CATECHISTS

CATECHISTS Online

CATECHIST IDEA EXCHANGE

Do you have a special object lesson, song or technique that is working well with the group you catechize? If so, we’d love to hear about it! The best ideas will be posted on this page, and if your idea is posted, you’ll receive a free copy of one of Ana and Joseph’s books!

IDEA FOR INVOLVING PARENTS by Tracy

One thing I've done this year that has been a very huge blessing to me, and the families of my religion students is to make up a one page sheet every time we meet to send home with my students.

In it, I tell the parents exactly what we're learning in our class. I include several Bible verses, asking them to help their child look them up in the Bible at home, so they can practice learning this skill, and I also include a few things that their family can do/discuss over the time we aren't meeting, to help reinforce and teach what we are learning in a better and more meaningful way to their children's life, and their life as a family.

I don't know how many of the families use these, or read them, but I do know that I feel like I am including the parents and families in our religion studies, and putting the responsibility of their religious formation exactly where it belongs.....with their parents.

And I'm doing it in a loving, fun way!

INCENTIVE IDEA by Terry

My name is Terry and I'm the DRE at our parish in NH. We have a teacher who has had almost perfect attendance and great enthusiasm from her students because of a great incentive idea she put into play. In order for the students to be diligent about talking about their lesson with parents, doing their homework and instilling a great desire to come and learn more about Jesus, Nancy developed a coupon system. Each week when the children come to class, if they completed their homework, parents signed their family activity page with one activity checked off and the children read at least one page from the next lesson, she would give them a coupon. Once every 6 weeks, she opens her "store" for them to spend their coupons. In this "store", which is actually a box stored in the classroom, she has little trinkets for them to "purchase" that correspond to the theme of the book or lessons they have studied. They might be something simple like a prayer card that she laminated, a pencil that says "Jesus made you special", a small box of crayons, a pair of scissors with the fancy edges, etc. Most of these items have been donated by the parents or the teacher chose to purchase them at our local Dollar Tree store. (she's actually spent only $3 of her own money, everything else was donated or we had in supply). Other than the children being ill, she has had nearly perfect attendance and these children really know their lessons. One additional GREAT side effect has been discipline. her class is so well behaved and respectful. Since they are respected and admired for their work, they return that respect and admiration with great behavior.

Try it out. Involve the parents and have a rewarding experience.

E-mail your ideas to: catechistsonline@yahoo.com.

menu:

main page

top 25 resource sites for catechists

calendar disability resources catechist idea exchange about the authors