Junior High Religious Education Programs

junebride · #1 Jun 29, '05, 7:22 pm

From JuneBride,
I was recently asked by our Religious Education Director if I could research and find some Junior High level curriculum programs that emcompass videos, skits, activities, and discussion genres. Does anyone have any suggestions as to who I might be able to contact for resources? I recently found out that we are unable to keep some of our children in our religious education programs that go from elementary level to junior high school level. We average only a 3% return each year. This is alarming to say the least. If we could provide an exciting and interesting middle school program for our children perhaps we can, God willing, retain more children in our programs.

Thank you and God Bless,
June Bride

Blanka · #2 Jun 29, '05, 11:17 pm

I commend you for taking on such an important endeavor. The Catholic education of young people today is so vital.

I remember the Faith and Life Series CCD books being very orthodox and accurate in their instruction. I would also think that you could create your own program such as adding required reading about different saints and encourage discussion about important issues today like abortion, chastity, relativism, the dangers of New Age beliefs, etc.

I was just reading on a website about a set of new religious instruction materials for high school age children (The Didache High School textbook series).
See link: http://catholiceducation.org/article...on/ed0187.html

Neumann Press also has a lot of good Catholic books for kids that you might want to look at. http://neumannpress.com/

**puzzleannie** · #3 Jun 30, '05, 3:00 am

the standard curriculum guidelines generally specify 6th Grade, Old Testament, 7th Grade, Life of Christ and New Testament, 8th Grade Church History. This is the perfect time to introduce scripture and salvation history, and to get deeper into it. they are starting to ask why they have CCD while their protestant friends have bible study, and why don't we read the bible? There is a lot of stuff out there on bible study for youth. GROUP magazine has a lot of good ideas (filter out the non-Catholic stuff, it is not a Catholic resource, but the ideas for engaging kids in activity and discussion are good).

there are a lot of resources for innovative ways to explore scripture - dramas, skits, discussion starters, relating bible stories to today's culture and moral problems, also for using today
s movies, videos song to intro scripture stories and topics.

Connect series from Silver Burdett is a magazine style format which is good, but the catechist needs to know how to supplement. It is an intro. there are segments on Hebrew Scripture and the Gospel.

Teen Guide to the Bible by Fr McBride from OSV is excellent, and together with his Teen Catechism is a great curriculum for Jr Hi and a lead in to Confirmation prep. This would be my first choice. The 7th Grade Text from Loyola on Jesus Christ is excellent and for CCD could easily cover a 2 year program. We also use the 8th grade text to a limited extent to cover the basics of Church history, but at this age they get bored easily if you rely on the book too much.

What works best for us is a 10-15 minutes Christian music and social, prayer, then introduce the topic, brief liturgy of the Word with the relevant scripture, then show a video or clip (7-10 minutes, never more than 15 minutes), then break into small groups for discussion and teaching. To do this you need facilitators who are willing to meet regularly and prepare. We use adult catechists for the teaching, and HS students as small group facilitators, but they have been trained for it.

Fashina86 · #4 Jun 30, '05, 9:31 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blanka

I commend you for taking on such an important endeavor. The Catholic education of young people today is so vital.

I remember the Faith and Life Series CCD books being very orthodox and accurate in their instruction. I would also think that you could create your own program such as adding required reading about different saints and encourage discussion about important issues today like abortion, chastity, relativism, the dangers of New Age beliefs, etc.

I was just reading on a website about a set of new religious instruction materials for high school age children (The Didache High School textbook series).
See link: http://catholiceducation.org/article...on/ed0187.html

Neumann Press also has a lot of good Catholic books for kids that you might want to look at. http://neumannpress.com/

I agree that all these books are really good! And best of luck... you have all my prayers!