Jared Dees's Blog: The Latest from Jared Dees, page 52
November 4, 2015
Holy Spirit Lesson Plan
The Holy Spirit is often the most difficult person of the Trinity to explain to young people. They have seen plenty of art work depicting God the Son. They are at least able to wrap their minds around God the Father, even if their concept of him is as an old man with a white beard.
Teaching about the Holy Spirit, on the other hand, is a little bit more challenging.
My co-catechist, Tim Will from the Alliance for Catholic Education, came up with a great Holy Spirit lesson. The kids had fun an...
October 30, 2015
A Word Count Chart for NaNoWriMo
For the second year in a row, I am going to participate in National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a. NaNoWriMo). I’m actually not a novelist and I don’t plan on writing a novel (this year). Last year, I finished a non-fiction manuscript for a book I was working on and this year I am going to do the same for another book project that is due in November.
There’s two reasons why NaNoWriMo motivates writers to get their books written:
Community HabitThe community aspect is incredible. Just check o...
October 27, 2015
All Saints Day Activities for Children
The resources found within this collection of All Saints Day activities can be used to celebrate the November 1st Solemnity, but many of these saints resources can be used all year round. Explore each of the websites and resources below for ideas to help you teach about Catholic saints in your classroom.
The Gospel reading for the Solemnity of All Saints features the Beatitudes. Feel free to use this collection of Beatitudes worksheets to prepare students for that reading.
October 21, 2015
The Marty McFly Visualization Technique
“Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one.”
Doc Brown
It can be difficult to think about the future.
Have you ever honestly tried to answer the question, “Where do you want to be in five years?” How about ten years? Twenty? How about thirty?
Think about who you were five, ten, twenty, and thirty years ago. Would you ever have expected to be doing what you are doing today?
I like Doc Brown’s advice about the future. Philosophical and theological arguments about time and pred...
October 1, 2015
A Teacher’s Prayer
TEACHER’S PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
Enable me to teach WISDOM,
For I help to shape the mind.
Equip me to teach with TRUTH,
For I help to shape the conscience.
Encourage me to teach with VISION,
For I help to shape the future.
Empower me to teach with LOVE,
For I help to shape the world.
AMEN.
Adelaida (Adelle), a member of The Religion Teacher, shared this wonderful teacher’s prayer with me. I found it to be such a great explanation of what we do as religion teachers and catechists. I hope you...
September 15, 2015
Nine Activities and Lesson Ideas to Teach about Pope Francis’s Visit to the United States
A full and varied schedulehighlights Pope Francis’sfirst apostolic visit to theUnited States. If you are readingthis prior to his September2015 visit, plan to follow alongwith the pope on his journeythrough appropriate mentionand study in your theologyclasses. If the trip has alreadyoccurred, some of these suggestionscan also work well inreview or in conjunction withanother trip the pope will takein the future.
The itinerary ofPope Francis’s US trip includes ameeting with President Obama;an...
August 6, 2015
10 First-Week Mistakes You Must Avoid This Year
It is time to return to the classroom! Are you ready?
I always find that it is a little bit difficult to get back into the swing of things. It’s hard to jump right back in and pick up the momentum where you left off the year before.
I know that I’ve personally made many repeated mistakes year after year during the first few days of class. I hope this list of no-no’s will help guide you away from the pitfalls so many of us fall into during the first weeks of school. Instead, make the start of...
July 15, 2015
Six Activities to Help Teach about the Parables
“The disciples approached him and said, ‘Why do you speak to [the crowds] in parables?’ He said to them in reply, ‘Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.’”
Matthew 13:10-11
When Jesus spoke to the crowds (the group of people who had not yet decided to become his disciples), he shared stories to express symbolically who and what God and his kingdom are like.
Most of the time, people didn’t completely understan...
June 3, 2015
Save Your Voice and Your Sanity: 3 Ways to Effectively Get Students’ Attention
The class mumbles with whispering for a few moments. It grows to a murmur and before you know it, they are nearly shouting to the people next to them.
How do you get their attention? How do you snap them out of discussion mode and back to listening mode without raising your voice?
I’ve used a lot of different tactics over the years. Some work better than others. I will tell you that the thing that works the least is shouting.
Is this the way you get your students’ attention?
Raising your voic...
Save Your Voice and Your Sanity: 3 Ways to Effectively Get Studentsâ Attention
The class mumbles with whispering for a few moments. It grows to a murmur and before you know it, they are nearly shouting to the people next to them.
How do you get their attention? How do you snap them out of discussion mode and back to listening mode without raising your voice?
I’ve used a lot of different tactics over the years. Some work better than others. I will tell you that the thing that works the least is shouting.
Is this the way you get your students’ attention?
Raising your voic...
