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Natalia
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| Posted: June 27 2006 at 1:32pm | IP Logged
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What do you use for religion for your 8th grader? My dd dislikes Faith and Life :-( What other options are there? What living books are available that will teach doctrine?
Thanks,
Natalia
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Natalia
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| Posted: June 28 2006 at 2:09pm | IP Logged
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No answers? Does everybody use F and L ?
Natalia
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: June 28 2006 at 2:13pm | IP Logged
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I don't  but then again, I don't have an 8th grader. I was kinda interested in this thread to get ideas for when ds does get to that point (2 more years).
Is there such a thing as a Catholic Mosaic type guide for middle school??? Just dreaming, I know...
__________________
Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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ALmom
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| Posted: June 29 2006 at 2:39pm | IP Logged
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We do use Faith and Life for our 8th grader. The content is so solid - but that doesn't mean you have to do the read the book, do the workbook thing. The content of FAith and Life 8th grade covers:
Christ as the visible head, some discussion of the hierarchy, promise of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost,
Some church history, deposit of faith, deposit of grace,
Mystical body, marks of the church, hierarchical structure
revelation and its source
some discussion of coucils, church fathers and church doctors, development of doctrine
authority in the church (infallibility and magisterium, church governance and obedience)
review of the sacraments, different rites of the church (Roman, Byzantine, etc.)
worship and liturgical year
Mary, (New Eve, motherhood, immaculate conception, priviledges, perpetual virginity, assumption and her role in our lives with some exposure to litanies, etc.)
Communion of Saints (church militant, church suffering, church triumphant)
Saints - history and discussion over 2000 years
Seperated Brethern - read the prayers of Good Friday for all, discussion of need for real unity
call to holiness and our role in the world (includes discussion 7 capital sins and the virtues opposed to them) Then virtue is discussed (cardinal virtues, moral virtues, theological virtues, spiritual and corporal works of mercy, vocation to religious life and/or priesthood, marriage and the family, role of lay people and our duties as citizens. There is a great discussion on law, forming a proper conscience, protection of human life, war and peace, social justice and the need for prayer and living a sacramental life. There is also a discussion on death and particular judegement and general judgement at the end of the world.
There is one line in the 8th grade book about an obligation to use the parish schools and religous education programs. This is in a list of the precepts of the church. I use the wording of the actual precepts instead - as we are obligated to support the parish and to provide for the religous training of our children. This, I think, stems from the authors interpretation of the precepts and that homeschooling is not allowed.
Anyways, I am not pushing Faith and Life - but it sure makes a great spine and I think they use some real down to earth analogies. That being said, there is no reason why you cannot use the CCC and do some church history to cover the same things. I do think that there is a certain theological language that is precise in meaning and while kids may know various virtues and live them, I still think it is important to know the "lists" and definitions as part of the vocabulary of our faith. It is like learning things like the Associative property, dividend, etc. It is more important that you can apply these things, but the vocabulary is important too as a common language of mathematicians.
I take topics and as time and energy permits, we flesh out these things. We may visit a Byzantine rite parish or make a liturgical wheel (and of course try to celebrate the feasts, etc. of the calendar). I still want us to learn the vocabulary, etc. but I don't hand my dd the workbook. I may not get around to discussing much with all my dc, but we do always discuss religion!
Faith and Life can get repetitive year after year - that would be my biggest complaint. But you can combine children in years that cover similiar topics and go slower and allow for more doing and depth.. In some of the earlier grades, the focus is on basic salvation history - well we read from the children's Bible instead of the lesson (I may add in insights gained from reading how Faith and Life worded things, but I don't necessarily have dc read this too).
If you designed a good church history course and touched on doctrine as it was defined in history - and expand on this doctrine making sure the student knows what the church teaches and the common vocabulary of faith, then you are basically doing the same thing. For instance if you are doing church/salvation history you could discuss the mystical body as it comes up in the writings of Saint Paul and explain what all this means. The first church council was the Council of Jerusalem and you could discuss councils, role of the papacy, etc, in this. CCC will give you definitions, as will various papal documents on individual topics.
I have not personally done all of this as mine do fine with faith and life and our own family devotions, but since no one else has come forward with any ideas, I'm throwing this out for what it's worth. Hope it helps and stirs someone else to chime in for you!
Janet
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Natalia
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| Posted: June 30 2006 at 10:48am | IP Logged
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ALmom wrote:
| Anyways, I am not pushing Faith and Life - but it sure makes a great spine and I think they use some real down to earth analogies. That being said, there is no reason why you cannot use the CCC and do some church history to cover the same things. I do think that there is a certain theological language that is precise in meaning and while kids may know various virtues and live them, I still think it is important to know the "lists" and definitions as part of the vocabulary of our faith. It is like learning things like the Associative property, dividend, etc. It is more important that you can apply these things, but the vocabulary is important too as a common language of mathematicians. |
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I agree that F&L is a great spine. But is so dry. My dd doesn't respond well to this. Your idea of not working straight from the text is a good one. Do you know of any specific books that my complement specific chapters? I wonder if how she would respond if I add lapbooking or notebooking some of the chapters. Also I wonder if I could get some good videos that will also flesh out F&L. Any thoughts on videos Janet or anyone?
ALmom wrote:
| If you designed a good church history course and touched on doctrine as it was defined in history |
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Do you have any good Church history resources to recommend?
Thanks for posting,
Natalia
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ALmom
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| Posted: June 30 2006 at 3:06pm | IP Logged
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Rc History would cover a lot (Salvation history) and uses Jeff Cavins program. I'm not sure I know any one thing that covers it all - as that would be a huge sweep of history. They also now have a history of the early church. It would also be a history and literature course in its own right so its a lot of stuff if you are doing something else in those other areas. Do you have your other materials or ideas - and could you look at F&L to see what ideas it inspires or are you waiting to see about F&L?
You certainly could do the liturgical year using CHC A Year With God and make your own liturgical year. One of the teens around here makes a pocket display for the liturgical year - feasts, quotes from saints, date, season, etc. That would more than adequately cover at least one chapter. Also did you do Faith and Life all along - if you have you may find that you have already covered quite a bit and may just do a quicky review and move on.
You could certainly make charts for communion of saints - also in CHC A Year With God. We include photos of family (living in the church militant and deceased in the church suffering and small color pics of the saints in church triumphant). Also games like Divinity and Communion of Saints can reinforce lessons.
There are feast days for Mary that become natural moments to develop that chapter - and you can take the chapters out of order.
I think I would do the virtues along with some saint reading and maybe tie saints to virtues either in lapbook, notebook or poster. Lent might be a great time to tackle developing one in the family.
But I'm still no help with laying out a year for you to be sure you covered it. I guess we cobble a bit depending on time, etc. since we have the text and it works ok for us. (I used it for 8th but did something different in 6th grade to give us a break).
What history are you doing? Some discussion of our role in society certainly comes up in discussion of the ways that historical people have either contributed to the kingdom of God or detracted from it - esp. if you are studying world history/western civ.
I'm still hoping someone else with a more creative bent answers your questions - also with more set recommendations. I am just beginning to be a bit more hands on with olders so I'll be watching for ideas myself.
Janet
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Natalia
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| Posted: June 30 2006 at 6:15pm | IP Logged
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ALmom wrote:
| . Do you have your other materials or ideas - and could you look at F&L to see what ideas it inspires or are you waiting to see about F&L? |
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I have been looking around and came up with several ideas:
1-I could use the McBride Teen Cathecism
2- I could use a software that I saw reviewed at the Love2learn website is called Faith Quest here
3- I could take a unit approach using the Nicene Creed as my framework as the CCC does. This approach appeals to me a lot but I don't know if it realistic because it will imply more work on my part.
4- I could use a combination of the above
5- I could buy F&L 8 and use as a spine and not just have her read it and narrate as I was doing before. ( I am probably going to buy it regardless of what approach I take)
I think that what you said about they needing to master not only the concept but the vocabulary is right. Maybe this is something that she will have to do even if she finds it dry. Maybe with an 8th grader hands one unit approach is not the best way to go. I am just thinking aloud here and trying to process my thoughts. It is that time of the year;)
I have to look into AYWG. i was thinking about buying it anyway. Thanks for all your ideas and for sticking with me 
Natalia
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SuzanneT
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My dd would most definately agree with you that F&L is dry  I try to bring in other types of reading to spice it up a bit. She really liked Amy Welborn's Prove It! books. Where is the McBride Teen Catechism found?
Suzanne
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ALmom
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| Posted: July 01 2006 at 12:29pm | IP Logged
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Natalie:
I think doing at least some hands on is still very appropriate with any level - particularly a child that tends to be artistic and craftsy. Any action that helps the teen engage what he is learning is helpful. Narrations can certainly be one means of doing that but it can get boring if it is the same thing week after week after week. Art projects, a poster, etc. could do the same thing. Someone sells a poster of all the popes from Peter to JPII (you'd have to add Benedict XVI ). This would be a visual display that would elicit a simple conversation if you have read the background information yourself. I think varying up what you do with each concept depending on how it lends itself to study makes things much more interesting.
I always read the F&L unit that my dc are reading(it gets hard sometimes with 6 dc but some just listen in to olders) and this way it is natural for me to bring up concepts they are studying when we study other areas (subjects aren't isolated chunks of info to learn) or when life presents an opportunity. I may find myself misbehaving and bring up that I need to work on a certain virtue, etc. Doing this just makes F&L more real and less of a tb that has to be learned and regurgitated (which is one of the things that I generally dislike about my tb ps education).
My dd shared with me that F&L is sometimes dry. It would get very, very old if you did the same thing with it year after year after year and day after day after day. Perhaps doing something different with each chapter would help. Since oral narration doesn't seem to be her favorite - perhaps choosing a hands on project for the chapter would serve you better. My dd likes to do this and then come back and memorize some of the vocabulary (after it is more in her mind and understanding). You could let her imagination run - virtue tree - the moral virtues are related to the cardinal virtues etc. and then decorate with pics of saints whose lives illustrated that virtue.
I'm not much help in craft type stuff because I am an absolute craft avoider but my dd does love these kinds of things and comes up with her own ideas. I've never handed her the workbook though sometimes I have them.
I know what you mean about being worried about making things too mom intensive. Could you talk to your dd? At 8th grade, she may have some ideas of her own on how to make things work. We adjust in what we do with what we have based on dd responses - My question is always - are you learning the material long term? If the answer is no, we change something! My 8th grader gives me plenty of suggestions about how she might learn it better or in a more pleasurable way. So maybe illiciting her help will save you some work.
Just letting her know she has some freedom to taylor things and come up with ideas may make a difference. We've used all kinds of TB stuff as a jumping off point with our most creative dd because with a few additional idea books and the freedom to show her learning in a method of her choosing, she really does learn and come up with all kinds of neat ideas (things I never would have dreamed of).
I really was hoping that by responding someone who just didn't use F&L would jump in and give you some alternatives to think about - just so you didn't feel stuck with what doesn't seem to be ideal for your dd. But hope this helps some if there aren't any other ideas out there!
Janet
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Topic: Religion for an 8th grader
