10 Things Every Middle School Catechist or Youth Minister Needs
(Besides a best friend.)
1. A Sense of Humor.
Middle
schoolers will test you. They will push your buttons. They will stare
listlessly at you. They will not discuss this Sunday's Gospel no matter
how much you cajole/bribe/beg. But they can also be some of the funniest people you'll meet. So laugh at their jokes and wisecracks (unless they're hurtful or blasphemous). Don't take their silence or unwillingness to participate personally. Remember that we're all on the same path to God's kingdom, but that many adolescents are at a major crossroads. So make light of the humor they may be using to shield their feelings, but keep drawing them in.
2. Understanding.
Adolescence is one of the toughest phases in a kid's life. Combine their raging hormones, increased sleep needs, and general insecurities with the challenges of each middle school day--cruelty, gossip, temptations, and more--and it's likely to create a near nuclear explosion inside their poor, tired brains.
We can model Jesus' example by accepting middle schoolers exactly as they are, and taking the time to understand what's happening in their lives. Follow their school year as if you were in school yourself. Know that when you come back refreshed after Christmas break, they're coming back depressed about six more months of school. Talk about the issues Jesus faced in kids' terms. Show how the pharisees were like cliques, and how Jesus was often alone and abandoned by everyone, including his friends. Help them see that even if you don't understand everything about them, Jesus does, and he's always there for them.
3. Music.
For
many of us, today's music sounds like something off the Tower of Babel. Open
yourself up to their music--and especially the lyrics--once in a while and you'll get a lot of perspective. If you're a catechist, you can easily incorporate contemporary music into your lesson plans. One of our catechists this year suggested a "homework" project in which the kids listened to contemporary music at home to find Jesus' message in at least one song. She suggested they bring the song selection to class on their iPods, MP3 players or CDs to share. The kids could then discuss what they heard.
4. Food.
Middle
schoolers are HUNGRY!! If you don't have the budget for pizza at every
meeting, enlist the help of parents to sign up for snack duty. (It's a great way to get parents
involved, too.) Or bring in something small and affordable. I
live near a second-day bakery so we always have muffins or other baked goodies for our kids. Another catechist brings pretzels and cereal. Of course, be aware of any food allergies. For snack ideas corresponding to the liturgical seasons, click to visit a wonderful blog, Catholic Cuisine, where you can find lots of food ideas to adapt for catechism classes.
5. Flexibility.
You spent three days planning today's lesson. The craft supplies are counted and ready. And just as you finish your opening prayer a student raises her hand and asks why she should pray if her parents never go to Mass. Your whole class is staring at you, waiting for your answer. You put aside the supplies and open things up for discussion, because somehow, you know your kids need to talk this out rather than make another paper Advent wreath.
It's hard to let go of our plans, especially when we devote so much precious time to them. But when the Holy Holy Spirit leads, we follow. By
the same token, it's good to stir things up whenever you can. For a great article about adding variety to your lessons,
6. The "So What?" Factor
This
comes from catechist extraordinaire and professional business
consultant Annie Cwieka, of Mission Viejo, CA. Middle school is all about transitions, says Annie. "Its about beginning the transition from your parent's religion to your own faith. It's about embracing God and Jesus and all that is Catholic in real time and beginning to see that this is relevant to you today."
Borrowing from a corporate training technique that compels executives to continually ask how programs can be of true benefit, Annie advises catechists to look at faith from a teen's or preteen's perspective. "If we as catechists can't answer the "so what" to a middle schooler's satisfaction, then we haven't done our job."
(Note: to get more of Annie's wise advice, click to visit her business consulting site.)
7. Prayer.
I
can't tell you how many times I've forgotten to pray before a lesson
and it turns into a disaster. I have
a friend who plans every lesson before the Blessed Sacrament. She gets
a few raised eyebrows from the ladies in church, but she comes up with
truly inspired ideas for her classes. And don't forget to pray to the
patron saints of catechists: St. Robert Bellarmine and St. Charles
Borromeo.
8. Forgetfulness.
That's
right. You don't have to remember every single piece of the catechism,
and forgetting something every once once in a while keeps us humble. I
once forgot the entire second half of the Glory Be in front of a large
group of adults and kids. I've been saying the prayer since I was five,
but the words completely left me and another adult had to prompt me. It
was a great lesson in humility and it helped me remember that catechists don't
have all the answers and that I constantly need God's help.
9. A big dining room table and an understanding spouse
When you teach catechism, things can get messy. That's why you need a dedicated spot to plan lessons, store files and materials, and to just sit, think, and pray. Nice to have someone around who doesn't mind 40 glue-and-foil-covered paper plate halos drying on the dining room table, too.
10. My book! (Gotcha!)
Okay,
little sales pitch here. But seriously. It's for middle school
catechists, so why not? 12 Fun and Easy Plays for Middle Schoolers can help you
teach your kids about the Bible and our great saints. It's packed with
lesson plans to make your job easier. But don't let me pressure you. Read for yourself.