TEACHING RELIGIOUS STUDIES 7-12
RS
459 John
K. Leonard, Ph.D.
Spring
2007 Predolin
324, 663 -2823
Mondays
1:30 – 2:45 Hours: T 12-1:30, 4-6; R
11-12, 1-1:30; F 3-4
2
Credits or
by appointment (h) 256-1609
Description/Objectives
An
exploration of (a) theologies/purposes of Religious Education Ministry with
Youth; (b) theories of Faith development in relation to Cognitive and Moral
Development; and (c) the development and evaluation of curricula, methodologies
and youth ministry programs with an emphasis on catechesis. The course provides opportunities
- To appreciate a variety of approaches
to Christian Religious Education and the recognition that this ministry is an
art rather than a technique;
- To understand how young people think
and learn;
- To become familiar with traditional and
contemporary methods of doing religious education and to be able to evaluate
their effectiveness;
- To compile resources according to goals
(e.g. training other teachers/ministers; designing confirmation curricula;
service learning and spiritual formation; liturgical catechesis; family-based
or intergenerational catechesis, etc.)
- To assist participants in the
integration of their own life experiences with the issues raised.
Requirements / Assessment
Attendance/Participation.
The success of the course depends on the full, conscious and active
participation of all. Please inform the
instructor of any necessary absences ahead of time and we will explore the
possibility of meeting at another time that week. In last-minute cases, please acknowledge your
absence in writing ASAP and turn in any missed papers at the next
meeting.
Weekly Readings/Discussion. (30 points; 30% of the grade). Fruitful
discussion depends on an early, thoughtful and critical reading of the assigned
texts and chosen materials. Students are
encouraged to highlight, underline, make notes in the margins, etc., in
preparation for the weekly discussions.
Research Project Report
(70 points; 70% of the grade).
The purpose of this project is to
become very familiar with
(a) what is being done in the field,
(b) what resources are available for pursuing your own goal in this ministry
(e.g., teaching/coordinating
volunteers; teaching 7-12; designing Confirmation preparation programs;
spiritual /retreat formation; service learning & spirituality, etc.); and
(c) how to evaluate and/or develop a program/course/curriculum of your
own.
The
methods for researching this project
should probably include
(1) on-site interviews, surveys and observation of religious educators or youth
ministers and the young people with whom they work. . .
(2) visits to Diocesan offices of Religious Education and/or Youth Ministry to
become familiar with and to compile a bibliography of resources... and
(3) the reading of select material to enable you to do your report.
The following is a sample outline for the
report on this project:
I. Summary of your personal
Theology of Religious Education/Catechesis/Youth Ministry
A. Why do this (coordinate teachers/volunteers,
teach, work with youth ...)?
B. What has it got to do with Jesus and the
Reign of God?
C. What are its short- and long-term goals,
individual and societal goals,
ecclesial and eschatological
goals, and how are these various goals related?
II. Brief summary of
the traditional methods or theories used in this ministry.
A. Authors/practitioners consulted (historical
and/or cultural overview)
B.
Methods/approaches/theories traditionally used.
III. Brief report on
how this ministry is being done in one or two local parishes.
A. Local ministers’ theology/motivation (How they understand the “why?”)
-
Theological Objectives of the program
-
Pastoral Objectives of the program
B. Curriculum/Methodologies
- Describe Textbooks/Pedagogies (Book contents & how these are actually
used)
- Describe any
community-building activities (how are youth led to experience their
connection with God/Jesus, with the local
church, universal church, others,
creation?)
- Describe the place and kind
of Service-Learning in the curriculum
- What are the “outcomes” and how are these
measured?
C.
Perception on the part of the Young People
-
why are they involved in this ministry?
- do they experience any of
these connections?
- what do they learn from
service?
IV. Evaluation of the
local program for consistency of objectives, methods, and outcomes.
A. Strengths of the local program
B. Challenges/Needs
C. What you learned to do and what you would do
differently.
V. Resources. (just a few examples... adjust/expand according to your focus/topic)
A. Official Documents on Catechesis/Youth
Ministry
--
NCCB. To Teach as Jesus Did (1972);
Sharing the Light of Faith (1977) [BX1968
S36]
Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A
Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation
in
the
--
Paul VI. Evangelii Nuntiandi (1976);
--
John Paul II, Catechesi Tradendae (1979)
B. Resources on Catechesis
--
NCCB. Catechesis: Sow Justice, Reap
Peace.
[BX1968 C37]
--
Maria Harris, Thomas Groome, and Moran Harris, eds. Reshaping Religious
Education:
Conversations on Contemporary Practice.
John
Knox Press, 1998.
--
Daniel Schipani, Conscientization and
Creativity: Paulo Friere and Christian
Education. Lanham: University Press of
--Thomas
Groome, Sharing Faith. Harper
Collins, 1991
--
Imbelli, Robert P., ed., Handing on the
Faith: The Church’s Mission and Challenge.
NY: Herder & Herder, 2006.
C.
--
Monika Hellwig, Understanding
Catholicism. Mahwah: Paulist, 1981.
-- Brennan Hill, Exploring Catholic Theology.
Mystic: 23rd Publications, 1995.
-- Parker Palmer, To Know As
We Are Known: A Spirituality of Education.
(
-- Anthony DeMello, Awareness... or The Way to Love.
--
--_________________ Adolescent Spirituality: Pastoral Ministry for High School and College
Youth. NY: Crossroad, 1989
D. Resources on Faith Development
--
James Fowler, Stages of Faith: The
Psychology of Human development and the
Quest for Meaning.
-- James Fowler with Sam Keen, Life Steps: Conversations on the
Faith Journey.
Kieran Sawyer, Confirming Faith: A Faith
Development Program for High School Students Preparing to Celebrate the
Sacrament of Confirmation with the Support of the Entire Faith
. Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press, 1998.
Alternatives.
Students with any disability or genuine difficulty with these
requirements are encouraged to meet with the instructor as soon as possible so
that appropriate accommodations can be made.
All students are encouraged to suggest alternative readings from their
own traditions or other perspectives to supplement those listed here.
Required Texts
Bible [any modern translation].
Gallagher, Maureen and Weakland,
Rembert. The Art of Catechesis: What
You Need to Be, Know, and Do. (1998).
Mongoven, Anne Marie. The Prophetic Spirit of Catechesis: How We
Share the Fire in Our Hearts. NY:
Paulist, 2000. [BX1968
.M64 2000 ]
Imbelli, Robert P., ed.,
Handing on the Faith: The Church’s
Mission and Challenge. NY: Herder
& Herder, 2006.
Recommended
Texts
Ratcliff, Donald E. Handbook of Children’s Religious Education.
Unit
I Why Engage in Religious
Education / Ministry With Youth?
(1/29)
Introduction: Why do this Ministry at all?
(2/?) What
is the purpose of Religious Education?
READ: Introductions to the two Papal Encyclicals
and a few of the documents from the NCCB.
(2/12) What
Did Jesus Teach? How Did Jesus Teach?
READ: Mark’s Gospel, the Parables in Luke. What are the values/characteristics of the
Reign
of God as Jesus understood it? How did
he teach them?
(2/19) What
are my Objectives? What do I hope to see
as a result of this Ministry?
READ: Papal and Episcopal Documents and other
sources that speak of Religious Ed…
Begin
to compile resources for articulating your theology of youth ministry.
Unit
II Understanding
Youth & Faith
(2/26) Theories
of Faith Development.
READ: Chapters 1-4 of Ratcliff’s Handbook of
Children’s Religious Education
= chapters by Buzelli, Barryman, Vianello, etc. and Aldridge/Box;
Please revise/expand the outline provided by e-mail.
See
also, James Fowler & Sam Keen, Life
Steps (or any other book by Fowler on Faith Development), and/or Mary
Wilcox, Developmental Journey.
(3/5) Faith
Development & the North American Context
READ
Kathleen Talvacchia, “A Theological Framework for Multicultural Religious
Education,” Horizons 24:2 (Fall 1997)
215-229 [Handout]; Johnson, Dinges & Griffiths, chapters 1-3 in Robert
Imbelli’s Handing on the Faith: The
Church’s Mission & Challenge, (NY: Herder&Herder, 2006) 13-59.
Unit
III Theories of Youth
Catechesis / Youth Ministry
(3/12) Learning
Theory/Teaching Theory
READ,
Maureen Gallagher & Rembert Weakland, The Art of Catechesis: What You
Need to Be, Know, and Do. (1998)
(3/26) Teaching
Religion
READ,
Anne Marie Mongoven, The Prophetic Spirit of Catechesis: How We Share the
Fire in Our Hearts, (NY: Paulist, 2000). [BX 1968 M64 2000]
Unit
IV Contemporary Practice: Local
Examples
(4/?) Interviewing
& Observing: Questions to ask?
Things to Notice.
(4/16) Work
on Projects/ Continue Observation—Review Curricula
(4/23) Oral
Updates on Interviews/Observations
Unit
V Finding / Assessing Further
Resources
(4/30) Visit
Diocesan Religious Ed /
(5/7) Reports
Due