Today was another great day. Today they worked on their final assessments for our segment on Sacraments. They have learned so much over the last 5 weeks! For their final asssessment, they were put into groups (the first class is a group) and my second class has a group of 4 and a group of 3, and in their groups they have to create a power point presentation on what every Catholic should know about the 7 sacraments. They had all of class today to work on those. Now, if my classes were any bigger, we would not have been able to do this. I let one group use my laptop and the other one is the OLD laptop. I'll have to think of something else if my class sizes are bigger over the next few terms. (That would be a great thing!!!)
So today we enjoyed each other's company and they worked away. We had an early dismissal today so we only had 45/50 minutes. It was the perfect amount of time for them to work on these. Tomorrow they will present them to me and I will share the power point(s) from the other class(es) so they can see how they explained them.
Sweetest thing, as my last class was leaving, one of the girls stopped me and said, "Ms. Sexton, you made me think of this yesterday when you were telling us all about happiness that comes from children in a marriage. Can I show you this picture of my cousin's baby? I just couldn't stop thinking about her as you were teaching us yesterday!" My teacher heart is overflowing with excitement and love for my kids. I want to keep them for the entire school year!
Night Class #3
Here is the information we sent to our parent volunteers (they are the volunteers/small group leaders) about what will be taking place tonight.
HS Wednesday night RE
on SEP 25, 2013
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7:00
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What
I have in Common activity
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7:10
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Students to small group,
take roll, have students introduce self, grade, family, sports, hobbies…
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7:15
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Opening
prayer:
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7:20
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Two Standards part 1 – Patrick include instructions on using YouCat
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7:30
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Two Standards part 2 – in small group
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7:45
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Video – A Man Fell in a Hole – questions after led first in small group then by
Erin in large group
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7:50
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Our Relationship with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit – in small group
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8:05
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Prayer Panel – catechists and Father Joe?
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8:15
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Announcements
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8:20
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Silent reflection in church
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Narrative –
This session is divided into three movements. We begin by talking about our
choice of standards – Jesus’ or the world’s. Patrick will point out three collusions
with the world’s standard we fall into today (benign secularism, seeking
pleasure, and succumbing to darkness). In small group they will discuss these
three collusions. We will then contrast the three theological virtues of faith,
hope and love to these. We will ask groups to define these virtues, help them
look up in the Youth Catechism and read what church says.
Movement two is to talk
about our relationship with God. First there will be a video A Man Fell in a Hole with a few
questions to answer in small group followed by a large group discussion. Then there
will be several scripture passages groups must read and then discuss what it
tells us about our relationship with God.
Lastly we will have a
prayer panel where the panelists will share a couple ways they use prayer to
deepen their relationship with God. NOTE: going in we will be asking the teens
how they pray and project the list as our background for the panel.
Close with silent
reflection time in church.
What I have in Common
Beginning
in pairs, students have one minute to list 12 things they have in common. Next
three pairs come up with 10 things in common. Continue with larger groups – 1/4th,
1/2, then whole group and see if they can come up with three things in common.
Opening Prayer
- former
Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, Jonathan Sacks, to the House of Lords
"I have followed the fate of Christians in the Middle
East for years, appalled at what is happening and surprised and distressed by
the fact that it is not more widely known... The tragedy of religion is
that it can lead people to wage war in the name of the God of peace, to hate in
the name of the God of love, to practise cruelty in the name of the God of
compassion and to kill in the name of the God of life. None of these things brings
honour to faith; they are a desecration of the name of God. May God protect
Christians of the Middle East and people of faith who suffer for their faith,
whoever and wherever they are."
Two Standards questions
1. What are the 3 collusions with the world
standard [benign secularism, seeking pleasure, succumbing to darkness]
2. Which is most prevalent among teens?
In families? In Delaware County? Why?
3. Which seems most hidden from your
view, why? (that is hard to see it happening)
4. Why is it so easy to imitate the
world?
5. How does Jesus’ standard differ?
6. Who is central to each standard and
how does this make a difference in viewpoint?
7. What is faith? [YouCat #307] How does
it counteract benign secularism?
8. What is hope? [YouCat #308] How does
it counteract seeking pleasure?
9. What is love? [YouCat #309] How does
it counteract succumbing to darkness?
A Man Fell in a Hole questions:
1. Have you ever found yourself stuck in a situation that
you couldn’t get out of? And not only that, but you didn’t know how to
get out of?
2. When you need help, where do you turn? How do
you get out?
3. What is the hole a metaphor
for? [possible answer – our fallen nature and need for Salvation]
4. What is this video getting
at? [possible answer – We need truth-which is a person, JESUS]
Our Relationship with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit
Have
someone from group read the assigned passage one at a time then answer the
question “What does (passage) say about our relationship with God/Jesus/Holy
Spirit?” Allow teens to answer and if necessary input possible answer provided.
Do all three assigned passages and then begin on others if time allows.
Verses for groups 9.1 and 9.2
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Verse/Question
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Possible answer
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What does 1 John
3:1 say about our relationship with God?
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God is our Father. He is
referred to as “Abba” which is like saying “Daddy. His love and pride
for us is like that of our parents.
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What does Mark
2:5-7 say about our relationship with Jesus?
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Jesus is divine, aka God, the Son
of God, which makes us reliant on Him. He wants to love us and forgive
our sins.
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What does Romans 8:26 say
about our relationship with the Holy Spirit?
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The Holy
Spirit is always with us. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, teaches us
how to pray.
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Verses for groups 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3
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Verse/Question
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Possible answer
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What does Jeremiah
29:11 say about our relationship with God?
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God has our best interest in
mind. He wants us to follow Him so that we might know His plan for each
of us.
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What does John
10:11 say about our relationship with Jesus?
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Jesus is our shepherd. He
cares for YOU, on an individual basis. He knows when we wander away and
always sets out to welcome us back.
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What does Acts 2:4 say about
our relationship with the Holy Spirit?
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The Holy Spirit enables us to live
the Gospel-words and actions.
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Verses for groups 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 and
11.4
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Verse/Question
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Possible answer
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What does Genesis
2:7 say about our relationship with God?
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God is our creator/father. He
knows us inside and out and continues to breathe life into us.
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What does Ephesians
5:1-2 say about our relationship with Jesus?
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Jesus loves us, even to the point
of such a gruesome death! Not only does He love us, he likes us!
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What does Luke
12:12 say about our relationship with the Holy Spirit?
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The Holy Spirit always comes to our
aid! Helps us in all situations.
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I would say that most catechists are doing their best to help their students establish or deepen their personal relationships with Jesus. How else can you bring students closer to Jesus than by literally bringing them closer to Jesus? The church is connected to the parish center where we hold class, so for now on, I decided that to end each session, we will all go over to the church for silent prayer/reflection and let Jesus finish off the night. That's why they're coming- to get to know themselves and Jesus more (whether they know that or not.)
Tonight's going to be a good night!
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