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!