Reading the Old Testament after having spent years immersed in the New Testament allows the children to see the "echoes" which point toward Christ, the Church, and the Sacraments. After reading the first two chapters of Genesis, the children chose lengthy follow-up activities, copying or narrating large selections of the Scripture passages and then illustrating them. Charts, timelines, booklets, and more went home with these four focused third graders just before Spring Break. They have been doing beautiful work!
The variety of work in the Level 3 (4th-6th grade) Atrium is always a gift to see and the freedom to chose what to work on, where to work on it, as well as with whom to work (coupled with the responsibility to use such freedom well!) responds beautifully to the dignity of the elementary child as well as their developmental needs for purposeful work and social/communal activity. In this photo there are two boys working at the Cenacle or Last Supper material. One boy has finished His Armor of Light Scripture choice/copy and is watching. The girl to the far left is working on her Level 3 Missal while the girl in the middle is writing about the Spiritual Works of Mercy. The girl at the far table is finishing up a list of ways she can live the Corporal Works of Mercy. Both of these Works of Mercy follow-ups came from a Typology study on the Flood and its New Testament extension into Matthew 25's Judgement of the Nations. The remaining children in the far back of the photo are working on their Missals, copying a Scripture passage to take home as a reminder to live as children of Light during the upcoming week, and finishing up a family tree of Abraham after we concluded our communal reading from Genesis on Abraham's relationship with God and how it grew through time. There are so many ways to work and pray in the Atrium. This photo is a great snapshot of Level 3 children at work. They are working together in the same space, but each is working on a different follow-up activity. The girl on the left is copying a proper to fit into the Preface tryptic (orange paper on wood) related to a particular feast of the year. This work was presented that day to all three girls. The child to the upper right has chosen a verse from the communal work of preparing for the reception of Reconciliation during Lent, called The Armor of Light. She has chosen to copy a portion of Ephesians 5:8-9 which says "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth." The girl to the bottom right is copying the last parts of a family tree of Abraham which the group was tracing in Scripture during their shared readings over the previous few months. In observing this group of girls, who are often working together in this way in the Atrium, there were often moments of chatting as one or another of them lifted up an insight or asked a question of the others, most of which were related to the work they were doing! During the past week there were several instances of children presenting to other children in the Atrium. While many of the presentations given in this space come from the catechist, it is not uncommon for a child to be invited to give a presentation to another child. Here are a few examples:
Each year at The Way of the Shepherd we take a moment at the beginning of Lent to ask God’s blessing on the 2nd Year children who will be taking extra time away to grow even closer to the Good Shepherd over the next few months. Some of these children are also preparing to meet Jesus in a new way as they prepare to receive His Body and Blood for the first time during the Easter Season. On Ash Wednesday as we began this special time of preparation, by inviting all of the 2nd Year children to come forward at the end of Mass, carrying a cross which will accompany them in their time of deeper reflection on God’s many gifts. These crosses, after being blessed, were hung in the Atrium where they will remain until Easter as a reminder to all who spend time in that space to support these children in prayer. On the day of the 2nd Year Retreat these crosses will be decorated with images and words by each child as they synthesize how they have been fed and strengthened in their relationship with God through this time.
In accordance with a tradition which had begun by at least Medieval times, the children have taken time during this past week in the Atrium to write and decorate an Alleluia card. Some of the younger children remembered this event from last year, but for many this was a new experience. We spoke about what "Alleluia" means ("Praise the Lord!) and talked about Lent as a time of quiet and listening as we prepare for Easter, a time to "set aside" and "save up" our Alleluias for that greatest of all feasts! |
Carolyn Kohlhaas
CGS Catechist and Formation Leader (Levels I, II, and III) Categories
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