friend talking to another” (St. Ignatius’ advice).

What struck me from this experience is how close I came to pulling the plug on it because of immature behavior. I thank God that he provided me with just another few ounces of patience to allow the Spirit to get through to these kids and to enable such a prayerful moment. I sure as heck wanted to “pull up the weeds” but the Lord reminded me that it was better to allow the weeds and wheat to grow together for the time being, lest I pull up the wheat as well. That’s why God is the harvest Master, not me!

I also think that I’m going to design more of my own guided reflections instead of the recorded ones…although the CDs are very good, I think the kids are responding better to a live voice. I have no doubt that I will continue to need to stamp out little brushfires during future guided reflections, but this moment was very real and I can remind them of that and call them back to it.

In many ways, last evening was a typical class. At the same time, it occurred to me just how much can take place in the 75 minutes we spend together! As a result, I have a lot I’d like to tell you about concerning last evening’s class, so I’ll spread it out over the next couple of days. First…

As the young people were gathering, one of the young men asked, “Are we going to do anything for Joe?” I wasn’t sure who or what he was referring to…we have no Joe in our class (other than me!). I asked, “Joe who?” and he mentioned a last name I didn’t recognize. After 3 or 4 attempts to get clarification, the light bulb went off in my mind. He was talking about a classmate, Joseph Lee, from the central junior high school who collapsed and died last Friday evening while playing basketball at the community youth center.

I had seen the story on the news but it just never occurred to me to make the connection that my students knew him. (below is a photo of Joseph Lee’s mom, Betty Lee, holding a plaque of photos of her 12-year old son)

I I quickly shifted mindset…the lesson I had planned, of course, needed to take a back seat to the lesson that life was teaching them at the moment. I asked how many of the kids knew who Joe was and they all raised their hands. I asked how many knew him personally and 3 or 4 raised their hands. I asked them to tell me about Joe and they said he was very bright, very active and athletic…very likeable. I also asked them to fill me in on what they knew of his death (I knew the details from the news but I was just encouraging them to talk). Whether they knew him personally or not, they were clearly shaken by the idea of someone their age dying. I talked briefly about how difficult it is to see someone so young taken away from us so suddenly.

I thanked the young man who brought up the idea of “doing something” for Joe and told him that it was a very thoughtful and appropriate thing he had done and that we were all appreciative. I invited them to pray. We began by engaging in a moment of silence for Joe. You could hear a pin drop. I then led a spontaneous prayer, telling God that we come with heavy hearts, mourning the loss of Joe and feeling confusion about where and how we find God in the midst of this tragic loss. I asked God for the grace we need to cope during this difficult time and asked him to embrace Joe in his loving arms.

At the end of the class (I did go on with a somewhat abbreviated lesson), I invited them to gather around our prayer table and I taught them the traditional prayer: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord - And let perpetual light shine upon him.” I wrote the response (the words in italics) on the board and told them that we traditionally pray this phrase 3 times, inviting them to say the response each time which they did. I told them that the words mean that we pray that the light of Christ will be with Joe forever. We ended by blessing ourselves with holy water as they went on their way.

I pray that I helped the young people to mourn the loss of their classmate. I tried to offer an appropriate opportunity to bring the experience to prayer without attempting to do too much “grief counseling” for which I am not qualified. In all, I believe that the young people came away feeling as though they had engaged in an appropriate and meaningful (albeit simple) response to an experience that is just too big for them to take in right now.

It turns out the November is Religious Education Month in New England. This designation was decided upon by the New England Conference of Diocesan Directors of Religious Education. Its goal is to celebrate religious education beyond catechetical Sunday. All 12 New England dioceses participate in this month long celebration. Bravo!

One of the twelve dioceses, Manchester, is featuring the stories of catechists. I came across this brief interview with a catechist named Jeanne C. Pinard who has been a catechist for 44 years! You GO girl! Click on the pic below.

Last night, I gave a presentation to a small group of Confirmation students and their parents at a suburban Chicago parish. The kids sat as a group and the parents were scattered around them in the church. My presentation was on Living the Mass. I thought the kids were very well behaved and I complimented them on their behavior, especially after a very long day.

Afterwards, when talking to the DRE, I repeated that I thought the kids were very well behaved. She said she agreed for the most part but said that some of them were acting immature. I said that I agreed but that I considered it “acceptable immaturity!” In other words, it’s the kind of behavior to expect from kids who are being asked to sit quietly for over an hour after a long day in school and perhaps some after school activities. It’s the kind of immaturity that can be corrected with a glance, a brief word, or a tap on the shoulder. I’m mentioning this because I’m sure that sometimes I make it sound as if the kids in front of me are complete angels. Not so. I am constantly working to correct behavior that is immature, however, 95% of it is what I consider “acceptable immaturity” - not that the behavior is acceptable but I can accept that this type of behavior is typical from this age group and I can address it dispassionately (i.e. it doesn’t upset me…I just deal with it).

So be sure to separate “acceptable immaturity” from behavior that is completely unnacceptable. We can sometimes wear ourselves out and beat ourselves up over behavior that is less than satisfactory but is completely understandable. Part of our job is to consistently remind that kids that certain behaviors are not acceptable but it’s good to do so in a way that communicates the notion that you have complete confidence that they can overcome it and outgrow it.

So do kids in my classes engage in side-talking? Giggling? Passing notes? Making unsolicited remarks? Blurting out answers without raising their hands? Of course. I expect that kind of behavior. I don’t ignore it…I deal with it firmly but dispassionately: I don’t make a big deal out of it and I don’t let it get to me emotionally (although it can wear you down!). It’s simply unnacceptable behavior that is “acceptable immaturity!”

I had a wonderful weekend meeting with about 450 catechists in Chicago (How ya doin?) and Austin, Texas (Howdy!)!

At the Chicago Catechetical Conference on Friday, I spoke to a group of about 200 (mostly Catholic school teachers) about 5 steps to dramatically increase their students’ Bible IQ.  I then jumped on a plane and flew to Austin, Texas to do a couple of workshops (about 125 at each one) on the Language of Mystery - bringing catechesis and liturgy together. It was wonderful to meet and speak with so many dedicated catechetical ministers! So a great big HOWDY to all the good folks I met in Austin and a great big HOW YA DOIN to all the great Chicago folks I met on Friday.

P.S.  FYI, the How Ya Doin is kind of a southside Chicago thing. When I was a teenager, the pastor asked me to greet the bishop when his car pulled up at the rectory on the day of confirmation. As I stood there, I realized I didn’t know what to call the bishop: your excellency? your majesty? your immenseness? As I stood there panicking, the car pulled up to a stop and the bishop got out. I extended my hand and out came the only greeting I knew: HOW YA DOIN?

I enjoyed the morning at the Chicago Catechetical Conference at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. I did a Bible workshop for about 200 Catholic school teachers, catechists, DREs, etc. We had a good time and it was great to strategize ways to build up our kids’ knowledge of the Bible.

Now, I’m off to Austin, Texas, to speak at their Catechetical Conference on Saturday. The topic: The Language of Mystery! Have a great weekend!