First year CCD teacher needs help

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I’m teaching 1st graders. This is my wife and my first time teaching. I’m afraid things are a little dry. We follow our planner but I think we are not keeping the kids interest.

Any suggestions on livening things up a bit? Any help would be greatly appreciated.😃
 
I try to get my 3rd graders up and moving a lot. One thing we do is a pantomime game. They aren’t allowed to talk, but I narrate a Bible story, and they act it out. I usually read it first.

I like this approach. They hear it. I show pictures. And then they act it out–three different learning styles–auditory, visual and kinesthetic.

They love to perform for other classes. We recently sang a ten commandment song for the kindergarten class. And, we did a skit on “Grace” for the other 3rd grade class.

We have a game where we toss a ball to each other. I ask a question, then they answer. If they get it right, they toss it across to another student (we’ve also used buckets).

I think a third Grade class might respond very well to story time–esp. if you get them out of their seats to another comfy area to listen to the story. I’m finding my students don’t know what I would consider commonly known Bible stories. You might want to read a lot of Bible stories. If you served popcorn, it would be even better!

I think this age responds well to anything that can be held–so lots of props would help.
 
spend some time this long weekend with your catechist guide, particularly the section on characteristics of your age group, and different ways to use resources in teaching, and using different methods movement, music, art, crafts, games etc. to test learning and reinforce concepts and aid memory. Ask your DRE if your textbook publisher has a website, there are great helps for catechists there.

sitting at a desk reading a book and answering questions is not going to keep primary grade children interested for very long. The book is your starting point and template, not the beginning and end of the lesson. Spend part of each class going back over previous material, esp. in 1st grade. For instance, you probably introduced the OF, in the first few chapters, so spend some time with creative ways to test their knowledge not just of the words but the meaning of the prayer (I do not mean, take turns reciting it from memory).

Don’t try to teach more than one concept in a lesson. review. evaluate your lesson immediately after each class. 10 minutes doing this before going home will be worth more than an hour planning the next lesson.

flashcards are tried and true
help kids make their own BIG ones size of construction paper, or half a sheet, using pictures you photocopy and they color, or pictures cut from magazines and old calendars. They can do relay races and test each other. I have a huge 11x14 set of flashcards for several topics: the Mass, each sacrament, sacraments in general, prayers, rosary, key events in life of Christ, saints etc. which I have made over the years, or which I have assigned Confirmation candidates to make for me. I “lamintated” them with clear contact paper, some are 20 yrs old and still going strong.

google on Multiple Intelligences or on a teacher’s website or catechist website. the more types of learning style you incorporate in your lessons the better you will serve and engage all the children in the class. Some learn best by listening, reading, writing, drawing, coloring, moving, dancing, manipulating objects, large muscle movement, small muscle movement, watching, echoing, repeating, imitating etc.

example, lesson on Christ the Good Shepherd
read the lesson from the book
do an echo pantomime of Luke’s Gospel
(you recite it with appropriate motions, they mimic your words and motions)
read an illustrated children’s book on the 23rd psalm
make sheep using any of a number of craft ideas (ask your DRE for books).
play a game “hunt the lost sheep” where kids take turns being the shepherd, the sheep hide, and shepherd rounds them up (obviously this is hide and seek, it is all in how you explain the game and the concept of the shepherd caring for the sheep).
sing a song based on the psalm from a children’s CD
(your catechist guide probably has a music CD or video that goes along with it).
take-home sheet with bible story from children’s lectionary on one side, and picture of Jesus the Good Sheperd on the other to color
 
Thanks for the tips. I’ve found a couple of websites with craft ideas. In fact, I just ordered some things from Oriental Trading that we can do to re-enforce our lessons while they have some fun.

I’ll talk to my wife about the pantomime ideas. I’m a bit of an introvert but that should be right up her alley.
 
I just wanted to add that each class or group of children has it’s own personality - some classes need much movement, others, well you just totally lose them if you do the movement.

I am currently teaching 6th graders and one of their moms remembered that I taught him Kindergarden:eek:. I really like working with the 5,6,7 year olds but am finding this group of 6th graders to be enjoyable as well.

Some of the things I have done in the past is for each part of the lesson sit in a different part of the classroom if this is possible. I used to have the room that used to be the nursery so we had carpet squares we could sit on for “story time” which is where I introduced the concept for the day, we could move the tables (that were their size) to make room for acting a story out - the pantomime idea worked well here, then we would move the tables back to where they belonged and we would do a craft that centered around the concept/lesson of the day.

OP, you got it right now, Oriental Trading has some great inexpensive crafts to do with your children. They have these strips for making a paper chain that you can divide up into 25 pieces per child and put in an envelope, tell them to add one each day until Christmas, when Christmas is here, their envelope should be empty and they will have a paper chain to help decorate their house for Christmas - or you could have them put the chains together during class and tell them to take one off each day until Christmas starting Dec. 1.

If you want other craft ideas let me know - hint, start saving your tp roll tubes, four for each child - get the parents to help you because you don’t have enough time before Advent starts!

Brenda V.
 
setonbooks.com/viewone.php?ToView=P-AR01-11

for crafts. It’s pretty simple, but really elegant. I love the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart crafts. It is tied into the liturgical calendar.

We also do a Bible shout in my class. When I sense the kids have been sitting too long or as a transition to another activity, I have them stand. Then they shout words from a Bible verse.

I read some of the words. For example, in John 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his… I would read the words in a normal voice and they shout the bold words.

They love this! I have warned the teacher next to us. And, as a joke, I tell the kids that I want them to make the class adjacent to us, jump!
 
crafts are great but don’t use them as time fillers
choose them with care to illustrate or reinforce a concept in the lesson in a concreate way
take time to make the connection clear to the children
my 7th graders suprised me last night by remembering some games and activities we did at an Advent retreat when they were elementary CCD that related to the Jesse tree and the OT personages and stories that pre-figured Christ.

choose crafts appropriate to your age and skill level
do not become a Hobby Lobby or Oriental Trading junkie–it is easy to do and you can find yourself spending way too much of your own money on this stuff.
see what your DRE has in the supply cupboard you can use and use the craft kits in stores as inspiration.

don’t make craft time the focal point of the lesson, make sure the teaching is done first, and using the finished craft, evalute the lesson, their learning and retention of the concepts.

next time boys and girls we will discuss videos, when, how and how not to use them in RE class.
 
Maybe telling Bible stories with illustrations: felt pictures stuck to a flannel board? I remember doing this at home with my Mom and my brother to prepare for the coming Sunday’s readings.

Source picked completely at random after googling “bible stories felt pictures:”
time4felt.com/bible-set.html

Distribute Parts of the Mass or Stations of the Cross or the Ten Commandments cut out into un-numbered pieces of paper, and the kids have to get up and figure out what order to put them in by standing in line in the proper order. This gets them up and moving. This is a common reading comprehension exercise that could be done with any Bible story: cutting any story up into ten un-numbered parts, and the kids have to put them in the correct order.

Many kids love to sing, especially if there are hand or body motions to act out. Teach them children’s hymns or psalms several weeks for the same song, so it becomes familiar to them, before moving on to learning the next song. Of course, pick a song relevant to the theme of those several weeks’ activities or learning topic.

What is the specific topic or over-arching theme for first grade? For example, Old Testament, New Testament, Sacraments, etc.? Maybe I could give more specific ideas.
 
puzzleannie said:
crafts are great but don’t use them as time fillers…
Click to expand...
Great point. I really like the Seton book that I posted up above because it makes a visual image of a spiritual concept. I done any crafts with my 3rd graders though because crafts are so time intensive. I have so much to cover. Every minute is a treasure.

It’s sometimes discouraging because I’ll put so much into a lesson and the next week, they don’t see to remember it. Now we are in the middle of a two week break. I don’t really expect them to remember anything I covered last week on King David.
I’ll probably spend half the class on review.

That’s why I say pick 4 or 5 things you really want them to learn and just build on those concepts in a spiral fashion for the entire year.

Before I started this year, I assumed that the kids would at least know basic Catholic cultural things. I was shocked to know that they didn’t know:
  1. what a pope was–much less who he is.
  2. What the apostles are, much less who they are
  3. Well known Bible stories–Adam and Eve, Abraham, Moses, David (not even David and Goliath)
  4. Any of the stories of the Exodus
  5. The Blessed Trinity
  6. What Grace is
Of course, seeing how they forget things from week to week, I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m sure that they have covered these things in previous Sunday School classes. One hour a week for 30 weeks or so just doesn’t cut it.

If I were a single person without my family responsibilities, I’d try to visit and bring catechetical materials to the parents, so the living the Catholic faith would become a bigger part of their daily lives. I think parishes using the Whole Community Catechesis Concept are on the right track, but some of the models are so lousy. 😦

I was listening to a Fr. Corapi tape in which he tells the story of a catechist who came to him in dispair over his class. Fr. Corapi challenged him to pray, fast, do Adoration for them, consecrate them to the Blessed Mother. The Catechist was shocked.

He had been planning lessons and putting his whole self into it, but had forgotten to use the spiritual tools. After a few weeks of intense spiritual battle, his class became receptive and excited about the faith.

So, use your spiritual tools first.

And, I’ll pray for your class if you’ll pray for mine 🙂
 
here’s a game to introduce the kids to the Pope. First place a picture of St. Peter and Pope Benedict up.

Tell a quick story of St. Peter–tell them how Jesus changed his name from Simon to Peter.

Now, play Simon Peter Says. It’s just like Simon says, but you say Simon Peter says instead of Simon says.

Be sure to tell we do what the Pope says just like in the game. 🙂

It’s a good time filler, too. Or to use when they seem antsy. Or, in transition to another activity.
 
puzzleannie said:
crafts are great but don’t use them as time fillers
choose them with care to illustrate or reinforce a concept in the lesson in a concreate way
take time to make the connection clear to the children
my 7th graders suprised me last night by remembering some games and activities we did at an Advent retreat when they were elementary CCD that related to the Jesse tree and the OT personages and stories that pre-figured Christ.

choose crafts appropriate to your age and skill level
do not become a Hobby Lobby or Oriental Trading junkie–it is easy to do and you can find yourself spending way too much of your own money on this stuff.
see what your DRE has in the supply cupboard you can use and use the craft kits in stores as inspiration.

don’t make craft time the focal point of the lesson, make sure the teaching is done first, and using the finished craft, evalute the lesson, their learning and retention of the concepts.

next time boys and girls we will discuss videos, when, how and how not to use them in RE class.
Click to expand...
Good points. I could see how it would be easy to fall into turning a learning experience into ‘art’s & crafts’ class.

Please DO give the info on videos. Our DRE recommends using them.🙂
 
Have you heard of the multiple intellegencies. I tell my catechists that they need to be aware of the different type of learners that are in each and every class you will ever teach.

You know that there are things that you like to do yourself. Those things express the way you learn best.

Some people are vissual, verbal, kinstetic, logical, musical, artistic, interpersonal, or intrapersonal. Or any combination of those things.

I always try to do a variety of things in a systematic way. Example:
  1. Opening Prayer (with music or singing if possible.) (5 min.)
  2. Ice Breaker (an activity that gets them moving or talking and relates to the topic of the night.) (5 -10 min.) Movement idea: A copy of a printed picture or artwork related to the night that is cut up into puzzle pieces, one for each student. Then as a class they work to put together. Talking idea: 2 second interviews where they turn to a neighbor and share what they already know about a word or topic. Then trade places and other shares. (give longer period of time for older students.
  3. Teaching Time: Might be reading or writing excercise from the textbook. (10 - 15 min.)
  4. Reenforcement Activity (10 - 15 min.): A quiz game like Beach Ball Mania. Kids of all ages love this game. Each section of the ball represents a different catagory, like definition, word, question, prayer, etc. Students sit on top of desks (if possible) or in a circle of charis. The beach ball is tossed back and forth and they answer questions related to the topic or chapter being covered. (Great review of stuff just covered.)
    Also good for that age group is Charades using the words and concepts just covered.
    Or Craft time, Or Bible Skit, etc.
  5. Teaching Time: More reading or writing excercise from textbook. (10 min. Max)
  6. Prayer time (5 min.): A good closing using prayers that students might be learning or that match the liturgical season.
Basically I keep this phrase in my head, “if they see, hear it, smell it, eat it, sing it, play it, touch it, they might remember it.”
The best thing to do though is to remember that Jesus and the Holy Spirit is really the one in charge. He will touch them the way He sees best. You just do the best you can and give Him all the glory.

What a fun age, I work with 6th - 12th graders, which is a whole other ballgame, esspecially in this day and age. :knight2: Blessings and you are in my prayers. Please keep me in yours! :blessyou:
 
I’m baaaaack

first resist the temptation to do Christmas activities during Advent, don’t confuse the Church seasons, they will get Christmas up the wazoo, focus on the current liturgical season

2nd, OP is teaching first graders. teach what the 1st grade text and diocesan curriculum guidelines cover, do not try to teach what is presented in older grades now. for now it is basis prayers and practices, the simple story of creation, the fall, redemption, who is the Father, who is Jesus, who is the Holy Spirit. they do not need an in depth catechesis on the Mass, they will get that next year, they do need how to attend Mass, should be getting it from parents. Make the point and reinforce it continually to parents: if they are not attending Mass they are not preparing for first communion. Introduce the prayers, the parents should be teaching them at home. Send home sheets 4 times a year: Johnny does or does not know these basic prayers. Please work with him, and send this sheet back signed when he does learn them.

teach the meaning of the words of the prayers, not just rote memorization of random sounds.

if you have a few minutes left and the choice of presenting more material, coloring or craft, or prayer, always choose the prayer.

VIDEOS
be careful and be creative and don’t get in the 9th grade social studies teacher habit of relying on videos as the backbone of a lesson.

good use:
to introduce a concept
5 minutes for primary
7-10 minutes for middle grades
15 min for Jr. High
20-30 min Max for HS or adult.

bad use:
more than 20-30 minutes at a time for any age group.

exception: special occasions, such as a video on O. L of Guadalupe or saint or Veggie tales, or another seasonal topic with snacks in a large group when some catechists did not show up and DRE is desperate.

the video is to give a short intro on a topic to
start discussion
lead into the main lesson
or to reinforce and recall the previous lesson or concept

i.e.
get the Jesus movie, handed out free by evangelical churches, not to show the whole thing, but topical
show the scene of Christ’s baptism by John to begin (or recall) a lesson on Baptism.
show the Last Supper scene to begin (or recall) a lesson on Eucharist or Mass

insist that video time is quiet learning time and they must be attentive
ask questions that make them recall what they saw and heard
what did Jesus say?
what were the people wearing, eating, doing?
what did the woman do?
where were the apostles sitting?

a video on a bible topic works best with children on the Ignatian method (which also applies to a coloring sheet on a scripture topic, for instance)
that is, the form of meditation in which we place ourselves somewhere in the story.
i.e. bible coloring sheet
first read the bible story from a children’s lectionary or source
talk about the picture, who is in it, what are they doing, why
next, before you color, think about where you would be in this picture
are you one of the children? one of the apostles? in the house? in the boat? (whatever is appropriate)
draw yourself in the picture, then color the picture

same technique applies to a video
introduce the video
give some things to watch for
“find Jesus in this movie, and watch what he does”
“look for Peter, and listen to what he says”

then ask questions after the video to see if they observed what you intended them to see.

bad use: video as time waster, same as crafts.
bad use: video use without first previewing the video, I will never forget the time somebody lent me a home-move video of World Youth day, which and been recorded over a tape of some, shall we say, embarrassing party footage.
 
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