| Author | |
Cheryl
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 20 2005
Location: Massachusetts
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 978
|
| Posted: April 25 2005 at 3:22pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Do your children attend CCD classes? If not, what happens when they make their first communions? Do they attend classes to prepare for the mass? Do you use a curriculum for a "first grader"? What does your week look like? (For example, it looks like a Mater Amabilis week includes reading The New Catholic Picture Bible 2X, doing a lesson from Faith and Life 1 and reading a Saint story from Once Upon a Time Saints.) What Bible, Saint stories, catechism books do you prefer?
__________________
Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JSchaaf
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 22 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 753
|
| Posted: April 25 2005 at 5:00pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We are starting first grade in the fall (2 dd's) My girls won't be attending CCD at the parish-I sat in on a few classes and was not impressed. (various reasons). I met with our DRE, who is very open to dh and I doing the girls religious formation/scramental prep at home. There is no age requirement for First Reconciliation/Communion. When I feel they are ready, he asked me to give him and Father a call and we'd sit and "chat". And then the girls could receive the Sacraments-either with the CCD class in the spring or whenever we wanted. I'm glad I have such a open-minded DRE/pastor/bishop! I know others have problems with doing their own religious ed at home.
We will be using Faith and Life from Ignatius Press and I'm thinking about the CHC second grade lesson plans-they do alot for sacrament preparation including many hands on activities.
I'll post more of our resources later-the natives around here are getting restless!
Jennifer
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: April 25 2005 at 10:29pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
A lot depends on your diocese and its friendliness toward homeschoolers. Some dioceses require attendance at sacramental prep classes. Others put all the sacramental prep duties onto the parents regardless of school status (this happened to us with our ds, who was in Catholic school at the time...we went to parent training classes and taught ds at home). In our current diocese, we are in a rural parish and thus pretty much get to do anything we want...our former diocese (Baltimore) is hs friendly, so everything is handled at the parish level instead of being commanded from the diocesan offices.
Last year, when dd was in first grade, we didn't send her to CCD. We did send her in K, when I was teaching...mostly so I could teach CCD. Once we got enough new volunteers, I bowed out. We don't send her now, either; we do religion at home every school day (and then some, when special events happen at home or at church).
We use Faith and Life as our core text, but do a lot of other things as well. We read from various children's Bibles. We are working on a First Communion notebook project. We watch videos. We read saint stories (these are occasional; sometimes I just tell the story instead of read it). We used a lot of material from Elizabeth's Tomie de Paola Advent unit. We also use some CHC materials. We are gradually collecting all of the Treasure Box issues (I loved them when I was a girl but my mom must have tossed them, grrr!!!). We did tons of special Advent and Lent stuff. My daughter loves to be read to...so I read, read, read. She loves the Veggie Tales videos...so we watch them.
At your child's young age, the text you choose isn't nearly as important as the example you set. If you bring your son to Mass, explain what's going on, teach him songs and prayers, and make him feel a part of the Mass through his participation, you can use any textbook approved by the Church and be OK.
It never hurts to discuss the First Communion issue with your pastor. If you know ahead of time what the requirements are, you can work to change them if necessary, and prepare to implement them if you're happy with them.
This is such a joyful time...keep it all relaxed and you'll love it! Read stories together, sing, take a field trip to your church to look at the altar, tabernacle, etc., and you'll all really enjoy religion "class". Take a look at all the "notebooking" threads on this forum and get some ideas for creative expression of what your children are learning...it's really fun!
My daughter loves music, so I know when she's really paid attention in church by how many songs she sings at home. There are some good CDs out there, no matter what music you and your children like to listen to. Remember that many Catholic songs are based on scriptural texts (esp. ones used as responsorial psalms), and that learning the songs means that the Biblical lyrics are memorized, too!
My best advice to you is to relax...I'm a fairly structured person, but I've learned to follow dd's lead in religion class...Bible stories, basic prayers, music, info on each of the sacraments...we all need to know these things, and kids just eat them up. You will learn a lot, too, I promise!
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
|
|
4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: First Grade Religion questions
