How can we avoid allowing the literal context of the miracles and parables to overshadow their implications for us as Catholics?
As teachers we need to make shore that the students realize and understand that parables and miracles are stories. It is important to understand that these stories are trying to convey a lesson to use on how we should live our lives or how Jesus lived his life.
How can we integrate the miracles and parables into the curriculum as teaching tools?
I think by having the students “lookout” for random acts of kindness within their community, their classroom, at home, or even keeping up with current issues. In order to keep classroom track of these events, I would have an Act of Kindness wall instead of a work wall. The students can place the act of kindness on the wall that will exhibit a mosaic structure at the end of the year. This can be a Faith area of the room where we could have weekly open-discussions. This idea would work ideally, for me, in a homeroom classroom where I have additional time in the mornings.
As school base initiative or even as a SIP goal (School Improvement Plan – under Community, Culture and Caring), the school have various departments contribute a piece on “acts of kindness”:
In 5-7 sentences, provide an example of a way you can integrate a particular story into the classroom.
The Sower and the Seeds
For primary students this parable could be integrated into an ecology unit. They may not understand the true meaning of the story but they can use the literal meaning to make connections to how seeds grow into plants.
At the intermediate/senior level we want students to understand the deeper meaning of the story, we want them to see how it relates to our lives today. Teenagers have a lot of decisions to make and we can relate this story to friendships. The seed is the student and the places where the seed land are the other students/friends. Students need to make parallels between the maturation of the seed into fruit with healthy relationships. So if they make good choices with respect to who they spend their time with and who influences their lives than they can thrive and reach their full potential. On the other hand, if they hang around people with bad habits/behaviour than that can lead to health/addiction problems, issues at school, problems with their parents; thus, they will not be able to reach their full potential.
So if students listen/follow to the word of God (seed) than their minds and spirits will be open to God’s teachings and it will lead them on the better path in their life.
As teachers we need to make shore that the students realize and understand that parables and miracles are stories. It is important to understand that these stories are trying to convey a lesson to use on how we should live our lives or how Jesus lived his life.
How can we integrate the miracles and parables into the curriculum as teaching tools?
I think by having the students “lookout” for random acts of kindness within their community, their classroom, at home, or even keeping up with current issues. In order to keep classroom track of these events, I would have an Act of Kindness wall instead of a work wall. The students can place the act of kindness on the wall that will exhibit a mosaic structure at the end of the year. This can be a Faith area of the room where we could have weekly open-discussions. This idea would work ideally, for me, in a homeroom classroom where I have additional time in the mornings.
As school base initiative or even as a SIP goal (School Improvement Plan – under Community, Culture and Caring), the school have various departments contribute a piece on “acts of kindness”:
- Language Art Department to have their students write a short story Drama Department could have their class write and act our a play on acts of kindness
- Media Arts Department can do a podcast that is played over the PA system
- Religious Studies and/or Social Studies can watch the movie Paying it Forward and then have the class look for current events and keep a bulletin board in the atrium
In 5-7 sentences, provide an example of a way you can integrate a particular story into the classroom.
The Sower and the Seeds
For primary students this parable could be integrated into an ecology unit. They may not understand the true meaning of the story but they can use the literal meaning to make connections to how seeds grow into plants.
At the intermediate/senior level we want students to understand the deeper meaning of the story, we want them to see how it relates to our lives today. Teenagers have a lot of decisions to make and we can relate this story to friendships. The seed is the student and the places where the seed land are the other students/friends. Students need to make parallels between the maturation of the seed into fruit with healthy relationships. So if they make good choices with respect to who they spend their time with and who influences their lives than they can thrive and reach their full potential. On the other hand, if they hang around people with bad habits/behaviour than that can lead to health/addiction problems, issues at school, problems with their parents; thus, they will not be able to reach their full potential.
So if students listen/follow to the word of God (seed) than their minds and spirits will be open to God’s teachings and it will lead them on the better path in their life.