Religious Teacher Why Do I

Religious Teacher

Why do I want to become a teacher in a Catholic School Board?

Anyone that takes the effort and has the moral, spiritual and social motivation to become a teacher in a Christian / Roman Catholic environment is to be praised. There is so much for all of us to learn, and in particular so many young people are there in front of us, asking in their own adolescent way to receive knowledge of the spiritual life. We must be there for them. We must inspire them.

In a world where the young people are being distracted by text messages -- and some are clearly addicted to this digital technology -- and by smart phone capabilities, and by the Internet's lure, by violent video games, and movies, cars, Facebook, drugs, alcohol, provocative magazines and more, the need to share Christian values with them has never been more urgent.

I see adolescents in my neighborhood doing adult things that are harmful to their future. I know children who have an extremely negative opinion of adult society and who need to be brought into an environment where they can learn positive things about our culture, to hear words of encouragement from the heart of a teacher who really cares about them.

Moreover, I have always believed I have something to share with and to give to the greater spiritual community, beyond my family's needs, and teaching to me provides the perfect opportunity to give back wholeheartedly to the culture that has brought me her and sustained me.

When it comes to the expectations that are laid out for Catholic teachers, I have no problem making commitments in each of the categories. I want to make a powerful commitment, and keep my word to my church, that I am to be trusted with the authority I am requesting.

I am a committed Roman Catholic and I practice my faith with passion and regularity. I am committed to being there for children as they grow and mature and ask questions about the world, about Jesus Christ, and about the Holy Bible. I want to be there when they are open to seeking information as to how the Catholic Church interprets the Bible and why are lives are important to God. And if they are not open to that knowledge, I still want to be there to provide persuasive reasons for them to open up -- the joy in turning a negative into a positive lifts my spirits and raises the bar in this aspect of Christian education.

Certainly I agree that I will not present opinions contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church, and I will not bring into the educational setting controversies vis-a-vis matters that negatively reflect on the teachings of Jesus Christ or the beliefs of the Church. Indeed there is a place for discussions about Catholic traditions, and how some people's observance of Catholicism is different from others, and depending on the age of the student, those discussions are sometimes healthy and helpful.

As a member of the Catholic school community, I agree to participate in the liturgical activities in the Church, because those activities relate to God's Word and as a teacher committed to my faith I am a living witness for Christ. The Truth about God, the Word that God has provided for all mankind, and the Life that Christ wants us to lead -- these are profoundly important for a teacher launching a career as a leader for young people.

Moreover I do accept the view that as a role model for young people my conduct is particularly meaningful in the context of their experiences when in my classroom or out on the playground. I am very conscious that what I say -- as an adult who is entrusted with the task of inspiring and educating young people in the traditions and beliefs of the Catholic Church -- must have a positive and important effect on these young people. Hence, I heartily agree to conduct myself in a thoroughly professional way whenever and wherever I happen to be, and in particular when I am engaged in activities involving young people, whether they are members of the Catholic Church or not.

I'm eager to complete the Religious Education Course -- Part 1- during my probationary period, and I will be happy to support the school system by assigning my property taxes to the appropriate Separate School Board.

TWO: How will I show my commitment to the promotion of a Catholic School Culture?

Firstly, I am committed to providing young people and children with the best possible religious educational experience relating the Catholic Church to them. Whether in the classroom or in the community, or if I see them in a downtown shopping mall or at a movie, when they see me they should instantly relate to my inspirational religion classes. I want to -- and plan to -- make my classroom a vibrant place with fun activities that keep them interested (I know that they have many distractions in their lives so I work hard to keep them focused on what we do in class).

Secondly, we will have a prayer table in the classroom, appropriate posters, and other materials that are pre-selected for their ability to keep the children's interest. In Mary Doerfler Dall's book, Children Discover the Mass, the author provides a number of entertaining and interesting class activities to help young children understand the Mass. This resource is designed for ages pre-school to primary school; there are three lessons in the first chapter ("Before We Begin Mass") that give the children solid background. Once into the first chapter, there are craft pieces that are freestanding and moveable, and they form the "…core of the liturgical ensemble the children will make in the remainder of the lessons" (Dall, 2000).

When the lessons from this book are completed, each child will have their own Mass set collection, Dall explains. And in fact some children take their crafts with them when they attend Mass. "Mass can be celebrated anywhere," Dall explains. "It has been said in private homes, on battlefields, in gymnasiums and on the top of mountains" albeit Mass is usually celebrated in a church. And no matter what the size or shape is of the church, Mass is special, and children will understand that in my class. We teach empathy, we teach loving one another and accepting people the way they are.

THREE: How can I join others to create a vibrant Catholic learning community?

One of the strengths of an effective teacher in any genre is through involving the parents of the students in meaningful activities. When parents are part of the learning experience -- on special occasions when they are invited to participate and bring cookies or other treats to the classroom it can be a very special day of fellowship and bonding for everyone. The artwork that the students create will be on the bulletin board, and they will be proud to show their parents what they have done, but we will also have interactive projects for the parents to work on with their children, which can be a very effective way to provide Christian enthusiasm in a family context.

Also, I will be pleased to team-teach, co-teach, and to bring in the Bishop, the principal, the priest and interesting personalities within the Catholic Church to relate to the children. I am a believer in Catholic outreach. That doesn't necessarily mean that my class -- or me as an individual -- would go out and try to convert non-Catholics to our faith. It means that we as Catholics have a moral obligation to help those that are less fortunate. I would like for our students to visit a homeless shelter and depending on the age of the children, and their physical abilities, become involved in helping in some small way. Perhaps we can collect food for the shelter, or bake bread or do other things that will show we care and that we are generous and that we believe in Christ's message that he shared in the Sermon on the Mount.

In the publication "Our Catholic Schools, 2006-2007," published by Ontario's Catholic Schools, it is made clear that our schools should be a place where students learn about social justice and their need to serve their communities. Catholic education has to be about much more than the Mass, the values and history of the Church. It should also be an important place where children learn that the kingdom of God on earth is everywhere around us, not just in our church and not just in our classroom. We are stewards of our community, and to be good stewards, we need to be committed to serving others. That's what Christ asked us to do.

Respect and dignity for all people and all creatures -- pets, wildlife -- and for the environment we are blessed to enjoy. The trees give us more than shade and fruit. Trees take in carbon dioxide (which includes pollution in the air) and give off oxygen so we can all breathe, and so God's plan can be carried through. The teaching of values, morals, and discipline must be part of the program for a Catholic teacher, and also the involvement of parents brings the school, the Church, the children and the families together in a fellowship of learning and praying.

As was mentioned earlier in this section, involving parents in their children's learning activities is a powerful way to keep our faith strong and growing in the context of education and Christianity. This is particularly poignant because on page 9 of the "Our Catholic Schools" one of the major issues facing Catholic education is the "…inadequate home and parish involvement with schools," and we can mitigate this problem by working closely with children to get them inspired enough so they want their parents to attend and participate.

"There is an increase in the number of students not baptized in our schools" and there are "fewer families attending church regularly," the report explains. Furthermore, "Many parents are often not involved in the development of their child's faith and the school is sometimes the only place students receive the teaching of the Catholic Faith," and these gaps in our continuing program to stay focused and be inclusive are not acceptable.