O
Orogeny
Guest
Yep, 35 is still young. It has to be because I keep telling myself that 47 is still young!
Peace
Tim
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Peace
Tim
H
HouseArrest
Guest
That is so great that you are excited about. I know all too many people who are dragged into it and just can’t muster up much enthusiasm. I think it might have something to do with our program but still - it takes a special person to not only tackle teaching Religious Ed but to be thrilled to be doing it as well! Best of luck!Yea! We start class on Sunday!I’m excited although my head is spinning right now. Trying to coordinate with both the DRE and the lady in charge of RCIA is rather interesting, but it will be good.
Prayers for everyone!
C
Corki
Guest
We use the series “Understanding the Catechism” by RCL. It has four parts that are supposed to be four quarters of a high school year. For CCE we do two in 9th and the other two in 10th. I get “The Creed” and “Prayer”. The text is good, the videos just “so-so”. In the first, we are able to discuss a lot of the key issues of Catholicism as they apply to the kids’ lives. In the second, we explore different types of prayer and it is more introspective. It’s a good lead-in to their Confirmation prep.
H
HouseArrest
Guest
My kids’ school uses RCL - I think - the Faith First series?
Do you have an opinion on the Fr. Laux books vs. the Didache Series?
P
puzzleannie
Guest
first day today, went so well, can’t figure out why.
my session coordinators are great, got everybody in the right room with the right books in record time
only 3 catechists were no-shows,
and secretary handled over 50 late registrations with competent, calm expertise. little matter of a crew of fire trucks responding to a call on the next street just as one session ended and the other began, other than that, no traffic problems either.
my session coordinators are great, got everybody in the right room with the right books in record time
only 3 catechists were no-shows,
and secretary handled over 50 late registrations with competent, calm expertise. little matter of a crew of fire trucks responding to a call on the next street just as one session ended and the other began, other than that, no traffic problems either.
J
jmcrae
Guest
I suspect you were probably in a really good mood, for some reason.
I’d have been having a heart attack, right about now.
It’s nice to have a well-trained secretary.
Uh - other than the fire trucks, everything was okay … what kind of vitamins did you take, this morning, and where do you buy those? Just kidding. I’m glad it went well.
M
mommyof4
Guest
3rd graders this year. Very talkative group, too.
A
auntie_me
Guest
Hi,
I will be teaching again (last year was my first year with 3rd graders). We don’t start classes until next month though and I won’t know for another week or so what grade I will have. I’d teach 3rd graders again - I look forward to learning what other teachers have found works to keep the children engaged.
We do have enough volunteers that the classes are small (I had 8 students in my class last year) and for me the biggest challenge was to reach all of them somehow. A couple of them were pretty knowledgeable about the faith, most were somewhat and a couple not at all, so in addition to the book I did a full class on explaining the Mass and did a couple of smaller class-within-a-class on the saints (they liked to hear about their patron saints) and children’s Bible stories.
I will be teaching again (last year was my first year with 3rd graders). We don’t start classes until next month though and I won’t know for another week or so what grade I will have. I’d teach 3rd graders again - I look forward to learning what other teachers have found works to keep the children engaged.
We do have enough volunteers that the classes are small (I had 8 students in my class last year) and for me the biggest challenge was to reach all of them somehow. A couple of them were pretty knowledgeable about the faith, most were somewhat and a couple not at all, so in addition to the book I did a full class on explaining the Mass and did a couple of smaller class-within-a-class on the saints (they liked to hear about their patron saints) and children’s Bible stories.
C
Corki
Guest
I was part of a team that reviewed Faith First among others for our CCE program a few years ago. We decided it was too light and went with Faith and Life. In the mean time, my kids school switched to Faith First - Legacy edition and I have been favorably impressed with the content and context.
I have only seen the Fr. Laux books in catalogs but know homeschoolers who have used them. The Didache books are the texts at our local High School and I have reveiewed them as well. They are excellent, in my opinion. I took a Church History class for adults a few years ago and the teacher said the Didache book on Chuch History was the best in print for general (not deep academic) consumption. Pretty deep for CCE, though.
B
BeeSweet
Guest
This is my second year teaching Kindergarten. Class starts one week from today.
I’ll only be able to teach thru the Christmas season this year, since my baby is due Epiphany 2009. I’ll miss sharing Epiphany with my kiddos this year. Last year we had a King cake every week till the start of Lent. Hopefully baby will be a little late and I can at least share the first King cake with my class and see who gets the baby Jesus and the privilege of buying the next cake. But I’ll sure miss sharing Lent and Easter with them too.
Myself, I just started my second semester of formation towards Christian ministry classes yesterday. We’ve started with Liturgy and Sacraments this semester. It’s so refreshing to be studying the faith again with this wonderful group of people. I’m working towards my catechist certificate.
I’ll only be able to teach thru the Christmas season this year, since my baby is due Epiphany 2009. I’ll miss sharing Epiphany with my kiddos this year. Last year we had a King cake every week till the start of Lent. Hopefully baby will be a little late and I can at least share the first King cake with my class and see who gets the baby Jesus and the privilege of buying the next cake.
But I’ll sure miss sharing Lent and Easter with them too.Myself, I just started my second semester of formation towards Christian ministry classes yesterday. We’ve started with Liturgy and Sacraments this semester. It’s so refreshing to be studying the faith again with this wonderful group of people. I’m working towards my catechist certificate.
U
una_ecclesia
Guest
Ttis is my first time helping out in CCD (pray for me !) and I will be a Catechist aide for our second graders… they will also prepare for their first reconciliation and communion
K
KarenElissa
Guest
Yea! I just got home from our first day. It went pretty well. I had 5 kids and I think I’m supposed to have one more, “everything from barely talks at all” to “oh boy, he is going to be a challenge.” But I’m excited. I can tell I’m going to have to come up with some more active stuff for a couple of the kids though.
But I’m excited. I can tell I’m going to have to come up with some more active stuff for a couple of the kids though.
P
pentecostbaby
Guest
Say prayers!! This is my first time as a catechist (helped mom out when I was younger, tho), and I’m teaching our two candidates for Confirmation… I’m used to working with kids that age, and I’m pretty well educated in the faith, but it’s a big responsibility, and I want to do a much better job than the people who catechised me.
P
puzzleannie
Guest
did I say how wonderful you catechists are, I love you all, you are awesome. be sure to stand up proud on Catechetical Sunday for your blessing.
K
KarenElissa
Guest
And a lot of our wonderfulness comes from having great leaders behind us!
Thanks for all the work you do!
H
HouseArrest
Guest
Thank you. I think I will get myself the Didache books - even if we don’t use them - they sound like something good to have around!
W
water
Guest
My first year - I’ll be an assistant for 6th graders - it is the Sacrament prep class. I am very excited.
C
Corki
Guest
Is Confirmation 6th grade now in Austin? Our new Archbishop is moving to an older age - I wish he would go in the other direction.
M
miamijoe
Guest
This is my first year (assistant for 6th grade) and for the past 2 classes, I’ve been biting my lip wanting to get up and make the class more exciting than it is. Already I sense they are just going through the motions. So tonight we are discussing the “We Believe” series chapter 1 and the teacher is having a hard time trying to explain the 3 pillars of our faith: Scripture, Tradition and the Magisterium… at one point he even said that though the Popes are not individually infallible, that collectively over the years that they wind up “getting it right.” What?!
His description of Tradition was the names of the 3 wise men! What?!? Folks I wanted to get up and just say “YO!” Hold it… let’s talk about Catholic Teaching because throughout the night he kept refering to “I believe” this and “I believe” that.
The kids got I know it, Absolutely Nothing out of tonight’s lesson. I felt like I did back when I was going through CCD when I was young. The lesson plan was to have the kids read silently the first two pages of the chapter, then discuss, then take turns reading aloud the rest of the chapter with sprinkling of discussion.
OK so guess what? He asked me to do the next lesson and I am so fired up! I am definitely going to “review” lesson 1 real quick and tell it the orthodox way and discuss the difference between tradition and "T"radition. I want to discuss how I these kids are truly the “Church Militant” and they need to be equiped properly or else they will lose the battle.
I’m sorry, I could go on. I’m so excited about next Wednesday’s lesson. Just wanted to share that with my fellow Catholics. Oh and at the end while we are walking out of the building we were outside the nun’s office on the way out and the teacher says, there’s some things that he could share with me about (referencing his not agreeing with some teachings of The Church) but he did not want to do it in front of the nun’s office.
WOW!
I just said “hmm” and went on. I want to be humble as he’s been teaching for 7 or so years, so I’ll try to inspire him as well. I don’t think he has a good grasp on The Church. God Bless him for volunteering. Whew. Thanks for listening. I’m going to get to work on my lesson plan for next week!
His description of Tradition was the names of the 3 wise men! What?!? Folks I wanted to get up and just say “YO!” Hold it… let’s talk about Catholic Teaching because throughout the night he kept refering to “I believe” this and “I believe” that.
The kids got I know it, Absolutely Nothing out of tonight’s lesson. I felt like I did back when I was going through CCD when I was young. The lesson plan was to have the kids read silently the first two pages of the chapter, then discuss, then take turns reading aloud the rest of the chapter with sprinkling of discussion.
OK so guess what? He asked me to do the next lesson and I am so fired up! I am definitely going to “review” lesson 1 real quick and tell it the orthodox way and discuss the difference between tradition and "T"radition. I want to discuss how I these kids are truly the “Church Militant” and they need to be equiped properly or else they will lose the battle.
I’m sorry, I could go on. I’m so excited about next Wednesday’s lesson. Just wanted to share that with my fellow Catholics. Oh and at the end while we are walking out of the building we were outside the nun’s office on the way out and the teacher says, there’s some things that he could share with me about (referencing his not agreeing with some teachings of The Church) but he did not want to do it in front of the nun’s office.
WOW!
I just said “hmm” and went on. I want to be humble as he’s been teaching for 7 or so years, so I’ll try to inspire him as well. I don’t think he has a good grasp on The Church. God Bless him for volunteering. Whew. Thanks for listening. I’m going to get to work on my lesson plan for next week!
K
KarenElissa
Guest
Wow, I’m glad you will get to teach! Maybe you’ll get lucky and he will want to at least switch back and forth. I know how hard it can be to just sit back and not jump in when you here something not right, but at the same time you don’t want to step on any ones toes if you are supposed to just be the assistant.
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