Sixth Grade Catechist Support Group!

[luvthelight]

I am currently a 4th grade ccd aide (I’m 17) and we also use sadlier publications. mostly my job during the class is to keep the class under control while the teacher is teaching (and add imput during discussions about living our faith/why we do wht we do). some of the kids got quite restless, complaining they learn the same things every year. to change up the pace we’ve begun a bible study where one student takes home the bible along with a hand out that further explains the passage and the next week he presents to the class. each of the passages do something to explain our faith, for example, we read a few chapters in matthew and explained how the papacy became established, or read the beatitudes and discussed the importance of living our faith through doing good for others. my main hope is that even if they don’t remember the exact passages, they will remember that there WERE passages the supported these main catholic doctrines.

every few weeks we also play a jeapordy game and all of the questions from the handouts, and let me tell you, nothing motivates a child to learn who was the first pope and how we know Jesus chose him or the different mysteries, and stay focused in the class than these games. all of us teachers were greatly impressed at how much the kids got (one girl even remembered for a bonus question the word kepha). its not a perfect method - but for now it works!

mercygate - I admire you so much! we need so many more ccd teachers willing to teach the faith as it is! good luck!

 

[mercygate]

I’m resuscitating this ancient thread because I am gearing up for my FOURTH year of teachng 6th grade and came up with a GREAT idea for helping kids to want to learn their Scripture memory verses.

I’m going to make a little stick-up sign that reads: Your word, O Lord, is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Ps 119:105)

Underneath it on a table, I’m going to put a votive candle for each student. My 20-odd students are divided into to separate sections, so at most, I should have 10 or 12 candles. After prayer, class begins with 3 minutes of silence while they write out their verse. I will have them raise their hand when they finish, and I will collect the papers and read them. When all have finished, I will call the names of those who got it right and ask them to light a candle. We’re allowed to have candles in the classroom, and kids love little rituals like that.

I plan to ask parents to sign a permission slip to allow me to offer a little treat – a date stuffed with an almond – for them to take when they have learned their verse. If all the kids can eat this stuff, I’ll do it. Otherwise not. I figured a little introduction to Bible foods couldn’t hurt, and it would connect both food and sweetness with the Word of God.

Wish me luck.

 

[Tim_Kirchoff]

I actually signed up to be a teacher’s assistant for CCD at my local parish.

Hey, as long as I don’t have to take the flak for reviving an old thread, I might as well make the most of it…

 

[mercygate]

I actually signed up to be a teacher’s assistant for CCD at my local parish.

Hey, as long as I don’t have to take the flak for reviving an old thread, I might as well make the most of it…

I think it’s great to be a teacher’s assistant (wish I had one – make that THREE!). Look out: you’ll be in charge of a class before you know it!

 

[puzzleannie]

since this old thread has been resurrected may I take this opportunity to thank all you catechists and aides from the bottom of my heart.

number one advice for new catechists: recruit a friend, teen or parent from the class as your aide. essential to have supervision for those going to restroom as well as for crowd control, getting materials ready, helping with transitions, games and activities.

 

[mercygate]

since this old thread has been resurrected may I take this opportunity to thank all you catechists and aides from the bottom of my heart.

number one advice for new catechists: recruit a friend, teen or parent from the class as your aide. essential to have supervision for those going to restroom as well as for crowd control, getting materials ready, helping with transitions, games and activities.

I don’t know if I mentioned it on this thread, but I pass out a sign-up sheet at the beginning of the year so that I will have one parent in the room for each session.

I defiinitely second having a companion teacher or aide. Besides crowd control (which can be an issue in 6th grade) it also gives you a knowledgeable backup person who can fill in if you must miss class for an emergency.

 

[mercygate]

Hey, teachers!

One thing new I am doing this year is requesting the names of my kids’ 5th grade teachers so I can contact them and get the word on any potential problems.

Two years ago I phoned every parent a week before the start of class. Didn’t do it last year because I didn’t get my roster until 3 days before the semester started. I will make those calls this year, and this time, my questions will include:

• Is there anything in particular I should know about your child to help him succeed in my class?
  I’ve been googling around on the Internet and have learned (surprise, surprise) that classroom management is the number one “issue” in teaching. There books and talk lists that deal exclusively with middle school! What a big help – except that so far, I’m pretty much doing all the right stuff, and my classes are STILL fairly hideous.

 

[YinYangMom]

number one advice for new catechists: recruit a friend, teen or parent from the class as your aide. essential to have supervision for those going to restroom as well as for crowd control, getting materials ready, helping with transitions, games and activities.

Puzzleannie,

I understand how ideal that would be but we catechists had to attend the diocesan training on that whole ethics issue which stemmed from the sex scandal in the church. It was my understanding from that training that only people who have gone through that training are allowed to be in the classroom with the kids - for their protection and ours. If anything happens to them from a volunteer the buck stops with the teacher who brought them in.

I know that the screening process is one of the reasons there is a shortage of volunteer catechists, they don’t seem to want to go through the training and sign the documents in order to be in the classroom to teach about Jesus.

I guess I just wanted to put a caveat to your recommendation to have any catechist check with the DRE before inviting people to volunteer. I expect the DRE will be the one required to screen any assistants.

 

[mercygate]

Puzzleannie,

I understand how ideal that would be but we catechists had to attend the diocesan training on that whole ethics issue which stemmed from the sex scandal in the church. It was my understanding from that training that only people who have gone through that training are allowed to be in the classroom with the kids - for their protection and ours. If anything happens to them from a volunteer the buck stops with the teacher who brought them in.

I know that the screening process is one of the reasons there is a shortage of volunteer catechists, they don’t seem to want to go through the training and sign the documents in order to be in the classroom to teach about Jesus.

I guess I just wanted to put a caveat to your recommendation to have any catechist check with the DRE before inviting people to volunteer. I expect the DRE will be the one required to screen any assistants.

Does the child protection training requirement apply to volunteers who work WITH you WHILE you are in the classroom?

 

[YinYangMom]

Does the child protection training requirement apply to volunteers who work WITH you WHILE you are in the classroom?

That’s just it, my recollection (and it’s been about four years now) is that the bottom line is to err on safety. Keep doors open at all times, be sure any passersby can see me at any given time, have any guest speakers and such screened by the DRE, etc.

I don’t recall if they needed to take the course, but I do recall we cannot expose our children to people the DRE is not aware of, for their protection and that of the parish program. I know that our DRE provides volunteer assistants for the younger grades and that those assistants to through the ethics training and have to attend regular catechist meetings.

I should note all our catechists and aides are volunteer. Only the DRE and the assistant receive funding, and yes, parents have to pay a fee for the year.

I teach eighth grade so I never had to worry about escorting little ones to the bathroom and such. That’s probably one of the reasons I prefer the upper grades.

 

[mercygate]

That’s just it, my recollection (and it’s been about four years now) is that the bottom line is to err on safety. Keep doors open at all times, be sure any passersby can see me at any given time, have any guest speakers and such screened by the DRE, etc.

I don’t recall if they needed to take the course, but I do recall we cannot expose our children to people the DRE is not aware of, for their protection and that of the parish program. I know that our DRE provides volunteer assistants for the younger grades and that those assistants to through the ethics training and have to attend regular catechist meetings.

I should note all our catechists and aides are volunteer. Only the DRE and the assistant receive funding, and yes, parents have to pay a fee for the year.

I teach eighth grade so I never had to worry about escorting little ones to the bathroom and such. That’s probably one of the reasons I prefer the upper grades.

In past years I have had one parent attend each session – different parent each time. I suppose that is “legal.” But thanks to your caveat, I will DEFINITELY check with the DRE.

 

[mercygate]

Once again checking in on this thread to post an update.

Having the kids light a candle when they have got their memory verse right is a BIG HUGE hit! I have never had so many kids learning their scripture verse. Last week, one of the boys said he had memorized it but was stuck in the middle. I asked where he had stopped, and then I asked the other kids to give him the next word. They did. He was still stuck. So I asked them to give him the next word. They did, and the dam broke: he finished writing his verse in seconds.

Because they made the team effort, very child got to light his candle. Then, when they were back in their seats, we got to do a big, loud “10-finger WOO-HOO” for the whole class.

I got a big head start on my teaching this year by incorporating ideas from Harry Wong’s *The First Day of School (which I first heard of on this thread), *Tom Daly’s pointers for teaching kids with ADD/ADHD, and Chris Biffle’s “Power Teaching.”

Power Teaching is really getting them to enjoy learning. They love the gestures and the back-and-forth dialogue with me and with one another. BTW, if you go onto Biffle’s web page, you’ll find a power teaching guide to 40 events in the life of Jesus!

I never had any trouble with the material or with explaining it so the kids could understand it but I sure did have trouble with classroom management when I had “difficult” children. I don’t know whether it is my investment in learning new teaching and classroom management techniques or whether I just have good kids this year but we’re really off to a phenomenally good start!

It didn’t hurt to start off on the first night when parents joined us, wearing a brown fedora and playing the Indiana Jones theme music. We’re on an expedition to find out what the Bible is, where it came from, who wrote it . . . . I’m using a lot of archaelogical material for supplementation.

 

[leonie]

Because they made the team effort, very child got to light his candle. Then, when they were back in their seats, we got to do a big, loud “10-finger WOO-HOO” for the whole class.

I got a big head start on my teaching this year by incorporating ideas from Harry Wong’s *The First Day of School (which I first heard of on this thread), *Tom Daly’s pointers for teaching kids with ADD/ADHD, and Chris Biffle’s “Power Teaching.”

Power Teaching is really getting them to enjoy learning. They love the gestures and the back-and-forth dialogue with me and with one another. BTW, if you go onto Biffle’s web page, you’ll find a power teaching guide to 40 events in the life of Jesus!

.

Thanks for the power teaching reference. I’m working my way through the website–picking up some really good ideas. Right away it struck me that I’ve been doing my review of the previous week all wrong. I’m going to change my approach to the powerteaching suggestion.

It’s an intriguing method…

I’m thinking of asking my DRE if I can teach sixth grade CCD because I want to teach salvation history more in depth, but I’ll probably wait until my 1st grader goes through 3rd grade. That year I’ll have one in sixth grade, so…it’ll work out nicely.

But, it all depends on the baby I’m having–how high needs she is. I hope I can keep teaching.

 

[mercygate]

Thanks for the power teaching reference. I’m working my way through the website–picking up some really good ideas. Right away it struck me that I’ve been doing my review of the previous week all wrong. I’m going to change my approach to the powerteaching suggestion.

It’s an intriguing method…

I’m thinking of asking my DRE if I can teach sixth grade CCD because I want to teach salvation history more in depth, but I’ll probably wait until my 1st grader goes through 3rd grade. That year I’ll have one in sixth grade, so…it’ll work out nicely.

But, it all depends on the baby I’m having–how high needs she is. I hope I can keep teaching.

They are lucky to have you!

As for power teaching – even when you are not specifically teaching a point, engaging the class with “Give me an ‘Ah’” keeps them on task.

Procedures, procedures, procedures – giving them clear directives helps smooth out the routines: put your homework papers HERE at the end of the class. I adapted FlyLady’s “Student Control Journal” for CCD and put it in their folders. I re-named it “Student Power Journal” and gave instructions for baby-stepping through learning the memory verse.

And the candle-lighting is a BIG HUGE DEAL for them. They may be almost 12 but they don’t want to be left out for the candle lighting. With the kids grading each other’s written verse, they are motivated to do it. I cut 'em a little slack, but if a verse is completely off the wall, they are not invited to go forward and light their candle. The missing light shows all through the session. But that doesn’t single out the child – except to himself. HE knows who dropped the ball! Even my girl who has learning difficulties, and whose mother said she couldn’t possibly memorize anything is holding her own.