Sixth Grade Catechist Support Group!

[mercygate]

Help! I was drafted on 30 hours notice to teach 6th Grade CCD.

The materials “We Believe” look OK. And for the first session, which included parents, I waved a copy of the Catechism and a copy of Catholicism for Dummies in the air, recommending them as resources for mom & dad.

I told 'em that, even their personal experience was better, their generation had been widely neglected in the catechesis department and not to be shy about asking questions. I gave the example from another thread on confession of a forum member, a church-attending Catholic, who had not been to confession since Confirmation and did not know it was a Sacrament! :bigyikes:

Our catechetical materials feature the Old Testament.

Any advice out there, my friends?

 

[kimullen]

This is my second year teaching 6th grade ccd. Here is what I have found that works.
First get a copy of Harry K. Wong’s book The First Days of School. He can be found at www.harrywong.com. He gives straightforward, simple ways to maintain order in the classroom through clear rules and procedures. I wasted a lot of time last year trying to keep order! Second, don’t confine yourself to the textbook and don’t try to cover the whole textbook. Kids this age need lots of reinforcement of ideas. For example, last year after we covered the Exodus, the class celebrated a Seder meal with a Seder guide geared towards kids their age. This year I would love to have a Rabbi come talk to the class. After all, in order to be a good Catholic, one must be a good Jew. The kids love seeing the connection between Jewish customs and Catholic traditions.

Finally, pray for all of your students and pray that Jesus takes over the class. Remember, you are planting seeds that may not bear fruit for years to come.

Kristen

 

[Peace-bwu]

Can I join the support group? I will be teaching 5th Grade CCD this year. That is probably close enough!

 

[puzzleannie]

6th grade usually focuses on the OT, and may be the last time they have a chance to delve into salvation history. Make sure they get the whole picture, perhaps building a bible timeline as you go along. seasonal activities can support the syllabus, such as a Jesse tree for advent. Try a little elementary typology, using Moses and David as examples, to get the message across that the OT prefigures Jesus.

Give them lots of practice looking up bible verses, make up games like “find 10 foods in the bible” or “find 10 animals in the bible” for teams with little prizes. The idea is to get them famliar with where the books are and how to negotiate their way thru the bible. Form drama teams to take turns acting out bible stories, pick up some fabric remnants at walmart to make simple poncho-style costumes. Gather some unlikely props to use for setting bible stories in modern times.

From time to time, come to class dressed as and in character as a bible personage, have them guess who you are by hints you drop.

 

[mercygate]

6th grade usually focuses on the OT, and may be the last time they have a chance to delve into salvation history. Make sure they get the whole picture, perhaps building a bible timeline as you go along. seasonal activities can support the syllabus, such as a Jesse tree for advent. Try a little elementary typology, using Moses and David as examples, to get the message across that the OT prefigures Jesus.

Give them lots of practice looking up bible verses, make up games like “find 10 foods in the bible” or “find 10 animals in the bible” for teams with little prizes. The idea is to get them famliar with where the books are and how to negotiate their way thru the bible. Form drama teams to take turns acting out bible stories, pick up some fabric remnants at walmart to make simple poncho-style costumes. Gather some unlikely props to use for setting bible stories in modern times.

From time to time, come to class dressed as and in character as a bible personage, have them guess who you are by hints you drop.

Yo, puzzleannie! You’ve got my number! I had thought looking up Bible verses would be a great game! Maybe the costume thing will be too ambitious – we DO have content to acquire, but I had already declared to the DRE – and to the parents – that this would be a class in elementary typology.

Great tips!

 

[mercygate]

The first class meeting was with both parents and children. It was purely introductory. I think I scared 'em all by asking who owned a Bible (every household) and who owned a copy of the Catechism (nobody).

I gave an overview of the curriculum for the year and then made a pitch for parents to use this as an opportunity to fill in any gaps in their own education, since their generation was often pretty much neglected catechetically. I gave the example of TheRam on another thread, who had been through formation and Confirmation and had never learned that Confession is a) necessary and b) a Sacrament. I also gave the example of something that didn’t change after Vatican II that is frequently believed to be no longer applicable: i.e., Mass is still obligatory on Sunday and missing it without a serious reason is still considered serious (mortal) sin!

I gave out my e-mail address and phone number.

When a kid asked if he could bring a snack to class, I asked if he had a medical condition that required it, and when he said no, I told him “no snacks” --and since he and his mother were both chomping on gum, I added that the gum could be left outside also.

All in all, I probably scared them to death; a good thing in my estimation.

 

[Santa_Cruz]

mercygate:

The first class meeting was with both parents and children. It was purely introductory. I think I scared 'em all by asking who owned a Bible (every household) and who owned a copy of the Catechism (nobody).

I wonder out of those who had a bible in the home, how many read it regularly, or even a better question how many studied the bibe on a regular basis?
That nobody owned a copy of the Catechism is a very sad state of affairs.

 

[mercygate]

Santa Cruz:

mercygate:

The first class meeting was with both parents and children. It was purely introductory. I think I scared 'em all by asking who owned a Bible (every household) and who owned a copy of the Catechism

(nobody).

I wonder out of those who had a bible in the home, how many read it regularly, or even a better question how many studied the bibe on a regular basis?
That nobody owned a copy of the Catechism is a very sad state of affairs.That’s why I’m there! The curriculum is called PACT - Parents and Children Together. I’m aiming every lesson at the parents as well as the kids!

 

[Santa_Cruz]

God Bless You and Peace Be With You.

Good Job. Your are going to have your hand full but the Lord will be with you to lighten the load.

 

[jman507]

Well its probably a good thing that you scared them to death during the first day, I’m sure that’ll help keep them in line, atleast for a while. Next thing to do is to try to find them a hook. I guess I can only give so much advice, as I just taught sixth grade last year, and this year I’m off for medical reasons.

My plan was to do the book stuff for half the class, then something else the next. Switch off between games, like trivial persuit when I make up the questions from the material, saints, prayers, commandments/beatatiudes, Bible, Mass, and such. Next maybe go through the Mass, all the objects, all the parts, what to do as a server as well as the other ministers. Then crafts, like a rosary or cards for the elderly or people away, or something to the Saint Vincient Paul Society. Then something about the saints and/or the church or a decent video.

Plus if I could I’d put something together for them to go through at home, sort of some extra credit that might help them during the game. Also it’d be something they could pass on to the parents.

Oh just edited this in, sometimes we’d get up and do some role playing. I could see you trying to act out the sacraments, or act out how you could play the witness of the Lord. It’s really a nice age cause they are starting to become critical. They are starting to think about high school, so its good to try to stregnthen up their sence of right and wronge.

Finally they will act up. I’m sure they’ll be a bunch of trouble makers, in a good hearted way. So try hard to keep a straight face and assigned seating is good.

 

[mercygate]

jman507:

Well its probably a good thing that you scared them to death during the first day, I’m sure that’ll help keep them in line, atleast for a while. Next thing to do is to try to find them a hook. I guess I can only give so much advice, as I just taught sixth grade last year, and this year I’m off for medical reasons.

My plan was to do the book stuff for half the class, then something else the next. Switch off between games, like trivial persuit when I make up the questions from the material, saints, prayers, commandments/beatatiudes, Bible, Mass, and such. Next maybe go through the Mass, all the objects, all the parts, what to do as a server as well as the other ministers. Then crafts, like a rosary or cards for the elderly or people away, or something to the Saint Vincient Paul Society. Then something about the saints and/or the church or a decent video.

Plus if I could I’d put something together for them to go through at home, sort of some extra credit that might help them during the game. Also it’d be something they could pass on to the parents.

Oh just edited this in, sometimes we’d get up and do some role playing. I could see you trying to act out the sacraments, or act out how you could play the witness of the Lord. It’s really a nice age cause they are starting to become critical. They are starting to think about high school, so its good to try to stregnthen up their sence of right and wronge.

Finally they will act up. I’m sure they’ll be a bunch of trouble makers, in a good hearted way. So try hard to keep a straight face and assigned seating is good.

Thanks for the insight! I’m hoping the disciplinary issues will be minimal because they have organized the program this year so that no group has more than 10 students in it. I guess that’s why I got pulled in: more teachers needed!

 

[Eileen_T]

I’m not familiar with the CCD program, when I was teaching with a friend, we chucked the suggested program and went back to basics; The Commandments, Sacraments, Rosary etc.

If 6th grade CCD focuses on the OT, perhaps you could teach them how the Liturgy of the Mass resembles the Jewish Temple and Synagogue Liturgy & worship.

This is fascinating stuff and so few people today seem to understand how it all ties in together. It might help them realise the timelessness of the Catholic heritage. God told His people how He wanted them to worship Him and Catholics still follow His wishes.

For instance, when the Jesus and the Apostles sang the psalms, it sounded like what we call Gregorian chant. The Holy of Holies had a side table that had bread and wine on it. They had candles and incense etc…

When I discovered all this a couple of years ago I felt as though I had been robbed of my heritage. Why had no-one told me about all this?

 

[mercygate]

OK - I’m back for more help from the team!

Since January 21 was the feast of St. Agnes, who was martyred in the 4th century at the age of 12, I thought it would be good to read her story to the kids in my 6th grade class.

Their reaction was surprising to me – for Catholic kids. They were squeamish and unsettled by the description of the brutality of the death (as one might expect) but the real kicker for me was that not one of my nine kids – not ONE – knew what the word “martyr” meant! Aaaaaacccchhhh! Cradle Catholics, twelve years old!

Gimme some help here: Can y’all lead me to some bios of child saints? Not looking for all martyrs here; saints who showed extraordinary sanctity at an early age would be great, too. I’m thinking of people like Pier Giorgio Frassati.

HELP!

 

[axolotl]

St. Tarcicius is a martyr ewtn.com/library/MARY/TARCIS.htm

How about St Therese (Little Flower). I bio I read of her as a child tells of her being so upset at being left home from vespers at the age of three due to iffy weather that she sneaked out of the house to go to church. I think it was called “St. Therese and the Roses”

 

[mercygate]

axolotl:

St. Tarcicius is a martyr ewtn.com/library/MARY/TARCIS.htm

How about St Therese (Little Flower). I bio I read of her as a child tells of her being so upset at being left home from vespers at the age of three due to iffy weather that she sneaked out of the house to go to church. I think it was called “St. Therese and the Roses”

Printed out that link! Thanks.

And I’ve got St. Maria Goretti, of course.

 

[asquared]

see if your textbook series has a website, most do, with supporting resources, including saint stuff. Ask your DRE if she has a video or something that helps you get the most out of the catechist manual. Most of these publishers have all kinds of additional helps for catechists that we never hear about, because somebody just hands you the book.

 

[mercygate]

asquared:

see if your textbook series has a website, most do, with supporting resources, including saint stuff. Ask your DRE if she has a video or something that helps you get the most out of the catechist manual. Most of these publishers have all kinds of additional helps for catechists that we never hear about, because somebody just hands you the book.

That’s a really good idea. I’ll do that. Our series is published by Sadlier and they have a lot of great stuff on line.

BTW, our subject matter this year is Scripture, so I just bring in this other stuff for remediation because these kids do not know ANYTHING.

I’m still keeping them after chapel for a few minutes and drilling them on how to enter the church: Make the sign of the cross with holy water, genuflect to the tabernacle, bow to the altar, kneel in your pew. Repeat upon departure.

 

[JMJ_Theresa]

When I taught CCD, I backed off some of my usual charitable giving and bought as many tracts and booklets that I could afford and sent them home.

Your students are lucky to have you! God Bless.

 

[mercygate]

JMJ Theresa:

When I taught CCD, I backed off some of my usual charitable giving and bought as many tracts and booklets that I could afford and sent them home.

Your students are lucky to have you! God Bless.

Ha ha! They’re already used to Mrs. Mercygate’s happy handouts!

 

[TAS2000]

Can I take your class?

Seriously you sound great. I am from the “largely untaught” generation, despite attending CCD from grade 1-confirmation. We had one good year that I can recall, and the rest were ****. Kumbyah, feel good, but nothing about our faith.

I “volunteered” last year and got 7th grade, but this year I am out again (had a baby). My advice is keep doing what you’re doing and teach them everything you can. You clearly know what’s important. And ask often “How can we apply this in an everday example?” I find it much more useful to teach “this is what the Church says”, then find an example, rather than read endless text book stories about little Susie being asked to shoplift by her classmates, etc., then trying to tie that into being Catholic. That teaches nothing about why Catholicism is the true church and why just any religion isn’t good enough.

I hope that makes sense.