junior high Archives - Page 2 of 2

Next Up: Advice for Catechists of Jr High/High School Youth

Thanks to everyone for sharing such great advice for catechists of intermediate age children. Now, we move on to the next group which is catechists of junior high and high school youth (grades 7 through12). Let’s hear from the army of intrepid catechists out there who labor in the vineyard with these unique creatures we call pre-adolescents and adolescents! What advice, wisdom, and strategies do you have to offer? Just type in your comments below…I’ll […]

Getting Started as a Catechist – Free Webinars!

Joe Paprocki

As the new catechetical year approaches, catechists are focusing their attention on how to best engage their students in faith formation. In the United States alone, roughly 150,000 catechists are new to the job each year! With that in mind, I will once again be hosting a series of free Webinars through Loyola Press called “Getting Started as a Catechist.” This year, I’m offering a new twist: I will be hosting four webinars in the series, each focused on […]

A Lenten Idea from Anna Marie

Joe Paprocki

Here’s a nice Lenten idea shared by a catechist named Anna Marie. Thanks, Anna Marie! Here’s a Lenten idea that I have done in 7th-10th graders. The last day before we depart for Spring/Easter Break or during Holy Week, I create the classroom as a Retreat/Desert experience. Shades are pulled down, lights are dimmed if possible, and the window of the classroom door is covered. There is a sign placed outside the door: Do Not […]

Getting to Know the Age Level You Teach

Joe Paprocki

One of my favorite cartoons shows a professorial-looking catechist or Sunday school teacher in a classroom full of pre-school children and saying to them, “I’m new to teaching your age group. How much do you know about systematic theology?” The truth is, if we’re not familiar with the developmental characteristics (emotional, psychological, spiritual, physical, mental) of the age group we teach, we can find ourselves facing some real challenges. Here are links to some very […]