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VanessaVH
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Background: The parish where we are has recently been partnered with a nearby larger parish, we now share pastor, offices etc. with them. There are not very many children at our parish, so religious ed goes through them as well. We signed everybody up, because my oldest is making his First Communion this year, and I didn't want the K and PK to feel left out. We were given books to home study and once a month we will meet to do a seasonal activity with all the kids in the program.
Here's the problem, the books are AWFUL! The 2nd grade one is OK, fluffy, but we can get through it. (it is at least covering the basics of the Catholic Faith)
The K one is going through all of God's Creation, and talking about environmental issues along the way It does have some saint stories in there too, which is good
But the PK one is the worst! One of the first lessons (which I ended up not reading aloud to him) talks about different types of families (thankfully not immoral situations, but ones with just mom and grandma, parents both work while kids stay with grandparents etc.) I would think a Catholic book would want to show the example of the normal nuclear family....
Then another lesson goes into Stranger Danger, and another features the more secular side of Halloween, (with the more Catholic parts just in a foot note to the parents)
I just don't get it! Isn't the idea to be teaching them about God and the Church? The environmental stuff isn't bad per se, but I would think that falls more into a social studies or science book. And I really don't think the PK stuff is appropriate at all...
So should I bring this up to the Director? (whom I have only met twice, briefly) the Pastor?
Say nothing and skip the goofy stuff?
I guess my main frustration is that our school time is very limited in what we can get done (due to young kids running around, and the older ones still very short attention spans) And the other Religious resources I have aren't getting done even though they are so much better than these....
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pumpkinmom
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Do you have to enrolled them in the parish religious ed class? Maybe doing something completely on your own would be a better option.
Another option is to use your own resources and you can read the book that they gave you and make sure your kids know the material in those books but without the fluff.
We no longer take part in our parish religious ed classes because I can do a better job at home. It is not a requirement to attend to receive a sacrament (at least in our area). You can check with your bishop or the head of religious education in your diocese to see the guidelines.
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JodieLyn
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Use your own stuff for the K and pre-K and only use the book for 2nd as a guide for making sure everything in it is covered. BUT caveat on that.. sometimes they use tests and the wording is so precise that it's "wrong" if it's not the way that particular book says so you might need to have a conversation about that...
And you might take in your much better material and give back their material and show them what you'd planned to use and that after looking over their materials you prefer that which you already have.
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leanne maree
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We did exactly the same as you Cassie.
I refused for dd to take part in the religion classes for Holy Communion and Confirmation, as the material was very surface information and did not give dd a solid understanding at all.
Leanne
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stellamaris
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JodieLyn wrote:
Use your own stuff for the K and pre-K and only use the book for 2nd as a guide for making sure everything in it is covered. BUT caveat on that.. sometimes they use tests and the wording is so precise that it's "wrong" if it's not the way that particular book says so you might need to have a conversation about that...
And you might take in your much better material and give back their material and show them what you'd planned to use and that after looking over their materials you prefer that which you already have.
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I completely agree with this 
We have had some wonderful experiences with our parish CCD program, but overall I think doing religious education at home as a family is preferable. For years when the child isn't preparing to receive a sacrament, I do all the religious training at home. This has several benefits:
1. They get a thorough grounding in the faith.
2. They don't waste time on basics like memorizing prayers they already know. Believe me, most of the children in the CCD classes know almost nothing about their faith.
3. Their faith is an everyday part of their lives, not something that is just on Sunday and can be easily set aside. It is more integrated with family life and their own personal life.
4. If you educate your children as a group or a few groups, it actually takes less time than doing a separate curriculum for many different children. Also, grouping the children allows for some wonderful discussions about the faith.
During sacramental years, we always put our children in the CCD classes at our parish when we were in Virginia. We had faithful and fantastic CCD instructors for First Communion and Confirmation. When we moved to Delaware, I was not impressed with the materials used in Religious Education and CCD was required to receive the sacraments, so I just contacted my pastor in Virginia (we are still members of that parish) and worked out a plan to cover the First Communion material at home and attend the First Communion retreat and receive FHC with the regular CCD class. We will probably do something similar for Confirmation.
If you don't think the sacramental preparation is adequate, I'd speak with the DRE about options for homeschooling. I would try to present your request in a positive light, something like, "We are already doing quite a lot of religious instruction at home (you ARE doing more than most if you even just say grace and occasionally pray the Rosary and celebrate a feast day or two), and I'd like to continue with the curriculum we are currently using. What are the options in this diocese for conducting our sacramental preparation at home?" If the DRE can't help you, I'd try the priest. As a final effort, you could contact the diocesan Religious Education office.
If your diocese is not "homeschooler friendly", then I'd just put the children in for the sacramental preparation years and homeschool them for the other years.
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guitarnan
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Quote:
| If your diocese is not "homeschooler friendly", then I'd just put the children in for the sacramental preparation years and homeschool them for the other years. |
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You need to check on parish/diocesan rules with this approach. Our parish requires you to enroll your children in RE the year before AND the year of sacramental preparation.
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jawgee
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There was a lot of hesitation in our parish about people homeschooling faith formation. In order to address some of their concerns, I enrolled my kids in Faith and Life online, so that the parish could be sure that there are no gaps in the child's formation. Each lesson takes about 20 minutes. Otherwise, we are continuing with what we've always done for formation in our family.
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Barb.b
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WEEELLLLL. . . . same situation here. We as well have the option to sign up for religious ed. and pick up the books to "home study". So, I sign up, and ignore thier books and do my own  . Look at it this way - so many kids signing up for the classes at church know very little about the faith. My kids are incredibly bored with the book that the church then ends up using. I don't feel bad about using a different curriculum (Seton for my 4rth grader, and one of the Didiche texts for my high schooler) - that is the books they need and the church does say - parents are the prime religious educators! This way - you sign up - you are really agreeing that you are doing religious ed at home - who said explicitly that you had to USE their books .
Barb
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guitarnan
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Our parish requires that we use books on the USCCB Conformity List for home study.
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Barb.b
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True some will require you to use books on that list. Didache series is on there ( under publisher: Midwest Theological Forum). Seton books are not, but for the main reason that they really would not lend themselves to use in a classroom setting. THey are great for the homeschool 1:1 setting though!
Barb
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VanessaVH
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Thank you for all the input!
I guess I just feel really bad about taking their books and starting to write in them, and then giving them back unusuable.... and making waves. I am really wishing I had just insisted on showing them what we were planning (Faith and Life) instead of trying their program  because now I feel obligated to say something about it. But maybe that is for the best, and they need to hear it......
I don't think us doing our own should prevent him from making the sacrament, (our diocese isn't particularly Homeschool friendly, but there are so many homeschoolers that a few of the parishes are getting a lot better) but DH wants me to talk it over with the Pastor (DH was appalled when I showed him the books, and wants me to start something else ASAP)
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VanessaVH
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And I just realized that Faith and Life doesn't actually start until 1st grade....
Now I am not sure what to tell them for the PK and K.... With oldest we did Catholic Treasure Box, Fr Lovasik's Illustrated Bible (plus a lot of his little ones on different topics) and lots of Saint stories...
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JodieLyn
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The books wouldn't be unusuable.. I bet there's always someone losing a book or signing up late and missing the first bit anyway.. so don't worry about that.
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CatholicMommy
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For PK and K, the Image of God series has good material - the activity books leave a lot to be desired in my own opinion, but my son liked SOME of them (well, actually, he liked all of them, but as far as what he actually went deep with, there were a very few good ones).
Or Remain in Me Faith Formation is good (it is CGS-based).
I have been a DRE and had homeschoolers come to me, before they actually knew me, quite on the offense off the bat. It was hard for my own personality to not break down and cry, or be defensive - but to just explain that I am entirely on their side, I am a homeschooler too, etc.
On the flip-side I have been the parent of a child in the local parish CGS atrium, and had to chat with the then-current DRE about the homework she was sending home with the children (atrium children should NOT be receiving homework dictated by the adult - if they bring their own project home, that's fine).
I think that the best approach is to visit with the DRE and say something along the lines of, "My husband and I are finding that we are unable to cover the substance in this book because we use (and list your other faith formation resources) and we (list a couple of family devotionals you have - daily Mass, Rosary, that sort of thing - just a couple). It seems that these activities cover the same material already; will there be tests or the like that specific wording will matter? Or am I ok just continuing what we do?"
This leaves the door open for a friendly conversation, makes the DRE feel respected, yet sets the tone that your family is covered. Now, if she says there ARE tests, you'll want to check on wording issues; otherwise, you should be totally fine.
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Veronika
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Oh Vanessa, I'm glad to have seen your post today! I thought I was the only one going through this now! We are Byzantine rite and have a totally different curriculum for out diocese's catechism program, but we have exactly the same problem at out church! I am...or was...the co-ordinator, what you call the DRE, and had been for all of my adult life. This past year, our pastor handed me lesson plans to be implemented by our diocese in response to the scandals that are sadly happening now. When I read them over, I was shocked at how straight forward the lessons were and how they linked children's favorite bible stories about sharing with " improper sharing" of personal space, improper touching, etc. Needless to say, I was uncomfortable. When I told my pastor of my hesitation, he insisted that we be obedient to the will of the diocese and teach the lessons exactly as written. I had no choice but to resign and take my children with me. I just couldn't bring myself to,speak to,other people's precious children about these sensitive issues, much less without them present, or without their consent.
Now, I find myself resented by some of the parents who are left behind. ( rather than replace me, the entire program was cancelled...many parents elected to homeschool CCD, some joined another local parish's classes and some sadly fell away). I continue to write my own material for high school apologetics as I did when I taught since we were given no material at all for high school, and we user hat for my high schoolers. We use the Baltimore Catechism for the younger grades as well as a family bible study.
I'm still sad and hurt after having to leave a job I loved for over 25 years, but when I look on the bright side, I must admit that I'm finding it especially freeing to spend time on the faith of my own children rather than preparing lessons for everyone else! We get to study issues and topics that I feel are relevant and necessary to my particular family at this particular time, using material that is actually challenging and at my children's level for a change. I also find that my Catholic Homeschoolers Group has been the " church family" we have been without this year...God bless them! I hope you can stay strong and positive throughout your situation this year, and that your choices for material are met with acceptance by the powers that be! I think that, once they see that you are seriously educating your children in their Catholic faith, they'll not only let you be, they'll be impressed. I'll be praying for you!
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Religious Ed - What would you do?
