Day 6.2

Here we are at the start of Week 2 of Term 2!

I have to say I was quite happy when I checked my work email to find a student from Term 1 emailing me just to say hi.  Best part had to be when the student said "I miss seeing you everyday."  Heart melted.  

Here's what Term 2 has been up to:

Friday we learned about Salvation History (God's love story for us!) and everybody had a story to read with a partner.  Then, they had a series of questions they had to answer and then they had to make a poster which required a title, an image, and a sentence explaining what their particular passage tells us about our relationship with God/Jesus.  Here's our Salvation History wall:

This weekend was very refreshing and rejuvenated my spirit for teaching our faith.  I went on a young adult Catholic Youth Expedition (CYE) in Door County, WI.  What a beautiful mission they have!  Check them out here.  God Bless Fr. Quinn, Sr. Margaret, Sr. Sarah, Sr. Anja, and Sr. Erin.  Pray for them and all of the beautiful people I met this weekend.  I really missed praying in a community aka with other people.  So daily mass, daily rosary, and adoration was REALLY good.  I mean, Jesus is everything, and it was good to be around people who also recognize this.  It's funny because I always sign up for things like this, get nervous the moment I arrive, and after a couple hours I warm up and end up having a wonderful time.  Greatest reminder of the weekend: our identity is to be found in Christ.  All the time.  Everyday.  In all ways.  

I'll never forget the physical beauty of the weekend, too.  Look!

Hike at Peninsula State Park

The Holy Spirit really was present. 

It was a great Monday.  I came to school on fire, ready to convince my students about how much He loves us and how beautiful our faith is.  Here's how I broke it down:

1. Prayer

2. Journal- Played "Lord, I Need You" by Matt Maher for their journal today, I had them write a note to Jesus.  

3. Pop Quiz.  I had 4 questions based on last week.  (1. List attributes of God-I was looking for eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, 2. What makes us (humans) unique compared to the rest of God's creation? 3. How are we like God? 4. What is Salvation History?  
I let them use their notes.  Basically I told them that I want them to be taking notes and listening, and if they did that well last week, they would have no problem answering these questions.  Well, some did well and others not so well.  They have to decide whether they are going to put the effort in or not.  I can't help a student when they choose not to pay attention and destroy the pens and pen caps over the course of my class.  Legit, I have found 3 broken pens.  I have had these students for now 6 days.  Short rant.

4. Review of last week.  Who is God?  Who am I?  Who is Jesus?  

5. Gospel from yesterday: Luke 18: 9-14.  What is a parable? Who was Jesus' audience?  Who is the "good" guy?  Who is the "bad" guy?  Who is justified?  Why?  What is Jesus asking of us?  How does this apply to us today?

6. Explanation on why we need the Church!!!

7. Passed out Pogs and talked about how awesome CYE is.

After school I got a ton of things together organized (handouts, my own notes, etc.)  Check out the graphic organizers we'll be using this term! 

Can't claim them as my own, however, I did shade them in. :)  Check out this awesome blog if you're a catechist or Religion teacher!  

http://looktohimandberadiant.blogspot.com  

This lady has brilliant ideas!  Thanks for letting me borrow your graphic organizers.  Why reinvent the wheel when you don't have to?

Well, it's almost 10pm, which for me, after a full weekend and full day of school, means I'm pooped.  

Please know that I prayed for all of you a great deal this weekend in adoration.  

Thanks for your love, prayers, and support.

St. Paul, pray for us!

Holy Spirit, inspire us!