First Class

9/11/2012

Just a quick note, but tonight was my first CCD class of the year.

Over half of the students didn't know that Jesus was God. Not one knew how to make the Sign of the Cross properly, and everyone gave me blank stares when I asked who Moses was.

At least they knew Mary's the Mother of Jesus! :)

I love a challenge, but starts like this really make me wonder what is being taught in the lower levels (or at home!).

Ah well. Last year's class was similar, but by the end, they were mini Catholic gurus. Ha. Here's to a new year of education, blessings and fun!

8 Comments

Lauren

9/12/2012 12:55:53 am

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Gina

9/12/2012 01:09:02 am

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Gina

9/12/2012 01:09:27 am

Anyway...

I have half the 6th graders. About 15 this year. So not a big class, but I admit being taken aback by them not knowing Jesus was God. Though if I remember correctly, last year's class had the same problem.

I think we're so busy teaching kids that Jesus is this nice, loving hippie dude who died on the Cross to clear us of sin that we neglect to teach them the more important (and honest) tenets like "God loves us so much that He came down from Heaven specifically to give His Life for us so that we could rejoin Him in Heaven.

Yes, He was a nice, loving Man who walked around healing the sick and eating with sinners - but more importantly He was GOD who came down to do all those things in order for us to follow His Example... even unto sacrificing our lives for others.

No worries... that's where I shall happily come in. Ha!

Their homework for the week is to teach their parents how to properly say the Sign of the Cross and why this prayer is so important.

Theresa B.

9/12/2012 08:56:38 am

Welcome to my world!

Gina

9/12/2012 10:35:14 am

No lie, I thought of you and PEMDAS while writing this... ha ha.

Beeb

9/12/2012 10:57:36 am

It might be good to get a hold of a copy of the pre-Vatican II Baltimore catechism just to make sure the basics are being covered. Doesn't your CCD program use a catechism book series? When I was involved in CCD years ago, we used a series called THIS IS OUR FAITH and since all the grades used the series, the kids got the basics at each level. It was a good starting point and could be supplemented with our own materials or instruction. It didn't help though when kids joined the program in 5th or 6th grade...because more times than not they had been given no instruction on God or anything, and it was impossible to remediate their lack of information.

Gina

9/12/2012 12:11:23 pm

I have a hard enough time getting my kids Bibles let alone the Catechism. LoL.

In all seriousness, we have a book series and a set "agenda" for what the kids learn every year. I'm pretty sure every diocese does. However, while our agenda is good, our books are terrible. So most of my lessons come from handouts and such.

That being said, there's absolutely no reason why these students don't know that Jesus is God. There's no reason why these students don't know how to make the Sign of the Cross. There's no reason why they don't know Moses and don't know that Father, Son and Spirit make the Trinity. None.

How they made it through six years of catechesis and are blown away by this information is beyond me. But my job really isn't to complain about their lack of knowledge so much as make sure they DO understand what they currently do not.

It's always surprising to me, though, because I feel like CCD is proving how quickly our Faith is being lost to future generations. It makes me that much more passionate about preserving it properly.

Beeb

9/12/2012 06:08:36 pm

Oh no, I didn't mean a Baltimore catechism for every kid...I meant just for the teacher (and maybe just looking at it online because it's probably available free) to know what basics to cover. I hope all the teachers are really trying to cover the items in the agenda. Sorry your books are so bad. I do see what you mean; why 6th graders don't know about the Trinity would be beyond me too. What's scary is pondering "what else don't they know?" They could have huge gaps in their learning that will lay hidden for a long time, and may cause them many problems as they grow up. You sound like you did a great job last year though, so I'm sure you'll be able to cover a lot of ground again and get them more up to speed.

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First Class

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