Class #2 September 28, 2016

As I mentioned in last week’s post, we are taking a three-prong approach to the material, at least for the first few weeks.

We opened by asking the students to break into groups of two or three and to complete this week’s Faith Assessment quiz. This week’s FA focused on our parish and diocese. If interested, you can see the quiz on the parish Web site.

http://saintpetertheapostle.com/church/knowledge-of-faith-assessment-knowing-your-parish-diocese/

We had an interesting discussion of the material.

We showed a short (7 minute) video on the life of Mother Theresa.

Then we moved into the Confirmation prep phase of the class by distributing the text and asking the students to spend a minute or two flipping through it. Since much of our Confirmation prep will involve discussions of the Holy Spirit, I thought it would be a good idea to make sure the students had a decent handle on just who the Holy Spirit is. As we went around the class asking for answers to “Just who or what is the Holy Spirit?” we received a variety of answers. Finally, I asked “OK, in just one word, who is the Holy Spirit?” and several students responded “God!” which, of course is correct.

We spent a little time discussing the Holy Trinity and the relationship between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. How can there be one God, but three persons? I explained the Church calls this a mystery. As human beings, we are simply not smart enough to fully understand that mystery. However, I pointed out I had a couple of models to share, that are not exact explanations, but night circle the target enough to give them an idea.

The first was to point to themselves and the various parts that make up them. For example, they have a physical body that is them. They also have an intellect and personality — their likes, dislikes, sense of humor, and so on. That is also them, but it is different from their physical body. There is also their spirit or soul, which is distinct from their body and intellect/personality, but just as much a version of the same person.

My second example was to point to the roles each of us play in life. We are a son or daughter, a brother or sister, a friend, an athlete, a student, a musician, and so on. Each is a version of us. When we think of God as the creator of the universe, we are thinking of God the Father. When we think about God as our redeemer, we are thinking about God the Son. When we think about God as the deity who is present with us every day, who we pray to and who helps us, we are thinking of God the Holy Spirit. One God, but three different roles.

Again, emphasized these are not accurate explanations to the mystery of the Holy Trinity, just imperfect examples that might allow them to see a Trinity, but only one God.

We allowed the students to take their textbooks home with them. Please help them to remember to bring them back next week.

As I mentioned in the email I sent this morning, I am not sending next week’s Faith Assessment quiz. I jumped the gun on that. Next week’s exercise is on the Commandments, both the original ten from Exodus (Exodus 20 or 34) , and the two greatest commandments as described by Jesus. (Matthew 22:35-40) We spent two or three class periods in 5^th grade discussing the Commandments, so I HOPE our students remember at least a little bit of it. In any case, if you would like to ask your child to take a few momements to review the Commandments in advance of next week’s class, that would be great.

Next week, we will send the Faith Assessment quiz home with our students for research in advance of the next class.

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Class #1 September 21, 2016

Again, sorry for taking so long to get this written and posted. It’s just been a busy week.

We kicked off the 6^th grade CCD year with a good class last week. We have a small group right now, only six students, but I believe we will pick up an additional handful in the coming weeks.

Getting things started has been an interesting experience. Unlike our past 11 years of teaching 5^th grade, our curriculum is not dictated or guided by the Sadlier (publishing company) text. Because 8^th grade Confirmation takes place so early in the year at St. Peters, we will be starting initial Confirmation training. That also means we are feeling our way a little. For at least the first part of the year, we will be focusing our teaching in three main areas.

1.) Faith Assessment – This is a review of the basic tenets of the Catholic faith and the kinds of information each student should know before Confirmation. We will be taking it one bite at a time.  So each week, we will send home with each student a “quiz” or questionnaire. They should research the answers to the questions and return it the following week when we will discuss the material. For your information, the questions and answers can be found here.

http://saintpetertheapostle.com/church/faith-formation/know-faith/

However, we would greatly appreciate it if you would NOT simply direct your child to this site where the answers are right there to copy. If they have to do just a little work, like maybe a Google search or looking it up in the Confirmed in the Spirit text, it is more likely they may remember the material.

2.) Saints – We have been introducing our students to the concepts of saints, patron saints and picking a saint’s name for a Confirmation name. During most class sessions, we will show a short (usually around three minutes) video of some saints’ story.

3.) Confirmed in the Spirit – This is our working text for Confirmation prep. Since this might be helpful to the students in preparing their weekly Faith Assessment “homework,” we will send this home with them. Please, help your child to remember to bring it back to class with them on Wednesday.

And as we have done in the past several years, we will end each class by asking each student to tell us one thing they learned that night. A reasonable response will result in some reward, sometimes a cookie, sometimes a doo-dad (glow stick, pencil, prayer card) or whatever.

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Welcome to 6th grade!

Good morning!

Sorry I have been a little delayed getting posted in a timely fashion this year. I’ll try to do better. Here is our introductory letter, which you should have seen already. I will be posting a summary of last week shortly.

Hello 6^th grade CCD parents!

Mrs. Rudolphi and I are looking forward to teaching your child’s CCD class on Wednesday evenings. If your child was in CCD last year, you will note that Mrs. R and I have moved up to 6^th grade, staying with the same group of children.

The 6^th grade curriculum will cover several areas, including basic confirmation training and some of the Old Testament. Since this is our first year to teach this grade, we are still trying to plan the entire year. However, we  know we will start with the process of selecting a saint’s name for your child’s Confirmation name.

Your child is in middle school, and so our expectations will be a little higher for him/her. While we will continue to seek ways to keep the instruction interesting and memorable, there will undoubtedly be times when they will be told, “This may not be fun, but you need to learn it anyway.” And we will have some occasional homework or take-home projects.

Please understand I will have your child for less than an hour just once a week. You can do several things to help us make this a productive experience for your son or daughter.

• Ask your child if we have given them a task to do during the week and assist them with it.

• Please have your child to the school before 6:30 p.m.

• Please support us and encourage your child to come to CCD class willingly and with enthusiasm.

We have only three class-rules, and we hope you will help us reinforce these to your children.

1. Show up.

2. Participate

3. Don’t be a “jerk.”

You are most welcome to sit-in on the class at any time, and we encourage you to do so.

I hope you will stay abreast of what’s happening with your child on Wednesday evenings. To help you do so, I have created a blog/Web site. I will try to keep it updated on a weekly basis with reports on the class activity and announcements.

https://stpeterccdgrade5.wordpress.com/

I realize the title is “grade5,” but to be honest, I don’t have the time right now to recreate a new blog with a new URL indicating the 6^th grade.

If you have not already done so, please provide me with your email address. We have learned through experience that trying to communicate with parents through the filter of an 11 or 12 year-old just doesn’t work.

As we have done for the past several years, we ask that you come to the classroom to pick up your child at 7:30 p.m. Please do not instruct your child to leave the building on his or her own and meet you in the parking lot. If you have a situation that makes it difficult for you to come into the building, like a sleeping baby, just let us know. One of us will walk your child(ren) to your car.

Feel free to contact Mrs. Rudolphi or myself for any reason.

Mike Sullivan

Office: 598-2325

Cell: 484-2622

savannahmike1130@gmail.com

Shelly Rudolphi

Home: 897-9335

Shelly.rudolphi@att.net

 

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