- To prepare and facilitate the environment.
- To proclaim the Good News and meditate side by side with the child.
The preparation of the environment is not done once but, rather, must be done each time we enter and exit the Atrium space just as facilitating the environment is a continual work as we, day by day and moment by moment, assist the children in living well in the Atrium. The younger the child, the more they thrive on order, on everything being in its proper place, and on the independence which results from consistently knowing where to find what they have been presented in order that they might repeat it when desired.
Here are some practical ideas for preparing and maintaining the Atrium:
- Before the year begins:
- Elicit thoughts from your assistant(s) and fellow catechists about what worked well last year and what was an obstacle to the children's work. Perhaps a box was too small to easily fit materials back into when restoring. Perhaps lighting the Paschal Candle required you to reach across the rest of the Baptism materials. Perhaps two tables/chowkis were too close in proximity and were often a source of extraneous conversation between children.
- Look at your layout, considering whether or not it fits together in an orderly fashion, with Scripture materials together, Liturgy materials together, Art/paperwork on one shelf, and, if in L1, the four "pride of place" materials (the Model Altar, Baptism, the Prayer Table, and the Good Shepherd) in prominent areas/corners.
- Examine your shelves to make sure each shelf contains only one theme/subject with materials placed in the order in which they are given, left to right and top to bottom as if "reading" the shelf.
- Go through the Materials Manual online, checking your materials to make sure everything is in order and up to date.
- Examine your "closet" of extra materials and ensure you have a stock of extra collage pieces, cut paper, etc so that you can easily restock the Atrium shelves before/after each session.
- If you are sharing the space with other catechists make sure there is a way to communicate any needs related to paper ("I'm taking home the circle punch to make more patens.") or materials ("The basket for the merchant is starting to break. Does anyone have an extra about the same size?").
- Elicit thoughts from your assistant(s) and fellow catechists about what worked well last year and what was an obstacle to the children's work. Perhaps a box was too small to easily fit materials back into when restoring. Perhaps lighting the Paschal Candle required you to reach across the rest of the Baptism materials. Perhaps two tables/chowkis were too close in proximity and were often a source of extraneous conversation between children.
- Before each Atrium session:
- Visually check each shelf. In my Montessori training they recommended that all materials be at the edge of the shelf (especially in L1) for ease of access so I tend to move each material to the edge (or at least note that it is where it should be) which allows me to reorient myself to the space each time I enter it.
- Dampen any sponges (EPL, Leaven work, Gestures Altar) and fill the EPL water pitchers, the water and wine decanters, the water source (if needed) and the water for the Leaven work.
- Check the Prayer Table to be sure it has the Prayer/Scripture card out that you plan to use that day with the children. In L2 be sure you are prepared for Communal Prayer with whatever materials will be needed.
- Visually check each shelf. In my Montessori training they recommended that all materials be at the edge of the shelf (especially in L1) for ease of access so I tend to move each material to the edge (or at least note that it is where it should be) which allows me to reorient myself to the space each time I enter it.
- After each Atrium session:
- Empty all water (and wine) containers including the buckets at the Gestures Altar, Baptism area, and water source.
- Clean Leaven containers and replenish flour and yeast.
- Replenish polish, gather laundry, sharpen pencils, and ensure that the paperwork shelf has what is needed available for the next session.