CCD Teachers...hellpppp

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Hi Everyone,
I was hoping I might be able to get some advice from those of you who teach a CCD class. I was asked to teach a CCD class on the new testament to 7th graders, and I said yes. Mind you, I have no experience with this age group. I’ve been trying to be creative, using contemporary christian music, catechism games, etc., to make it “fun”. However, I need some help with the fine line between fun and total chaos!! Initially, I was so sad that no one said anything, no one spoke up…now, I can’t get them to stick to the subject…stop chittering, pay attention. I’ve looked for websites, workbooks, etc. If anyone has some advice, websites, ideas, ANYTHING…please help. I don’t want to lecture for 75 minutes with no response, but I don’t know how to make it relevant without them walking all over me. Arrrrghhhhh!
 
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tcay584:
Hi Everyone,
I was hoping I might be able to get some advice from those of you who teach a CCD class. I was asked to teach a CCD class on the new testament to 7th graders, and I said yes. Mind you, I have no experience with this age group. I’ve been trying to be creative, using contemporary christian music, catechism games, etc., to make it “fun”. However, I need some help with the fine line between fun and total chaos!! Initially, I was so sad that no one said anything, no one spoke up…now, I can’t get them to stick to the subject…stop chittering, pay attention. I’ve looked for websites, workbooks, etc. If anyone has some advice, websites, ideas, ANYTHING…please help. I don’t want to lecture for 75 minutes with no response, but I don’t know how to make it relevant without them walking all over me. Arrrrghhhhh!
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Do you have a text book…if so what series? I taught 7th grade CCD for 3 years and we used the Faith First Series by Oregon Press. The 7th grade in this series focus was on The Creed and Prayer. I used videos and I used music that was offered with this series. The CD’s name is By Request and had a lot of songs which spoke to that age group. I also used the musical version of the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. We prayed The Rosary with the Scriptures…sometimes I played Gregorian Chant and Patestrina for them…depending on what the lesson was on …There are so many things you can do! Hope this helps.
 
NCE has some wonderful colful yet pure truth in our Roman Catholic faith. Iuse them for K through 4th and have looked at the older books they are wonderful. You can fid them on line under National Catholic Educator.
 
Faith First has a great web site too… I used it when I was running out of ideas. 7th graders, hum… I taught, K, 1st, 3rd, and 4th… I am sorry I can’t help on that. I will think though. Maybe something will light up that bulb in my head.
 
I would not recommend anything from Oregon press, simply judging by their liturgical resources. First, find out what texts are approved in your diocese, and go from there. We use Christ Our Life from Loyola Press, the 7th grade text is on the New Testament and Life of Christ and is excellent, with a companion booklet with additional resources and activities. Your goal here, as in all catechesis, is to lead your kids to knowledge of and relationship with Jesus Christ. This is their chance to hear the fullness of the Gospel message before they begin their confirmation preparation.

Your basis text is the New Testament, make sure they all have a copy (good cheap paperbacks available from American bible society, make sure you get a Catholic edition).

they need practice “looking things up” and finding their way around the bible. they love dramatizing parables and scenes from the life of Christ, or any creative, artistic ways of expressing what they hear and learn.

the team approach, otherwise known as small groups, works very well here.

Teen Guide to the Bible by Fr. Alfred McBride from OSV is very good for YOU to help you know how to teach it.

The Jesus video adaptation of Luke’s gospel is an excellent way to begin each lesson, either with a clip of the scene you are going to study, or watching the whole thing over several class periods, followed by discussion and further activities.
 
Each week assign them a 10-15 minute lesson to teach. Then then will appreciate what you ar egoing through, plus it helps the time pass and the children feel they are involved.
 
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tcay584:
Hi Everyone,
I was hoping I might be able to get some advice from those of you who teach a CCD class. I was asked to teach a CCD class on the new testament to 7th graders, and I said yes. Mind you, I have no experience with this age group. I’ve been trying to be creative, using contemporary christian music, catechism games, etc., to make it “fun”. However, I need some help with the fine line between fun and total chaos!! Initially, I was so sad that no one said anything, no one spoke up…now, I can’t get them to stick to the subject…stop chittering, pay attention. I’ve looked for websites, workbooks, etc. If anyone has some advice, websites, ideas, ANYTHING…please help. I don’t want to lecture for 75 minutes with no response, but I don’t know how to make it relevant without them walking all over me. Arrrrghhhhh!
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i teach the exact same class and same grade level. the way i’ve done it is to connect with them on their level, im only 21 so my age is a big advantage for me with them. however you have to maintain your authority while still being their friend and make it as fun as you possibly can. one thing i do is at the end of every four sections in the book i play a review game where i split the kids into two teams (they each name their team after church figures saints,popes etc…) and go to the questions in the back of the book and ask them, the first one to stand up answers, if he’s wrong a player from the other team gets to try. they play for points and the prizes are usually prayer cards or rosaries. i also have my kids keep a weekly journal, they write to me about what they did that week to enrich their lives with Jesus, i get great things from them and it makes them mindful of their holy journey.

i also have the kids write about their meditation period. once a week i ask them to find a quiet place in their home and pray or meditate or pray the rosary and they write to me about that experiance.

if their getting to lose, yank the reins on them a bit. just tell them “guys i wanna have a good time in here to but we’ve got work to do, we can do it in a fun way if yall act right or we can do it from the book with quizes if yall cant.”

above all make them understand the beauty and love of their faith and the love and mercy of Christ. dont brow beat them. this age is SO not ready for that. feel free to PM me if i can help more or post what ever you want i’d be glad to help.
 
i also taught the kids to pray for each other, and have had several of the other teachers trying this aswell.

once a month i take the kids to the chapel. before going they right a prayer request. i then collect the prayer requests and pass them out to different kids. each child has someone elses prayer requests. the kids know not to look, they are very respectful of this ( i discussed it with them before we went the first time) they then go to chapel, the geneflect, and kneel quietly on their seats, i sit directly behind them and prayer for my students, i que the first kid to go, they go up before the eucharist kneel on the kneeler say a pray and put the paper in the prayer request basket. and they all go one at a time. we then quietly say a hail mary together and leave. the kids have told me that it feels good to pray for someone else. i also think that this gives them some respect for the chapel. i even have one student who enjoys it so much he has his dad drop him off a half hour early so he can spend that time in the chapel before class. a lot of the kids didnt even know where the chapel was or what to do in there. so its been great to see that learning process in them.
 
Everything was going great with my 8th grade class until week 7. They were terrible, sassy, talkative, disruptive. The DRE wasn’t there that particular evening so I was on my own. As a stressed out hormonal pg woman, I decided to call the parents and ask for support. RESULT: The next class they were perfect angels and participated every step of the way. The kids that ordinarily didn’t participate were the best.

Good luck…
 
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puzzleannie:
I would not recommend anything from Oregon press, simply judging by their liturgical resources. …
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Hi Annie,
Now you have me worried…I have high regard for your opinion… so was I teaching something that wasn’t doctrinally sound? It’s what my archdiocese uses… Last year, the DRE decided to go w/ Sadlier:eek: My poor children went to Catholic schools in the 70s with that awful stuff (The Big Apple Thingy)! So I told her thank you very much, but I’d much prefer to stay with what I knew…:confused: So I guess I was wrong…
Please let me know. Thanks,
Annunciata:)
 
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puppylove:
Everything was going great with my 8th grade class until week 7. They were terrible, sassy, talkative, disruptive. The DRE wasn’t there that particular evening so I was on my own. As a stressed out hormonal pg woman, I decided to call the parents and ask for support. RESULT: The next class they were perfect angels and participated every step of the way. The kids that ordinarily didn’t participate were the best.

Good luck…
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Glad to hear from you. Been praying for your success.
 
Sadlier, SilverBurdett and Loyola are the only 3 approved texts in our diocese for grades 1-8. Of those, Loyola is the best. The best series bar none is Faith and Life by Ignatius Press, or it’s companion series, Image of God. F&L more for Catholic schools, or those reading at or above grade level. IOG more for CCD, or those reading at or below grade level. Unfortunately not available in Spanish yet.

People here with more experience in liturgy and music would have better comment on Oregon Press, but I am appalled by some of their stuff that comes across my desk.

If you are forced to use a less than ideal text, supplement with good videos and other resources to remedy deficiencies. Never criticize the book to the kids, just present a lesson that fills in the blanks for them.

thinking of you tonight, when I was at JR HI CCD. We meet in the Catholic school, and in the hallway are hanging banners some class has made illustrating fairy tales. Why couldn’t your kids make banners to illustrate life of Christ, parables, mysteries of the Rosary etc. Felt, hot glue, decorations, colored pictures from coloring books, odds and ends were used. Each illustration is in 4 panels like a comic strip. They could work in teams (adults on the hot glue, please. NEVER give a 7th grade boy a hot glue gun, trust me)
 
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puzzleannie:
…People here with more experience in liturgy and music would have better comment on Oregon Press, but I am appalled by some of their stuff that comes across my desk…
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Like what is so appalling? I never caught anything…then again I’m probably not as up on things as you are?
God Bless, Annunciata:)
 
Wow!

Thanks so much for all your (name removed by moderator)ut! I’ve read so many threads that criticise ( not necessarily this forum) CCD teachers, that I was worried about posting at all. I want to be able to approach the gospels in a relevant manner, but I feel soooooo stonewalled. Sometimes, I just want to screech in frustration:) Catholicism has become such a central part of my life…the missing part for so many years…that I want to share it. However, as a lovely lady in this forum mentioned, I don’t want to browbeat this age group and turn them off. I’m 32, but my CCD kids are 7th grade, so I wonder if I can remember…seems so long ago:) Please don’t take my lack of response as a lack of interest…I’m checking out all the advice I’ve gotten so I can implement it into this curriculum. Thanks again for all your help, please keep it coming…this is harder than any of my courses or research…or anything…but how cool…
 
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Annunciata:
Like what is so appalling? I never caught anything…then again I’m probably not as up on things as you are?
God Bless, Annunciata:)
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theologically flawed hymn lyrics, agenda-pushing intros to scriptures, PC prayers of the faithful. The hymn and missalette issues have been addressed elsewhere here by people more knowledgeable than I, maybe search for Oregon Press, and see comments of others.
 
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asquared:
theologically flawed hymn lyrics, agenda-pushing intros to scriptures, PC prayers of the faithful. The hymn and missalette issues have been addressed elsewhere here by people more knowledgeable than I, maybe search for Oregon Press, and see comments of others.
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Hi,
I know about the hymn thing and I agree. I was speaking of the text that I used and am feeling uneasy that maybe I was teaching something against doctrine without knowing it:eek:! I have taught the Faith for 30 years and have always been careful to teach according to the Church…Call it scrupulosity on my part…but I’m really feeling awful that this text could not be in line with true Church Teaching.😦
God Bless, Annunciata:)
 
anybody who wants to badmouth catechists will have to answer to me, I may become the Cest of CCD-defenders. Your pastor has ultimate responsibility, under the authority of his bishop, for teaching and preaching in his parish, and it is CCD that reaches the most kids and families (outside of Mass). Your DRE has the responsibility of confirming texts, resources, and catechist formation to the mind of the pastor. He or she should be guiding you on these matters. sounds like your basic grounding in the faith is good, and you need help with pedagogical problems more than content. Best help is your DRE and veteran catechists, what works, what doesn’t. Loyola’s texts have a terrific catechist manual that has all kinds of suggestions, and a section on what to expect from your grade level and how to teach them.
 
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tcay584:
Hi Everyone,
I was hoping I might be able to get some advice from those of you who teach a CCD class. I was asked to teach a CCD class on the new testament to 7th graders, and I said yes. Mind you, I have no experience with this age group. I’ve been trying to be creative, using contemporary christian music, catechism games, etc., to make it “fun”. However, I need some help with the fine line between fun and total chaos!! Initially, I was so sad that no one said anything, no one spoke up…now, I can’t get them to stick to the subject…stop chittering, pay attention. I’ve looked for websites, workbooks, etc. If anyone has some advice, websites, ideas, ANYTHING…please help. I don’t want to lecture for 75 minutes with no response, but I don’t know how to make it relevant without them walking all over me. Arrrrghhhhh!
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I teach 8th grade, and I understand your concerns. I too do not have experience, but I will share with you some of what has worked. I am using the mysteries of the Rosary to teach the class. For example in the Annuciation we spkoe about what a mystery was, what Grace is, the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Mother, the Incarnation, the virtue of humility. I try to speak for only 30 to 45 minutes, then to help them absorb the information we play a Jeporady game, with categories and questions from that days talk. As I go forward, I keep those questions on future games. I hope this helps.

Of course, pray for God’s Grace, Mary’s intercession, and for the kids. I usually pray in front of Our Blessed Mother right before going to class, and spend time in front of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

Peace
 
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