Advice from other CCD teachers

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brishen

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Hi All, This is my first year teaching CCD, two classes of 7th graders. My first class is about 10 boys and while they are all sweet, it is very hard to maintain any order or discipline as I have no leverage (grades, parental concern, etc…). The second class (which includes girls) is very respectful, does HW, doesn’t interrupt, etc… Any ideas about what has worked for you? Last class it took almost 20 min to get through the opening prayer because of constant outbursts and interruptions (some do have LD, but they tend to be the least of the offenders…), and it’s getting discouraging. Thanks for any thoughts!
 
Don’t sit at desks.
Kids at that age, the last thing they want to do is go to school AGAIN.
Round table discussion, classes outside, more conversational and no reading out of the book!
Relational instruction works much better for them. Also, include some interesting videos of MOdern Day saints, and challenge them with questions like “what would YOU have done?”
Service projects to illustrate the works of mercy, and refreshers on Reconciliation.
 
show the boys stories of saints like them. maximilian Kolbe, pier giorgio frassati, fr. gereon goldmann, and others- make the faith masculine for them.
 
pianistclare said:
Round table discussion, classes outside, more conversational and no reading out of the book!

Relational instruction works much better for them. Also, include some interesting videos of MOdern Day saints, and challenge them with questions like “what would YOU have done?”
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Thanks for the quick reply! We use the classrooms of our parish school which is not attached to the Church (I’ve wanted to take them over there to show them some things pertaining to questions they ask) and we are not allowed to take them out of the building…I have put the desks in more of a square formation (all pushed together) and I sit with them, but some boys refuse to sit with us, etc…lol. Thanks for the ideas though, I have been known sometimes to have them read aloud from the book just to have some quiet and get through a little material…I’ll have to be more creative even when frustrated.
 
Thanks, I did make all the kids binders at the beginning and made the front cover insert a picture of a saint with their name (Max got Maximilian Kobe, Juan, St Juan Diego, etc…) not saying that your idea isn’t great, just that I totally see your point…I have noticed there is a gender disparity in church involvement (at least in my Parish), so it’s especially important to me the boys don’t see this as a threat to their masculinity or natural proclivities.
 
What do you mean refuses to sit with you??? Call their parent. NOt funny. PArents expect them to cooperate and you deserve a decent environment in which to teach those who are clearly only there because someone forced them. If there is no backup from Mom or Dad, enlist the help of the DRE.

I STRONGLY recommend having your lesson plan put together before class:
I: one major point you want to get across
II: a couple of catechism references to back that up (helps them learn to navigate it)
III: Scripture passages for the same reason
IV: video clip

first 5 min: greeting, icebreaker game, birthday acknowledgments if any
next 15 mins TOPIC for the day
then 10 min small group discussion, with maybe a poster-sized post it for them to note or draw their ideas
10 mins sharing ideas
10 mins break for fruit or drink
15 mins prayer and prayer intentions
Goodbye, no homework.

Unless you have a 2 hour class, then add on accordingly.
Use the book for your own planning.
 
YEP:grinning:

With over 10 years of experience in grades 5 through HS

HAVE A “co-teacher” ENFORCER; I taught and by Bride handled the discipline.

I’m only half-kidding: 10 BOYS and 1 TEACHER aint gonna do it short of a miracle. Get another ADULT in the CR with you.

The only other way is to THREATEN to call parents of kids that don’t toe the line and DO IT [but this is a poor second choice]

Keep the class moving and FAST PACED; kids are trained for immediate results. I ALWAYS has several other go topics to fall back in if topic #1 didn’t have traction.

May God guide your Ministry and THANKS, don’t give up. I often had to detour from the SCRIPT; be prepared to do that and TRY to get them involved in TASK for you.

Blessings

Patrick
 
Thanks so much for your time to reply…I do make lesson plans, often weeks in advance, use other curriculums, etc to add to content…hard when this first class is so unruly I can’y get through even beginning of plan…totally acknowledge it;s my fault—I’m the adult, doesn’t make easier.
 
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Then you must employ the help of your DRE. There is likely a disruption policy.
The parent won’t tolerate this in regular school, there should be no lack of cooperation in Faith Formation classes. CLasses can be fun, but everyone has to be on the same page.
God bless you. MIddle school is one of the most rewarding classes for Catechists.
 
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1 Corinthians 14:40 but all things should be done decently and in order.

Hi @brishen
Please put things in order and organize the teaching in a systematic scheduled,right from introductory opening prayer, Our Father ,Hail Mary and Glory be to God…end also likewise,it should not be too long, asking the intersession prayer from different prayers,you can teach the Catholicism of the Catholic ,combined with related Bible verses and different topic covering major important subjects like parables ,God’s love ,mercy, Mother Mary, the Catholic Church,Saints of the Day,Ethics and morals,reverence in the Church, Sacraments, the Rosary and other Catholic teaching.and also the presence of God and make them realize that God is watching them constantly and protecting them,ask the boys who are most trouble some to read any passage of the bible or Saint of the day etc God bless
 
Incentive: “If we stay on task we can do the homework at the end of class” (but not every class)

A quick overview of “peer mediation,” that kids can tell kids to get back on task for a reward (homework in class) can support this initiative
 
The last thing you want to do is to give homework in Faith Formation.
  1. they won’t do it
  2. they will resent it
  3. you want them talking to YOU…sharing their doubts, peer pressures, and asking questions about the faith. It’s interactive, not a lecture. You have a unique opportunity to set them on fire for the faith.
    It’s not like Mon-Fri school. Walk with them on their faith journey. Homework does nothing if they have no idea what you are talking about, and I’ll bet they really know very little thus far.
    Prayer time can be started with the rote prayers, but encourage them to open up by praying spontaneously for their friends, teams, parents, teachers. Whatever you do, don’t
    attempt to make deals with them. You’ll lose every time. God bless.
 
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THIS

Remember, our primary task in this life is to evangelize. You are there to flame the spark of the Holy Spirit in these kids to know, love and serve God.
 
[lighthearted post]

You’re teaching 7th graders about CCDs?!!! COOL!!
Charged Coupled Devices make awesome camera sensors, but they do suffer from some slowness, due to their inherent method of reading the pixels.
CMOS tech is now mature enough for them to compete with CCDs in terms of noise, while being much faster at the readout and allowing you to choose to readout a subsection of the sensor.

As it is with every type of teaching, the difficult part is making them want to learn what you’re teaching. Some kids are drawn in by your enthusiasm; some are drawn in by treats; some need audio-visual stimulation, some require nudging their egos a bit higher, by asking questions that they know the answers to.
There’s no silver bullet for everyone, given the the old-skool slap is out of the picture 😛
 
Our duty is to follow Christ, get to heaven and show others the way. That (showing others) is called Evangelization. It is so important that Christ’s last words before He Ascended were the Great Commission!

Throughout the New Testament we are commanded to evangelize:

Let your light shine before all men that they see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
 
THEN PLAY CALLING THE PARENTS CARD; but 1st Discuss your problems with your DRE [and or] Pastor

This can ONLY be played when you follow through on it.

Sound like you have the PREP covered!😁

MAY BE start each class with Prayer and then ASK if anyone has ANY religious questions; and see if that helps? BUT you REALLY should ask the DRE for an assistant ASAP

You can also TRY the HARD BALL Approach:

Tell them FIRMLY TO SHUT UP & PAY ATTENTION or go to the principles office [which I assume is manned]

BUT YOU HAVE TO EXERT YOURSELF AND TAKE CONTROL

Pray very much before class; I used to attend daily MAss the day of Class [my job permitted me to]

May God Guide your path

Patrick
 
Thanks all for your replies, hopefully this new year I can do a bit better. I really want these kids to have a good experience as after next year most will “drop out” of Church for at least a while after Confirmation.
 
I teach 4th grade CCD and for me it’s actually much harder to keep the kids under control when their desks are grouped together. Much much easier to keep them sitting in rows and with a namecard where I want them to sit. There are a few kids that I would always be threatening and hauling to the DRE office if they got to sit beside whomever they wanted, haha. I also second having an assistant, it’s invaluable especially since at my parish kids cannot go to the bathroom during class unattended. We have a curriculum book we are supposed to follow so I teach the subject at hand, but I am free to add in related games and activities, which I do plan at least one for each class. Many times they pair up for these while leaving their desks in place, with no problems. The kids seem to enjoy taking turns reading out loud, and also taking turns answering the questions and activities. It’s been a very fun year so far, with just a couple of kids that can be hard to control. I do send a worksheet home each week, with the kids knowing that there will be a prize at the end of the year for whoever completes them all. Most of them have been motivated to complete it 🙂
 
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