"Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations, baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time." (Mt 28: 19-20)

As members of Christ's Body, we have been commissioned to invite others to a personal relationship with Jesus. As teachers and catechists we nurture, support and challenge those with whom we work on their journey to a deeper relationship with Jesus and in doing so we are further transformed ourselves. This process of faith development is absolutely fundamental to our lives as Christians. How critical it is then to give priority to the prayerful and energetic consideration of Religious Education within the Catholic School and the parish Religious Education Programs.

The goal of Catholic Education is to make one's "faith become living, conscious and active through the light of instruction." (Christus Dominus: Decree on the Bishop's Pastoral Office in the Church, #14). To have a living faith we must truly integrate it into our entire being. To have a conscious faith we must process, discern and understand. To have a truly active faith we must enter into relationships and into service. A variety of people are involved in, and a number of influences affect, our striving towards this goal. In the Philosophy of Education for Catholic Schools in the Province of BC, the bishops state the following:

Christian faith is not lived in isolation but is born and develops in communities under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The student lives first of all in the domestic community of the home, then the parish community, school community, and the wider communities of district, province, nation and world.

Parents have the first responsibility for the education and Christian formation of their children. The school exists to complement this responsibility, not to replace it. Parents have a "duty to send their children to Catholic schools wherever possible, to give Catholic schools all the support in their power, and to cooperate with them in their work for the good of their children." At the same time, parents have a right to the Church's help with their responsibilities as teachers of their children.

Pastors are, too, expected to promote and contribute to Catholic education for the young, who are the hope of the Church, especially those who are poor, those deprived of the benefits of family life, and those weak in faith. The parish community supports and strengthens fathers and mothers in their duties as educators. By participating in parish activities, the growing child experiences what it means to belong to a larger faith community.

The school itself is called to be a faith community and precisely as such teaches Christian habits of mind, heart and work. It hands on Catholic faith and values to the young both by word and by example. Thus, the whole Church has a family interest in Catholic schools, since all the baptized are responsible for seeing that the specific mission and distinctive characteristics of Catholic schools are maintained and improved. Laity, clergy and religious are responsible, each according to their proper roles, for the Catholic school in all of its facets and for the decisions made in its regard.

Religious instruction is another constitutive element in the Catholic schools' process of education. The aim of religious instruction "is not simply one of intellectual assent to religious truths but also of a total commitment of one's whole being to the Person of Christ." This commitment to Christ is intrinsically linked to the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church, which the school encourages as its students discover and express their Christian identity and mission.

The entire school program is meant to be Christ-centered. The Catholic school "strives to relate all human culture eventually to the news of salvation, so that the life of faith will illumine the knowledge which students gradually gain of the world, of life, and of humankind", as the Declaration on Christian Education states.

This document addresses elements of Christian education and formation (word and action) mandated for the Vancouver Archdiocese.
 

"The person of the catechist is the medium in which the message of the faith is incarnated" (Sharing the Light of Faith: National Catechetical Directory for Catholics of the United States. - Conclusion). Through our entire being we are responsible for making Christ alive for our students.

"No methodology, no matter how well tested, can dispense with the person of the catechist in every phase of the catechetical process. The charism given to him [her] by the Spirit, a solid spirituality and transparent witness of life, constitutes the soul of every method. Only his [her] own human and Christian qualities guarantee a good use of texts and other work instruments.

The catechist is essentially a mediator. He [she] facilitates communication between the people and the mystery of God, between subjects amongst themselves, as well as with the community. For this reason, his [her] cultural vision, social condition and lifestyle must not be obstacles to the journey of faith. Rather, these help to create the most advantageous conditions for seeking out, welcoming and deepening the Christian message. He [she] does not forget that belief is a fruit of grace and liberty. Thus, he [she] ensures that his [her] activities always draw support from faith in the Holy Spirit and from prayer. Finally, the personal relationship of the catechist with the subject is of crucial importance." (General Directory For Catechesis #156)

Our role as catechist is a holy and noble vocation. To take on such a role holds many challenges for us; thus, we need to:

1. have a faith that interpenetrates our life
2. pray
3. continue to actively seek growth as an adult Catholic
4. celebrate the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church
5. share in the life of our parish community
6. give witness to the Gospel
7. serve the community
8. be willing co-learners, in community with our students, their families and the Church
9. seek out relationships that will nurture us in this vocation
10. be committed to continual development of our skills and abilities as teachers

When we are committed to accepting these challenges we will then be facilitating catechesis that "is the whole process by which a Christian community informs, forms and ever transforms itself and every member in lived Christian faith." (Thomas Groome)

To be catechist means to echo Good News; it is a great, wonderful, mysterious challenge that God has graced us to accept.
 

In the light of the mandate, it is obvious that the general goal of all Religious Education is to foster discipleship and Christian living at each developmental stage. The more specific goals for Religious Education are as follows:

1. TO KNOW GOD: by imparting a knowledge of the faith which will enable the student to respond to God's call and thus enter into a personal relationship with God and the community.
2. TO LOVE GOD: by forming disciples of Christ who witness through their love of God, self and neighbour in their daily lives.
3. TO SERVE GOD: by fostering service of God and neighbour.

The Acts of the Apostles identifies the characteristics of the Church in every age. In light of this model we can evaluate the authenticity of Christian community. The following eight traits summarize this model.

1. Teaching of faith: by understanding the faith
2. Quality of community: by living life giving relationships
3. Breaking of Bread: by valuing and living Eucharistic and sacramental life
4. Common Prayer: by regularly praying together, using prayers from our tradition as well as spontaneous prayer and fostering the use of Scripture.
5. No one is in need: by showing sensitivity to the needs of others in the local community and a willingness to share time, talent and possessions to meet those needs
6. One of mind and one of heart: by living a common commitment to the ideals of the Catholic Church
7. See how they love one another: by caring for, supporting and affirming one another in joyful community
8. Sense of mission: by evangelizing (sharing the faith with non-believers), by showing a preferential option for the poor of the world, and by fostering stewardship of the earth

1. Read, interpret and apply Scripture to life.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of liturgical seasons and feasts.
3. Present a reasoned rationale for being Catholic.
4. Illustrate basic understanding of Catholic dogma and doctrine in light of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
5. Illustrate a basic understanding of the history of the Church and an appreciation of her basic traditions.
6. Demonstrate a knowledge and appreciation of the diverse cultural expressions of Catholicism.
7. Demonstrate an appreciation for the relationship between faith and culture (e.g., through arts, social sciences, sciences, technology, etc.).

8. Pray regularly and use a variety of prayer forms to enrich and express personal and communal spirituality.
9. Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation for the importance of Sacraments, with an emphasis on the centrality of the Eucharist, in the life of Catholics.
10. Celebrate the presence of the Sacred through participation in worship experiences using sacramentals, symbols, and rituals.
11. Use appropriate resources to plan and participate in liturgy and other prayer experiences.
12. Demonstrate the ability to apply Catholic principles to interpersonal relations (e.g., family, peers, work, society, Church, etc.).
13. Demonstrate the ability to make moral decisions consistent with Church teachings.
14. Demonstrate an understanding and respect for the gift of life; demonstrate an understanding of responsible stewardship.

15. Demonstrate an appreciation for faith community by participating in its life and activities as an essential way of coming to know God.
16. Express a willingness to develop and use God given gifts and talents in a Christ like way to build Christian community.
17. Critique societal structures in light of Catholic social justice principles and apply to social and personal situations.
18. Engage in service to the community (e.g., family, parish, local, national, and global) in response to the Gospel call.
19. Examine the variety of Christian vocations as ways to live out the Baptismal call to a life of service.

Approved by Archbishop Exner: January 9, 1997. (Revised March 1998)
 

Following is an integrated presentation of the four components of catechesis outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the fundamental tasks of catechesis outlined in the new General Directory For Catechesis and the nineteen learning outcomes.

Promoting knowledge of the faith

"Who has encountered Christ desires to know him as much as possible, as well as to know the plan of the Father which he revealed. Knowledge of the faith (fides quae) is required by adherence to the faith (fides qua). 24 Even in the human order the love which one person has for another causes that person to wish to know the other all the more. Catechesis, must, therefore, lead to "the gradual grasping of the whole truth about the divine plan",25 by introducing the disciples of Jesus to a knowledge of Tradition and of Scripture, which is "the sublime science of Christ". 26 By deepening knowledge of the faith, catechesis nourishes not only the life of faith but equips it to explain itself to the world. The meaning of the Creed, which is a compendium of Scripture and of the faith of the Church, is the realization of this task. (General Directory For Catechesis #85)

1. Present a reasoned rationale for being Catholic.

2. Illustrate basic understanding of Catholic dogma and doctrine in light of the "Catechism of the Catholic church"

3. Demonstrate an appreciation for faith community by participating in its life and activities as an essential way of coming to know God.

4. Examine the variety of Christian vocations as ways to live out the Baptismal call to a life of service.

5. Illustrate a basic understanding of the history of the Church and an appreciation of her basic traditions.

6. Demonstrate a knowledge and appreciation of the diverse cultural expressions of Catholicism.

"Christ is always present in his Church, especially in "liturgical celebrations". 27 Communion with Jesus Christ leads to the celebration of his salvific presence in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist. The Church ardently desires that all the Christian faithful be brought to that full, conscious and active participation which is required by the very nature of the liturgy 28 and the dignity of the baptismal priesthood. For this reason, catechesis, along with promoting a knowledge of the meaning of the liturgy and the sacraments, must also educate the disciples of Jesus Christ "for prayer, for thanksgiving, for repentance, for praying with confidence, for community spirit, for understanding correctly the meaning of the creeds.....",29 as all of this is necessary for a true liturgical life ( General Directory For Catechesis #85).

1. Read, interpret and apply Scripture to life.

2. Demonstrate an understanding of liturgical seasons and feasts.

3. Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation for the importance of Sacraments, with an emphasis on the centrality of the Eucharist, in the life of Catholics.

4. Celebrate the presence of the Sacred through participation in worship experiences using sacramentals, symbols, and rituals.

5. Illustrate a basic understanding of the history of the Church and an appreciation of her basic traditions.

"Conversion to Jesus Christ implies walking in his footsteps. Catechesis must, therefore, transmit to the disciples the attitudes of the Master himself. The disciples thus undertake a journey of interior transformation, in which, by participating in the paschal mystery of the Lord, "they pass from the old man to the new man who has been made perfect in Christ".30 The Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus takes up the Decalogue, and impresses upon it the spirit of the beatitudes,31 is an indispensable point of reference for the moral formation which is most necessary today. Evangelization which "involves the proclamation and presentation of morality",32 displays all the force of its appeal where it offers not only the proclaimed word but the lived word too. This moral testimony, which is prepared for by catechesis, must always demonstrate the social consequences of the demands of the Gospel.33 (General Directory For Catechesis #85)

1. Read, interpret and apply Scripture to life.

2. Demonstrate the ability to apply Catholic principles to interpersonal relations (e.g., family, peers, work, society, Church, etc.)

3. Demonstrate the ability to make moral decisions consistent with Church teachings.

4. Express a willingness to develop and use God-given gifts and talents in a Christ-like way to build Christian community.

5. Critique societal structures in light of Catholic social justice principles and apply to social and personal situations.

6. Demonstrate an understanding and respect for the gift of life; demonstrate an understanding of responsible stewardship.

7. Illustrate a basic understanding of the history of the Church and an appreciation of her basic traditions.

8. Engage in service to the community (e.g., family, parish, local, national, and global) in response to the Gospel call.

"Communion with Jesus Christ leads the disciples to assume the attitude of prayer and contemplation which the Master himself had. To learn to pray with Jesus is to pray with the same sentiments with which he turned to the Father: adoration, praise, thanksgiving, filial confidence, supplication and awe for his glory. All of these sentiments are reflected in the Our Father, the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples and which is the model of all Christian prayer. The "handing on of the Our Father" 34 is a summary of the entire Gospel 35 and is therefore a true act of catechesis. When catechesis is permeated by a climate of prayer, the assimilation of the entire Christian life reaches its summit. This climate is especially necessary when the catechumen and those to be catechized are confronted with the more demanding aspects of the Gospel and when they feel weak or when they discover the mysterious action of God in their lives. (General Directory For Catechesis #85)

1. Read, interpret and apply Scripture to life.

2. Pray regularly and use a variety of prayer forms to enrich and express personal and communal spirituality.

3. Illustrate a basic understanding of the history of the Church and an appreciation of her basic traditions.

Approach and Methods

Once we have identified what we are to teach, it is critical to take the time to plan how we will structure the learning experience in order to guide our students to new understanding. Pope Paul VI succinctly stated that our "methods must be adapted to the age, culture and aptitude of the persons concerned, they must seek always to fix in the memory, intelligence and heart the essential truths that must impregnate all of life." (On Evangelization in the Modern World #44) As we face this task we must also remember that Jesus has promised to be with us in this process and that He plants the seed that we are called to water. We are instruments of the Spirit.

A Process for Planning (individually or as a team)

1. Establish an atmosphere of prayer
2. Be familiar with desired outcome(s)
3. Reflect on what meaning that outcome has in your own life
4. Assess where your students presently are vis-à-vis this outcome
5. Gather resources, including approved Archdiocesan program
6. Decide how you will assess whether the outcome has been achieved
7. Create a learning opportunity

Choosing the Experience:

The possibilities are endless but there are factors to consider in order to keep our teaching rooted and balanced.

In Catechesi tradendae: on Catechesis in Our Time (John Paul II, October 16, 1979) four characteristics of catechesis are outlined:

1. Catechesis "must be systematic, not improvised but programmed to reach a precise goal." (CT #21)
2. Catechesis and life experience cannot be separated. (CT #22)
3. "Catechesis is intrinsically linked with the whole of liturgical and sacramental activity." (CT #23)
4. Catechesis needs to be nurtured within community. (CT #24)

Keeping these points and the mandate "to fix in the memory, intelligence and heart, the essential truths" before us we can develop activities that will foster a living faith in our students.

The following outline the ways and means of facilitating catechesis. All are important and should be incorporated into any unit of Religious Education.

When we reflect and share on God's Word it becomes "living" for us. God's Word becomes a constant source of nourishment and challenge not a static, intellectual pursuit. It takes root and lives in both heart and mind. If our students are encouraged to ask, "What is God saying to me in this passage?" and "What am I called to be?", they will, we hope, begin a life long desire to be touched by God's message.

Lectionary based catechesis and Groome's Shared Praxis approach are wonderful ways to experience Scripture with our students. (See appendix for outlines of each approach)

Young people have a natural sense of God's presence in their lives and allowing them frequent opportunities to nurture that relationship through various forms of prayer is vital. Each prayer experience should be approached with a sense of awe, mystery and reverence. Prayer as "living with God" should be emphasized. So often talking and listening become the focus and we forget that "Prayer is the habit of being in the presence of the thrice - holy God" (CCC#2565). This is the fundamental gift of prayer. We need to guide the students to see that prayer should envelop our lives. On this foundation various forms of prayer can be explored: blessing and adoration, prayer of petition, intercession, repentance, thanksgiving and praise, as well as the expressions of prayer: vocal, meditation and contemplation. Young people should be given opportunities to experience and respond to prayer through song, gesture, dance, art, drama, writing and spontaneous prayer.

We know that we cannot teach an experience, it must be lived. The rich sacramental and liturgical tradition of our Catholic faith provides some of the most profound moments in our lives. The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life". (Lumen Gentium #11) therefore our catechesis should lead our students to desire to celebrate the Eucharist as well as the other sacraments.

Rituals such as an Advent wreath service, classroom prayer rituals, the reciting of the Rosary, and retreats at every grade level are all opportunities for our students to understand that our faith interpenetrates our lives. Other experiences such as a school's anniversary, blessings for school teams, or graduation can be designed to reflect the integration of our faith in daily life and celebration.

Jesus is the consummate storyteller. Young people have a wonderful sense of this art, also. We, as teachers, need to foster the ability to listen to another's story and, as importantly, to tell our own. We can then enter more deeply the mystery that is our life with Jesus. We can appreciate the turns, twists, lessons and surprises that are behind, in and before us as we journey with God.

Creativity can give voice to God within us. Young people freely create and express themselves through music, song, dance, drama and art. Our students, in an environment of trust, care and respect, need to continue to be in touch with that creative expression. We need to encourage students to take risks and to experience various art forms simply because they are a way to celebrate one's relationship with God and not just because one has a particular creative talent. We need also to share our own artistic expression with our students as well as that of other more well-known artists, in order to spark that mysterious, God-like, creative process.
 

Curriculum planning is the process through which a teacher makes real for the students the prescribed Religious Education Goals and Outcomes of the Vancouver Archdiocese. Planning, assessment & evaluation, and reporting are elements of a continuing cycle or process.

1. Goals and Learning Outcomes
   What goals and learning outcomes are prescribed and needed for the class?
   This includes:
   1. looking at the Goals of Religious Education
   2. looking at the prescribed 19 Religious Education Learning Outcomes
   3. looking at the expected learning outcomes for each unit at each grade level
2. Assessment and Evaluation
   How will I know how the students are meeting these goals and learning outcomes?
   What am I looking for?
   What assessment and evaluation tools will I be using?
   This includes:
   1. designing assessment tasks
   2. determining criteria, involving students as much as possible
   3. finding/creating models and exemplars of the performance
   4. designing/choosing appropriate rating scales and rubrics
3. Learning Opportunities
   What will the students actually be doing to work towards these goals and outcomes?
   What types of learning experiences/instructional strategies am I going to provide?
   This includes:
   1. designing teaching/learning units, lessons, activities
   2. refining criteria

The following is a sample of one format which can be used for planning. (A full-sized sheet appears in the Appendix.)

A quality assessment task allows the students to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and attitudes prescribed in the outcomes. It also enables students to demonstrate their progress and capabilities in an authentic way.

Assessment tasks should match the different learning styles and intelligences of the students. They should denote whether the task is to be completed by an individual or in groups, who the audience is, what options or choices may be available, and what materials, equipment and resources are available to the students. The students will also need to know how much time is allowed for them to complete the task and what criteria their work will be evaluated against.

In criteria-referenced evaluation, student performance is compared to established criteria. It involves using observable indicators which help us to be as objective as possible when determining student progress. When establishing criteria for any assessment task it is important to involve the students as much as possible and to provide examples so that the students can be clear about what is expected. For instance, when evaluating a student's ability to plan and lead a prayer service the teacher should model in the class what s/he is expecting the students to do.

Tools for evaluating an assessment task will vary depending on the assessment strategy being used. Samples of a variety of assessment tools are included in the Appendix of this curriculum framework binder.

For further framework reading in the area of planning, assessment, and evaluation please see A Tool Box For Teachers compiled by the Catholic Independent Schools of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. Also recommended is the NCEA Publication Creating a Curriculum that Works by Lorraine A. Ozar, PH.D., the parent book to "By Their Fruits You Shall Know Them..." from which the 19 Religious Education Learning Outcomes were derived.

Evidence of how well a student has met the expected learning outcomes, i.e. evidence of what a student knows or is able to do, should be gathered by the teacher in a variety of forms. These include student portfolios, observations, work samples, student journals, student self and peer evaluations, presentations, performances, projects, tests, etc. (See the Appendix for samples of assessment tools.)

As Multiple Intelligences Theory suggests, we learn and have knowledge in different ways. Thus, just as learning strategies should take into consideration the variety of student learning styles, so too, should assessment strategies. Religious Education assessment must not consist solely of pencil and paper tests and written essays, reports, etc. Many of the 19 R.E. Learning Outcomes are experiential; therefore, what the student is able to do is the object of what is to be assessed and evaluated. Activities must be observed by the teacher and evaluated against a set of criteria which reflects the different levels of achievement for the given activity, for example leading a prayer service or dramatizing a selection from Scripture.

Creative means of demonstrating knowledge of a subject matter such as drama, art, music, poetry, etc. can be evaluated against a set of criteria which reflects the principles of good drama, art, music, poetry, etc., as well as the content required. As with any criteria-referenced assessment, the more the students are able to participate in designing the criteria the better able they will be to understand the requirements and thus meet them.

Evaluation done for reporting purposes documents what the student can do or demonstrate knowledge of. However, we recognize that the knowledge and skills a student learns will not be the only learning that takes place. Religious Education has as its primary goal a desire to transform students lives through their faith experience. This transformation, while it is the key outcome for students, is not something that can be assigned a mark for a report card.

The standard practice for reporting the other subject areas at each grade level should be followed for Religious Education. Letter grades should have clear descriptors which define the standard that each letter grade represents. The question as to whether to give percentages for Religious Education is a school-based decision. Student self-evaluations can also be included in a report to parents.

It is important to make both the students and parents aware of what the mark on the report card reflects. If a student receives a "C" on a report, this in no way indicates that this student is a "C" Catholic. However, a poor mark resulting from lack of effort may be an indication of the low value the student places on Religious Education. In this case the student should be challenged to see the importance of Religious Education and its connection to him/her as a person, to his/her faith development, and to his/her connection to the school community.

No student should "fail" Religious Education for an inability to meet the expected outcomes because of learning difficulties. In cases where a special needs student is unable to meet the regular expectations, especially in the senior grades, wither the means of assessment or the course content should be adapted to the individual student. Teachers who require assistance or resources to make these adaptations should contact the Office of Religious Education School Consultant.

As in any course where a student is on a Individual Education Plan (EP), and perhaps even more so in Religious Education, the special needs student must be made to feel valued as a member of the class community and encouraged to participate fully in the class.