Baptizing the CurriculumBaptizing the CurriculumCatholic Identity in the Early Childhood Center

Presenter: Brian A. LemoiDiocese of St. Petersburg

What Do You Most Desire For Your Students?

• Emotionally/Affectively?

• Intellectually?

• Spiritually?

What the Church Desires for Her

Children!• In a Catholic school, everyone should be

aware of the living presence of Jesus the "Master" who, today as always, is with us in our journey through life as the one genuine "Teacher”…The inspiration of Jesus must be translated from the ideal into the real. The Gospel spirit should be evident in a Christian way of thought and life which permeates all facets of the educational climate. The Religious

Education Dimension of the Catholic School, Rome,1988

What the Church Desires for Her Children!

• Prime responsibility for creating this unique Christian school climate rests with the teachers, as individuals and as a community. The religious dimension of the school climate is expressed through the celebration of Christian values in Word and Sacrament, in individual behavior, in friendly and harmonious interpersonal relationships, and in a ready availability. Through this daily witness, the students will come to appreciate the uniqueness of the environment to which their youth has been entrusted. If it is not present, then there is little left which can make the school Catholic. climate. The Religious Education Dimension of the Catholic School, Rome,1988

Working Assumptions• “Begin with the end in mind!” Stephen Covey

– The Whole Child—The Holy Child • Help children to “act their way into believing”

rather than expecting them to “believe their way into acting”Sara Little

• Don’t add catholicity and faith themes to the course of the day, infuse them into the age appropriate learning tasks that you are already doing and that standards call for. This is not something to wedge-in, but to tease out!

Working Assumptions• You, their teachers are the most important

factor (after their parents) in the children embracing our faith.

• Faith is essentially caught, not taught• Witnesses are more needed even than

teachers/preachers• Foster “Wonder and Awe” for all of creation

and the God who is evident in all that the children will discover.

• Theory needs to balanced with practice!

What Does This Mean for Us?• “Baptizing the Curriculum” means

much more than just the “lesson plans or unit plans.” – Center/Classroom Culture & Climate– Fostering “Catholic Imagination/Identity”– Discipline Policies/Procedures– Direct Student Instruction– Age Appropriate “Tasks” and Themes– Parent/”Households of Faith” Extensions

Center/Classroom Culture & Climate

• “Church Seasonal” & Faith Signs, Symbols and Related Activities– Prayer Table/Center– Religious Artwork—Professional and

Student Created– Color: Seasonal for the Church Year– Sacramentals: Holy Water, Rosary,

Candles

Church Year Colors

Celebrate Seasons

• Violet = Waiting & Getting Ready

• White = Celebrating

• Green = Learning & Growing in Faith

Or Even Simpler!

Feasts and Holy Days

• October: Mary, Rosary, Respect for lifeOur Lady of Guadeloupe, Immaculate

Conception• St. Nicholas-Generosity and Giving• Epiphany—Three Kings—Jesus for the world• Saint Patrick/St. Joseph-Love of God and Jesus• Pentecost: Birthday of the Church-Mission of all

of us (Jesus’ Law of Love) courtesy of St. Jerome and Holy Family

ECC Curriculum Materials

Center/Classroom Culture & Climate

• Catholic Imagination & Identity– Sense of “Sacred Space”– Battery Candles– Images, statues, Bible, Holy Water,

ReligiousMusic, Church Visits, Nature,

• Don’t be concerned about having to know the “right prayers” or gestures, help foster a sense of reverence; the rest comes later on

Faith Development Concepts

• Plays, works, and prays happily with others.• Develops a sense of awe, wonder, respect, gratitude,

and stewardship for God’s creation.• Develops a sense of community and worship.• Knows that God loves, protects, and provides for them.• Recognizes that prayer is talking with God.• Learns traditional prayers including; the sign of the

cross, daily and table prayers.• Asks for, listens to, and talks about Bible stories.Celebrates their place in God’s Family—with gratitude to St. Jerome ECC

Administration

Center/Classroom Culture & Climate

• Music: include Christian music in the units of study, as background to activities, arrival and dismissal times—remember that parents too need a signal that this is a “different” kind of environment and that peacefulness, prayerfulness and mindfulness are at the core.

Center/Classroom Culture & Climate

• Bible stories that align to the themes of your units of study– Dinosaurs/Farm/I Am Special: Adam and Eve

Story—helps with understanding time and God as creator of all; uniqueness of the human being

– November: Bless Us O Lord– May: Mary/Mothers“Develops a sense of awe, wonder, respect, gratitude, and stewardship for God’s creation.”

The Theory

“Disciple-ing”

• Jesus Law of Love: Love God, Love your Neighbor & yourself

• Moral Development:– Develop Moral Feelings (Empathy)– Develop Understanding of Rules/Laws– Develop Conscience– Understand Consequences

The Practice• How would you feel?• Rule Reminder• Consequences• Contrition• Reconciling Action: I’m Sorry…• Follow-up: Affirm goodness of child,

wrongness of the act

Begin With the Foundational Practices Of the FELDS

• C. Social Studies ........................................................................................................... 197

• Overview of Social Studies Standards ....................................................................... 199

• Social Studies Introduction ......................................................................................... 200

• a. Individual Development and Identity –Catholic Identity.............. 201• b. People, Places, and Environments .....................................-my church,

our pastor, our parish……………………………………………………… 204• c. Technology and Our

World ...................................................................................... 205• d. Civic Ideals and Practices—prayer leader, golden rule application

................................................................... 206

Begin With the Foundational Practices Of the FELDS

• D. Creative Expression Through The Arts .................................................................. 209

• Overview of Creative Expression Through The Arts ................................................. 211

• Creative Expression Through The Arts Introduction ................................................ 212

• a. Visual Arts Religious Artwork, Signs, Symbols ...... 213• b. Music Parish Music Minister—resource/guest

presenter.................................................. 216• c. Creative Movement and Dance-- Liturgical Gestures,.. 219• d. Dramatic Play and Theatre--Bible Stories, Mass Center, 222

Adapt the FELDS Strategies

• Supportive Instructional Strategies:• Read a story to the children and have them draw a portrait

of the main character. Bible Story/Heroes• Play music and have students create a two-dimensional

artwork that describes what they heard. Religious Music• Have children depict their favorite part of a story using a

variety of materials provided for them.• Talk with children about the art-making process (e.g., What

did they like best and why? How did they make a pattern? A color? What would happen if they had chosen a different material?). Faith Sharing about the story & Characters, life application.

Faith “Take-Out” for the Home

• Prayer Practices for the Home—modeled at school, replicated at home– “Starting Prayers”– Meal Prayers– “Check Our Actions Prayers”

(contemplation/examination of conscience)– “End of the Day Prayers”– “Feasts and Seasons” Prayers

Faith “Take-Out” for the Home

• Cultural (usually food) customs related to faith themes or holy day observances See: http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/– Easter Bread– Pretzels– Las Posadas– Oplatek– Pasteles (for Epiphany)

Parent Communication• WEDNESDAY: Today, we looked at the

stunning paintings of Monet. Since Monet enjoyed painting out of doors, we took our water colors outside and looked to God’s beautiful world for our artistic inspiration. The children also took time to make lovely Valentine’s Day cards for the homebound of our Parish. This act of kindness fit in very nicely with this week’s Bible lesson. Courtesy of a spectacular teacher at St. Jerome ECC

Shameless Plug for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

• …we celebrate the gift of our work in the Catechesis in which, through the observation of the child's unique relationship with God and through the adult's willing embrace of our servant role in that relationship, we come to share in the child's wonder and joy. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Website:

http://www.cgsusa.org/

So, Now What Are You Thinking?

• Q & A• Brief Comments/Observations

• If you need assistance: – BAL@DOSP.org– Preferably phone: 727-341-6849