Ash Wednesday Lesson Plan Objectives and Asessments

SWBAT explain that ashes were used as a sign of repentance in the Old Testament. (Assessment: Class Discussion)
SWBAT explain why we wear ashes on Ash Wednesday. (Assessment: Ash Wednesday Quiz)
SWBAT make connections between what they decide to give up for Lent and the meaning of ashes on Ash Wednesday. (Assessment: Ash Wednesday Worksheet)

Ash Wednesday Learning Activities

1. Bell Work: Make a list of the things that you have in your life that you are thankful for (i.e. your iPod, your cell phone, your computer, your video game system, your new shoes, your favorite dress, etc.)

2. Prayer: Read the Ash Wednesday Psalm as a class. Announce the response, “Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned,” and read Psalm 51 from the USCCB website.

3. Reading: Read aloud the story of Jonah and the city of Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-10). Ask students, “What were the signs that the people of Nineveh used to show their repentance?”

4. Video: Ash Wednesday. Have students fill out the video graphic organizer while they watch.

5. Direct Instruction: Review the answers to the Ash Wednesday graphic organizer.

6. Ash Wednesday Worksheet: From Ashes Wednesday to Easter. Give students some time to write about what they have decided to give up for Lent this year. Remind them that we often desire things (even good things) that will one day become dust and ashes. We give things up for Lent to remember that all we have is a gift from God and that being with God and following his will should be our greatest desire.

7. Assessment: Ash Wednesday Quiz

Do you like this lesson plan and the resources to accompany it? Get instant access to dozens of other resources in The Religion Teacher’s Lenten Activity Pack.

Ash Wednesday Lesson Plan is a post from The Religion Teacher
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Almighty Father,

You sent forth your Son as a beacon of hope for all people.
As Teacher, he has given us the prime example of the importance of education.
As disciples, we look to him for inspiration and strength.

Thank you for the many sisters, brothers, priests, and laypeople who have dedicated their lives in service to our Catholic schools.
Thank you for the teachers and administrators who sustain our schools today.
Thank you for the parents who have given support and witness to the importance of Catholic education in their daily lives.
Thank you for the students who work hard to further their education.

Bless ___________________ [this school] and the many people who advance our mission.
May our building be a home for those who seek to grow in faith, knowledge, and service of others.
May our community always support one another and exhibit hospitality to newcomers.

Fill our minds with knowledge and wisdom.
May our understanding of the world help us to grow in appreciation for it.

Fill our hearts with gladness.
May we always turn to you in times of need.

Fill our hands with the tools we need to serve others.
May we show them your unceasing love through our actions.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us.

St. John Neumann, pray for us.

St. _____________, pray for us.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

©2012 www.thereligionteacher.com

Catholic Schools Week Prayer is a post from The Religion Teacher
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Catholic Schools Week 2012: January 29, 2012 – February 5, 2012

The Catholic Schools Week 2012 theme, “Catholic Schools–Faith. Academics. Service.” highlights one of the most beautiful and powerful truths about Catholic education: the heart of the mission of Catholic schools is not merely good teaching, but the formation of the whole child.

During this week, we celebrate the reality that in our schools, high test scores aren’t enough, and they aren’t the final goal (heaven is!). The three components of faith, academics, and service are constantly and inseparably linked together. As our children study the world God gave us, we come to know and love our Creator, and we learn to use our skills to express and extend that love through service.

During Catholic Schools Week 2012, how will your school be celebrating the interplay between these three values? Share your ideas and activities in the comment section below.

Below are a number of activities and ideas for programs you might incorporate into your celebration.

Catholic Schools Week 2012: Faith

Sunday Mass
Begin the week with a Sunday liturgy dedicated to celebrating your Catholic school. Encourage all students and their families to attend, and be sure students wear their uniforms. Have students be servers, lectors, gift bearers, etc. If you have a school choir, have them lead the singing. Bring up gifts during the offertory procession that represent the school. (See “Catholic Schools Week Mass Resources” below for a sample procession.)

Invite representative students to visit Sunday Masses and read a letter of thanks (written by them, of course!) to the parishioners who support their education. Invite a student from a family whose older and younger children could read together, or perhaps your student council officers or student ambassadors would be good candidates. Perhaps these students could even invite the parish to visit the school after Mass for coffee, cookies, and a chance to look around at student work on display!

Celebrate the Saints
Have each classroom select a saint for the week. Every day, spend time learning about your saint or doing an activity they would love. Decorate your classroom door and/or windows with symbols of your saint.

For example, if your class chose St. Cecilia, patron saint of music:
• sing and dance to praise and worship songs,
• write your own songs about St. Cecilia’s life,
• visit a nursing home and sing songs,
• talk about how singing is like praying twice,
• or decorate the classroom door with music notes.

The older grades (5-8) could lead an all school Catholic Schools Week prayer service on their classroom saint during the week. For middle school classrooms, consider patron saints of your subject area if you teach something other than religion.

A Living Rosary
Pray a “Living Rosary” with your entire school community. Children of varying ages can represent the beads, with older children or community leaders leading the mysteries and prayers.

The Daily Readings
Read the daily gospel (or one of the daily readings) as part of the morning announcements. Invite a teacher, parent, alumnus, or other member of the school community to offer a short reflection. Or use the daily Scripture in language arts class to study genre, symbolism (parables!), main idea, new vocabulary. . . the possibilities are endless!

Learn A New Prayer
Learn a new prayer as a class. Practice every morning and every afternoon. Consider these suggestions: Angel of God, Act of Contrition, the Memorare, or a prayer by one of our ancestors in the faith such as Mother Teresa, Thomas Merton, or Cardinal Newman.

Catholic Schools Week 2012: Academics

Academic Competitions
Have one or more school-wide academic competitions or fairs: a spelling bee or geography bee (find the schedule for the national bees and consider participating!), a math problem-solving challenge, a science fair, etc.

Parent Involvement
Bring in parents or members of the community to share how they use the skills God gave them in a particular subject area in their careers.

Also, call every student’s parents and give them a compliment about their child. So often parents only get calls when things go wrong, change this and spread some joy!

Second-Semester Challenge
Kick off a second-semester challenge, like a “Daily Math Minute” (how many problems can the whole school answer in one minute with varying degrees of difficulty) or a reading challenge (can we read 2,000 books by the end of the year?)

Cross-Curricular Projects
For this special week, plan a special cross-curricular project with other teachers in your building. Or do a creative project with one of your classes that will result in something special to display outside your classroom. Or pair older and younger students to teach each other their favorite topic from the year so far.

Catholic Schools Week 2012: Service

Organize a Fundraiser
Have a school-wide penny drive our canned food drive. The winning class would get to leave school to do a service project, such as, serve a meal at a homeless shelter, clean up a local park, or visit a nursing home.

Service Projects
Have each grade level focus on a service project for the week. This might be a good project during religion classes, but it could certainly be the focus of the entire day. If possible, find a great service opportunity to integrate into one of your other subjects.

Guest Speakers
Invite guest speakers from a variety of service organizations to visit the school to tell students about the work they do and how they can get involved even at their ages.

Read a Service Book
Find picture books that relate to community issues or service opportunities. (One great resource is the collection of lists in the book The Complete Guide to Service Learning.) Read one picture book to the whole student body each day. Invite students to brainstorm ways they could use their skills and talents to help address the issue at hand, and by the end of the week, have each class select a project to complete before the end of the year.

Catholic Schools Week Mass Resources

These prayers might be read either as a part of the Prayer of the Faithful or as a narration during a special offertory procession. If used during the offertory, instrumental music may be played under the readings as the students process forth with the items. Have a teacher or older student arrange the items artistically in front of the altar. Check with your parish priest or liturgical coordinator on which format would be most appropriate. 

This narration offers examples of what students might bring forth along with sample prayers. Adapt them to the activities you have chosen for the 2012 Catholic Schools Week theme.

“Our kindergarteners bring forth a Bible and a crucifix. These symbols of our faith are daily reminders of the mission of our school. Lord, please help us grow to be more like you.”
(For petitions, add “We pray to the Lord. . .”)

“Our first graders bring forth books from the first grade classroom. These books remind us of the world we can explore through the adventures of reading. Lord, as we encounter new worlds and new adventures, bless us with hearts filled compassion and wisdom.
(For petitions, add “We pray to the Lord. . .”)

“Our second graders bring forth cans of food from the food drive they are sponsoring this week. These canned goods remind us of our blessings and God’s call to share these blessings with others. Lord, continue to help us grow in generosity.”
(For petitions, add “We pray to the Lord. . .”)

“Our third graders bring forth flashcards. As we learn the facts and truths that govern the world around us, attune our hearts to be aware also of the eternal truths revealed to us through Christ.”
(For petitions, add “We pray to the Lord. . .”)

“Our fourth graders bring forth baby clothes from the baby supply drive that they are sponsoring this week. These gifts remind us to treasure the gift of life. Lord, help us to celebrate life.”
(For petitions, add “We pray to the Lord. . .”)

“Our fifth graders bring forth a sleeping bag that they will take with them to camp this year. These trips prepare them to become junior high leaders and to celebrate the beauty of God made present to us in nature. Lord, help us to celebrate and protect your beautiful creation.”
(For petitions, add “We pray to the Lord. . .”)

“Our sixth graders bring forth. . .”

“Our seventh graders. . .”

“Our eight graders. . .”

Have a blessed Catholic Schools Week!

For more ideas, check out the Catholic Schools Week articles from 2011 and 2012:

• Catholic Schools Week 2011 Ideas and Activities
• Catholic Schools Week 2012 Ideas and Activities

Catholic Schools Week 2012 Ideas and Activities is a post from The Religion Teacher
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I have to admit that I like praise and worship music and use it in class often. I was very involved in my youth group as a teenager and the music that is played at Steubenville Youth Conferences has stuck with me for years and still holds a special place in my heart.

A major challenge we have as religion teachers and catechists is to connect our students emotionally to what we teach. They need to learn about Jesus, but they also need to learn how to love Jesus.

Music has a special way of doing this.

The praise and worship music, which is very popular at youth conferences, often does this better than the music we hear most at Mass.

Finding Praise and Worship Music

Here are four places where you can go to find praise and worship music:

1. YouTube: YouTube has a large library of praise and worship music as well as music videos from popular singers like Matt Maher and Popple. If you have access to YouTube, do some searching and find the songs you like. Show the videos to the students as a form of guided meditation or play the music with no screen.

2. Pandora: Pandora has a Praise and Worship Genre station that will play the music and show the lyrics. The songs are random, but allows you to discover some new songs in the process. Consider turning the station on as students walk into the room each day before class starts.

3. Catholic Music Network: Although I have never used this service, the Catholic Music Network does a nice job of showcasing the most popular praise and worship songs among Catholics. MP3s are just $0.99 like the Apple iTunes store.

4. WOW Worship: This series of CDs and MP3 albums are the classic source of praise and worship songs. I’ve used them to make my own CD mixes for class (does that show my age?). It is a classic series.

Integrating Praise and Worship Music into the Classroom

I recognize the apparent downside of introducing praise and worship music to young people. It is almost inevitable that you will get students asking why we don’t have more of this type of music at their masses.

Nevertheless, I just can’t deny the fruits of the music in my life and the lives of the students I have taught.

Here are some tips for using praise and worship music in the classroom:

1. Sing with the Hand Motions
I still remember how funny I thought people looked at my first Steubenville Retreat. I sang with hand motions to make fun of other people…at first. Then I got into it. I liked it. It was fun and soon I was truly praising God.

You’ll be amazed that people of all ages will do this. I have seen elementary classrooms learn the motions (and learn their faith!) to the praise and worship songs. I have seen middle school students laugh and enjoy the motions despite hating every (other) minute of being in class. I have seen high school students close their eyes and pray to God a personal prayer that they just didn’t do that often in other class prayer.

2. Discuss the Lyrics
Print off copies of the lyrics to the songs you sing. Talk about what the song is about. Ask the students to expand on the message and apply it to what they are learning right now. This is a crucial part of integrating praise and worship music. If they can sign and dance but not think about the words, what is the point?

3. Discuss the Hand Motions
Most the songs have hand motions that help teach the lyrics. Talk about the lyrics. What aspects of the faith do they remember? What parts of Jesus’ life do they recall?

4. Journal about the Music
Play a song and give students some time to journal about how God is touching their heart today. Give them the opportunity to write about whatever is on their hearts if the song doesn’t connect with them that day.

5. Meditate on an Image
Project or bring in an image of Jesus, an icon of a saint, or an image of a scene from Scripture. Play a slow praise and worship song that helps students get in the mood of meditation. Help them to focus on the image and journal about it if they can.

6. Pray the Rosary
I have written about using music to pray the Rosary elsewhere. There are certainly praise and worship songs that will help do this as well.

7. Include it as Part of a Prayer Service
Try integrating it into the beginning or end of a prayer service. Find songs that fit the theme or have students suggest songs that would work well.

Do you have any experience using praise and worship music in your class? Share your tips or thoughts below in the comments section.

7 Ways to Use Praise and Worship Music In Class Prayer is a post from The Religion Teacher
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I started The Religion Teacher because I wanted to provide practical resources for religious educators and share effective teaching strategies to help them become the best teachers they can be.

I struggled as a young teacher to find quality resources for teaching religion. In my first two years I also taught social studies and the resources that came with the textbook put the religion resources to shame. Yet, teaching religion was so much harder than history!

It is my hope that this site will continue to be a resource that makes your life easier as a teacher or catechists in the years to come.

About the New Website Design

With this new design, it will be easier to access the hundreds of activities, lesson plans, and worksheets that have been shared here. With more navigation options, you should be able to access directly the resources you look for the most frequently.

The new homepage design will highlight the latest activity, lesson plan, teaching strategy, and prayer from the site. All of the most recent articles and resources will be featured on the homepage as well. The middle of the page will display the most timely resources depending on the time of year or liturgical season (Advent, Lent, Easter, etc.).

You’ll also notice an increased number of opportunities to sign-up for The Religion Teacher mailing list, which comes with a free copy of the eBook, The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning. Just over a year old, this eBook displays a step-by-step system to lesson planning as well as 250 activities and teaching strategies that can be plugged into the system as you plan. All of the resources that are shared on this site fit into that system.

About the New Logo

If you are connected to The Religion Teacher via Facebook, YouTube, or Twitter, you have probably already noticed the new logo. In reality this isn’t a new logo, it is the first logo for The Religion Teacher.

I don’t consider myself to be “the” religion teacher, but ironically I almost always hold a clipboard with lesson plans and worksheets in my hands while I teach. Whether it is a clipboard, a paper, a textbook, or a worksheet, we all need effective resources to help us teach. This has been a crucial part of the mission of The Religion Teacher. I want to put the best resources possible into your hands while you teach.

The cross that makes up the whiteboard/chalkboard portrays the most important message of the logo. I asked the designers to make sure that Christ was the focus of of the logo in some way and I love the way it turned out. The focus of this site is not on a teacher, but on Christ.

“The definitive aim of catechesis is to put people not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ: only He can lead us to the love of the Father in the Spirit and make us share in the life of the Holy Trinity.” (Catechesi Tradendae, 5)

As a religion teacher or catechist we are called to always point to Christ and invite our students into communion with him.

What to Expect in 2012

I have a lot of exciting plans for 2012 You will notice that the newest feature at The Religion Teacher is the “Catholic Videos” page. I mentioned in a recent email to The Religion Teacher mailing list that I will be focusing on creating Khan Academy-style videos in 2012.

As more schools and parish religious education programs embrace technology, I hope that these videos will act as nice supplements to the great teaching that is already going on.

You can look for them here, or subscribe to The Religion Teacher YouTube channel.

Once I finish each collection of videos, a resource pack of lesson plans, worksheets, graphic organizers, and activities will be on sale to accompany the free videos. These resources will include handouts for the students to complete while watching the videos as well as follow-up exercises to increase the comprehension of the information that each video covers. You’ll will also get full lesson plans that embrace the Learning PROCESS system explained in The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning.

In the meantime, you’ll still find the same great resources posted here on a regular basis including new activities, lesson plans, teaching strategies, prayers, and more.

Thank you all for your continued support of this ministry. May God bless us all in our work to help young people come to know, love, and serve him.

The Religion Teacher Gets a New Look! is a post from The Religion Teacher
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In the meantime there have been a lot of new resources at The Religion Teacher. Here is a run-down of the most popular resources, new and old:

Collections of Religious Education Activities

The most popular pages on this site have been the collections of activities for Advent, Lent, and the Rosary. Some of the activities, resources, lesson plans, and resources came from this website but most pointed to many other places with quality resources and activities for religious educators.

• Advent Activities
• Lent Activities
• Rosary Activities

Each year these pages are updated with new resources so be sure to check out the Lent Activities collection for 2012.

Catholic Schools Week

For the last two years the collections of Catholic Schools Week ideas and activities have been very popular here. Each article has a collection of resources that match the theme of the year, although the ideas are applicable all year long. I look forward to sharing Meghann and Jen’s collection of activities for Catholic Schools Week 2012 theme “Faith. Academics. Service.” Look for it soon!

• Catholic Schools Week 2010
• Catholic Schools Week 2011

Top Lesson Plans in 2011

The new home of the most popular lesson plans on this site can be found at the Catholic lesson plans page. If you are new to lesson planning, this is a great place to start. On that page you’ll find the most of these lesson plans as well as some videos in support of The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning. The top lesson plans in 2011 were:

• Catholic Thanksgiving Day Lesson Plan
• Confirmation Lesson Plan
• Post-Confirmation Lesson Plan and Discussion
• And With Your Spirit Lesson Plan
• Hocus Pocus: A New Roman Missal Lesson Plan
• Genesis Creation Stories Lesson Plan

Top Teaching Strategies in 2011

One of my goals here at The Religion Teacher is to share the most effective teaching strategies that education experts have shared. Of these teaching strategies, the most popular in 2011 were:

• 7 Pre-Reading Strategies that Increase Comprehension
• Bell Work Activities and Ideas
• Note-taking Strategies
• SWBAT Verb Examples
• Classroom Procedures for the First Week of School

Top Prayer Resources at The Religion Teacher

Prayer has been a special focus for me in 2011. Not only did I start a little side blog to share my mission to develop a deeper prayer life, I also tried to share effective ways to integrating prayer into the classroom. The most popular prayers and prayer resources in 2011 were:

• Advent Prayer Service
• Prayer Before Class Ideas
• Class Prayer (Resource Page)
• Teaching the Mysteries of the Rosary
• The Living Rosary
• Student Prayer Partners
• Saint Thomas Aquinas Prayer Before Study

Looking Ahead to 2012…

It has been a great year at The Religion Teacher and I can’t wait for the years ahead. Shortly after this post goes live, you can expect to see a brand new design (and logo!) for this website. You’ll also find a heightened focus on videos in 2012 that Catholic school teachers and catechists will find very effective teaching tools.

Wishing you the best in 2012 — happy new year!!

The Top Resources of 2011 at The Religion Teacher is a post from The Religion Teacher
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One of the most challenging skills of being a catechist is maintaining discipline. We often come into this ministry with great enthusiasm and eagerness but can be blindsided by the fact that kids don’t necessarily share our enthusiasm for being there! It can be surprising, if not downright disillusioning, to encounter kids who show in a myriad of disruptive ways, that they’d rather be anywhere but in religious education class.

What’s a catechist to do?

First, we need to understand the role of discipline in the ministry of catechesis. Discipline is not an interruption of our work, it is part and parcel of what we have been called to do. Children and young people need to learn discipline as a necessary tool in their “survival kit” as followers of Jesus. Look at the words discipline and disciple! They come from the same Latin word – discere – which means “to learn or follow.” To be a disciple of Christ requires discipline. That’s why each year during the season of Lent we renew our commitment to our baptism by practicing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, known as the 3 disciplines! So embrace your call to bring discipline to your gatherings – as St. Paul said, “For God is not a God of confusion but of order.” (1Cor 14:33)

Second, don’t be afraid of firmly exerting your authority. As a catechist, you have been called and commissioned by the Church to proclaim the Gospel. You are assisting the bishop, the chief catechist of the diocese, who teaches with the authority of Christ. Likewise, you are an extension of the parents who are the primary catechists of their children. As such, you represent their authority as well. You have every right to be firm in enforcing discipline in your classes. You are not alone. . .you are backed up by some pretty strong authority!

Finally, being firm does not mean being mean. We can and should discipline in a Christian manner. I like to call this ‘evangelizing discipline.” In other words, when we need to address misbehavior, instead of merely barking at students to stop, be quiet, sit down, or shut their yappers, we can use the moment as an opportunity to explain WHY good behavior is needed by saying things like the following:

• “Jesus is trying to speak to you/us but it doesn’t appear to me that you’re listening.”
• “If it sounds like I’m upset it’s because I place a great deal of importance on following Jesus and I want you to do the same. It upsets me to see you act in a way that suggests you’re not interested.”
• “I’m not going to allow my time or the time of your peers to be wasted. I’m here out of love for Jesus and he’s reaching out to you right now. Don’t put an obstacle in his way.”

In other words, use these moments as an opportunity to profess faith in Jesus and to call them to do the same by behaving in a way that is appropriate of a disciple – a learner – of Christ.

In my book, The Catechist’s Toolbox: How to Thrive As a Religious Education Teacher, I go into much more depth about strategies for enforcing and maintaining discipline as a catechist. I’m also happy to provide you with this PDF that outlines “10 Tips for Maintaining Discipline.” My prayer is that you will find the courage and strength to help young people recognize the rewards that come from living as disciplined followers of Jesus Christ.

Blessings during this Advent season and always!

Joe Paprocki, DMin

www.catechistsjourney.com

Joe Paprocki, D.Min., is National Consultant for Faith Formation at Loyola Press in Chicago. He has over 25 years of experience in pastoral ministry in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Joe is the author of numerous books on pastoral ministry and catechesis, including the best-selling The Catechist’s Toolbox and A Well-Built Faith. Joe, who earned his master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University’s Institute of Pastoral Studies, received his doctor of ministry degree from the University of St. Mary of the Lake, Mundelein, IL. Joe serves as a catechist-at-large and blogs about the experience at Catechist’s Journey. He and his wife, Joanne, and their two grown children live in Evergreen Park, IL.

Joe Paprocki on “Evangelizing Discipline” is a post from The Religion Teacher
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Advent calendars come in many different variations.

For many people, Advent calendars can become daily opportunities to eat candy leading up to Christmas. These calendars have little pockets that hold candy for kids (or adults!) to eat each day.

Oddly enough, one of the most popular Advent calendars in the United States right now has little to do with the season of Advent at all. The LEGO Start Wars advent calendar is a hot seller on Amazon and Target.

But in the Church (and especially in religious education classrooms), Advent calendars should provide suggestions for spiritual preparation for the coming of our Lord at Christmas.

You can find some Advent calendar resources at the Advent Activities page here at The Religion Teacher.

Creating a Personalized Advent Calendar (Activity)

Advent can be a great season for children to take ownership over their faith. Rather than giving out Advent calendars that script daily prayers and activities, give students the opportunity to choose their own path for spiritual development during Advent.

Here is how to do it:

1. Provide resources to suggest activities and prayers to do during Advent.
2. Brainstorm additional things the young people could do each day.
3. Give the students a printable Advent calendar to fill out for themselves.

Advent Calendar Suggestions

There are many, many Advent calendars to use as inspiration to create personal Advent calendars. This year, I used the printable Advent Calendar offered by Loyola Press. The activities are written for children and offer some great suggestions for prayers and activities each day. There are also a number of resources for sale that you could add to your classroom.

Next, use the resources as inspiration to brainstorm a list of activities and prayers that the students could do each day during Advent. Remind the students that Advent is a time of prayerful preparation for the coming of the Lord into the world. We should take up a spirit of penitence while at the same time joyful hope for Christ’s coming into the world. (The joyful aspect is symbolized by the pink (rose) candle.)

Printable Advent Calendar

Distribute the printable Advent Calendar for students to plan their Advent season. In each calendar day have them write a prayer or action that they will do in the spirit of the Advent season.

Before they start, have them think about what they will be doing in the days ahead so they can plan accordingly. If they have a trip to grandma’s house one day, suggest that they do something nice for her. If they have a Christmas pageant, ask them to consider some things they could do in preparation for the event.

Also note the feast days and holy day of obligation that occur during Advent. Suggest some websites with prayers for each saint (Francis Xavier, Juan Diego, Our Lady of Guadalupe) and the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Get the 2011 Printable Advent Calendar.

Have a blessed Advent! Maranatha!

Using Printables to Create a Personalized Advent Calendar is a post from The Religion Teacher
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As a teacher I remember rushing from class to class, event to event, assignment to assignment, with sometimes no end to my work in sight. With Christmas events and exams just around the corner, November and December was always the busiest time of year. I would do my best to take time to pray either in my classroom or in the school chapel, but I wasn’t always successful.

When our lives are the busiest, there is no better place to turn for inspiration than Christ himself. I was very blessed to be involved with the development of this book of reflections for teachers. Each reflection is written by teachers and other educators as a meditation on the life of Christ. The contributors share their own stories–stories that all teachers can relate to–and provide inspiration that teachers can read in five minutes but meditate upon the whole day through.

In my reflection, for example, I related my experience of rejection by a group of middle school students during my first year of teaching with Jesus’ rejection in Nazareth (Matthew 13:54-58). That first year of teaching was a rough year for me as it is for most teachers. It is easy to doubt ourselves in the face of rejection. Here is what I offered as a thought to consider throughout the day: “The source of Jesus’ identity and work was in God the Father, not in the apparent success and failure, praise and rejection, of his daily life. When we doubt ourselves, let us turn to God, the true source of our identity.” (5 Minutes with Christ, 114)

5 Minutes with Christ Reflections

Other reflections include some of these moments in Jesus’ life:

• The Annunciation
• The Baptism of Jesus
• Forgiveness
• The Good Shepherd
• Jesus Calls the Disciples
• The Transfiguration
• The Crucifixion
• The Resurrection
• The Great Commission

Sample teacher reflections are available at the Ave Maria Press website at www.avemariapress.com/5minuteswithchrist. Just sign-up with your email address to get the samples.

You can buy the book for yourself or as a gift for teachers at Ave Maria Press or Amazon.com.

5 Minutes with Christ Book Trailer

Having trouble viewing the video? Click here.

Full disclosure: I am a graduate of the ACE program, a contributor to the book, and an employee of Ave Maria Press…but I would love the book anyway.

5 Minutes with Christ – A Book of Reflections for Teachers is a post from The Religion Teacher
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St. Cecilia Activities

St. Cecilia Music Party

For the younger ones (and even the older kids), celebrate St. Cecilia with a music party. According to legend, St. Cecilia was praising God when she was martyred in Rome. Bring in your favorite Christian music and teach the kinds some praise and worship songs (or some humor rock? or Gregorian Chant?). Even the middle school and high school students like to set aside their self-consciousness and learn “Shine Jesus, Shine” or “Awesome God” if only to make fun of the teacher!

Inevitably students will want to bring in their own music. Offer this opportunity as an award for review games or select a couple of students at random to choose some songs.

Write Musical Notes

Using a little play on words, have students write notes to friends of family that rhyme like a song. You could also have the students write songs for people. Give them the chance to decorate the letter and the envelope before they give it away.

Research the Christian Catacombs

A replica of St. Cecilia’s tomb sits in the catacombs of St. Callixtus. Take some time out of class to do some research on the early Christian catacombs of Rome. Some possible ideas:

• Create a Google map of the catacomb sites around Rome
• Create a PowerPoint slideshow of images of the catacombs
• Pray a litany of the catacombs
• Research Christian symbols on catacomb walls

St. Cecilia Prayers

Look for prayers of Saint Cecilia at the following websites:

SQPN Prayer to St. Cecilia

Prayers to St. Cecilia (including a Litany)

EWTN Prayer to Saint Cecilia

(photo credit: Merry_Meet)

St. Cecilia, Patron Saint of Music is a post from The Religion Teacher
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