Program overview for teachers and prospective teachers
The great end in religious instruction is not to stamp our minds upon the young, but to stir up their own; Not to make them see with our eyes, but to look inquiringly and steadily with their own. William Ellery Channing, 19th Century Unitarian minister
You could simply read this year's 2017-18 RE brochure, but here is the overview in more detail, made for people who have been teaching, or intend to, in RE on Sunday mornings. Those of you who have been teaching for the past several years, or just last year, will notice there are some changes for children age 5 - 5th grade noted below in red font. Many other things remain the same.
Time
The Sunday morning program in our religious education space begins around 10:20 am or whenever children arrive downstairs after the Time for All Ages ends in the worship service. The RE program ends at 11:15. It is all right to run over by a couple of minutes. However it is expected that you go until 11:15 so parents can have their time during social hour.
Once a month, usually on the first Sundays, Children's Chapel is held at 10 am in Fellowship Hall for 20-25 minutes. Teachers attend this as well, and parents are welcome. One Room RE activities follow afterwards downstairs.
Methods
We continue to emphasize a variety of engaging hands-on active, contemplative, and thought-provoking activities.
'Spirit Play' is a Montessori-based story-based teaching method that has been adapted for Unitarian Universalist religious education. More can be found at the Spirit Play website. This year we are offering it for age 5 - 5th grade, widening the age range we usually have had for Spirit Play. The two Spirit Play teachers have special roles-- the Storyteller and the Greeter. Spirit Play teachers must have Spirit Play Training which is provided at UUSGU periodically.
Asking questions, considering various perspectives, discussing possible answers, and experiencing things firsthand through field trips and hosting guests are the methods used with RE for Jr. Youth.
One Room RE activities for mixed ages, whether or not preceded by a Children's Chapel, will often be set up with "activity stations." Participants are encouraged to try more than one activity, but they do have a choice and can move through or stay with the activity.
Faith development theory
There are stages in faith development that correlate roughly with age, but not strictly. The theory comes mostly from James Fowler. As in other kinds of human development, no stage is "better" than another. Faith development theory informs the design of UU curricula and our choice of teaching methods. The UUA has a summarizing handout about faith development stages.
Time
The Sunday morning program in our religious education space begins around 10:20 am or whenever children arrive downstairs after the Time for All Ages ends in the worship service. The RE program ends at 11:15. It is all right to run over by a couple of minutes. However it is expected that you go until 11:15 so parents can have their time during social hour.
Once a month, usually on the first Sundays, Children's Chapel is held at 10 am in Fellowship Hall for 20-25 minutes. Teachers attend this as well, and parents are welcome. One Room RE activities follow afterwards downstairs.
Methods
We continue to emphasize a variety of engaging hands-on active, contemplative, and thought-provoking activities.
'Spirit Play' is a Montessori-based story-based teaching method that has been adapted for Unitarian Universalist religious education. More can be found at the Spirit Play website. This year we are offering it for age 5 - 5th grade, widening the age range we usually have had for Spirit Play. The two Spirit Play teachers have special roles-- the Storyteller and the Greeter. Spirit Play teachers must have Spirit Play Training which is provided at UUSGU periodically.
Asking questions, considering various perspectives, discussing possible answers, and experiencing things firsthand through field trips and hosting guests are the methods used with RE for Jr. Youth.
One Room RE activities for mixed ages, whether or not preceded by a Children's Chapel, will often be set up with "activity stations." Participants are encouraged to try more than one activity, but they do have a choice and can move through or stay with the activity.
Faith development theory
There are stages in faith development that correlate roughly with age, but not strictly. The theory comes mostly from James Fowler. As in other kinds of human development, no stage is "better" than another. Faith development theory informs the design of UU curricula and our choice of teaching methods. The UUA has a summarizing handout about faith development stages.
Groups and Content
"Little Lights" is our youngest group. It is also referred to as childcare for toddlers through age 4. The goal is for children to feel safe and loved and to have fun.
The group called "Flames" for age 5 - 2nd grade, and the group called "Chalice Lighters" for 3rd - 5th grades are combined this year. Their space-- the large RE room-- and their sessions are all arranged around the Spirit Play story-kits and choices of activity projects.
The "Jr. Youth," 6th - 7th grades this year, have their own new room. They are exploring and learning about world religions through using a UUA Tapestry of Faith curriculum called "Building Bridges." About one Sunday a month, they join with other children in a mixed ages One Room RE time after Children's Chapel.
The "Youth Group" (also known as the Sr. Youth Group), is 8th-12th grade this year. They meet Sunday afternoons with two volunteer advisors with whom they work on an agenda for the year.
Monthly church themes
Last year monthly spiritual themes were introduced, with which the whole congregation may engage in various ways. They continue this year. In Sunday morning religious education, the monthly themes guide our choice of stories, activities, topics, and/or readings, and what gets emphasized and mentioned in RE news for home. That way, parents -- or any other congregant-- and children can discuss with each other what they each experienced and heard about the monthly theme. Beloved Community ~Compassion ~ Service ~ Empowerment ~ Honoring Differences ~ Humor~ Generosity ~ Spirit of Life ~ Busyness / Purpose ~ Wonder
"Little Lights" is our youngest group. It is also referred to as childcare for toddlers through age 4. The goal is for children to feel safe and loved and to have fun.
The group called "Flames" for age 5 - 2nd grade, and the group called "Chalice Lighters" for 3rd - 5th grades are combined this year. Their space-- the large RE room-- and their sessions are all arranged around the Spirit Play story-kits and choices of activity projects.
The "Jr. Youth," 6th - 7th grades this year, have their own new room. They are exploring and learning about world religions through using a UUA Tapestry of Faith curriculum called "Building Bridges." About one Sunday a month, they join with other children in a mixed ages One Room RE time after Children's Chapel.
The "Youth Group" (also known as the Sr. Youth Group), is 8th-12th grade this year. They meet Sunday afternoons with two volunteer advisors with whom they work on an agenda for the year.
Monthly church themes
Last year monthly spiritual themes were introduced, with which the whole congregation may engage in various ways. They continue this year. In Sunday morning religious education, the monthly themes guide our choice of stories, activities, topics, and/or readings, and what gets emphasized and mentioned in RE news for home. That way, parents -- or any other congregant-- and children can discuss with each other what they each experienced and heard about the monthly theme. Beloved Community ~Compassion ~ Service ~ Empowerment ~ Honoring Differences ~ Humor~ Generosity ~ Spirit of Life ~ Busyness / Purpose ~ Wonder
NOTE: The Sunday morning religious education program is not all there is to "Children's Religious Education" at UUSGU but it is a large part and is the most structured.
Religious education--
faith development and spiritual growth-- also happens during...
"The congregation is the curriculum."
Connie Goodbread, UU religious educator
Religious education--
faith development and spiritual growth-- also happens during...
- the first part of worship services
- social hour
- multigenerational worship services
- multigenerational social events
"The congregation is the curriculum."
Connie Goodbread, UU religious educator