One thing I did this year on the last day of class (something I had never done before) was to invite my 4th graders to consider becoming a catechist some day! I told them that I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with them and that I’m pretty sure it showed. I said that being a catechist is a wonderful way to practice your faith and to bring others closer to God and that I encourage them to keep the idea in mind as they grow older. In just 5 or 6 years, they will be old enough to serve as catechist aides, often the first step toward becoming a catechist. My hope is that they will remember this encouragement and respond to the call to serve as a catechist some day (taking the place of those of us who will be too old by that time to carry our catechist bins around!)
Intermediate Grades
Sacraments of Healing and Sacraments of Service
This coming Monday, December 20, 2010, is our last class before the Christmas break. I’m going to use this session to teach the four remaining sacraments: the Sacraments of Healing (Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick) and the Sacraments of Service (Matrimony and Holy Orders). I plan to do 4 simple “demonstrations” to introduce each of the 4 sacraments before we read the text and discuss them. Here’s my plan in detail: Sacraments of Healing and Sacraments of […]
Intermediate Grades
How to Fill Extra Time at the End of Class
In a recent faith-formation class, we did something that I have never done in my many years of teaching: we finished 15 minutes early. While 15 minutes may not seem like a lot of time, for those of us in the classroom, 15 minutes can feel like an eternity if we are not prepared. My mind searched for something to do that didn’t require any setup or explanation. We decided to play hangman; I’m not […]
Intermediate Grades
We Encounter Jesus through Signs
Here’s my lesson plan for Monday, November 15, 2010 Big Idea: We encounter Jesus through SIGNS (the Church and the Sacraments) Engage As the kids enter, hand them the Signs and Symbols worksheet and have them get busy with it. When all have gathered, do opening prayer ritual and then review correct answers for worksheet Explain that today we will be learning about signs and symbols of our faith Invite 3 volunteers to come forward for […]
“invite my 4th graders to consider becoming a catechist some day!”
I will do this every year from now on. Thanks for this great idea.
I used to tell my RCIA classes this without fail, but it never occurred to me to do the same with the kids.
Christian, it never dawned on me till this year either!
Interesting you would do that….never hurts to invite…or plant the seed !
Several years ago I tried to energize a group of high school seniors….sharing with them my joy in being a full time religion teacher…suggesting that perhaps one of them might just take my place if I was missioned elsewhere…And that happened….five years later one of those students after completing a Theology major took my place in that same classroom when I was again missioned out to another school !…..
Dear Joe,
What a wonderful idea – had never thought of doing that with my 7th graders. We have 3 more weeks of classes after tonight and I will be sure to plant some of these seeds, too. You have been such an inspiration and tremendous help to me over the last few years. I always turn to your site when I need new ideas. Thanks so much for all you do for so many of us. God Bless!
I did something similar, but in more of a roundabout way; I thanked all of the kids who came to our last day party yesterday (where we had pizza and angel food cake in honor of Divine Mercy Sunday), for being at the party, but not only that; for being at many of the classes from January on. If your parish is like ours, we always have a big fall off in attendance after Christmas. I told them that the hardest time to come to faith formation classes is after Christmas, and that they and their parents had come (at least most of the time) throughout the winter and spring. I told them that when they came to class, not only was it for the teachers to teach them the faith, but that they built up our faith likewise. So that they would understand how important they were to the community. I gave out gifts to the 5th graders moving up to our middle school program next year. And I thanked the parents for being so faithful.
But I like your idea too Joe, about inviting the kids to be catechists some day; I think I will add that to my “end of year talk” next year! Thank you!
I often tell my catechists that they plant the seeds in their students but often times they don’t reap the harvest. If they’re lucky they will run into a student years later and be rewarded by a positive comment from the student remembering something they took away from their class time with the catechist. What a GREAT idea to plant the seeds of the consideration of becoming a future catechist! It’s such a wonderful way to propagate the faith life of students AND THEIR future students. I’m sure they enjoyed your class which makes them feel positive about considering becoming a future catechist.
Teachers/catechists will teach as they were taught. Your students are so very lucky to have such a gifted catechist to model such positive methods. Your work of sharing those catechetical methods via this blog, books and workshops also helps catechists “en mass”. Joe, thank you for your ministry! God bless.
Great idea Joe! Our last class is next week, I am going to plant the seed of faith sharing too.
Hi Joe,
What a great idea. I normally do first and second grade classes and never thought about inviting these young children to someday become catechists. This coming year our catechetical leader asked me to take on an older group of students who will be preparing to receive First Holy Communion and reconciliation in two years and I will certainly mention it to them but I will also plant the seed in the second graders that I will be moving up with next year ( I taught them in first grade class this year). As someone else mentioned, it’s never too early to plant the seed. You can be sure I will be relying on your blog for the many creative ideas you give us to use in the classroom. Thanks so much.
Ana, sounds like you’ve taken on many challenges as a catechist…keep up the great work!
We did a similar thing with our First Communicants this year. During their First Communion mass, they served as lectors and were encouraged to follow through with this ministry when they become older.
Janie, that’s a nice time to extend that invitation.