2013 Connections Term 1

CCD Newsletter Volume 18 Issue 1 Term One 2013

CONNECTIONS

Confraternity of Christian Doctrine Diocese of Broken Bay

New Dioces an Yout h Team

in this issue… Celebrating the Catechist Ministry Photo Gallery

Catechist Spirituality:

BECOME

pages 6 & 7

Technology in the Classroom

pages 10 & 11

page 8

catechist celebrations

Papal Blessings 2012 Joan Swift & Margaret Johnstone 40yr Awards Papal Blessings 2012

Frenchs Forest Catechists Diocesan Mass

CC Regional Mass

Sr Mary Hugh Smith with Bishop David Walker

Leonie Miller, Alison Newell & Delel Touma NSH Regional Mass

MWP Regional Mass

Front page: Joan Swift (40yr Awardee) at the cathedral, CCD Diocesan Mass 2012

from the director

Welcome to the opening of what promises to be a wonderful year for the CCD ministry! There is always great anticipation of what is to come this time of the year, and 2013 is no different. I hope you have had the opportunity to have a well-deserved break, and feel rested and energised.

As always, I am inspired by the dedication and support of our veteran catechists who so generously give of their time and talent year after year and warmly welcome those who have joined us for the first time in this wonderful ministry. I am sure you will find your being part of this ministry extremely fulfilling.

As we begin the 2013 school year, your local Parish CCD Coordinator as well as the Diocesan team have put a lot of time and energy getting ready for the year. A number of key projects were started in 2012, namely the development of Secondary School Seminars and Smart Board resources. As you can imagine these do not happen overnight, and in 2013 we will be continuing with these projects.

In 2013 we will also be piggy-backing on projects started by other teams in the Parish Support Unit such as the development of on-line Training and Formation modules and registrations. You will find in the calendar of events various offerings, such as conference offered by the Biblical Apostolate and the Aboriginal themed Masses organised by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Ministry which I encourage you to participate in.

Whilst I may not work with you on a day-to-day basis, I look forward to the opportunity to meet with as many of you as possible throughout the year. I also encourage you to get to know your fellow catechists both from your own parish as well as neighbouring parishes so that we can build new friendships and support each other as the need arises.

I wish you every blessing and thank you again in anticipation of your service to the CCD ministry this coming year.

Carole Gan, Director Parish Support Unit

Term One 2013 Week 1 Ordinary Time Week 2 Ordinary Time Week 3 Ordinary Time

Ash Wednesday Week 4 First Sunday of Lent Week 5 Second Sunday of Lent Week 6 Third Sunday of Lent Week 7 Fourth Sunday of Lent Week 8 Fifth Sunday of Lent

18 March—St Patrick 19 March—St Joseph Week 9 Palm Sunday

Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Good Friday Week 10 Easter Sunday

(First Sunday of Easter) Week 11 Second Sunday of Easter

Term Two 2013 Week 1 Fifth Sunday of Easter

Year of Faith Card

The Year of Faith Card inserted in this edition of Connections represents the combined images of the Year of Grace and the Year of Faith together with the statements drawn from the Diocese of Broken Bay Synod, 2012.

Christ’s image, chosen by the Vatican for the Year of Faith, is iconic and the boat symbolises the Church with the cross acting as its mast.

The Nicene Creed printed on the rear of the card is the profession of faith we often use at Sunday Mass and is intended for easy access to strengthen commitment to our faith privately and in sharing this faith with others in our communities.

For a comprehensive explanation of the meaning of the iconic image on the front of the card, there is an excellent article on page 9 of the latest Broken Bay News (December 2012) by Pina Bernard. If you haven’t kept your copy of BBN, you can access this on line at: - http://www.dbb.org.au/Documents/BBN.pdf

Week 2 Sixth Sunday of Easter Week 3

Ascension of the Lord Week 4

Pentecost Sunday Week 5 Ordinary Time

Trinity Sunday Week 6 Ordinary Time

Celebrating Catechist Ministry: From the Director From the Diocesan CCD Coordinator / Events Catechist Formation: Filling our Wells Part 3 From the Classroom: For the Classroom: Noticeboard, Training Dates & CCD Directory

2&5 3 4 6&7 8 & 11 9 & 10 12

CONTENTS

The Body and Blood of Christ 7 June—Sacred Heart Week 7 Ordinary Time Week 8 Ordinary Time Week 9 Ordinary Time

24 June - St John the Baptist 29 June - Sts Peter & Paul

from the Diocesan Coordinator, CCD Happy New Year to each and every one of you. I wish you well as you begin another year of spreading the Good News to the children of God in our State school system. I trust you have had an enjoyable summer break. The wonderful season of Christmas has been and gone again in the blink of an eye and summer holidays are drawing to a close as I write. Lent will soon begin.

Curriculum resources for 2013 have been delivered to your Parish Coordinators, so you will hear locally about when to collect them. The staff at CCD have been working on an additional resource to support the Walking With Jesus curriculum. This year we will be releasing interactive SmartBoard resources for catechists who wish to use them. Our goal is to have these resources available for every lesson from Kinder to Year 6 by the end of 2013. Currently, we are finalising the preparation of resources for every core lesson in the K-6 curriculum.

These will be available soon. We will also be providing training in the use of interactive SmartBoards in every region.

Catechists attend the training and a USB containing the resources will be provided along with a certificate stating the training has been undertaken. For copyright purposes, the USB will be on loan and will remain the property of the Diocese. As further resources are developed

throughout the year, we will ask you to return the USB and collect an updated one. It is important to remember that children require a variety of teaching styles to stimulate their imagination and to create a quality learning environment. If we only ever used colouring sheets, they would quickly turn off. Likewise with digital resources, if we only ever use these. SmartBoard resources should always be used to complement the lesson plans and certainly should not replace them. Further information on SmartBoard training will be available through your Parish Coordinator in the very near future.

Joe Pulis has written an article providing tips for new users in this issue of Connections on page 9 and I commend it to you for your reading.

Catechist Sunday this year is being held on Sunday 10 February. On Catechist Sunday we encourage parishes to commission catechists and send them forth for their work in the State schools for 2013. Take with you the blessings and graces from your entire parish community as you go about your work. Hopefully, it will encourage you to embrace the joyful times in the classroom, but also it will hold and sustain you during the difficult times.

Share your stories from the classroom with people in your parish throughout the year. It might encourage others to take up the call to ministry and join the catechist

MEETINGS AND EVENTS January 29

TERM 1 COMMENCES

February 1 4 4 8 8 & 15 8,15,22 10 11 & 18 11,18,25 11 & 18 11,18,25 13

March

1, 8, 15 4,11,18 4,11,18 5,12 & 19 6,13 & 20 6,13 & 20 13 28 29 31

April 12

TERM 1 2013

NSH: Parish Coordinators Meeting MWP: Parish Coordinators Meeting MWP: Secondary Catechists Meeting CC: Parish Coordinators Meeting MWP: BAC MWP: Level 1 Catechist Sunday CC: BAC CC: Level 1 NSH: BAC NSH: Level 1 Ash Wednesday

10:00am - 12:00pm 9:45am - 12:00pm 1:00pm - 2:30pm 10:00am - 1:00pm 9:30am - 2:30pm 9:30am - 2:30pm

Pennant Hills North Harbour North Harbour The Entrance Avalon Avalon

9:30am - 2:30pm 9:30am - 2:30pm 9:30am - 2:30pm 9:30am - 2:30pm

East Gosford East Gosford CCC CCC

MWP: Level 1 (cont) CC: Level 1 (cont) NSH: Level 1 (cont) MWP: BAC NSH: BAC CC: BAC Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Catholic Ministry Mass Deadline for submitting articles for Connections Good Friday Easter Sunday

9:30am - 2:30pm Avalon 9:30am - 2:30pm East Gosford 9:30am - 2:30pm CCC 7:00pm - 9:00pm Forestville 12:30pm -2:30pm Chatswood 7:00pm -9:00pm Tuggerah Lakes 10:00am St Edward’s East Gosford

TERM 1 CONCLUDES CCC – Caroline Chisholm Centre (Pennant Hills); CC – Central Coast; MWP – Peninsula; NSH – North Shore & Hornsby

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Term One 2013

ranks. Could I commend to you Jennifer Skelly’s article in this edition on page 6 as quality reading before you return to the classroom.

New authorisation cards will be distributed over the next two to three weeks. Please note that during 2013, there will be some changes to the legislation which covers working with children. We will provide information to Parish Coordinators on a needs basis. If anyone has any questions about the changes, please do not hesitate to contact the CCD Office.

Our Diocesan Mass was held last November and this edition of Connections captures the spirit of that day with a photo collage on page 2. Sr Mary Hugh, former Regional CCD Coordinator from the Peninsula Deanery, was a guest of honour at our Mass. Sr Mary was awarded a medal from the NSW body of CCDs (the Catholic Conference of Religious Educators in State Schools – CCRESS) and was recognised for her contribution to training of catechists. Sr Joan Goodwin was also awarded this honour for her time training Catechists on the Central Coast during the period 1990 to 2000. Sr Joan received her award at the CCRESS Dinner held in June 2012.

As you return to the classroom for another year, please know you are prayerfully supported by many people in our Diocese.

The work that you do is vital to keep the flame of faith alive in the hearts of our children and young people. During 2013, let’s impress upon the children the relational aspect of why we do what we do as Catholics. We can teach the children right from wrong and what Jesus did through the Gospel stories, but it’s vitally important that we help them make the connection that it is the relationship with Jesus that is key. If we put that first, the rest of what we teach will make sense.

Let’s pray with them and encourage them to pray and talk to Jesus throughout each and every day of their lives.

Blessings,

Alison

celebrating ministry

“we never know whose lives we touch” What you do, as catechists, touches the lives of many children, and stays with them into adulthood.

Remember this as you read the following reflections by Leonie Miller (who celebrated 45yrs as a catechist in 2012) and the notes from students to Maureen Wooldridge ( Parish Coordinator at Mona Vale and catechist for 25yrs in 2013) My son started school in 1965 at Hornsby Heights Public School. A few weeks later, after Sunday mass at St Patrick’s Asquith, a lovely lady approached me to introduce herself as Margaret McNamara, my son’s catechist. We would see each other at church and other Parish events. Margaret would travel to her class on the local bus, which were few and far between, so she would walk down the road, after the Scripture class, to my house to have morning tea and wait for the bus to go home.

By the end of the year she had convinced me to become a Catechist, of course my first reaction was “I can’t do that” but Fr Folkes, the Parish Priest, just told me to ‘just go along and teach them to bless themselves’.

“I’ve always been passionate about teaching as a Catechist in the state school system” The next year I started with no training and armed with “My Way to God” books, I headed off to teach a Years 3,4,5&6 class with about 15 children in all.

The school supplied each child with an exercise book. The following year a representative from the CCD contacted our Parish Priest advising us that we must be trained, so about 6 of us car-pooled and drove from Asquith to North Sydney in the evening for our training class.

I’ve always been passionate about teaching as a Catechist in the State school system, in those days it was frowned upon for a Catholic to send their child to a State school. However then, as it is now, some Catholic schools couldn’t take all the children, as when my son in 1966 went to St Patricks, the composite class of kindergarten and transition had 84 children, being taught by a very competent nun. Also some schools are just too far away for children to travel everyday, and for some families, paying for school fees is just too much for the family budget. There was also a push, at that time, to have the children wear their school uniforms when they made their First Holy Communion. Some of us Catechists were so much against that, we didn’t want the children to be discriminated against, so they dropped that idea.

My daughter, Leanne, came along in 1968 and I still

continued to teach my class, pushing her in the pram. The Anglican Minister was very impressed, saying “I wish my mothers would do the same!”

The older girls made items for her in their sewing class – bibs, etc. In 1970, when Pope Paul IV came to Australia, we took the older children on a bus trip to see him at Randwick Racecourse.

When Leanne was in Year 1 at St Patrick’s, we moved to Canoelands, north of Glenorie and she attended a one teacher school at Forest Glen. A local Protestant lady took the whole school for Scripture class. After a few weeks my daughter said that she didn’t want to go to Scripture as she was told that Catholics worshipped idols, so she would read a book during Scripture time. A few weeks later, five other children had joined her and Fr John, our Parish Priest suggested that I should go along and teach them. I used to teach in the weather shed and ended up teaching half the school.

The Protestant Scripture teacher at Forest Glen asked me to drive her to school as her husband was ill and she didn’t drive, and we became good friends. I also drove her to Glenorie School for Scripture, so I decided to teach there also, taking a Year 3 class.

Over the years there have been lots of events, some good, some not so good, however when things go wrong, I try to remember “This too will pass” and the good always outweighs the difficult times. “she was now in Teacher’s College and had topped her class in religion” Some of the good memories – when the children remember what you have taught them! Years ago, when we went on Sundays to Mass at Glenorie Community Hall, before we had a parish church, a young woman came up to me and said that I had taught her Scripture at Hornsby Heights PS. Of course I remembered her having taught her for 4 years. She said that she always enjoyed the Bible stories I read to them and she was now in Teacher’s College and had topped her class in religion.

Another time I was putting petrol in my car and a young man came to help me and said that I had taught him Scripture when he was a boy. I always felt that he would have preferred to be out kicking the football (instead of being in Scripture), but we never know whose life we touch.

I always give the children Holy cards and encourage them to put them in a prayer space at home. Over the past few years, mothers have told

me that their grown up children still have those Holy cards.

Best of all, over the past few years I have taught children whose parents I taught when they were at school!

My heart sings when I’m out somewhere or arrive at school and a child calls out “Hello Mrs Miller” Some things that I have tried to follow during those long years : *To always follow the curriculum set out be the CCD, a lot of time and effort has gone into the preparation and continuity of the program. *Up to recent years I’ve tried to attend regular retraining classes, retreat days, etc. *I like to dress up for my class as if I were going to an important job. *And no matter what happens I always leave the class with a smile on my face!

God bless, Leonie (Mrs Miller)

“we never know whose lives we touch”

Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Diocese of Broken Bay

5

catechist formation

Catechist Spirituality

“FILLING

OUR WELLS”

(Part 3 of 5)

All of us would recall at some stage in our childhood and parenthood, lying outside, watching the clouds overhead and trying to make out shapes and perhaps making up stories about them. There is a total joy, a total surrender in the moment, a wonder, a precious time linking earthly eyes to the skies above, treasured moments, sacred moments of beauty, beauty of the child within.

Jesus said, Believe me, unless you become like little children again, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 13:3 BECOME is a most beautiful word in this scripture passage from Matthew. It doesn’t say return to when you were a child, it doesn’t say pretend like having tea parties with your children or grand children, it says BECOME. It is a word with depth when repeated over and over again

become…become ...become ...become ..become.

How does this word resonate with you?

The word is used as a verb, a doing word and it necessitates one’s thought processes to move to the question of how.

How does one go about nurturing the child within to flourish?

It starts by paying attention to these words, reflecting on them, being open to them and walking with them on the path to holiness in and through Jesus Christ. The core to it is about this relationship.

This relationship brings with it unique qualities because we are catechists. We have travelled a spiritual path that develops a spirituality whereby certain qualities are heightened because of our calling as catechists. How we care and nurture that relationship is vitally important if we are to BECOME like a little child.

Let’s start by asking yourself the following questions:

The Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples which is an Office of the Vatican, in 1993 issued the document ‘Guide for Catechists’ and in it, the Bishops throughout the world explained how catechist spirituality is a spirituality grounded in the spirituality of the laity which is characterised through 6 facets.

1. Having an openness to the trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, 2. Having an openness to the Church, 3. Having an openness to the world, 4. Having a coherence and authenticity of Life, 5. Having missionary zeal, 6. Having a devotion to Mary.

Throughout 2013 we will delve into these facets more deeply to see how they apply to our own lives in our vocation as catechists on the path to BECOMING like little children.

In pondering on these facets, I felt led to begin our journey with the fourth facet … to uncover what having a coherence and authenticity of Life means, for us as catechists, today in the 21st Century, immersed in what seems secular society.

 How perturbed are you about being insignificant and small?

Now think like a child who takes it for granted that they are…..for adults this is humility.  How do you scale yourself from 1-10 with 10 needing the most love as much as the need to breath, eat and drink, to 1 being independent and closed to love?

Where would a little child be on the scale? How do you move in that direction?  How open and simplistic are you to artistic responses, to singing and not caring who hears, to praying and not caring who sees, to reading and rereading favourite books and poetry?  How simplistic are you to needs of food ‘to eat to live, rather than live to eat’, and to drink?  How simplistic and open are you to the love of nature, expressing delight in the beauty of each and every day, in this the year of grace? Do you intentionally go outside each day at some stage to enjoy God’s creation?  Do you cherish the most loved no matter what it looks like, whether it has been discarded or broken? Do you mend things that break? Are you untouched by materialism?  Does the power of time and memories overpower you?

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Term One 2013

catechist formation

A coherence and authenticity of Life returns to true values, not those values which as adults seem to control us, particularly those relating to materialism, what others think of us, how we think we “unless you become like little should behave. children again, you shall not enter To BECOME like a child, necessitates coherence and authenticity of Life where we are true to ourselves and most importantly aligning ourselves to Christ’s values which at the kingdom of heaven. times can be quite radical. Can you, this year, begin to find and intentionally make moments of total surrender, moments to total joy like that of the child, sacred moments ….

BECOME. VALE JOHN WALKER “Mr Walker”

Jennifer Skelly, CCD Support Coordinator North Shore & Hornsby

4 June 1931 - 1 November 2012

A story about John Walker, catechist of Year 4 students at Roseville Public School For the past two years I have had the privilege of working with John Walker as a catechist in year 4 Roseville Public School. John sadly passed away early on November 1st after a brief and serious illness.

John was a man of many talents - a great historian, a wine connoisseur and wine judge of repute, a restaurateur, and a wonderful family man.

John was a recipient of the Order of Australia and also received a medal from Pope Benedict for supplying the pontiff with wines during the World Youth Day celebrations.

In our parish John was a member of the social justice committee, an acolyte, a minister of communion to the sick, a CATECHIST and a friend. Over the years John worked as a catechist at Roseville, Castle Cove and Chatswood. His faith was wonderful and I loved his wisdom and love of the Lord. His faith was strong – evidenced by his actions.

His bible was well thumbed and marked – his spirituality and faith underpinned all his works.

The day prior to John’s death, he failed to appear at our Wednesday morning class at Roseville Public School. The children asked “Where is Mr Walker?” On his passing, Katya Polemni, our co-ordinator, immediately informed the school. The school responded sensitively and the Principal sent a letter home to parents informing them of John’s passing. The following week, Fr Paul, our parish priest, two of John’s children, the Principal, the school counsellor and some of our catechists attended a liturgy in the year 4 classroom with very special prayers for “Mr Walker’’.

The liturgy took the following format: The chairs were arranged in a circle around a central sacred space. Each chair had on it a printed copy of the liturgy for the students to follow. The sacred space was decorated with the crucifix, John’s teaching manual, his well thumbed bible, his wedding photo, his Order

of Australia medal, his papal medal and his wine medals.

After a brief introduction by the principal, as class teacher I led the liturgy. I introduced the various people in the rooms and also expressed my sadness at John’s passing and that I had shed a tear or two and that it was ok for the children to feel likewise.

We began with the Sign of the Cross followed by the Our Father the Hail Mary and The Glory Be – 3 prayers said regularly in the class.

Mr Walker’s son then addressed the class and explained all the items in the sacred space – he did this beautifully and explained, with his sister, how John had really enjoyed his weekly lessons with year 4 and how his faith was central to every aspect of his life, noting all the page markers in his bible.

One of the students then read the Gospel of St John Chapter 14 verses 1:6 Jesus said to his disciples…

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God still, and trust in me.

There are many rooms in my Father’s house; if there were not I should have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.

Following the reading Fr Paul gave us a lovely gentle reflection. He spoke to the children about his visit to the hospital to see John of his blessing him with Holy Water and praying over him in offering him the sacrament of the sick. He then also blessed the children in the classroom. Father’s reflection was followed by prayers of the faithful read by individual students. We prayed for Mr Walker, his wife and family, for all saints and souls as it was the month of November. We also prayed for the students, scripture teachers and the poor and the needy. All the prayers reflected John’s values.

This was followed by a full class reading of the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi.

While gentle music played I asked the children to share their memories of Mr Walker…Hands shot up all around the room. Comments included “He was kind,” “He had a good faith,” “He loved Jesus” “He was never cross with me” (the last

comment from a boy who is often distracted) To finish, the children signed a card for Mrs Walker and gathered round the sacred space looking more closely at the symbols of John’s life, interacting further with his children.

The school counsellor then kindly invited John’s children, Fr Paul, our coordinator Katya and me for coffee.

The Diocesan Mass was held the day following John’s beautiful requiem which was attended by many past and present catechists plus CCD representation. At that Mass, as many of you know, awards are presented to those catechists who have achieved wonderful years of service. Also too, deceased catechists are remembered and a white rose is placed before the altar in memory of the deceased. John was among those remembered. I was able to pass on the white rose to his wife who wrote me a beautiful email and told me how its petal unfurled beautifully and how significant it was to her.

John Walker OAM is survived by his beautiful wife of 51 years - Gabrielle, and his children John Francis, Victoria, Hugo and Amabelle and their families. Farewell “Mr Walker” – we miss you but how wonderful you left this life on All Saints Day. John Walker in his humble way inspired many in his life – he certainly helped to sow the seed of faith in his students.

Pauline Larkins Catechist, Chatswood Parish

Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Diocese of Broken Bay

7

From the Classroom

Learning the Our Father Pauline Larkins takes a Year 4 class at Roseville PS for SRE . She writes about the Mass that was celebrated in her classroom.

This year in the Parish of Our Lady of Dolours our catechist co-ordinator – Katya Polemni liaised with our priests and state school scripture co-ordinators and arranged for the priests to visit our school once a term.

At the end of term 3 this culminated in us celebrating Mass with Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. This was very special for the children but also for the catechists. This exercise gave us the opportunity to teach the children a little bit about the Mass, prior to and after the classroom Mass was held. The children were involved in the readings and the offertory and Year 4 children composed the Prayers of the Faithful. I was delighted with their efforts.

The week following the Mass we spent SRE time learning the Lord’s Prayer in a fun way. Verbal, auditory, written and tactile methods were used to learn the prayer.

As a class we said the prayer (Verbal).

We discussed what each line of the prayer meant– eg explanation of “hallowed” (Auditory).

The children then wrote out the words of the Our Father in their books (Written).

The children then made a cube of the Our Father (Tactile – and lots of fun!)

The children took their prayer cubes home.

This was a great way to end a term of scripture.

Pauline Larkins Catechist, Chatswood

New Diocesan Youth Team plans BIG for 2013 In September 2012, 3 new staff members joined the Parish Support unit with the specific task of developing and supporting youth ministry initiatives in the diocese and in parishes. Simon Hyland, Regional Development Officer – Youth Ministry, will be working part time to support parishes in their ministry to youth and young adults. Cathy Martorana, World Youth Day and Events Project Officer, will be focusing her 2-3 days a week on planning our WYD pilgrimage to Rio for 2013 and many other

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Term One 2013

Diocesan Youth Events such as the Worship nights which were held in Asquith and Kincumber earlier in the year. Kelly Paget heads up the team as Diocesan Coordinator – Youth Ministry, working full-time to develop the wider vision and strategically plan for the future of youth ministry in Broken Bay, while developing useful resources for youth ministers and formation.

Throughout 2013, the staff are hoping to encounter many young people through a range of Diocesan events

that you can find listed on the ‘Youth Event Date Claimers’ insert, as well as support the ongoing efforts of those at the coalface of ministry in our parishes. The team encourages you to have a look at their Facebook page, Youth in Broken Bay and then ‘Like’ it to stay up to date with all the latest information.

Should catechists like to receive updates and fliers regarding upcoming youth events please contact Kelly Paget on 98470472

ideas for the classroom

Interactive Whiteboards Tips for New Users As technology moves at an everincreasing rate, making all our communication and entertainment devices smaller, faster, and cheaper, schools all over the country rush to purchase the latest items, trying to give teachers more tools with which to help children learn. Sometimes these new technologies can be great study and teaching aids and sometimes they’re not. But the usefulness of certain technologies in the classroom has little to do with the technology itself and more to do with how that technology is used.

Interactive whiteboards are a great example. Interactive whiteboards (often called Smart Boards) can be extremely helpful and engaging in the classroom, but only if they are used to their full advantage.

Interactive Whiteboards are Interactive!

The best way to engage students is to get them interacting with the subject matter on the Smart Board.

By touching it and trying it themselves, they retain more information and increase their desire to learn more. Here are a few ideas to make best use of a great resource.

Give students the ability to interact with the subject matter. With the classroom teacher’s (or the school’s) permission, let them write on it, draw on it, move it with their hands and fingers, or manipulate it in other

ways. A simple drag and drop activity where multiple students come to the Smart Board one-byone gets the children out of their seats to interact with the subject matter.  Lighting: Make sure that light is not affecting visibility on the board – you may need to close blinds or turn off direct overhead lights.  Always have a back-up plan in case the technology is not working that day or there is a problem with your class’ computer.

Remember: The Smart Board is simply another resource to help with your lessons. It does not take the place of the teacher as the visible witness of God’s love for the children.

The Parish Support Unit will be providing training at the beginning of Term 1 for catechists who wish to use Smart Boards. This will assist as an additional resource with the Walking with Jesus Curriculum in the primary schools.

Because of the restrictions involved with participants “having a go” using hands on exercises, the numbers will need to be limited to ten catechists per session to make them most effective. Knowledge of basic computer skills will be a minimum requirement for understanding this training.

At the end of each session, participants will be provided with a certificate of completion which can be shown to the school where they teach to indicate that they have been trained in the use of Smart Board technology.

All the resources will be recorded on a thumb drive (USB memory stick) and one of these will be provided for each catechist who has participated in a training session – these will remain the property of the Diocese of Broken Bay and may The training will consist of one session of approximately an hour to be updated from time to time as more resources are generated. an hour and a half to demonstrate how the prepared resources from Further information about Smart Early Stage 1 (kindergarten) to Stage Board training will be made 3 (Year 6) can be applied to core available in the beginning of Term 1 lessons for each year. as venues and dates are confirmed.

These sessions will include hands on Joe Pulis Regional CCD Support Coordinator activities with an interactive Ref: http:// whiteboard located at various misterteacher.blogspot.com.au/2010/09/asvenues to suit most parishes. technology-moves-at-ever-increasing.html Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Diocese of Broken Bay

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for the secondary classroom

The Way of the Cross for the IT savvy In the forthcoming lessons for the secondary classes, there is a lesson on the preparation of a contemporary Way of the Cross in which the students prepare the posters and prayers. This is done in groups and each group is responsible for the praying of and reflecting on the station which it has prepared. In the past this has been done with pictures, textas and butcher’s paper, not to mention liberal quantities of craft glue. This is overly messy and can be time consuming and, in this day and age, quite a foreign way of working for the students.

How do we, as teachers, make this Catholic Easter Triduum celebration something full of meaning and life giving for our students? The answer is, “Go digital!”

This process would require at least 3 lessons. Lesson one would consist of input Concerning what the Way of the Cross is all about, giving the students background Where to look for royalty free clipart: information and working through selected Gospel http://www.dreamstime.com/ http://www.clker.com/ passages which tell the story of Jesus’ passion, death and http://clipart-for-free.blogspot.com.au/ resurrection. At the conclusion of the lesson, the students http://publicdomainclip-art.blogspot.com.au/ would be given a particular station to research. This research would take the form of collecting some contemporary images which would show how this is happening today, for example, a picture of someone have been working with. This would need to be a lesson suffering at the hands of other could be linked to Jesus’ of organised chaos. If you can stand a lesson like this, the scourging; an image of someone being ‘tried’ or bullied by result will be more than worth the trouble. a group could be linked to Jesus before the Sanhedrin.

Lesson three consists of the praying of the Way of the Cross with the students talking significant roles in the How do we, as teachers, make this Catholic ceremony. A larger than usual sacred space would be Easter Triduum celebration something full of appropriate, consisting of symbols of Christ’s passion, e.g. meaning and life giving for our students? The a crown of thorns, a hammer and some nails, a cross etc.

answer is, “Go digital!”

The second lesson is about the students composing their prayer and contributing the image/images they have collected and brought to the class on a USB stick.

Meanwhile, you the teacher will have constructed the PowerPoint so that is would just be a matter of the students adding their images at the appropriate place on the PowerPoint. Of course you would need to bring a laptop to class for you to supervise the students as they add their pictures.

There maybe a couple of students who could be asked to chose some appropriate contemporary music which reflects the struggle people experience and this song or songs could be part of the prayer experience. Also in the second lesson, the students will be writing their prayers and reflections and rehearsing the scripture passage they

10

Term One 2013

One student or you, the teacher, could look after the PowerPoint presentation and the music to facilitate and smooth flow for the prayer, itself. Each group would need to have a Reader and a prayer person for its station.

These would be responsible for proclamation of the Word and leading the reflective prayer.

Encourage the students’ creativity and you will be surprised with what they present and as it is an occasion of peers ministering to peers, the ceremony will speak to the students for weeks to come.

Be brave and take the plunge into the IT world this Easter.

Happy Easter Michael Tebbutt Senior Coordinator CCD

from the classroom

Manly West Primary School

The kindergarten class at Manly West Primary School was a highlight of the 2012 K-2 Christmas Assembly.

The Jelly Wobbles* performed at both the K-2 and 3-6 assemblies and the School provided a sumptuous morning tea afterwards. *The jelly wobbles are a non-profit group who aim to teach the gospel clearly through the use of music and short skits with a gospel centred message. www.jellywobbles.com.au

St Ives North Primary School Students in Year 5 reflected on a series of creation pictures, and were asked to choose one that said something to them about God or themselves. They then put their thoughts on paper. This is what they had to say.

My picture is a Pelican flying close to the water and skimming the water with its wings. This picture to me means to lift your head up high when things get tough. It also means to fly high and grow up to be just fine.

Dear God, help me to remember when things get tough, to keep my head held high. - Nathan My picture makes me feel we are never alone; that life has a beginning and an end and in the middle is a journey that always has someone in it with us. Also it has unexpected turns and we never know what is going to happen next. My picture was of two people walking through a rocky landscape together.

Dear God, help me to be good throughout my journey. - Georgia My picture is of a flowering yellow plant. God was smiling when he made this plant because of it’s bright colour and flowers. The blossoms remind us that God gives us the wonderful gift of life. The black trunks remind us that God is supporting us as we live, and that we are like the yellow bushy blossoms and we have potential to thrive. - Sara This picture says to me that we are all broken in our own way. My picture is of step rocks. It is telling me that our lives are sometimes broken, but we will get back up and rejoin ourselves somehow. It tells me that we are all separated but we are all connected. We are all connected somehow. It is telling me that when my life is broken I can pick up the pieces and move on. -Regina

The Year of Grace invites us all to reflect on the moments of grace we experience in our everyday lives. As a way of capturing these moments of grace and sharing them with others, the Diocese is inviting submissions of photos of such moments of grace to be submitted and form part of an online Photo Exhibition.

We invite students in state schools, with their parents’ permission, to also consider submitting a photograph for the exhibition. Catechists are encouraged to tell their students about the exhibition. The enclosed flier contains all the details for how students and their families can make their submissions online. Entries close 12 April 2013.

If you require additional copies of the flier please contact Jenny Hildebrandt on 98470482 ©

Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Diocese of Broken Bay

11

notices and directory

Training & Formation Courses Term 1, 2013 Course Type

CCDMI

Location

Date

9:30am - 2:30pm

Tues 5 Feb

9847 0516

East Gosford

11 & 18 February (Mondays)

9:30am - 2:30pm

Wed 6 Feb

4334 3367

Pennant Hills

11 & 18 February (Mondays)

9:30am - 2:30pm

Wed 6 Feb

9847 0482

Forestville

5, 12 & 19 March (Tuesdays)

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Tues 26 Feb

9847 0516

Chatswood

6,13 & 20 March (Wednesdays)

12:30pm - 2:30pm

Wed 27 Feb

9847 0482

The Entrance

6, 13 & 20 March (Wednesdays)

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Wed 27 Feb

4334 3367

8,15 & 22 Feb; 1, 8 & 15 March (Fridays)

9:30am - 2:30pm

Tues 5 Feb

9847 0516

(formerly BAC)

CCDMI (formerly BAC)

CCDMI (formerly BAC)

CCDMI

Phone

8 & 15 February (Fridays)

(formerly BAC)

CCDMI

Register by

Avalon

(formerly BAC)

CCDMI

Time

(formerly BAC)

Level 1

Avalon

Level 1

Brisbane Water

11,18 & 25 Feb; 4,11 & 18 March (Mondays)

9:30am - 2:30pm

Wed 6 Feb

4334 3367

Level 1

Pennant Hills

11,18 & 25 Feb; 4,11 & 18 March (Mondays)

9:30am - 2:30pm

Wed 6 Feb

9847 0482

CCDMI = CCD Ministry Induction (formerly BAC /Basic Accreditation Course) Phone your local PSU Regional Office for a full program. See below for further contact details.

Please assist us in our planning for events and courses by replying by the advertised closing date.

CCD DIRECTORY Current as of January 2013

Diocesan Office Caroline Chisholm Centre (CCC) Building 2, 423 Pennant Hills Rd Pennant Hills (Enter off City View Rd) Postal Address PO Box 340, Pennant Hills NSW 1715 Phone: (02) 9847 0492 Fax: (02) 9847 0481 Director - PSU Carole Gan Phone: (02) 9847 0560 Diocesan CCD Coordinator Alison Newell Phone: (02) 4334 3367 E- mail: alison.newell@dbb.org.au Diocesan Admin Assistant Phone: (02) 9847 0492 E- mail: sharon.daroza@dbb.org.au CCD Authorisations Contact your PSU Regional Centre

Curriculum Orders Dina Leverett Phone: 9847 0442 Fax: (02) 9847 0481 E-mail: ccdresources@dbb.org.au North Shore & Hornsby Office (NSH) Caroline Chisholm Centre Postal Address PO Box 340, Pennant Hills NSW 1715 Phone: (02) 9847 0482 Fax: (02) 9847 0481 E- mail: psunorth@dbb.org.au Joe Pulis - (02) 9847 0228 Jennifer Skelly - (02) 9847 0448 Central Coast (Gosford) Office (CCG) PSU Regional Centre 58 Victoria St, East Gosford NSW 2250 Phone: (02) 4323 7090 Fax: (02) 4323 7097 E- mail: psucc@dbb.org.au Michael Tebbutt - (02) 4322 5869 Rebecca Bishop - (02) 4323 7090

Central Coast (Wyong) Office (CCW) PSU Regional Centre Catholic Formation and Education Centre 12 Ashton Avenue, The Entrance Postal Address PO Box 390, The Entrance NSW 2261 Phone: (02) 4334 3367 Fax: (02) 4334 3230 E- mail: psucc@dbb.org.au Michael Tebbutt - (02) 4323 7090 Manly Warringah Peninsula Office (MWP) Caroline Chisholm Centre Postal Address PO Box 340, Pennant Hills NSW 1715 Phone: (02) 9847 0516 Fax: (02) 9847 0481 E- mail: psumanly@dbb.org.au Yvonne van den Berg - (02) 9847 0494 CCD WEBSITE www.brokenbay.catholic.org.au/ccd

To submit an article or to make a suggestion for Connections please write to: ccdinfo@dbb.org.au or CCD, PO Box 340, Pennant Hills 1715 Closing date for the Term 2 issue is 28 March 2013 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Diocese of Broken Bay