What Lasting Message Should I Give These Kids?

[SnowAngels]

Hi everyone!

Today is the second-to-last CCD class of the year. I teach 5th grade with my Mom. I believe my parish priest is planning to have Mass in place class, so today may very well be the last class. Last week, we discussed Heaven, Hell, what makes the Catholic Church the one true Church, and concluded with a Q&A session. For this class,I have been thinking very hard about the lasting message that I want to impress into their hearts. The majority of these kids don’t attend Church, so I am not sure saying “Please remember to go to Church.” will be strong enough. What do you think? If you had 50 minutes to give 5th graders one more message before the end of the year, what would you say? Thank you!

 

[peace2u2]

Hi everyone!

Today is the second-to-last CCD class of the year. I teach 5th grade with my Mom. I believe my parish priest is planning to have Mass in place class, so today may very well be the last class. Last week, we discussed Heaven, Hell, what makes the Catholic Church the one true Church, and concluded with a Q&A session. For this class,I have been thinking very hard about the lasting message that I want to impress into their hearts. The majority of these kids don’t attend Church, so I am not sure saying “Please remember to go to Church.” will be strong enough. What do you think? If you had 50 minutes to give 5th graders one more message before the end of the year, what would you say? Thank you!

We are not just flesh and bone but we have a soul. We must take care of our souls as well as we do our physical body.

I think that the kids today are visual and so if your going to preach to them for 50 min - well forget about it!

I would download these video clips and play them as well as some contemporary Christian music and also send home the links to their parents or better yet if you have their email address forward the video clips so all they have to do is click the mouse and listen or watch:

makingthingsvisible.blogspot.com/2013/07/peter-kreeft-why-is-god-hidden.html

olgcparish.net/education/true_magnificence.html
olgcparish.net/education/true_magnificence.html

The Lump:
youtube.com/watch?v=1QrtqwyfVrs

 

[SnowAngels]

We are not just flesh and bone but we have a soul. We must take care of our souls as well as we do our physical body.

I think that the kids today are visual and so if your going to preach to them for 50 min - well forget about it!

I would download these video clips and play them as well as some contemporary Christian music and also send home the links to their parents or better yet if you have their email address forward the video clips so all they have to do is click the mouse and listen or watch:

makingthingsvisible.blogspot.com/2013/07/peter-kreeft-why-is-god-hidden.html

olgcparish.net/education/true_magnificence.html
olgcparish.net/education/true_magnificence.html

The Lump:
youtube.com/watch?v=1QrtqwyfVrs

Thank you very much!

 

[pianistclare]

Gather them in a circle and tell them that God is always there fro them. That God does not ever turn his back. That when people let you down, God never will. That God does not force Himself on us, but gently waits for us to turn our hearts to Him.
That Jesus died for love of us, that the Holy Spirit will guide us when we are not sure what to do. And to never be afraid to say that they are Catholic. That their lives are to be lived in a way that pleases God and so merit eternal life. And that they are loved, truly, and forever.
Ask them to pray for you over the summer, so that you may return and say all the right things to your next class. Ask them to pray for next year’s catechist and to be kind and attentive to them.
Tell them you were honored to be their teacher and that you are proud of them.

Peace,
Clare

 

[mountee]

Good responses prior to mine but I would add something that I have done at the end of the year with each class that I have ever taught no matter where I was teaching. Tell those students that you love them very much and say something unique about each one of them that will let them know how very special they have become to you. Tell them that you would always be glad to listen or answer questions about the faith or anything else if they ever need to talk or need help.

 

[Giggly_Giraffe]

We are a community of Saints.
It is not enough to try to get into heaven for ourselves, but we are called to strive to get ALL souls to heaven: past (purgatory), present, and future. We cannot judge people out of heaven, but be Gods helper to heal them. We cannot be Gods helper to heal until we have a relationship with God and strive to be an example for those around us (corporal & spiritual works of mercy)

 

[Pancras]

.
Those are all good answers. I hope I’m not too late, here. If any of these students are interested in trying out a new book to read (reading books is becoming rare but there are still some who are willing to try!), my suggestion is* “The Little Flower” * by Mary Fabyan Windeatt, TAN Books (or is it St. Benedict Press now?), for starters. If they like that and want more on the same topic then the NEXT step would be A Story of a Soul by St. Therese of Lisieux. Those two books could take them through the summer and in the process could make a difference in the rest of their lives.
.

 

[SnowAngels]

Thank you all for your responses! They are very much appreciated and very helpful. I intend to take all of you up on your suggestions tonight!

 

[GAHere]

Excellent responses all around! Thank you for posing the question, and thanks for the responses. I’ll need to bookmark this thread for future use and sharing.:clapping:

 

[tawny]

Hi everyone!

Today is the second-to-last CCD class of the year. I teach 5th grade with my Mom. I believe my parish priest is planning to have Mass in place class, so today may very well be the last class. Last week, we discussed Heaven, Hell, what makes the Catholic Church the one true Church, and concluded with a Q&A session. For this class,I have been thinking very hard about the lasting message that I want to impress into their hearts. The majority of these kids don’t attend Church, so I am not sure saying “Please remember to go to Church.” will be strong enough. What do you think? If you had 50 minutes to give 5th graders one more message before the end of the year, what would you say? Thank you!

Tell them to remember that we are all made in the image & likeness of Jesus. That we are to see Jesus in everyone we meet in life. To treat each other as we would want to be treated. And that God in His mercy & love never leaves us; He is with us always.

 

[snowflakeinlove]

That God loves and cares about us personally- He knows everything about us and only wants the best for us. We can turn our backs on God through sin but He will never turn His back on us. Nothing will stop Him from loving us, and we are always free to go back to Him no matter what we have done.

Our relationship with God is hurt by sin, but God wanted to be with us so much He was willing to die so that this relationship could be healed. He would rather suffer and die than be cut off from a relationship with us. He wanted to be with us so much that He made it so that bread at wine at Mass become Jesus- and He waits for us in church to visit Him. He does everything He can so that we can be with Him- now it is up to us to choose whether or not we want to be with Him.