Author: Deacon Nick

Nick Senger, founder and editor of Catholic School Chronicle, is an award-winning Catholic school teacher, vice principal and technology coordinator. He is a deacon for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane.
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What Catholic Teachers Can Learn from Guitarist Phil Keaggy

Phil KeaggyPhil Keaggy is one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Regularly listed at the top of Guitar Player Magazine polls, he also has a voice as honey smooth as Paul McCartney’s. His musical style runs the gamut: solo acoustic, electric blues, melodious pop, classic rock, you name it. And since the mid-1970s, he has used his considerable talent to spread the Gospel.

As one of Christian music’s pioneers, Phil Keaggy has inspired hundreds of thousands of people, especially those fortunate enough to have seen him perform live. I count myself among the lucky, having seen him in concert several times. After each concert, I left with the desire to inspire my students the way Phil Keaggy inspires his audience.

What can a Catholic teacher learn from a musician like Phil Keaggy? I invite you to ponder that question as you watch an amazing performance of “Salvation Army Band.” Phil Keaggy performs the song with a single guitar and a device called a JamMan, which allows him to create several loops with the guitar and layer them over each other by using foot switches.

What are the lessons we can learn from Phil Keaggy?

Know your stuff: In order to inspire, we must first perspire. No doubt some of us are born with a natural ability to teach, as Phil was born with a natural ability to play the guitar. But that ability must be nurtured and developed through constant practice.

Innovate: Phil plays guitar like no one else, always pushing the creative envelope. Do we sit back and reuse our lesson plans year after year, or do we look for more effective, creative ways to bring the gospel message to our students?

Make technology work for you: As talented as Phil is, he also knows how to use the latest technology to be even more entertaining and expressive. Are we taking advantage of educational technology to be more efficient, interesting and relevant?

Enjoy what you do: There is a joy that radiates from Phil’s face as he plays. What radiates from our faces as we teach?

Give it all to God: Finally, Phil understands the source of his gifts, and is living a life of gratitude by offering those gifts back to God. We, too, have the opportunity to make our work a living offering to the great God of the universe.

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10 Reasons to Read Freak the Mighty to Your Junior High Students

I love the book Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick, and I think reading it aloud to 8th graders in September is the perfect way to start the year. If you’re not familiar with the story, here’s the summary from School Library Journal (with spoilers taken out):

“A wonderful story of triumph over imperfection, shame, and loss. Large, awkward, learning-disabled Freak the MIghtyMaxwell Kane, whose father is in prison for murdering his mother, and crippled, undersized Kevin are both mocked by their peers; the cruel taunting they endure is all too realistic and believable. The boys establish a friendship-and a partnership. Kevin defends them with his intelligence, while Max is his friend’s “legs,” affording him a chance to participate in the larger world. Inspired by tales of King Arthur, they become knights fighting for good and true causes….The author writes with empathy, honoring the possibilities of even peripheral characters; Kevin and Max are memorable and luminous.”

For the past three years, my eighth graders have found it engaging, entertaining and moving. Here are ten reasons why you should consider reading it to your seventh or eighth grade class:

  1. The main characters are seventh graders going into eighth grade, and they’re portrayed like realistic junior high kids.
  2. Both characters are social outsiders, which does two important things: a) it gives the social outsiders in your own class someone to identify with; b) more importantly, it helps the rest of the kids in the class be more accepting of the differences of others.
  3. There is a strong pro-reading anti-TV message to the story that doesn’t come off preachy, corny or phony.
  4. The novel shows that a person’s value does not come from what they can do or not do, but from their very being.
  5. The book constantly makes reference to Arthurian legends, always a popular subject with 8th graders.
  6. Both boys and girls find the story compelling, from the adventurous antics and kidnapping subplot to concern over the treatment of those with disabilities.
  7. The chapters are short enough to read at the beginning of class without cutting into the period too much.
  8. With only 23 chapters, the book can be read in about a month.
  9. Kevin is a loveable geek, and there aren’t enough loveable geeks in fiction 🙂
  10. Finally, there are at least a half a dozen ways the book can be incorporated into literature, reading or religion class; a few examples:
    • As an exploration of what writing fiction is – Kevin often talks about the power of remembering, and the control a person has over what he or she remembers
    • As an example of how writing can be therapeutic – Max writes the story to get over the traumatic events of that year
    • As a discussion-starter for how to treat people with differences – Both Max and Kevin struggle with being different, and the book offers hope to those who feel left out

In a gesture of great generosity, Rodman Philbrick has made available at no charge a version of Freak the Mighty as a one- or two-act play. To get a copy of the play as a pdf, visit Mr. Philbrick’s website and follow the directions you find there. While you’re at the site, be sure to look at the teacher’s guide.

I also highly recommend the movie adaption, The Mighty, starring Sharon Stone, Kieran Culkin, Gillian Anderson, and James Gandolfini. Even the soundtrack is incredible, with the title song performed by Sting. Be sure to preview the movie before showing it due to some swear words and few “birdies” flying, if you know what I mean.

[Cross posted at Teen Literacy Tips]

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Prayer for a Busy Life by St. Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of AvilaWe sometimes get the false impression that the saints hovered a few inches off the ground in their earthly life, surrounded by a heavenly glow, caught up in a constant ecstasy of prayer. The truth is, most saints rolled up their sleeves and got down to the nitty gritty business of living in a complicated and busy world.

Just like us.

Each day we are called not to run from the world, but to engage it more deeply. This is the particular call of the laity–to be leaven for the world. To raise up the world from within by witnessing to the Gospel. It’s not easy, especially in the midst of arguably the most complex era in human history. From smartphones to headphones, our attention is constantly being diverted from noticing God’s presence in each day.

Tomorrow we remember the life of St. Teresa of Avila, one of the busiest saints in Catholic history. St. Teresa was a mystic, a religious reformer, and a writer. What was her key to handling the busyness of life? It wasn’t David Allen’s Getting Things Done, nor was it to simply run away to a monastery and escape the world. The key for her–as it was for all the saints–was prayer.

If you’re bogged down and dog tired by the chaos of a busy life, take heart from the example of St. Teresa of Avila.  Maybe her prayer will give you the words you need the next time you turn to our loving God:

How is it God, that you have given me this hectic busy life when I have so little time to enjoy your presence? Throughout the day people are waiting to speak with me, and even at meals I have to continue talking to people about their needs and problems. During sleep itself I am still thinking and dreaming about the multitude of concerns that surround me. I do all this not for my own sake, but for yours.

To me my present pattern of life is a torment; I only hope that for you it is truly a sacrifice of love. I know that you are constantly beside me, yet I am usually so busy that I ignore you. If you want me to remain so busy, please force me to think about and love you even in the midst of such hectic activity. If you do not want me so busy, please release me from it, showing others how they can take over my responsibilities.

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5 Questions for Catechists and Teachers: Prayer

Praying HandsBecause prayer is such an important part of a Catholic teacher/catechist’s life, I had this idea that maybe we could all share a little bit about what prayer means to us, and how we actually pray. By answering a few questions about prayer, we could offer each other encouragement and inspiration to enrich our own prayer lives. I’ll go first, and I invite all Catholic teachers and catechists who blog to answer the same five questions and link back here so I can find your post. I promise to link to all your articles in an upcoming post as a sort of hub for our thoughts and reflections. If you don’t blog, feel free to leave your answers in a comment.

Here are the five questions, along with my answers. I look forward to reading your own.

1. When do you like to pray and why?

I like to get up around 5:30 am to pray, but I often hit the snooze button and usually end up actually getting out of bed by 6:00. I like to pray while the rest of my family sleeps. It’s my one-on-one time with God, and we can have an uninterrupted conversation. The dark and quiet of the morning helps me to be more of a listener than a talker, though it’s sometimes hard to stay awake. Praying in the morning also helps prepare me for the day and orients me toward doing God’s will.

2. When it comes to personal prayer, how do you pray and what do find fruitful about praying that way?

I’ve been praying Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours since about 1995, and I love its rhythm and pace. Morning Prayer helps me begin the day by praising God, and takes me out of my selfish needs so that I can offer prayers for the whole world.

After Morning Prayer I spend time meditating on the readings for the coming weekend Mass. I used to try and meditate on the daily Mass readings, but I found that praying with the Sunday readings over the course of the entire week gives me the opportunity to really ruminate over them. Usually a word or phrase will really speak to me and I will try to carry it with me throughout the entire day.

3. What’s one thing you would like improve upon in your prayer life?

I would really like to be more faithful to an evening examen in the Ignatian tradition. Looking back over the day with the help of the Holy Spirit to discover where God was at work in my day is a grace that I always appreciate. I just find it difficult to get into a regular pattern in the evening, so prayer often gets pushed aside. I also need to make more time to pray with my wife and kids.

4. How has your personal prayer life positively impacted your teaching?

The biggest impact it’s had on me is that I am more peaceful, content and grounded. Rather than feeling like a pinball ricocheting from bumper to bumper, I find myself moving deliberately through life with mission and purpose. Even on busy days, being aware of God’s presence in my life puts everything in perspective. My students benefit by having a (reasonably) sane, spiritually healthy teacher with first-hand experience of prayer.

5. Recommend one book on prayer to other catechists/teachers:

Prayer Primer: Igniting a Fire Within by Fr. Thomas Dubay – While this may not be the book that has had the most influence on my prayer life (that book is probably This Tremendous Lover by Eugene Boylan), the late Fr. Dubay’s book is an excellent introduction to living a life of prayer. It covers most of the major forms of Christian prayer in a practical, accessible manner that keeps me coming back to it again and again.

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The Chicken Runs at Midnight – Catholics and Baseball

Champions of Faith DVD“The Chicken runs at midnight.” Stranger words were never spoken. But if you know the story of Major League Baseball coach Rich Donnelly, then you also know that more beautiful words have never been spoken. I first heard about Rich’s story through an amazing DVD called Champions of Faith. If baseball is your second religion after Catholicism, then you have to watch Champions of Faith. Some of the game’s biggest stars give witness to their Catholic faith: Mike Piazza, Mike Sweeney, David Eckstein, Sean Casey, Jim Leyland, Juan Pierre, Mike Scioscia…the list goes on.

The DVD is beautiful in every respect–gorgeous camera shots, poignant stories, inspiring music. With the baseball post-season just beginning, Champions of Faith might be a way to get your students more in touch with their own faith lives. The Champions of Faith website has resources for father/son retreats, youth ministry nights, and mini lessons for children. Take a look at the extended trailer:

For me, the most memorable part of the DVD is Rich Donnelly’s story about the origin of the phrase “The Chicken runs at midnight.” Here’s a low-quality video of Rich telling his story in a Lifetime channel special. You might want to get some tissue before you watch:

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Catching Up With Catholic School Bloggers

I'm Beat!
Daddy I'm Beat by Shari Weinsheimer

Is it just me or has life been a bit hectic lately? Between installing new office computers, tutoring struggling students, planning lessons, grading papers, and trying to keep up with blog posts, I’m barely treading water. But that’s what makes life worth living, right? Throwing yourself into a vocation that really matters, and doing the best you can.

If your life has been as busy as mine, you might have gotten behind in reading some of the great new blog posts from Catholic educators and catechists. Here’s what you might have missed over the past ten days: