whispersintheloggia

Friday, August 26, 2016

Gospel for the Mass: 9/25/16- Luke 16:19-31

Thursday, August 25, 2016

How To Get Your Students To Do Their Homework & Turn It In On Time

It seems to be a problem each year, but here are a few tips to get your students to do their homework and turn it in on time.

1. Only assign homework your students fully understand and are able to do by themselves. Make sure that the homework is necessary, not busy work.

2. Agenda Book/Planner- Give your students no excuse for not writing it down. By providing all students with an agenda book for CCD it will allow students to learn to become independent and turn their homework in on time. If your CCD does not do agenda books, you could ask your child’s CCD teacher if they would be willing to do this with your child. The teacher will more likely agree to this accommodation if the student has problems with turning in their homework and if the parents provide the agenda book. It should also be understood by everyone involved that it will be the student’s responsibility to obtain their teacher’s signature on their agenda book to confirm that the student had it filled it out correctly. Be sure to write all homework in the same place each time and at the close of each class remind the students to write down their homework in their agenda book/planner. At the end of class the teacher would check each and every student’s agenda book to see if they had written correctly their assignment(s). The teacher would initial it (or use a stamp) to confirm that it was correct. This step makes sure that the students had their assignments written down correctly and they would know when to turn them in on time. You can also have the parents have to sign the agenda book to verify that they had read the above and understood what their child is supposed to do.

3. Set aside a few minutes before the end of the class to review the assigned homework. Have your students look at the homework, allow them to ask final clarifying questions, and have them check to make sure they have all the materials they need. Ask your students “Is there anyone, for any reason, who will not be able to turn in their homework on time?”

4. Bible Bucks- are a great way to positively reward students for good behavior, completing memory work, completing and turning in their homework on time or even inviting their friends to church or CCD. Students can collect their Bible Bucks and they will be allowed to trade them in for assorted prizes or tasty treats from the "Bible Buck Store".

Free Bible Bucks to print out:

genejordan.com- Free Bible Bucks to print out

kidsmoneyfarm.com- Three different kinds to choose from. Use the "Word Sheets" or "Powerpoint Sheets" to customize the bills and put your church's name on them. For generic Bible Bucks, just download and use the PDF sheets.

kidssundayschool.com- Amounts of 1, 2, 5, and 10 Bible Bucks

5. Homeworkopoly- Here is a fun game to encourage students to do their homework. In order for a student to play HOMEWORKOPOLY, he or she must complete their homework and hand it in to the teacher on time.

6. Student Folders/Binders- There are many students that would turn in their homework- if they knew where it was. Teach your students that their homework is not finished until it is put away in their folder/binder, AND the homework folder/binder is put by the door to bring to class. To cut down on lost papers and to be better organized, give your students folders or binders. Make sure there is a pocket labeled HOMEWORK in the folder/binder where homework is stored.

Agenda Book/Student Planner Printable

An organized student stays current on assignments and will achieve success in school. Agenda books help students develop sound organization skills that will teach them a successful lifelong journey through school.

My son used to have an extremely hard time keeping his homework assignments organized and turning them in on time. We have found that an agenda book that is kept in his binder helps tremendously.

His agenda book consisted of the following:

1. calendar
2. daily assignment log for each subject for homework, projects or assignments, etc.
3. date due for assignment(s)
4. space for teachers and parents to communicate
5. teacher signature space for each subject
6. parent signature space on bottom of page

*When my son was in middle school the teachers would at the end of class check each and every student’s agenda book to see if they had written correctly their assignment(s). The teacher would initial it (or use a stamp) to confirm that it was correct. I thought this was a fantastic idea and it also made sure that the students had their assignments written down correctly and they would know when to turn them in on time. Parents also had to sign the agenda book daily to verify that they had read the above and understood what their child was supposed to do.

*I think it would be a wonderful idea to utilize agenda books for CCD. By providing all students with an agenda book for CCD it will allow students to learn to become independent and turn their homework in on time. If your CCD does not do agenda books, you could ask your child’s CCD teacher if they would be willing to do this with your child. The teacher will more likely agree to this accommodation if the student has problems with turning in their homework and if the parents provide the agenda book. It should also be understood by everyone involved that it will be the student’s responsibility to obtain their teacher’s signature on their agenda book to confirm that the student had it filled it out correctly.

This activity is free, however it is only to be used for classroom and personal use. It may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction orretransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted.

Agenda Book Page- print and fill out

Directions on how to fill out Agenda Book/Student Planner page:

The small blank red calendar clipart is where you write the date.

The white rectangle with lines is the area for assignments.

Due date: When the assignment is due.

Done: A place to put a check mark when homework is completed.

Teacher Initials: Teacher approves agenda book is correctly filled out.

Parent Initials: Parent approves the child’s homework.

Parent/Teacher Notes: An area for parents and teachers to communicate.

Here are some freebies I found online that you might like:

education.com- Printable Homework Planner

worksheetworks.com- Five Day Homework Planner

blessedbeyondadoubt.com- Free Printable Student Planners for Back to School

thecurriculumcorner.com- Student Planning Binder

theorganisedstudent.tumblr.com- Daily, Weekly, 24/7 Weekly Planners, Monthly, Five Page Study/Revision Planner, Essay Planner, Assignment Planner, Semester Planner, ‘Goal Getter’ Goal Tracker, Grade Tracker, Month At A Glance Planner, Definitions Page, Topics To Study, Task List, Readings, Budget Planner, Essay Checklist, Exam Checklist

printableplanners.net- Student Planner Pages

scatteredsquirrelcom- Student Planner Printables

studenthandouts.com- High School and College Assignment Planner

brighthub.com- Create Your Own Personalized Homework Planner

freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com- Homework Charts

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

What Every Catechist Needs To Know

I taught CCD for 16 years and some have asked me, “What does every catechist need to know?” Well, I’m no expert, but over the years as a special education teacher and as a catechist I have experienced a lot and have seen a lot and I try to learn from my mistakes and that of others. Here are a few things that I think every catechist should know about or do:

1. Catechist Training- Most dioceses and/or parishes require some kind of catechist training before they can teach a class each year. By providing assistance and training to all catechists before CCD starts it will prepare the catechist so they can be an effective teacher. Certified catechist should also participate in the training because no catechist can know everything and they could also benefit from new ideas and activities. Suggestions of what can be in the catechist training is posted.

2. Know The Curriculum- To ensure consistent progress and development the catechist must read, study, and learn the curriculum. A good lesson depends on how well the catechist understands the material. Providing essential information about the curriculum will help the catechists build their lessons on a strong foundation. The training should provide a concise overview of the curriculum and how to use it properly so the catechist will know what to do.

3. Co- Teaching- How to be a good co-teacher.

4. Get Parents Involved and Have a Contact List- Give detailed information on how parents can get involved in their child’s faith education and how they can volunteer at CCD.

Have an Introductory Letter To Parents. It is a great idea to take the opportunity to introduce yourself by welcoming the child and the parents in a letter the first day of CCD. It provides the parents with information of what is expected in the classroom and what the children will be doing during the year. It can also inform parents of the expectations and rules of the class that will help in making the classroom productive, creative, and enjoyable year for all (this can be a separate page that parents must sign and return to you). Teachers can also ask if parents are interested in volunteering and for any information that can help aid them in better understanding their child and their needs.

Provide Volunteer Sign Up Sheets for parents interested in helping at CCD. Volunteers in the classroom can be a blessing IF done correctly and IF it is planned ahead. Nothing is worse than having a volunteer not know what to do or be in the way. Here are tips that should be done to have a good volunteer program in your classroom.

Classroom newsletters are an excellent way to keep in touch with parents and help them be a part of their child's education. Parent’s love to know what is going on in their child’s classroom and frequent and regular class newsletters enable parents to sense the feeling and momentum of the class and gain insight into what their child is learning.

Parent/Teacher Communication Forms/Letters/Templates- Communication with parents is key to having a good CCD classroom. Here are some forms/letters/templates you can use in your classroom.

Have the parents fill out a Class Contact List to obtain information that can help aid the catechist to understand their child’s needs and how to contact them.

5. Inclusion of Special Needs Students in Your Classroom- What you as a catechist must do to enable your special needs student to participate in the classroom. You must also find out how you can best meet the student’s needs so they can learn to their fullest potential.

6. What Makes A Good Catechist- Tips on how to be a good catechist.

7. Know What Your Students Like To Do- The key to being a good catechist is knowing what your students like to do in CCD. Here are some tips and suggestions for activities to do in the classroom that are age appropriate.

8. Prepare Your Classroom to enhance your student’s learning.

9. How To Access Your Students’ Progress- Since students learn in different ways, they must be tested in different ways to find out if they have learned the information taught in class. Here are a few suggestions for your students to do that might come in handy for reading comprehension and assessment activities.

10. Discipline- Having a well behaved classroom is critical for proper learning. For the students to learn to their fullest potential they need an environment that is quiet, without distractions, and organized. Discipline is crucial in a classroom and all catechists must know how to keep disruptive behavior down to a minimum. When establishing classroom rules you should identify behavioral expectations for your classroom to promote a positive environment. Catechists must also use good behavior classroom strategies and games which is an approach to help manage classrooms behaviors with rewards to children for displaying appropriate on-task behaviors during instructional times. When behaviors become a problem in a classroom an effective strategy is to implement a behavior contract.

Bishop Holley Goes To Graceland – Pope Taps DC Aux. for Memphis

(Updated below with presser video/installation date.)

Roman Noon, Tuesday 23 August – As Cardinal Theodore McCarrick gradually returns to kicking after knee-replacement surgery earlier this month, the hits just keep on coming for his onetime top aides. (Put another way, Ted's reaping the "Wuerlwind"... still in all, as "get well" gifts go, it's hard to beat.)

Six days after dear Uncle's lead deputy in Washington was called to Rome as head of a Vatican dicastery, at Noon today – in an unusual August nod – the Pope named the cardinal's last "son," the veteran DC auxiliary Martin Holley, 61, as fifth bishop of Memphis in succession to the venerable Terry Steib SVD, a prelate of some 32 years and the longtime convener of the African-American bishops, who reached the retirement age in May 2015.

An exceedingly warm, kind, ever-smiling figure, Holley spent his life and priesthood as a pastor in the Florida Panhandle until his 2004 appointment as Washington's customary auxiliary with primary responsibility for its sizable Black church. Notably, before heading north the Pope's pick was assigned to the vocations office in his home diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee – a particularly key area for the 80,000-member Memphis church, which has boasted a disproportionately high number of seminarians over recent years, ordaining no less than five priests in 2014.

Among other unique attributes of the western Tennessee fold, Steib's stewardship of the diocesan schools is likewise a particular standout. In a move practically unheard of elsewhere, the retiring bishop reopened six shuttered inner-city schools in 1998, entrusting their future to a first-of-its-kind partnership model whose success has led to attempts to imitate it far afield. (Here's lookin' at you, Mary McDonald.)

On another front, as the bench's last active heir of one John Lawrence May – the St Louis archbishop/bench chief whose liturgical preferences were famously summarized as "wine, women and song" – Steib has been increasingly focused on the church's outreach to gays and lesbians, chartering one of the few diocesan offices dedicated to ministry to the same-sex attracted and, in January, devoting his last pastoral letter to what he termed "a new season" in the church, marked by a "compassionate response" to those in irregular situations vis a vis church teaching: a stance heavily echoed three months later by the Pope himself in Amoris Laetitia.

A Divine Word Father born in Louisiana, Steib became the first African-American bishop in the long history of St Louis Catholicism on his 1984 appointment as an auxiliary there, taking the reins in Memphis eight years later in succession to the Benedictine Daniel Buechlein upon his return to Indianapolis.

While Buechlein's own predecessor along the Mississippi – the princely Francis Stafford – would go on to become a cardinal in the Curia, as never before Steib's tenure saw Rome's spotlight fall on Memphis' homegrown clergy with the rise of Peter Sartain, a son of Graceland's Whitehaven neighborhood, who would be launched over a decade from being Steib's Chancellor to the helm of the million-member Seattle archdiocese.

SVILUPPO: Per Memphis Chancery, the installation has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 19th, to be held in the city's Convention Center.

Meanwhile, keeping to his custom for the province he's led for the last decade, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville made the trip west to preside at this morning's presser. His presidency of the USCCB now in its home-stretch before wrapping in November, Kurtz marked another milestone last week – his 70th birthday on Thursday, so belated auguri to the Father-Prez.

All that said, here's fullvid of Holley's introduction to his new charge:

-30-

Monday, August 22, 2016

Special Events for September

*This month’s special events are: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows and The Exaltation of the Holy Cross and I have quite a number of activities for you to check out.

*Be sure to check out pflaum.com- for activities and worksheets.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

americancatholic.org- Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

catholicism.about.com- Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

catholicicing.com- Ideas for Celebrating the Nativity of Mary (Mary’s Birthday!)

*You can have a birthday party for Mary and have the students plan it. Have them bake an angel food cake, cupcakes, etc. to celebrate her birthday.

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- A Blueberry Waffle Cake for Mary’s Birthday

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- A Birthday Cake for Our Lady

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- Blueberry Cheesecake for Our Lady’s Birthday

*More activities for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary below under Activities For Both Feasts

Our Lady of Sorrows

americancatholic.org- Our Lady of Sorrows

ewtn.com- Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows

newadvent.org- Feasts of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

fisheaters.com- Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

catholicculture.org- info and activities

tiredtwang.blogspot.com- Our Lady of Sorrows (scroll down for this coloring page)

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- Our Lady of Sorrows recipes

catholicicing.com- Our Lady of Sorrows Crafts

catholicicing.com- Seven Sorrows of Mary- Printable Mobile Craft

traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com- Lots of great ideas that you can use with this free printable

Activities for Both Feast Days

Rosary- references, activities, coloring, crafts, games, puzzles, worksheets

fcpeace.com- Memory game on the feast of Mary

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

americancatholic.org- The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

catholicculture.org- info and activities

catholiccuisine.blogspot.com- The Exaltation of the Holy Cross food ideas

Favorite Cross Crafts:

christiancrafters.com- Mosaic Cross
Easy cross necklace/magnet that all kids can make.

momontimeout.com- Stained Glass Cross Craft

kindercraze.com- Stained Glass Cross Craft

christiancrafters.com- The Colors of Christ Cross
*Neat tip at the bottom for younger students.

Sign of the Cross Activities

Activity:

thewholetroubleis.blogspot.com- Sign of the Cross Lapbook

Coloring:

Sign of the Cross- with hand movements coloring sheet

Craft:

Here is a cute craft I found to help little ones learn the Sign of the Cross.

loyolapress.com- Sign of the Cross Necklaces

Worksheets:

catholicmothersonline.com- Sign of the Cross Prayer Handwriting Pages (print, cursive, and D’Nealian style of printing)

crusaders-for-christ.com- Sign of the Cross copy book, print and cursive (scroll down to this)

pflaum.com- I Know the Sign of the Cross (worksheet)
Trace the words at the bottom of the page. Then cut them out and paste them where they belong in the prayer. Say this prayer every day.

pflaum.com- Reviewing the Sign of the Cross (worksheet)
Can you supply the words missing from the Sign of the Cross? Follow the steps from 1 through 5, and choose the correct words from the box.

Friday, August 19, 2016

Gospel for the Mass: 9/18/16- Luke 16:1-13 or Luke 16:10-13

*Be sure to check out Gospel for the Mass Year C page right below the header for other days that you need Gospel for the Mass activities.

Disclaimer: The posts below contain links to other websites and the content of these sites are evaluated before they are included. These websites can change without warning making links inactive and/or the content altered. We have no control over other websites and we are not responsible for the content that they post.

Luke 16:1-13 or Luke 16:10-13

Activities

catholicmom.com- Click on the month. Scroll down to the date for Coloring Page, Mass Worksheet, Crossword Puzzle, Word Search, etc.

catholickidsbulletin.blogspot.com- Download a FREE bulletin to help your kids learn more about our Catholic Mass. Each week's bulletin contains coloring pages for a saint and activities based on the Gospel. The coloring pages may also include a maze, dot-to-dot, find the picture, and many other activities.

loyolapress.com- Background on the Gospel and activities for groups and families

4catholiceducatiors.com- Resources on the Sunday Readings

sermons4kids.com- Do the Right Thing object lesson with coloring page, group activities, puzzles, worship bulletin

sermons4kids.com- The Dishonest Manager object lesson with coloring page, group activities, puzzles, worship bulletin

word-sunday.com- Ernie’s Caught in the Middle (scroll down to Gospel)

The Catholic Toolbox- What Can Teens Do For Gospel For The Mass Activities?

textweek.com- Lectionary, Scripture Study and Worship Links and Resources

childrensministry.com- Lies and God's Eyes
In this activity, the children will make writing appear with water and crayons to show that even when we try to cover up our lies, God sees through it all.

ed.gov/parents- Activities I -- Helping Your Child Become a Responsible Citizen

kidsource.com- Helping Your Child Learn Responsible Behavior with Activities for Children

familymanagement.com- Helping Your Child Learn Responsible Behavior with Activities for Children

education-world.com- Teaching Citizenship’s Five Themes
Activities from the editors of Weekly Reader can help develop K-6 students' understanding of the five citizenship themes---honesty, compassion, respect, responsibility, and courage.

Coloring

servicioskoninonia.org- Make Your Choice gif

sermons4kids.com- I will follow Jesus when I’m tempted to do wrong.

freesundayschoolcurriculum.weebly.com- The rich man fired his manager for wasting his possessions (page 4)

Crafts

sermons4kids.com- Do The Right Thing group activities (crafts)

sermons4kids.com- The Dishonest Manager group activities (crafts)

Games

sermons4kids.com- Do The Right Thing group activities (games)

sermons4kids.com- The Dishonest Manager group activities (games)

The Catholic Toolbox- Liar, liar, pants on fire! (game)
Here is a fun game that helps children to recognize what lying is and how to resist it.

Movie

Introduce movie- What happens when you lie? How do you feel when you lie?

Veggie Tales: Larry Boy and The Fib From Outer Space (25 min.) and ask questions

1. What was the first fib that Jr. told? He said that Laura broke the plate.
2. Who broke the plate? Jr.
3. What happened to Laura? She got into trouble.
4. What happened to the Fib? It got bigger and bigger because Jr. kept telling lies.
5. How was the lie stopped? Jr. told the truth that he broke the plate.
6. Does God want us to always tell the truth? Yes.

Puzzles

abcteach.com- Honesty word search

sermons4kids.com- Luke 16:1-13 Word Search

sermons4kids.com- Luke 16:1-13 Word Search

joanyedwards.com- Word Search

sermons4kids.com- Luke 16:10 Word Shape

sermons4kids.com- Luke 16:10 Decoder

sermons4kids.com- Luke 16:10 Decoder

sermons4kids.com- Luke 16:1-13 Crossword

sermons4kids.com- Luke 16:1-13 Crossword

4catholiceducators.com- Crossword

joanyedwards.com- Crossword

Quizzes

sermons4kids.com- Luke 16: 1-2; 10-13 Fill in the Blanks

funtrivia.com- A Virtuous Quiz for Children

christianteens.about.com- Christian Teen Honesty Quiz: How Truthful are You?

teenadvice.about.com- Quiz: How honest are you? A quick and easy 20 question quiz to help you determine if you are as honest as you think you are.

cbsnews.com- The Honesty Quiz