If you watched the last video in this series, then you know some of the biggest mistakes we make as religious educators. We spend more time than we should lecturing in front of the class. We spend time reading the textbook out loud even though the kids aren’t following along. And we assign busy work…
The Religion Teacher Blog
From Lecturer to Leader (Part 1): 3 Big Mistakes to Avoid This Year
Like a lot of people who are first starting out in education, I made a lot of mistakes early on. I think you will find that these mistakes are quite similar to what you and a lot of people do today. And it’s not really our fault. For the most part, it is just the…
Saint (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta Lesson Plans and Worksheets
Are you ready to teach your students about the incredible life and witness of Mother Teresa? I hope this collection of Saint Teresa of Calcutta activities, lesson plans, and worksheets will help! Saint (Mother) Teresa of Calcutta Lesson Plans Mother Teresa Lesson Plan (Learning to Give) Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa Lesson Plans (Ave Maria…
Ten Commandments Word Search and Crossword Puzzle
At the core of every Catholic religious education curriculum are the Ten Commandments. Students have to learn them and review them every year. In order to teach the commandments effectively, we first need to teach them to know them then we need to help the students live them. I’m a big proponent of religious education that…
A Five-step Process for Evangelizing Parents
This post is a part of a series of teaching strategies that get beyond catechesis and into the realm of evangelization. To get a 10,000 foot view of where we are going, read this: A New Vision for Catholic Religious Education. This article and the others in this series are inspired by the book, To…
What is your vision for the future of religious education?
Last week I outlined a new vision for religious education that is inspired by the spirit of the New Evangelization and written about in my book, To Heal, Proclaim, and Teach. I was overwhelmed by the positive response I got from that 3,000-word manifesto. I was so pleased to see that so many catechetical leaders,…
A New Vision for Catholic Religious Education
If we were to evaluate the impact of our religious education programs in the Catholic Church today based solely on the number of students whose lives were transformed, do you think we would score well? What if our religious education programs and children’s ministries were measured by the number of disciples that we made in…
A Catechist Blessing
What our Church needs most today is men and women who are willing to touch the heart and not just the head. As Pope Paul VI once wrote, we need to be more like witnesses than teachers. We need people who will not only catechize, but evangelize our Church’s youth. The following blessing for catechists…
What’s in Store for 2016?
“Practical resources for religious educators.” That has always been the focus of The Religion Teacher. When a catechist or religion teacher shows up at this website, they are going to find something practical, something immediately usable and effective in the classroom. It is my hope that with each resource you find and use here, you…
Jubilee Year of Mercy Activities and Worksheets
From Advent 2015 to the end of the liturgical year in 2016, the Catholic Church is celebrating a Jubilee Year of Mercy. Pope Francis is encouraging the entire Church to meditate on God’s mercy in their lives and to share that mercy with others. The following resources may help you in planning your Year of…
