“Nothin’” It seems to be the favorite response of every child when asked, “What did you do in school today?”
Ask them about how they spent their week, and you may have to sit down and wait a bit for a response. That’s a lot of time territory to cover.
Young children have a tendency to live in the moment, but as they mature they begin to grasp the idea of the past and the future.
The advent of Holy Week is a good opportunity to help children explore the momentous changes that can happen in a week’s time, by examining the last week in the life of Jesus.
This, of course, is a lesson that must be adapted for children of different ages; the last days of Jesus can be difficult for young children to grasp.
So, what exactly happened during the last week in the life of Jesus?
Palm Sunday is the day Jesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem surrounded by people waving palms, laying them on the ground in front of him, and shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David!” By the time of his arrest on Holy Thursday many of these same people will have turned against him.
Holy Monday is the day Jesus and his disciples visited the Temple where Jesus overturned the tables of those who were buying and selling things, and the money changers’ tables as well, saying “My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you make it a den of robbers.” And the sick and lame came to him in the Temple to be healed. Read St. Matthew 21:12-17
Holy Tuesday saw Jesus continuing to preach, in the Temple to religious leaders who confronted him, and to his disciples who he was trying to ready for what would happen in the next few days, and to help them understand who he was. Read St. John 12:20-38
Holy Wednesday is the time Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, when “he went away and conferred with the chief priests and captains how he might betray him to them. And they were glad and engaged to give him money. So he agreed, and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of the multitude.” Read Luke 22:1-6
Holy Thursday was the time of the Last Supper, when Jesus ate with his apostles before the Passover Feast. This meal marked the institution of the Eucharist and the first Mass. On this night, Jesus also washed the feet of his apostles. He then asked Peter, James and John to pray with him in the Garden of Gethsemane, where the three fell asleep. It was here, in the Garden, that Jesus was arrested. Read Mark 14:12-25
Good Friday is the day Jesus is crucified and dies on the Cross. If students have prayed the Stations of the Cross, also called the Way of the Cross, remind them that Good Friday is the day that all those events happened. If they haven’t prayed the Way of the Cross, consider hanging student renderings of each station around the classroom and pray several each day before Good Friday. Read Mark 15:1-47
Holy Saturday finds Jesus in the tomb. You may point out to students that if they go to church on Holy Saturday, they will see the main tabernacle of the church is empty. Jesus is not there. The tabernacle door is left open, and the altar has no covering or decoration. Ask them why.
Holy Week is a time of unparalleled expression of the sacred. It is full of symbols and movement toward the most important celebration of the Church – Easter and the Resurrection of Christ. While students may not be in school for several days of Holy Week, a teacher’s own wonder and awe at what will be transpiring can be contagious, and prepare students to worship well when they have the opportunity.
About the Author
Lent is our greatest season of hope because it awaits the great mystery of Jesus resurrection on Easter morning. Hope means “to want and expect.” Christians hope in Christ and that hope will not disappoint us (Romans 5:5). It is a feeling that what is wanted will happen. We pray during Lent and throughout the year, that God will empower us to be positive and help us also seek and see the goodness in one another. We can help our students to look at the world with hopeful eyes. When we have hope, our outlook on the world will be more optimistic.
One of the most important habits of mind that children can develop is optimism. Pessimism, on the other hand, leads to helplessness and withdrawal – it doesn’t matter what I do, it won’t work, so there is no point in trying. Optimism is not about temperament; it is a habit of thinking that relates to how we interpret events. And it can therefore be taught.
Optimism has been found to be one of the key characteristics of resilient people. The brain can be rewired to be more optimistic through the experiences it is exposed to. This doesn’t mean invalidating one’s pessimistic feelings. Acknowledge their view of the world, and introduce them to a different one. Children who practice optimistic thinking are more resilient, they are less likely to give up in the face of challenge, and they tend to interpret experiences in a way that gives them a sense of control and confidence.
Prayer Treasure Chest. Materials: shoe box or other box with a lid, old magazines, scissors, glue, stickers, colorful paper. Students cut out pictures that remind them of hope and love, and glue them on the box. Have students write (or help little ones write) three prayers on separate slips of paper and place the prayers in the Treasure Chest. Before faith formation class begins, ask each person to draw out a prayer to read privately to themselves. Close the silent prayer time with a prayer for the group to hope in Christ. Make time for everyone to add more prayers and intentions in the coming weeks.
Rice Bowl of Hope. Materials: bowl, paper, and pen. Or use an Operation Rice Bowl box from Catholic Relief Services. One way of sharing hope with others is by giving alms. Plan to conserve one meal a week and use the money for the Rice Bowl. At the end of Lent, give the money to your local poor or to Catholic Relief Services.
Popcorn Reflection. Make some popcorn, and discuss how the kernels change and become transformed. (The good food was hidden within the hard shell.) Share ideas on how we can be compared to popcorn in our own lives. Can you think of another food metaphor for hidden blessings?
Sharing Our Optimism Stories. Invite students to work with a partner or a small group.
• Each share a story about a hope he or she had and how things worked out.
• Share a funny story about him or herself.
• Share a time you felt especially cared for by someone.
About the Author
We have many mysteries in our faith. These are beliefs that we accept as truth on faith alone because they have been revealed to us by God. These mysteries are central to our faith, but not always the easiest to explain to our children and students. The word mystery stems from a Greek word, which, when translated into Latin become the word, sacrament.
The primary mystery of our faith is the Trinity. While intellectually difficult to understand, the mystery of the Holy Trinity is understood in one’s heart as the revelation of God’s love for all men and women. Pope Francis has said that the Christian belief that the persons of the Holy Trinity “are not three gods” but rather “one God in three persons” speaks to the heart because “we find it encompassed in that expression of St. John which summarizes all of revelation: ‘God is love.'”
Another key mystery, the Paschal Mystery, refers to God’s plan of salvation which was ultimately fulfilled through Christ’s Passion (his suffering and crucifixion), death, Resurrection, and Ascension. The word paschal refers to the saving blood of the Passover lamb in the Exodus. We learn from Jesus, our Paschal Lamb, that new life can come from death, that we can find meaning in tough times, and that there really is light in the darkness.
We see God’s mysterious acts of restoration all around us and in our own lives. For example, many plants die in the fall, yet when spring comes, they return from seed or from unseen roots. Our Easter decorations of flowers, bunnies, and chicks are appropriate symbols of new life that comes in springtime.
The Eucharist is a mystery that makes Christ’s Paschal sacrifice present to us, so that we truly and actively participate in its saving power. After the consecration of the bread and wine at Mass into the Body and Blood of Christ, the priest proclaims, “The mystery of faith!” Even though we cannot fully comprehend this event, we are invited to notice this happening -- we ring bells! -- to think about it, and to give thanks for it.
Gather signs of new life and rebirth. Arrange twigs of budding pussywillow or forsythia in a vase. Notice how the warmth of the classroom coaxes them to bloom. Collect some tadpoles from a pond and observe their development. Plant some seeds in ice cream cups and plant the shoots outside.
Reflect on losses in our lives. Ask children to name losses that people experience that make them sad. Examples will be: Someone they love died; their friend moved away; their own family moved to a new neighborhood; they changed schools; their pet died; their parents broke up; their sister moved out.
Next, ask students how to comfort someone about the loss. Be prepared to offer ideas: Sharing good memories; meeting new friends; finding a sympathetic person who listens to them.
Family Life Connections. In the Family Life series, God’s Gift of Love is explored at every grade level, K-8. A prominent theme in these units is caring for others. Incorporate these lessons into your regular faith formation sessions.
About the Author
Sunday afternoon at grandma’s house helping a three-year-old get dressed for 30-degree snowy weather:
“You need to put your jacket on.”
“Why?”
“It’s very cold outside.”
“Why?”
“Well, it’s winter.”
“Why?”
The “whys” are rapid fire, as if he’s expecting the volley of questions and answers. But explaining seasons and weather to a young child takes some thought. I hesitate, realizing that no matter what I say it will be followed with his adorable and frustrating query.
In a weak moment, I reply, “Look, if you don’t put your jacket on you will look just like that little snowman on the front lawn.” Now he hesitated and finally stuck an arm in one sleeve. As he slid the second arm in, he turned around with scrunched eyebrows and said, “How?”
I can never win.
Anyone who works with children knows their penchant for questions, and one of their favorites is “Why?”
It begins early and by the age of three, it’s often the most expressed question in response to just about anything you say to them. It’s also a crucial component of brain development and expansion of knowledge that helps them make sense of their world.
They also develop a sense of who they should go to for questions to be answered, who answers them best, and willingly. But educators and child psychologists recognize that once children are introduced to a school setting, their questioning often diminishes, sometimes because they are discovering the answers themselves but also because their questions are discouraged.
Answering “why” questions about religion can be challenging, because religion can be complex and the answers, especially for younger students, are sometimes difficult to understand. Finding ways to make our Catholic faith easier to understand goes a long way in helping students live their faith.
Lent is a wonderful opportunity to encourage questions, and with older students, support their efforts to discover and express their own answers, about any number of Lenten practices:
• Why do Catholics celebrate Lent?
• Why is there a season of Lent (rather than just a feast day)?
• Why do we begin Lent with ashes?
• Why is the season of Lent 40 days?
• Why are prayer, fasting and almsgiving the pillars of Lent?
• Why do we need to prepare for Easter?
If your students haven’t already asked you, ask them some “why” questions about Lent. Or have them write their own questions down. Invite the parish priest, religious sister or brother, or deacon to visit and answer some, or all of the questions.
Some thoughts from Pope Francis’ Easter message are also inspirational, especially for teachers. He speaks of the experience of the Apostles who are present for the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor, and reminds us, “During any strenuous mountain trek, we must keep our eyes firmly fixed on the path; yet the panorama that opens up at the end amazes us and rewards us by its grandeur.”
This is an image children can understand, and would do a great job or creating into Lenten art.
The Holy Father also underscored the words of God to the disciples, His voice coming through the clouds: “Listen to him.”
Pope Francis stressed “… we need to listen to Jesus. Lent is a time of grace to the extent that we listen to him as he speaks to us.” This is a lesson that even the youngest student can understand if they have been taught the lessons of Jesus.
In addition to the liturgical year section in RCL Benziger religion textbooks, which include such lessons as Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, and Holy Week, a free series of downloadable Lenten and Triduum resources are also offered here. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops also offers online resources to help answer some of the “why” questions of Lent.
What is Lent? | USCCB
Why is Lent 40 Days? | USCCB
Why Ashes? | USCCB
About the Author
My mother-in-law was a devout Catholic who, as a child, was educated in a convent. She devoted herself to the Holy Spirit and had a penchant for making a point in quiet, unexpected ways. She was an artist, a dressmaker, and imbued with the creative spirit in all things.
When my father-in-law died, she joined the Jewish Community Center. She said it was because they had a better pool than the YMCA and were closer to home. Still, from her many stories, I got a distinct impression that she relished being the only Catholic among a group of Jewish ladies, learning from them and taking every opportunity to share her Catholic values. She made many lasting friendships there.
She was a woman of courage, proud and vocal about her faith even in a culture that stood in strong opposition to some of the basic tenets of Catholicism. In that sense, she was very much like Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American saint.
Kateri was born in 1656 near what is today Auriesville, New York, to a Mohawk chief and a Christian Algonquin mother. When she was a child, she contracted smallpox, which took the lives of her parents and younger brother. The disease also left her face disfigured.
At 19, a missionary came to the village, and Kateri asked to be baptized. She took the name Kateri-Catherine on Easter Sunday. Kateri was mistreated in the village, ostracized, and ridiculed. She decided to leave her home and make the 200-mile walk to Montreal to a Christian Indian village there.
For the next three years, Kateri devoted herself to her faith, especially the Eucharist, spending long hours praying, fasting, and doing penance, while she taught children and cared for the elderly. She also took a vow of virginity to be fully dedicated to God. She grew in holiness living an ordinary life in challenging conditions. She died when she was 24, weakened by smallpox and her strict penances.
When Kateri was canonized on October 21, 2012, by Pope Benedict XVI, he reminded the faithful of her role as a model for all Christians: "Kateri impresses us by the action of grace in her life despite the absence of external help and by the courage of her vocation… In her, faith and culture enrich each other! May her example help us to live where we are, loving Jesus without denying who we are."
Living our faith wherever we are is sometimes tricky. Having a community to support us – family, friends, and fellow parishioners – provides the support we sometimes need to be courageous Catholics.
The same is true for students. The world they live in is no longer faith-based. It is possible the only encouragement they receive to live the way Jesus taught Christians to live, outside of their family, is from their school community.
It's a powerful and important responsibility for Catholic school teachers, staff and administrators, and the missionary disciples who help to keep the faith alive.
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks, is the patron saint of indigenous people and Canada's patroness and is also venerated as the patroness of ecology.
To learn more about Saint Kateri and other saints who can serve as role models for students, visit RCL Benziger's online Saint Resource, which includes a saint index and saint listings.
The family is where children first experience love, and the home is the first school of discipleship. Supported by Christian communities, families have an essential role in children's faith formation. RCL Benziger provides resources that recognize the diverse needs of families and Catholic communities and are adaptable to faith formation models based in homes, schools, or parishes.
Our Family Faith
When catechetical leaders asked for faith formation models that better engage families and support parents as the primary catechists of their children, we recognized the need for flexible and customizable resources that are simple, affordable, and effective. Our Family Faith: Resource Guide for Family Catechesis provides catechetical leaders with the tools needed to engage entire families and is packed with practical suggestions!
Our Family Devotions
Celebrate how people of different cultures express the Catholic faith in their churches, neighborhoods, and homes. As the Good News of Jesus spread worldwide, people in every culture found unique ways to express their faith in God. Through the ritual words and gestures of popular devotions, Catholics show their love for God and devotion to Mary and the saints.
Sunday is a special day; a day to pray, a day to relax, and a day to take time to enjoy God’s presence in others. Every Sunday is a little Easter. In fact, because Jesus rose on a Sunday, the first Christians made Sunday their Sabbath day. Keeping the Sabbath is both a gift and a command for us. Honoring Sunday is a decision to trust God with our time and then resolve to do it.
The primary way in which Catholics celebrate the Lord’s Day is by participating in the Sunday Eucharist. This is so central that the Catholic Church makes provision for Catholics to fulfill their Sunday Mass obligation by attending the Liturgy on Saturday evening. Remind students of the gift of celebrating Mass on Sunday.
Could we be missing out on the multiple benefits of the Lord's Day in ways beyond attending church? How can we keep holy the Sabbath Day more fully in our busy lives? According to the Catechism, "Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life." (CCC, Part III.2.1.3)
Rediscovering Sunday. Expand students’ appreciation for Sunday as a Little Easter. Look for “Easter” in your faith formation program series. For example, in Be My Disciples, Grade 5, page 361, students learn how we fill our homes with signs of joy and new life on Easter. Ask students, “What signs of joy and new life are present on any given Sunday in your home?”
Food for Thought. On Easter, we bless and enjoy special food. You will find an example of a blessing prayer for Easter foods in Blest Are We Faith in Action, Grade 4, page 348. Why not adopt this food blessing for any Sunday of the year? Ask students, “What special foods do you and your family enjoy when you are spending a relaxing day together?”
Imagination Activity: Invite students to dream of their Perfect Sunday. “Given a whole day to be refreshed and rested, what would you do?” Students could draw a picture of their dream Sunday experience and share it with their families.
Take the Lord’s Day Challenge: Invite students to make a plan for ways to enjoy a restful and renewing four Sundays — in addition to going to Mass. After four weeks, ask for volunteers to report on their experiences.
Saturday Night or Sunday Table Prayer: Invite families to gather around the kitchen table. Practice the prayer around your classroom prayer table. You will find a prayer here.
Sunday Time Together: Sunday is a prime opportunity for parents and children to spend time together on the “Take Home Pages” pre-chapter home activities in Blest Are We Faith in Action and “With My Family” pages in Be My Disciples.
Give students a solid foundation to put faith into action!
RCL Benziger is your Complete Solution for distance, hybrid, and classroom learning, providing you with engaging, high-quality Catholic religious education resources for the classroom and the home. No matter what learning environment you may find yourself in, we are committed to providing outstanding resources for students, teachers, and families.
The Blest Are We Faith in Action religious education program engages children, youth, and their families in learning what Catholics believe, how Catholics worship, how Catholics pray, and how Catholics live. Our technology-enhanced learning resources, including eGuides, eBooks, eAssessments, and online chapter reviews expand learning opportunities for students and flexibility for teachers.
Students will enjoy interactive connections with their textbooks, while teachers will find a variety of useful content for helping students on their formative journey of faith.
Over the summer months, when your classes are not meeting formally, the faith formation of youth continues in the home and parish life. We are not taking a vacation from being a disciple of Jesus! Encourage your students to take time with their families to practice bringing Jesus’ love and mercy to their neighborhoods. We are called to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy in the world—simple ways we care for the physical well-being of others. Jesus tells us that when we do these Works for others, we are doing these Works for him (Matthew 25: 31-40).
Saint Teresa of Avila is said to have expressed this discipleship action this way:
Christ has no body but yours, no hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, you are his body. Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes with which he looks compassion on this world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
Learn more about the life and work of Saint Teresa, who was named a Doctor of the Church for her writing and teaching about prayer. Her biography and connections for grade-level lessons are available in the Saints Resource.
Catholic disciples are called to be in mission by putting two feet of love into action: social justice and charitable works: “The conscience is called by this social teaching to recognize and fulfill the obligations of justice and charity to society.” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, no. 83) An illustration of the Two Feet of Social Action is available from the US Bishops’ Conference.
Our Family Gathers is available as an ebook for parish and home celebrations in every season of the year. Some concrete suggestions for practicing the Works of Mercy during summertime are listed on this flyer from Our Family Gathers in a free sample for the Easter Season, “Putting Faith into Practice” at home in summer. Some examples:
About the Author Dr. Lauri Przybysz specializes in equipping families to live their vocation to be domestic churches and signs of God’s love. Lauri received the Doctor of Ministry from the Catholic University of America, and she has been both a Catholic middle school religion teacher and a faith formation coordinator at the archdiocesan and parish levels. She is the mother of six children and grandmother of 21.
Ever since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by plants that grow in the most unexpected places, like the tree that grew up in the 1-inch metal pole of a stop sign on our corner and got big enough to provide a bit of shade until someone decided to cut the branches off.
Or the little tree that grew between two panes of glass in our family room window. One pane was cracked (for a long time) and a seed found its way in and grew quite large until we could finally replace the window.
I recently found a small blooming flower growing out of a missing screw hole along the ground in the shopping cart return at the supermarket. It was lovely, a stark contrast to the paved parking lot with no growth in sight. And who hasn’t marveled at the flowering treasures that routinely grow up in the cracks of even the most well-traveled pavement?
These finds always remind me of the persistence of new life. They are hopeful and encouraging, something we need especially when times are difficult.
Perhaps that’s why I am so fond of Mary Gardens. With May being the month of Mary, and falling within the Easter season, the seasons of resurrection and new life, Mary Gardens provide the perfect opportunity for a faith lesson that remains visible for a good part of the year (depending on your climate).
Mary Gardens have been traced back to medieval times when flowers took on significance as symbols of Mary’s life and attributes. Gardens were created to honor Mary by gathering together those flowers around a focal point in the garden, most often a statue of Mary.
Some schools and parishes may already have a Mary Garden, but there is no reason why a smaller, more compact version can’t be creatively added to a classroom – in a corner, on a windowsill, or as part of the prayer table, using potted plants or even a small container garden.
This shortlist of Mary flowers is a start for picking flowers for your Mary Garden. Even one plant, such as an indoor rose, placed by a statue of Mary is enough to remind children daily of our relationship with the Mother of God.
During May, the garden may serve as a focus for prayers at the start and close of the school day should and include Marian prayers. Students may be assigned on a rotating schedule to care for the garden.
Lily – Perhaps the most well-known of Mary’s flowers, the lily, known as Madonna Lily, symbolizes Mary’s purity. The Angel Gabriel is often depicted at the Annunciation with a lily in hand. The lily, also known as the “Easter lily,” has the most significance as a symbol of new life during the Easter season because it grows from a bulb in the cold earth (tomb) and rises to be reborn as Christ rose from the dead.
Rose – Is symbolic of Mary under her title of Mystical Rose. There are many legends of Mary associated with roses. Also, the Rosary is sometimes made with rosebuds or represented in art as a garland of rose which sometimes adorns the Blessed Mother.
Iris – Known as the “sword lily’ most likely because of the blade-shaped foliage, which symbolized the sorrows that ‘pierced her heart.’ It is related to Mary as Our Lady of Sorrows.
Marigold – Known as “Mary’s Gold” by early Christians who placed the flowers around statues of Mary in place of coins. A legend shares the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt where they ran into a band of thieves who took Mary’s purse. When they opened it, marigold blossoms fell out.
Violet – Known as “Our Lady’s Modesty,” the flower is said to have blossomed when Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord,” to the Angel Gabriel.
To learn more about Marian traditions under more than a dozen of her many titles, check out RCL Benziger’s Our Family Devotions: Popular Devotions from Around the World. It’s a great resource for classrooms, too.
The University of Dayton Marian Library has a wealth of resources on Mary Gardens for those who would like more information.
About the Author
There is something remarkable about a mother’s love. It is unconditional, eternal and sacrificial, tender, generous, strong, and wise at its best. It is a refuge, something to trust, treasure, and celebrate.
The Church has embraced that treasure and the entire month of May to honor and celebrate the remarkable love of Mary, the Mother of God, who is also our mother. It is a centuries-old tradition, appropriately taking place during spring’s beauty and time of rebirth, reminding us that Mary gave new life to the world when she said “Yes,” to God and became the mother of Jesus.
Children may not fully understand the religious teachings behind Catholic beliefs, but they understand the importance of a mother’s love. Embracing the month of May as a time to help children get to know Mary, as a mother, as a comforter, and as a saint, will help them develop a life-long relationship with the Mother of God.
Our Catholic textbooks, like Blest Are We Faith in Action series, and Be My Disciples, offer important lessons about Mary and a reminder that Catholics do not worship Mary, but, rather, honor her as the Mother of Jesus, Mother of the Church, and our best model of faith.
During May, consider adding some of these Mary moments to your classroom and discussions, and help children get to know Mary better.
Portray Mary as the mother of us all. Most pictures and statues of Mary are crafted in a European style of light skin and hair. Add some images of Mary that reflect her Middle Eastern heritage and others that reflect images of our multi-cultural mother. There is a wonderful collection for review in an article by Aleteia – 10 Stunning images of the Madonna and Child from around the world.
Have a classroom May crowning. Many parishes have May Crownings, but having a crowning of a Mary statue, or even a wreath of flowers around a Mary picture in a classroom, is something that all students may be a part of and then see every day. If possible, include a Marian hymn children can sing. If the statue is on the classroom prayer table, consider adding a box or jar for the student’s prayer intentions to Mary.
Pray for a decade of the Rosary. The Rosary is a prayer that honors Mary and helps us meditate on the life of Christ. Religion textbooks like Blest Are We and Be My Disciples include an explanation of how to pray the Rosary. Check with a parish Altar Rosary Society if Rosary beads are needed for the students. They often have extras on hand.
Share Mary in Scripture stories. Scripture doesn’t include a lot about Mary but there are enough stories to show snippets of Mary’s life and her unwavering presence throughout Jesus’ ministry. Read these stories to, or with, your students and encourage them to talk about what they learned about Mary from them: The Annunciation, Visitation, Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, Finding of Jesus in the Temple, Wedding Feast at Cana, Crucifixion, and Pentecost.
About the Author Mary Regina Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to nine, is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.
Spring has sprung! Or at least, it is certainly trying. Spring is a great time to pause and think about the long, cold winter, with Lent and Easter serving as a great reminder of sacrifice, reflection, and rebirth.
Many years ago, the priest at my parish gave a sermon about how God has rolled the stone away for us. Through Good Friday and Easter, we are reminded of Jesus’ life and death, as well as his resurrection. Through this liturgical season, let us also take a moment to pause, notice, and bring new life into our classrooms.
Here are three ways to bring some joy into your teaching this month:
● Take a breath: when you feel overwhelmed by children’s questions, the emotional load of being a teacher, or whatever else is weighing on you, take three deep breaths in. I like to breathe with a mantra, quietly saying it out loud as I take a deep breath in and take a longer time to exhale. Try this one: I breathe in faith, and I breathe out doubt.
● Get Outside: gray skies are going to clear up, and sunshine will help you put on that happy face! If possible, try to take some lessons outside to enjoy the sun. Research shows many benefits to spending time outdoors, especially on our ability to focus, relax, and even sleep! Keep it simple–having reading groups outdoors, have circle time in nature, or try to plan a picnic!
● Plant a resurrection garden: tending to something, especially plants, can help us relieve stress and also can help children build empathy. So much learning can happen in the garden – math, science, literacy, language, oh my! Grabbing a planter, some rocks, grass seeds, and sand can help you illustrate this Story of God’s Love with a garden you can care for as a class. A quick google search can give you ideas of how to set yours up!
Here is my gentle reminder to you: self-care is more than just the basic daily needs you have. Self-care isn’t just a hot shower every day or a nourishing meal. Those should be considered your basic needs.
Think about self-care as your bag of tricks to help you fill your own cup, whether that is a hobby, connecting with a friend, making time to journal or pray every day, or finding strategies that you can rely on when you feel overwhelmed.
Most importantly, self-care is not selfish. Caring for children involves:
• Internalizing their feelings.
• Carrying their worries with them.
• Finding ways to answer their sometimes big questions.
You cannot pour from an empty cup, and doing so can take the joy out of teaching. Remember to make time for you to connect with yourself, with your faith, and you will be surprised at how you can care for others.