Father Says...

Mid-July. So, I guess it's time to start thinking about this autumn's CCD classes!

So, do your kids ever get antsy and start squirming in their seats? (Okay, you can stop laughing now.) REALITY CHECK: most kids, especially those who have been in school all day or who just came from Mass, cannot easily sit still for a whole hour of CCD. So what do you do? Scold them, struggle the rest of the class time with their inattention and lose your temper? (Okay, maybe it's just me who has done this.) Of course you don't do that. You help them manage their sensory needs. (i.e. You let them move.) So, how do you do this without losing valuable teaching time? Ah, that's where Father Says comes in.

I had an absolutely brilliant 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Hite. Just when we kids were about to melt down, miraculously, it was time for song, usually with movements! Amazing, huh? I can still sing songs about Father Abraham (with the crazy body movements) and counting to 10 in Spanish. So, in imitation of this wise woman and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I decided we would have a game, with MOVEMENT, during each class. The most popular of these games was Father Says.

Father Says is just like Simon Says, except the children are practicing words and movements they need to know to worship God. Since I have first graders, this covers a lot! Rules of the game are exactly the same. Here's the basic content I used:

Father says...
Do the Sign of the Cross
Genuflect
Kneel
Stand up
Bow
"The Lord be with you." (R - "And also with you.")
"Alleluia!" (R - "Alleluia) Not during Lent
"Lord have mercy." (R - "Lord have mercy.")

It only takes a few minutes, and it a great deal of fun. And, as you know, repetition is very important to learning new things! See what else you can add to my list. Then stand up and move a bit!

Blessed be God.

Listen....

Okay, it's been a while. My sister asked the other day about my blog, and I listened.

Listen.

It is Lent. How many of you have chosen a penance which involves greater silence? Perhaps giving up TV or your iPod or the radio in the car? How many are going to pray silently at Adoration or go a few minutes early to Mass for some extra quiet listening?

Listening -- it is essential for any good catechist. For any good Christian!

I had a lesson in listening this past Sunday. Our CCD rooms are in the parish hall, with those folding walls dividing the room into four classes. So, there is a gap in the middle through which you can see the other classes. Well, the combined 3rd/4th grade class was watching a video as we began our lesson, and the TV was set in a spot where it could be seen from our table. I was oblivious because my back was to the gap in the wall, and, well, I was not listening for that. Fortunately, one of my students raised his hand and asked, "Mrs. Z, can we sit somewhere else? The video is distracting me." Thank you, God, that he asked instead of zoning out or wrestling between competing sensory inputs! We have a big room and few children, so we went to sit on the floor where we could NOT see the TV. And our lesson went well.

Listen. Maybe we should all take a minute, even during class, to just listen and to observe. What may be distracting in my classroom? Move to different locations to see what the kids are seeing and hearing.

Listen more. What are the kids telling you with their words or their body language? Do they need to move around? Talk more? Take quiet time? Need to pray? Ask questions? Share stories?

I think we're going to watch a video next week. I think I'll be careful where I place the TV!

Blessed be God!

Visual Impairment? No problem!

Borrowing again from real life -- the best way, yes? I got an e-mail from someone looking for ways to adapt their program for a child with a visual disability -- very low vision. By God's grace and an enthusiastic friend, I have become aquainted with a new Catholic, who happens to work at our area's Center for Independent Living. He also happens to have a visual impairment himself. Perfect! So, I checked with him. What do you do? Lets see what he says:

He lists four suggestions:

1) In general, you can go to www.ilru.org to find your closest Center for Independent Living. The locations are under "Directory of Centers." The staff there is a good resource (secular, but willing to work with us) for information and referrals, among other things.

2) For materials that need to be read, either blow them up to a large enough font size for the child to read, or tape record the materials for them, so they can listen at home.

3) When you have a program that relies on a lot of visuals (pictures, skits, etc.), have the teacher describe what is happening with words as well. For example, if the class is looking at a picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, the teacher should say something like, "In front of us is a picture of Jesus surrounded by lots of lambs...." If there is a skit, the narrator could read the stage directions in addition to the dialogue. My friend stressed that this be made part of the lesson -- that the teacher does not single-out the student with the visual disability. If the teacher feels it is important, s/he could explain once to the class that she will be describing all visuals for the sake of that student, but should not say, "James, I'm holding up a crucifix." "James, the kids are waving their hands in the air..." It should be directed at everyone. "I'm holding up a crucifix." "Okay, kids, wave your hands in the air..."

4) If you watch a video, someone should sit next to the child with the visual disability and whisper quietly what is going on visually in the video.

There is no need to dramatically change your lesson plans or cancel anything you do. It can be adapted.

Wow, I know some cool people.

Blessed be God!

Gearing up for CCD!

Wow, it's time to plan another year! So, I think I'll just toss out a few simple ideas for getting the CCD year started right.

1) Remember those forms? That tell you what you need to adapt? Get them filled out. Review them. Ask questions. Make a list of what materials or people or special situations you need. (For example, our CCD Coordinator always has to be sure that whatever class John is part of has a room on the first floor of the building, since he's in a wheelchair and there is no elevator of the school we use.)

2) Make a list of classroom rules and print a copy to read and post during the first class. All kids do better to know what is expected of them. But this is especially true of kids with any special need. In the list of rules I wrote last year, I included some "rights" that the kids have, as well. You should have seen their faces. They could not BELIEVE that they had rights. One of these rights was designed to help the kids with ADHD. The kids had the right to STAND UP next to their desk or to sit cross-legged on the chair. They could stretch and move around, as long as they did not leave the space directly behind their desk and as long as their attention was focused on me. I know, EXTREMELY unorthodox -- especially in a Catholic setting. But guess what. It helped. A lot. There was one boy who, in the past, had always squirmed a lot in his seat. He almost never answered any questions and had trouble with some of the quizzes. This boy took frequent advantage of my "rule." He would often be standing behind his chair, shifting from foot to foot. But his eyes were on me. He began asking questions and answering questions! He volunteered -- begged -- to read from the Bible. Instead of using all his energy to remain seated, he was able to use that same energy to learn and participate.

3) If you have the space, give the kids a chance to MOVE before class -- especially if you meet at night after a school day. The best class I ever had was a Wednesday evening when we met in the gym rather than a classroom, since our grade got to present the Living Stations of the Cross. For 10 minutes or more, the kids got to run and run and run. Then they sat on the floor as I taught a short lesson before practicing the Stations. Best attention and recall of the whole year. Amazing what happens when you meet kids' basic physical needs first.

4) Give the kids a schedule. We grown-ups would probably have a heart attack if we went to a conference or meeting or seminar and did not get a schedule of events, speakers, topics, and potty breaks. We have the need to know, so we can be comfortable and not worry about what's coming next, how much longer, etc. KIDS ARE THE SAME. In my class, I made a schedule that I posted on the chalk board every week. You could just write the schedule, but I used pre-printed, laminated cards -- approximately 4 in x 11 in -- with a picture and a word. For example, a picture of a Bible and the word BIBLE. I posted these on the board and took them down as each thing was finished. I think it helped the kids be patient, especially on nights when they KNEW already that there would be something fun like a visit from the priest or a snack. And, to be honest, it forced me to plan better! I knew I couldn't just put "CCD BOOK" on the board and nothing else. I had to think and pray harder -- make a real investment in the class.

5) Send a monthly note home to parents. Let them know what topics you are covering, and what chapters (if you send the book back and forth between home and school). If there are any online activities provided by the publisher, let the parents know. Many kids with special needs require repetition and practice, so this information helps parents reinforce what was learned. This is also a great way to give a heads-up about prayers to be learned and any special events like Penance Services or CCD Masses.

6) Even if you only borrow space (like I did), you can still create a simple visual display for each week. We took a desk and placed a tablecloth on it, of the liturgical color of the day. (Good teaching point for the start of each lesson.) We also had a crucifix, a Bible, a book for the kids to list their intercessions, and cards for kids to write questions for Father. We found that kids who were afraid to ask questions out loud during class were very willing to write anonymous questions before or after class. This turned out to be a very valuable addition to our class. If it was a special feast day, we put a visual related to that person on the table. For example, we had a St. Francis statue for St. Francis' feast day, and took that as an opportunity to discuss his story and the Franciscan charism.

Well, everyone, blessings as you get going with the school year. Isn't this fun?

Blessed by God.

Case of the Can't s

I'm sitting here, 9:30 in the morning, eating a Hershey bar and blasting out a mix of Christian music. Yes, chocolate at 9:30 in the morning. Hey, it's mid-afternoon in France! Vive la France, oui? Et Notre Dame de Lourdes!

Ladies and gentlemen, I have case of the can't s. So I am applying the appropriate mix of prayer, music and chocolate. And I do mean a mix, because Vivaldi's Gloria is being followed by Jars of Clay singing "Frail." Yes, when down, give God glory and praise. That gives great perspective. It's all good. (Or, as we just learned in St. Pat's Bible study on the letter of James, "Count it all joy!") Then admit your frailty and great need. It's okay to need Him. Really.


I'm not entirely sure how I made this slide down, but God has used it to teach me some very important things.

We all get to this point. Nothing is really wrong with life, but we are tired. Things look hard and little lying whispers tell you how hard or impossible or time consuming or selfish certain things would be. Or maybe the whispers tell you that you are not doing enough -- the trap of doing too much. Then doubt comes -- are you SURE you're doing what God wants? The sin of sloth creeps in. Then we feel overwhelmed and guilty by all the work that needs to be done and decisions that need to be made. Mix that with distraction and a sense of distance from God (however untrue) and Voila!

So, what have I learned? One example:


Vacation Bible School John is a 5th grader. Last year of elementary school. Last year to be a VBS participant. Junior High and High School kids are volunteers -- they work and help during the week.

It is a little daunting, to think of all the decisions and changes for next year. Should we let John on to Boy Scouts? At what point will CCD become to difficult for him? What about VBS next year? Ugh, and the Jr High IEP! But lets not go there yet.

I had settled in my mind that this was our last year for VBS. I could not imagine what kind of things John could do as a helper. Now, THAT kind of thinking is NOT like me. (So, be aware, even your most positive sounding parent of a special needs kid may end up being negative. Beware! Don't assume they are always right when they say the kid "can't" do something.)

Praise God, a mother in charge of the main check-in table, K, asked me how John was doing at VBS. Then she related to me how her daughter, B, was asking what John would do next year when he was in Junior High. I (negative lady) interjected that I had no idea and was not sure if he'd participate. Fortunately, K went on to say that she was pleased that B was thinking about John volunteering next year. (Mea Culpa!) Then she and another mother immediately came up with the ideal job for John.

The next day, I watched my son be swarmed by young lady volunteers AND some 5th grade girls, too. (John is extremely cute, if I do say so myself.) One of the volunteer's mothers came up to me at the end of the night, introduced herself, and related how much fun her daughter was having working with John -- how she talks about him every night.

Okay, I'm crying now.

You see, by SHOWING UP (see my past posts), we helped encourage a can-do attitude with the kids of the parish. Of course John should be there! Of course he should be involved! Why not? So, when I fell, the children of God (and their holy Moms) were there to pick me up.

SHOW UP. HOPE. And LISTEN TO THE KIDS.

My grandmother always said, "There's no such thing as can't." Or, to put in in the context of the great gift of the Incarnation and Redemption (talk about something that seemed impossible!), "For with God nothing will be impossible." (Lk1:37 RSV)

So let us respond, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." (Lk 1:38)


Okay, where's my rosary....

Blessed be God.

Liturgy Cards

Okay, I'm going to totally wimp out this month and cut and paste from a brochure I made about Liturgy Cards, describing their use at Mass and for catechesis. It's summer. I'm still getting the routine down.

I seem to have managed to insert a picture. Good for me! Now, to copy and paste the description of the above. :-)

The “source and summit” of our Roman Catholic faith is the celebration of Mass. However, for some children, and therefore their parents, Mass can be a challenging experience. This is especially true for young children and children with special needs. However, with adequate visual supports and catechesis, the children can participate more fully in the Mass.

Liturgy Cards are an attractive, simple, portable and adaptable tool designed to aid children, parents and CCD teachers in meeting this need.

What are Liturgy Cards?

Liturgy Cards are a set of twenty-two 1½-inch square laminated cards, each with a simple picture and heading for the corresponding part of the Mass. These cards are similar to the kinds of cards many children with disabilities use at home or school to communicate, keep schedules and calendars, and follow tasks. Cards are either kept on a 1-inch binder ring, or on Velcro or magnet strips in a folder. The child either flips through the cards or, with the Velcro or magnet style, removes the card as each part of the Mass is completed. Cards are easily removed or reordered as the liturgical season requires. A second version of the cards include 2 1/2-inch square laminated cards which can be mounted on an accompanying poster, for classroom display or games.

What need do they meet?

Liturgy Cards provide any child a simple means to follow Mass, like a miniature missalette. They help reduce anxiety and increase comprehension of the Mass for a child and reinforce aural cues. They help children organize their thoughts and learn the rhythm of the liturgy.

In religious education, the cards provide a way to increase learning and understanding by providing visual support needed to follow lessons about Mass They allow for increased participation and expression at CCD, especially for children with verbal communication challenges. And they allow for easier testing of comprehension of the liturgy for children who are non-verbal or who have challenges related to reading and writing.

Who will be served by this product?

Children with disabilities, such as autism, cerebral palsy, visual or auditory processing challenges, AD/HD and Down Syndrome are among the people who benefit from the use of picture cards. Based on statistics from Easter Seals, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and “The Official Catholic Directory 2005” (Pub P.J. Kenedy &

Sons), there are likely more than 7,000 newly baptized Catholics each year with autism, cerebral palsy, or Down Syndrome alone.

Pre-school age children also benefit from the simple, colorful, non-verbal prompts at Mass which are given by Liturgy Cards. Based on statistics from the above sources, there should be nearly 3 million Catholic children ages 3-5 who could benefit from these cards.

Children in the early grades, particularly those preparing for First Communion, can use the cards during school or CCD Masses. And the poster version of Liturgy Cards provides a solid visual teaching tool in the classroom, as well as a fun catechetical game.

What makes this product unique?

Liturgy Cards are easy to use. They are simple, visually uncluttered, and small enough to fit in a purse or pocket.

Liturgy Cards are multipurpose. They can be used at religious education class, daily or weekly Mass, and for all liturgical seasons. You can add or remove cards according to the person’s level of comprehension.

Liturgy Cards are picture-based. No reading required.

Liturgy Cards save you time. They are pre-assembled and ready to use. No hunting on the Internet for appropriate graphics, and no purchasing of expensive picture card software.

Comments from the test group:

• “Your visual cards are exactly how I have been able to reach several families at my own parish. I have approached these families in the past but they didn’t seem interested. I told them about your cards and they wanted to set up a meeting.” (Regional DRE)

• “It’s a more modern version of children’s missals, but much more kid friendly.” (mother of pre-schooler)

• “My son makes the sign of the cross every time he sees the cross and folds his hands when he sees praying hands.” (mother of 8 year old with Down Syndrome)

Interested? I do not have a publisher/manufacturer and am not in the position to mass produce them myself. But if you want to produce them, if you have comments or questions, or if you are at wits end and are desperate for the support of these cards, please do g-mail me at the above address! I am listening for God's will on this one.

You can make these cards yourself. My son has a binder of hand-made cards, using clip art and photos, for catechesis and for RECONCILIATION.

For more general information about the use of picture cards, see the web sites for the secular manufacturers of these kinds of products: PECS (great source of information) and Boardmaker.

Well, have a wonderful day. (And GO TO MASS) :-)

Blessed be God.

Most Practical Thing -- GO TO MASS

Okay, you have your list to tell you what your special child needs to be catechized. What next?

START BY GETTING THE FAMILY TO MASS if they are not already coming. If they are coming, get them resources to make it more accessible. This is the "source and summit" of our sacramental life.

If you are a parent reading this, I encourage you, if you are not going because you are worried about an outburst or physical access, JUST SHOW UP. You belong with us.

The sooner and younger the child begins attending Mass, the better -- especially for children with a need for routine and the familiar.

**Warning: I am naive and have not checked what diocese are "liberal" and which are "orthodox." But to the best of my knowledge, based on what I have read myself from the below resources and from speaking with people involved in the below organizations and dioceses, I recommend these resources.**

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have a number of documents related to the celebration of the Mass and Sacraments with people with disabilities. They can be found at www.usccb.org/publishing/pastoralcare.htm#/disabilities. (At least, they were there the last time I checked!) Also check out the National Catholic Partnership of Disability at www.ncpd.org. These will give you general guidelines to work from.

If you are dealing with a child who has autism, I highly recommend checking out the website for the Diocese of Pittsburgh at www.diopitt.org. They have a number of resources for catechesis for all people with disabilities. But they also have a newsletter by parents of children with autism spectrum disorders -- see www.diopitt.org/education/gleanews2.htm. Their organization is called God's Love Embraces Autism. The newsletter has had very practical advice on how to help children at Mass.

Often it helps to have physical resources for the child with a disability to help them understand and follow the liturgy. There are a number of children's books for explaining and following the Mass. I encourage you to browse through them and find one which fits your needs. If I gave any broad, general advice, it would be to seek a book or resource which does not use a lot of symbolic language or pictures. It is very important to have the pictures and words be very concrete -- things that can be seen or touch. Some children will need a book without too much extra commentary or explanations. This may just confuse and upset them because no one said the things in the book. And it is my OPINION that, in a non-catechetical setting, it is best to have a simple missal when possible. Mass is a time to participate. The other books should be read at home or religious education. It is also often important to find something that is visually uncluttered. I personally recommend We Go to Mass by God's Love Embraces Autism (Diocese of Pittsburgh. To purchase or for information, go to their web site, or e-mail disabilites@diopitt.org.) For more advanced readers, I recommend MagnifiKid (www.magnifikid.com). These weekly magazines follow the Mass, start to finish, with all of the words to the Mass parts and the readings. And, best of all, there are footnotes which explain the "difficult words" and abstract concepts. VERY helpful. There are extra catechetical notes and fun activities, too. This was not designed specifically for kids with disabilities, but are done in a way which is very helpful.

What if you have someone who does not read? Well, then I recommend the use of picture cards. Name brands include PECS and Boardmaker, but you can make your own very easily. MOST children who are in special education programs for the developmentally disabled, and most children with autism use these cards at home and school to communicate, make schedules, and follow tasks. They are small, 1 1/2 - 2 inch square cards with a simple, realistic picture and word. (NOTHING abstract or symbolic.) They are often laminated for durability. I tried to find a set of picture cards for following the Mass, but it did not exist. So I made them. I call the cards Liturgy Cards. (I do not have a publisher, but if you want to be that for me....) The Liturgy Cards are kept on a ring -- which fits in your purse or pocket. There are 22 cards to follow the Mass, plus two blank ones. (You can write on the blank ones with a dry erase marker to add something -- like a baptism or wedding vows.) You can easily remove or reorder the cards to accommodate changes in the liturgical seasons, or for differences between daily and Sunday Mass. Following the cards help the kids learn vocabulary and the rhythm of the liturgy, tells them visually "how much longer" and "what's next" and gives them a visual cue for a change in routine. I'll talk more about picture cards next blog and pop-in a picture of the cards.

Parents, do not be afraid to ask an usher for help or special seating, for example near an exit for a quick escape, right up front where the child can see best, in a spot with reduced visual clutter or next to beautiful stained-glass windows for a comforting, muted light. Do not worry about the child appearing inattentive or needing to get up and step out for a minute. Go ahead and sit in the "crying room" if you have one. Music too loud? Bring earplugs or find a Mass with no music. Problems with intense smells? Ask about the use of incense and sit far away from the Easter lilies!

If the parish is new to them or if they have not brought the young child often, arrange to bring the child to the church when it is empty and take a "tour" to become comfortable with the room -- how it looks, what is in there, what things feel like (the pews, the holy water), how it sounds (echoes, etc.). Practice being quiet. Say a familiar prayer.

Talk to the pastor. I know that the Diocese of Peoria totally rocks and that my priests are the best EVER, but I'm pretty sure that, if parents express a hunger for the Mass, most priests will be more than happy to find a way to help you. (Thank you, my priests! I love you!)

Remember that many children, especially those with disabilities, find routine to be a tremendous source of comfort. We are blessed to have a liturgical Church with such rhythm and repetition. When a child feels comfortable, he can listen and learn. Come to Mass and learn.

Blessed be God.