Strategies for Touchy Times

How would you deal with these situations?:

What if a child cries?

What if a student gets angry?

what if a parent becomes angry with you about something that happened in class?

What if a student makes an obvious racist comment during a class discussion?

What if, despicte your best intentions, you inadvertently hurt a studen't feelings?

What if your own emotions become evident?

What if you realize, as you are teaching, that you have left at home a key compeonet you planned to incorporate into your lesson?  

Click here "Touchy Times"to find some helpful suggestions.

Strategies for Touchy Times

How would you deal with these situations?:

What if a child cries?

What if a student gets angry?

what if a parent becomes angry with you about something that happened in class?

What if a student makes an obvious racist comment during a class discussion?

What if, despicte your best intentions, you inadvertently hurt a studen't feelings?

What if your own emotions become evident?

What if you realize, as you are teaching, that you have left at home a key compeonet you planned to incorporate into your lesson?  

Click here "Touchy Times"to find some helpful suggestions.

What does it take to be an effective catechist?   

Reflect on the following qualities.  Thank God for the areas in which you excel.  Ask for God's grace to grow in the areas you would like to improve.  (From The Catechist's Toolbox by Joe Paprocki.)

• A desire to grow in and share faith
• An awareness of God's grace and the desire to respond to that grace
• A commitment to the church's liturgical and sacramental life and moral teachings
• A strength of character built on patience, responsibility, confidence, and creativity
• A genrosity of spirit, respect for diversity, and a habit of hospitality and inclusion
• A basic understanding of Catholic teaching, Scripture, and tradition
• Honest and caring relationships with the age group I serve
• Effective teaching techniques and strategies

Check list for Teaching

Spiritual Preparation

• Think about your vocation as a catechist.  Who helped form your vocation?  Who nurtures it?
• Pray and reflect on the gifts that God has given you.  How can you use those gifts to serve yous you teach?
• Reflect on the gospels and how Jesus taught.  As the Holy Spirit to fill you with grace to teach as Jesus did.

Formational Preparation

• Brush up on your understanding of the Catholic Faith.  Read one part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no need to try to do it all at once.)
• Check out Catholic Websites such as :

catechistsjourney.com  Joe Paprocki shares his journey as a catechist.

catholiccatechist.org Provides Catholic resources to religious educators.

catholicmom.com  Celebrates Catholic motherhood with a link for religious educators.

4catholiceducators.com Resources provided by a Canadian religious educator/catechist.

catholic.org/sints/stindex.php  Index of saints from A-Z.

scborromeo.cor/ccc.htm  The Catechism of the Catholic Church with a search engine.

biblegateway.com    The New American Version is the closest to the readings as head at mass. 

shc.edu/theolibrary/index.htm Theology libray at SpringHill College. 

• Attend a workshop offered by your diocese that will  deepen your knowledge of the Catholic faith and inspire you to share it with others.

Catechetical Preparation

• Page through your teachers manual to discover all the fantastic resourses and supplemental materials available. Harcourt Religioun Publishers
• Find ways to make your room into a sacred space to create a climate of prayer using posters, sacramentals, sacared images....
• Plan ahead for equipment (e.g., CD player, DVD, etc...)
• Learn to know your children, use nametags, create a seating chart to break up cliques, call the children by name

Check list for Teaching

Spiritual Preparation

• Think about your vocation as a catechist.  Who helped form your vocation?  Who nurtures it?
• Pray and reflect on the gifts that God has given you.  How can you use those gifts to serve yous you teach?
• Reflect on the gospels and how Jesus taught.  As the Holy Spirit to fill you with grace to teach as Jesus did.

Formational Preparation

• Brush up on your understanding of the Catholic Faith.  Read one part of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no need to try to do it all at once.)
• Check out Catholic Websites such as :

catechistsjourney.com  Joe Paprocki shares his journey as a catechist.

catholiccatechist.org Provides Catholic resources to religious educators.

catholicmom.com  Celebrates Catholic motherhood with a link for religious educators.

4catholiceducators.com Resources provided by a Canadian religious educator/catechist.

catholic.org/sints/stindex.php  Index of saints from A-Z.

scborromeo.cor/ccc.htm  The Catechism of the Catholic Church with a search engine.

biblegateway.com    The New American Version is the closest to the readings as head at mass. 

shc.edu/theolibrary/index.htm Theology libray at SpringHill College. 

• Attend a workshop offered by your diocese that will  deepen your knowledge of the Catholic faith and inspire you to share it with others.

Catechetical Preparation

• Page through your teachers manual to discover all the fantastic resourses and supplemental materials available. Harcourt Religioun Publishers
• Find ways to make your room into a sacred space to create a climate of prayer using posters, sacramentals, sacared images....
• Plan ahead for equipment (e.g., CD player, DVD, etc...)
• Learn to know your children, use nametags, create a seating chart to break up cliques, call the children by name