8th grade CCD class

[yessisan]

How can I keep children of 13 yrs of age entertained? I’ve only taught the first grade class and have no idea how to conduct an 8th grade class!!

We are using the book: Faith First www.faithfirst.com I was given the book on Church and Sacraments. I really don’t like the book but the director wants all the classes to come out of this book.

Please help! Any good ideas??

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

How can I keep children of 13 yrs of age entertained? I’ve only taught the first grade class and have no idea how to conduct an 8th grade class!!

We are using the book: Faith First www.faithfirst.com I was given the book on Church and Sacraments. I really don’t like the book but the director wants all the classes to come out of this book.

Please help! Any good ideas??

My experience with 8th grade involved allowing them to write down questions on index cards about the Faith, morals, history, etc. Each question would get answered, a few at a time, maybe a few at the end of each class time. I my case on a Q and A day, all were answered. I was given the cards a few days ahead fo time.

 

[KathyA]

Try to keep the learning active. Review information by having a “Family Feud” type of review game…a piece of candy is the prize. See if you can find Contemporary Christian music/Christian Rock that supports what you are trying to teach. Encourage lots of questions.

Kathy

 

[kage_ar]

When does your Parish Confirm? For us, 8th grade is confirmation prep… that has much to do with the lessons…

The Faith First site has some good stuff.

I picked a random lesson from you book:

faithfirst.com/html/olp/pages/ffirstLE/cs/csch3.html

In addition to what is here, use your Catechism to really dig into the Sacraments.

I’d suggest each week you give them the assignment to read the lesson, that way they have read it, and you can do the reviews, questions in the first part of class and then spend the second half of class time on a quiz or game that makes the lesson come alive.

 

[yessisan]

I actually had a class today. I got some stuff off the site from the book, but the bad thing is that they can’t take their books home So I can’t have them read things in advance. They were complaining I asked them to find out the name, real name, age, and some stuff about their 20th century pope of choice so they can present it to the class next time they come

I think today went ok, but I don’t know how I’m going to handle the rest of the yr I wish I had signed up sooner so I could have gotten the first graders like I was used to in my old parish.

 

[zaramarie81]

I actually had a class today. I got some stuff off the site from the book, but the bad thing is that they can’t take their books home So I can’t have them read things in advance. They were complaining I asked them to find out the name, real name, age, and some stuff about their 20th century pope of choice so they can present it to the class next time they come

I think today went ok, but I don’t know how I’m going to handle the rest of the yr I wish I had signed up sooner so I could have gotten the first graders like I was used to in my old parish.

Hi there! I just stumbled across this thread, and I am completely in the same position! I signed up for RE this year - first time ever teaching - and am doing the 7th/8th grade class. (And I look like I am still in 8th grade, lol). I am only the assistant, but still, I have had them to myself 3 times now. We are using the Faith & Life series. I too have run into the same problem with them not taking their books home. Arg.

So far, I’ve used the teacher’s manual to structure my lessons. Last class went the best - I wore jeans haha, and basically alternated teaching them the material while asking them tons of questions (to get them thinking and to get a feel for what they already know). I also had them look up Scriptures to read out loud that added clarity to the subject matter. (I had to read the catechism quotes b/c they don’t have catechisms???).

I was pleasantly surprised that this casual, conversational format allowed us to cover a lot of material and inspired lots of questions and discussion from them!

 

[yessisan]

haha, I too blend in w/the kids. I look really young for my age and I’m as tall as one of the girls!!! I hope you get thru this ok, I hope I do too. This is my 3rd yr teaching though, but the first time teaching older kids.

I hope I can come up with good ideas so that I can keep them entertained. Good luck!

 

[zaramarie81]

haha, I too blend in w/the kids. I look really young for my age and I’m as tall as one of the girls!!! I hope you get thru this ok, I hope I do too. This is my 3rd yr teaching though, but the first time teaching older kids.

I hope I can come up with good ideas so that I can keep them entertained. Good luck!

Thanks, I hope we make it, too, even if we look like we could be students, haha!!! I think this age group might be kind of fun - we’ll see. They’re old enough to ask some really thoughtful questions.

 

[leonie]

I remember hearing a tape from Fr. Corapi in which a catechist of 8th graders approached in frustration.

The man said that he was teaching the catechism, but the kids weren’t retaining anything much less integrating it into their psyche.

So, Fr. Corapi said, “are you praying for them?”

The catechist said, “yes.”

So, Fr. Corapi sais, “are you praying for them through Our Lady? Are you praying for them in Adoration? Are you fasting for them.”

The catechist was taken aback. He admitted that his prayers had been frequent, but not intense.

In a few weeks, the catechist returned to Fr. Corapi to report that he was now praying for his class in Adoration, through Our Lady and was indeed fasting for them. And, the kids were completely different.

The story made a big impression on me.

 

[zaramarie81]

I remember hearing a tape from Fr. Corapi in which a catechist of 8th graders approached in frustration.

The man said that he was teaching the catechism, but the kids weren’t retaining anything much less integrating it into their psyche.

So, Fr. Corapi said, “are you praying for them?”

The catechist said, “yes.”

So, Fr. Corapi sais, “are you praying for them through Our Lady? Are you praying for them in Adoration? Are you fasting for them.”

The catechist was taken aback. He admitted that his prayers had been frequent, but not intense.

In a few weeks, the catechist returned to Fr. Corapi to report that he was now praying for his class in Adoration, through Our Lady and was indeed fasting for them. And, the kids were completely different.

The story made a big impression on me.

Wow, thank you for sharing this story! I will definitely remember this. I do pray for them but need to dedicate more energy to that. Leave it to Fr. Corapi to give such insight!

 

[kage_ar]

I actually had a class today. I got some stuff off the site from the book, but the bad thing is that they can’t take their books home So I can’t have them read things in advance. They were complaining I asked them to find out the name, real name, age, and some stuff about their 20th century pope of choice so they can present it to the class next time they come .

Next step, arm yourself with bribes. The BEST things I get are from eithe Oriental Trading Company or Autom (stuff like this autom.com/autom/Kids-Teens_304482/Novelties_310741.htm)

Send home a worksheet on 20th Century Popes. Those who bring it back completed next week get a prize.

Ithink today went ok, but I don’t know how I’m going to handle the rest of the yr I wish I had signed up sooner so I could have gotten the first graders like I was used to in my old parish.

Keep going, let them ask lots of questions, if you don’t know the answer, tell them you will get back to them next week.

Don’t try to entertain, work to engage them and enforce the education that they get at home.

And do pray for them, every day, by name.

Also, begin each class with prayer. Go around and ask what their intentions are - this will show them that you GIVE A DARN about them. It also encourages them to pray for one another.

 

[zaramarie81]

Next step, arm yourself with bribes. The BEST things I get are from eithe Oriental Trading Company or Autom (stuff like this autom.com/autom/Kids-Teens_304482/Novelties_310741.htm)

Send home a worksheet on 20th Century Popes. Those who bring it back completed next week get a prize.

Keep going, let them ask lots of questions, if you don’t know the answer, tell them you will get back to them next week.

Don’t try to entertain, work to engage them and enforce the education that they get at home.

And do pray for them, every day, by name.

Also, begin each class with prayer. Go around and ask what their intentions are - this will show them that you GIVE A DARN about them. It also encourages them to pray for one another.

I’m going to pipe in and say thanks for pointing that out - it jogged my memory. Thinking back to when I was in 8th grade, I’ll be honest - I did not like it when teacher’s, especially RE teachers, tried to entertain! I was a pretty serious kid with a lot of questions about the meaning of life and religion and it drove me up the wall when my mom would drop me off to CCD and all we did was play games. (plus I was introverted and a lot of extroverted teachers would pick games they assumed would be fun but were really mortifying to my shy tendencies).

When I think about that, it makes me realize that it’s quite plausible that there are kids in my class that feel just the way I did!!! So yeah, a little fun can be good, even necessary, but don’t feel bad if you aren’t regularly entertaining them!

In regards to prayer requests - great idea. Hadn’t thought of that!

 

[Crystal_H]

First of all, THANK YOU… And Bless you for this…

I am a mom of a 13yr old and have taught RE with the faith first series… I dislike it. ( the book) Pick and Choose the best parts.

My 13yr old is at a point where he thinks he is a grown up a HATES it when “talked down” to. BUT

I think that many of Youth missed out on the wonderful stories of Our Lord. I find that the readings from the Bible are new to many of them and they are really interested. I remind my own that these are not Fiction, but TRUE.
We talk about what their impressions of the reading are and any questions they might have. I also would have Q&A session from a ? box(since so many are shy)

They are smart and have lots of questions and insight.

Thanks,
Crystal

 

[zaramarie81]

First of all, THANK YOU… And Bless you for this…

I am a mom of a 13yr old and have taught RE with the faith first series… I dislike it. ( the book) Pick and Choose the best parts.

My 13yr old is at a point where he thinks he is a grown up a HATES it when “talked down” to. BUT

I think that many of Youth missed out on the wonderful stories of Our Lord. I find that the readings from the Bible are new to many of them and they are really interested. I remind my own that these are not Fiction, but TRUE.
We talk about what their impressions of the reading are and any questions they might have. I also would have Q&A session from a ? box(since so many are shy)

They are smart and have lots of questions and insight.

Thanks,
Crystal

Crystal - you know, I keep seeing this theme of a Q&A box.I had suggested we do something like this earlier this year, but the lead either didn’t understand me or didn’t like the idea. At the time I thought maybe she didn’t want to do this b/c it was a bad idea, but now I keep running into it! Anyway, I do like the Faith and Life series that we are using but yeah…I am only the assistant so I don’t have much say in how we go about things.

It sounds like you had some really compelling ways of bringing the faith alive in your classes!

 

[IrishAm]

My key to teens and pre-teens is to always use the zookeeper’s approach – throw large quantities of food at them and hope they don’t eat you alive!

More practically . . . This is the perfect time of year to a field trip to the local parish cemetery. (It’s great if you can walk to one!) But you have to be prepared ahead of time.

When you arrive, ask the students who is buried there and remind them that SAINTS are buried there. Not saints that are known, like those we celebrate in the liturgy, but plenty of saints who are known only to their families and friends or to their God.

When I used to do this around All Saints and All Souls days, back in the suburbs of Chicago, I talked first about cemetery ettiquette, remembering you were on holy grounds where someone’s loved one was buried. The lesson took a bit of research, but not much. We went around to the spot where priests and other religious were buried (and tied it into famous saints who were priests or nuns), where a young girl who was murdered was (virgen and martyr), where a local banker was (wealthy saints who gave all for their faith), where a female soldier lay (Joan of Arc), and so on. It doesn’t take much to tie real people in a community to real saints they know about. The kids were usually interested in people’s stories, the tombstones, the quotes on some of the stones, etc.

One year, two weeks after the visit, a young man’s father died suddenly. He told me later he was so grateful for the visit to the cemetery. He had never thought about it being the resting place of saints before, and it comforted him when his dad died. He also was able to tell his mother exactly what he wanted on his father’s tombstone. It made me feel God had really used what I thought of as just a “good CCD idea” for his own purposes.

 

[Oshiego_Rod]

How can I keep children of 13 yrs of age entertained? I’ve only taught the first grade class and have no idea how to conduct an 8th grade class!!

We are using the book: Faith First www.faithfirst.com I was given the book on Church and Sacraments. I really don’t like the book but the director wants all the classes to come out of this book.

Please help! Any good ideas??

I’m an 8th grade CCD teacher, and found it quite effective when I tied in the subject matter of the book along with the homily from Sunday’s past Mass while adding my own personal experiences. Also engaged the class to dare to share and to know that their testimonies should be Concise, Clear, and Christ Centered. I also incorporated movies like “The Nativity” for Christmas and “The Passion” during the Lenten Season (Permission slips needed). Hope this helps.