Comments on: Moving Backwards http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/ It's all about sharing the faith. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:58:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Christian http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-1686 Christian Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:16:46 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-1686 When my kids ask digressing questions I can't give a quick answer to I will say, \No Digressing!\ or \we'll cover that later in the year,\ or \ask me again after class\ and stick to the subject. When we have Confession the priest sets up in a vacant classroom or stairwell, and one child at a time goes to confession while the rest have regular class. When my kids ask digressing questions I can’t give a quick answer to I will say, \No Digressing!\ or \we’ll cover that later in the year,\ or \ask me again after class\ and stick to the subject.

When we have Confession the priest sets up in a vacant classroom or stairwell, and one child at a time goes to confession while the rest have regular class.

]]> By: Christian http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-4149 Christian Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:16:00 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-4149 When my kids ask digressing questions I can't give a quick answer to I will say, No Digressing! or we'll cover that later in the year, or ask me again after class and stick to the subject. When we have Confession the priest sets up in a vacant classroom or stairwell, and one child at a time goes to confession while the rest have regular class. When my kids ask digressing questions I can’t give a quick answer to I will say, No Digressing! or we’ll cover that later in the year, or ask me again after class and stick to the subject.

When we have Confession the priest sets up in a vacant classroom or stairwell, and one child at a time goes to confession while the rest have regular class.

]]> By: Carlos http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-1662 Carlos Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:38:36 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-1662 Thanks Joe! The examination and the sacrament for the entire class took about 30 minutes combined, so that left me about 30 minutes for the lesson. About 5 minutes into that lesson is when I can sucked into the Q&A spiral. By the time I realized that I needed to put an end to it, I had 5 minutes left. Now I know how school teachers feel on field trip days. You offer good suggestions here. I really appreciate your insights and guidance. Thanks Joe! The examination and the sacrament for the entire class took about 30 minutes combined, so that left me about 30 minutes for the lesson. About 5 minutes into that lesson is when I can sucked into the Q&A spiral. By the time I realized that I needed to put an end to it, I had 5 minutes left. Now I know how school teachers feel on field trip days.

You offer good suggestions here. I really appreciate your insights and guidance.

]]> By: Carlos http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-4148 Carlos Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:38:00 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-4148 Thanks Joe! The examination and the sacrament for the entire class took about 30 minutes combined, so that left me about 30 minutes for the lesson. About 5 minutes into that lesson is when I can sucked into the Q&A spiral. By the time I realized that I needed to put an end to it, I had 5 minutes left. Now I know how school teachers feel on field trip days. You offer good suggestions here. I really appreciate your insights and guidance. Thanks Joe! The examination and the sacrament for the entire class took about 30 minutes combined, so that left me about 30 minutes for the lesson. About 5 minutes into that lesson is when I can sucked into the Q&A spiral. By the time I realized that I needed to put an end to it, I had 5 minutes left. Now I know how school teachers feel on field trip days.

You offer good suggestions here. I really appreciate your insights and guidance.

]]> By: Joe Paprocki http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-1661 Joe Paprocki Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:55:33 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-1661 Carlos, it sounds to me like you were facing an almost impossible situation in the first place. You said that you spent the first half hour doing an examination of conscience and then took them all to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And in the time remaining (you only have 60 minutes total...how did you have any time remaining?), you were supposed to teach Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph?!!!! How much time did you have left in the first place (before the Q & A began)? I can't imagine that you had any amount of time left to adequately address any new info at that point. None of that is your fault, of course, it's just the plight of us catechists being asked to do so much in the minimal amount of time we're allotted. Now, add to that the fact that you have a group of typical adolescents/pre-adolescents who are typically inquisitive and are gonna ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer! Perhaps the only advice I can offer in such a situation is to look at how much time you have as a whole. If time is short, as it was yesterday, perhaps you just need to say, "let's hold that question for next time so we can finish tonight's material" and then deal with it when you have a little more breathing room. Aside from that, it is always a judgment call as to how long to allow Q & A to go. It's great when they are truly curious, it's another thing when it is one or two students monopolizing and/or trying to get you on a tangent. Hang in there Carlos! Perhaps Reconciliation was all that they needed yesterday! :) Carlos, it sounds to me like you were facing an almost impossible situation in the first place. You said that you spent the first half hour doing an examination of conscience and then took them all to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And in the time remaining (you only have 60 minutes total…how did you have any time remaining?), you were supposed to teach Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph?!!!! How much time did you have left in the first place (before the Q & A began)? I can’t imagine that you had any amount of time left to adequately address any new info at that point. None of that is your fault, of course, it’s just the plight of us catechists being asked to do so much in the minimal amount of time we’re allotted. Now, add to that the fact that you have a group of typical adolescents/pre-adolescents who are typically inquisitive and are gonna ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer! Perhaps the only advice I can offer in such a situation is to look at how much time you have as a whole. If time is short, as it was yesterday, perhaps you just need to say, “let’s hold that question for next time so we can finish tonight’s material” and then deal with it when you have a little more breathing room. Aside from that, it is always a judgment call as to how long to allow Q & A to go. It’s great when they are truly curious, it’s another thing when it is one or two students monopolizing and/or trying to get you on a tangent. Hang in there Carlos! Perhaps Reconciliation was all that they needed yesterday! :)

]]> By: Joe Paprocki http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-4147 Joe Paprocki Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:55:00 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-4147 Carlos, it sounds to me like you were facing an almost impossible situation in the first place. You said that you spent the first half hour doing an examination of conscience and then took them all to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And in the time remaining (you only have 60 minutes total...how did you have any time remaining?), you were supposed to teach Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph?!!!! How much time did you have left in the first place (before the Q & A began)? I can't imagine that you had any amount of time left to adequately address any new info at that point. None of that is your fault, of course, it's just the plight of us catechists being asked to do so much in the minimal amount of time we're allotted. Now, add to that the fact that you have a group of typical adolescents/pre-adolescents who are typically inquisitive and are gonna ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer! Perhaps the only advice I can offer in such a situation is to look at how much time you have as a whole. If time is short, as it was yesterday, perhaps you just need to say, "let's hold that question for next time so we can finish tonight's material" and then deal with it when you have a little more breathing room. Aside from that, it is always a judgment call as to how long to allow Q & A to go. It's great when they are truly curious, it's another thing when it is one or two students monopolizing and/or trying to get you on a tangent. Hang in there Carlos! Perhaps Reconciliation was all that they needed yesterday! :) Carlos, it sounds to me like you were facing an almost impossible situation in the first place. You said that you spent the first half hour doing an examination of conscience and then took them all to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And in the time remaining (you only have 60 minutes total…how did you have any time remaining?), you were supposed to teach Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph?!!!! How much time did you have left in the first place (before the Q & A began)? I can’t imagine that you had any amount of time left to adequately address any new info at that point. None of that is your fault, of course, it’s just the plight of us catechists being asked to do so much in the minimal amount of time we’re allotted. Now, add to that the fact that you have a group of typical adolescents/pre-adolescents who are typically inquisitive and are gonna ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer! Perhaps the only advice I can offer in such a situation is to look at how much time you have as a whole. If time is short, as it was yesterday, perhaps you just need to say, “let’s hold that question for next time so we can finish tonight’s material” and then deal with it when you have a little more breathing room. Aside from that, it is always a judgment call as to how long to allow Q & A to go. It’s great when they are truly curious, it’s another thing when it is one or two students monopolizing and/or trying to get you on a tangent. Hang in there Carlos! Perhaps Reconciliation was all that they needed yesterday! :)

]]> By: Carlos http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-1659 Carlos Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:28:40 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-1659 In my case, the curriculum is set by my CRE. I will be able to cover the material next week, but instead of having the students read stories, I will have to summarize them in the form of a lecture. If I interject my own questions to ensure comprehension in between stories, I should be able to keep them engaged, but I prefer to have them help read the stories in the hopes of greater retention. I hope the person asking the questions did get something out of the answers and maybe others in the class too, but I need to retain control and slow the responses down to it doesn’t seem so argumentative. Maybe I’ll employ a technique of John Paul II’s by having them help answer their own question by asking a question in return. Thanks for you comments, Denise. In my case, the curriculum is set by my CRE. I will be able to cover the material next week, but instead of having the students read stories, I will have to summarize them in the form of a lecture. If I interject my own questions to ensure comprehension in between stories, I should be able to keep them engaged, but I prefer to have them help read the stories in the hopes of greater retention.

I hope the person asking the questions did get something out of the answers and maybe others in the class too, but I need to retain control and slow the responses down to it doesn’t seem so argumentative. Maybe I’ll employ a technique of John Paul II’s by having them help answer their own question by asking a question in return.

Thanks for you comments, Denise.

]]> By: Carlos http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-1658 Carlos Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:28:11 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-1658 Thanks for the comments, Jared. I think I need to find the right balance next time. Allow a few minutes for questions that are relevant to the topic. Offer to answer other questions after class and keep the momentum going. I agree that I don't want to lose the rest of the class by just focusing on one student. Thanks for the comments, Jared. I think I need to find the right balance next time. Allow a few minutes for questions that are relevant to the topic. Offer to answer other questions after class and keep the momentum going. I agree that I don’t want to lose the rest of the class by just focusing on one student.

]]> By: Carlos http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-4145 Carlos Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:28:00 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-4145 Thanks for the comments, Jared. I think I need to find the right balance next time. Allow a few minutes for questions that are relevant to the topic. Offer to answer other questions after class and keep the momentum going. I agree that I don't want to lose the rest of the class by just focusing on one student. Thanks for the comments, Jared. I think I need to find the right balance next time. Allow a few minutes for questions that are relevant to the topic. Offer to answer other questions after class and keep the momentum going. I agree that I don’t want to lose the rest of the class by just focusing on one student.

]]> By: Carlos http://www.catechistcorner.com/2009/11/moving-backwards/comment-page-1/#comment-4146 Carlos Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:28:00 +0000 http://www.catechistcorner.com/?p=636#comment-4146 In my case, the curriculum is set by my CRE. I will be able to cover the material next week, but instead of having the students read stories, I will have to summarize them in the form of a lecture. If I interject my own questions to ensure comprehension in between stories, I should be able to keep them engaged, but I prefer to have them help read the stories in the hopes of greater retention. I hope the person asking the questions did get something out of the answers and maybe others in the class too, but I need to retain control and slow the responses down to it doesn’t seem so argumentative. Maybe I’ll employ a technique of John Paul II’s by having them help answer their own question by asking a question in return. Thanks for you comments, Denise. In my case, the curriculum is set by my CRE. I will be able to cover the material next week, but instead of having the students read stories, I will have to summarize them in the form of a lecture. If I interject my own questions to ensure comprehension in between stories, I should be able to keep them engaged, but I prefer to have them help read the stories in the hopes of greater retention.

I hope the person asking the questions did get something out of the answers and maybe others in the class too, but I need to retain control and slow the responses down to it doesn’t seem so argumentative. Maybe I’ll employ a technique of John Paul II’s by having them help answer their own question by asking a question in return.

Thanks for you comments, Denise.

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