But is it Bible study? Morality chats? There is a focus on social justice issues raised by the Vatican as well as Canadian bishops, from labour rights and poverty to human rights and aid work, he said.
In Grade 9, for example, the course uses teachings of Jesus called the Beatitudes Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved. To order copies of Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.
Here is a sampling of what religion courses cover: Grades 1 to 3 children will :. Reflect on the example of the saints as models for their own lives. Eventually, religion books developed specifically for children were written, and many may remember the My Way to God series which was a landmark development in the teaching of religion in the s.
These books contained Bible stories, prayers and coloured illustrations, and the accompanying teacher texts explained how teachers could best use the books with children. Changes too took place in the teaching of religion for students in secondary schools in the s. The title Christian Living reflects one of these changes.
Rather than a focus on rote learning, Christian Living attempted to start with the life experience of the student and often involved sharing personal stories. One of the weaknesses in this approach was that it often lacked serious content and, therefore, was not taken seriously. By the early s, changes in the make-up of the population of Catholic schools was also beginning to occur: no longer could we presume that all the students in the religion class were Catholic, nor that they were all practising Catholics.
Catechetical models of Religious Education are sometimes referred to as faith-forming models, and generally involve a community of believers and aim to help people grow in their faith. The strong emphasis placed on sharing and development of faith presumes that the students concerned are willing participants in the catechetical process.
The student population of Catholic schools in Australia today reflects the diversity of beliefs and practices both within and outside the Catholic faith. By the mid s, some religious educators began to separate catechesis faith formation from religious education learning about and from religion.
Every subject is taught from a Catholic perspective and permeated or infused with our Catholic faith. Students have religion class regularly and are expected to attend religious celebrations during the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter as well as other times throughout the school year.
With the blessing of our pope and bishops, we endeavor to provide Catholic education in our communities. Our schools welcome Catholic students, students from other Christian denominations, students whose families practice other world religions, and students who have no religious affiliation.
All that happens in our schools is guided and directed by Catholic principles. In Alberta, non-Catholic families are welcomed in Catholic schools if sufficient space and programming are available. The principle of sacramentality is a guiding principle in Catholic schools. Our daily activities, service to others, interactions with people and ideas, prayer and celebrations are opportunities to connect with God.
In Alberta, public schools and Catholic schools are both publicly funded. Both Catholic and public schools provide bussing to students and have teachers who have earned at least a Bachelor of Education from an accredited college or university.
The Catholic identity of our schools is seen in how we treat one another, how we speak to each other, how we care for others, and how we love one another. Students are taught that each of their classmates is their equal and that all are to be treated with kindness and respect. You can expect your child to be treated with the utmost respect and dignity that each person deserves as a beloved child of God. Students will learn about the sacrament of baptism in our religion program.
Students who express an interest in being baptized will be encouraged to talk with their parents and school staff can bridge the communication with the church if so desired by the parent.
While we encourage parents, first educators of their children in faith, to teach their children to pray, we also teach fundamental prayers of our faith in the early grades. Each day begins with morning prayer. This may be led within the classroom, read over the intercom from the office, or shared digitally in the classroom. Grace before lunch break, prayer at the beginning of classes, prayer at the end of the day, and prayer in times of special need are common.
Students are invited and encouraged to lead and participate in prayer throughout the day. The number of minutes of religion per week varies for each grade level.
Parents can expect religion class taught for approximately 30 minutes per day, however, our Gospel values are embedded in our daily routines.
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