Catholic schools around the country are remembering the events of September 11, 2001 in various ways. The Shreveport Times reports on a ceremony at St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Tricities.com out of Virginia offers the following video story of young students at St. Anne’s Catholic School in Bristol honoring police and firefighters:
Catholic Videos with Study Guides on RedemptoristTV
The Redemptorists of the Edmonton-Toronto Province have put together a superb resource for Catholic educators with their website RedemptoristTV. Not only does the site feature two excellent video series–one on the Eucharist, the other on Catholic family life–but each video comes with a study guide and an optional take-home assignment. Each video is around 5-8 minutes long and could easily be used in a classroom situation.
As an example, take a look at Program 3 in the Eucharist Reflections Feature, followed by the Redemptorist study guide:
1. Show the internet / DVD Program Three: The Sunday Eucharist
2. Ask students to form small groups to describe the following impressions from the program:
- Why is Sunday Eucharist so important to Catholics all over the world?
- What have we learned about the Catholic Church through understanding more about Eucharist?
- What did you know after viewing the DVD that you didn’t know before?
- How do you see Eucharist operating in the lives of a religious community like the Redemptorists?
3. Option for Take-Home Assignment
1. Via the Internet find more facts about:
- The 2007 Eucharistic Congress
- One papal document on Eucharist
- What the Catholic Catechism says about Eucharist
- The Redemptorist community
2. Write one page of personal reflection on how Eucharist can help you live your everyday life or how you see it operating in the lives of a religious community like the Redemptorists
3. In groups, make presentations to the class about any or all of the above.
Be sure to take a look at the entire series at the RedemptoristTV website, along with the rest of their videos on their YouTube channel.
Video Features Detroit Cristo Rey High School
One of the myths of Catholic education is that its schools serve only wealthy, suburban families. The following video profiles Detroit Cristo Rey High School, a college preparatory school serving those who could not typically afford a private education. The high school is co-sponsored by the Congregation of St. Basil and the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart Mary.
Follow Detroit Cristo Rey on Twitter @detcristorey, and on Facebook.
Detroit Cristo Rey is not alone. For more on the Cristo Rey educational model, including how to start a school in your area, see the website for the Cristo Rey Network.
150 Positive Songs for Use in the Catholic Classroom
I’ve been a Catholic school teacher for over twenty years, and I’d like to share one of my secrets with you: music. I’m a music fanatic, and I love having a song playing as students enter the classroom. The right song helps students come into class feeling good about life and ready to learn. An opening song is also a great signal device to start class. I sometimes have an entry task on the overhead, and my students know that it needs to be completed by the time the song ends.
But the music is not just for my students–it’s for me, too. In fact, I don’t think I could have made it these last two decades without the energy, enthusiasm and life-giving joy that music provides.
The following list of songs is from my personal “Affirmations” playlist. It’s not every song, but it’s most of them. Of course, it’s highly subjective. That’s why I’m hoping you’ll share some of your own favorites in the comments section at the end of the list. Here we go…
Nick’s Positive Songs for Use in the Catholic Classroom
The first thing you need to know is that my absolute favorite song of all time is “Over the Rainbow,” so I play that song quite a bit. I have over one hundred covers of the song, from country to alternative to dance remix versions, and everything in between. I think it’s the greatest song ever written. Period.
Second, there are several Catholic artists below that I want to draw your attention to: Matt Maher, Popple, Ceili Rain and Joe Hand. These artists are some of the best Catholic musicians working today, and I highly recommend any of their albums.
Finally, clicking on a song will take you to a page at Amazon.com where you can listen to a sample or purchase the song. All purchases help support the work of Catholic School Chronicle.
Ace of Base
The Allman Brothers, “Blue Sky”
All American Rejects, “Move Along ”
Audio Adrenaline
Bachman Turner Overdrive, “Takin’ Care of Business”
The Beach Boys, “Good Vibrations”
The Beatles
- “Good Day Sunshine”
- “Here Comes the Sun”
Natasha Bedingfield, “Unwritten”
George Benson, “Breezin’”
Boston
Caedmon’s Call
- “Sacred“
- “Thankful“
- “Lead of Love“
David Crowder Band
Casting Crowns
Chris Cagle, “What a Beautiful Day”
Steven Curtis Chapman
Chicago, “25 or 6 to 4”
Ceili Rain
- “Pencil in Your Hand”
- “Love Travels“
- “You Then Me“
- “Jigorous“
- “God Done Good“
- “100 Smiles an Hour“
- “Like a Train“
- “Stomp“
City on a Hill
Petula Clark, “Downtown”
Coldplay
- “Clocks“
- “Speed of Sound“
- “Square One“
Sheryl Crow, “Soak Up the Sun”
Des’ree, “You Gotta Be”
Hilary Duff, “Shine”
Electric Light Orchestra
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Tommy Emmanuel
Gloria Estefan, “Get on Your Feet”
Feist, “Mushaboom”
Five for Fighting
- “100 Years“
- “The Riddle“
Fleetwood Mac, “Don’t Stop”
John Fogerty, “Sugar Sugar”
The Go-Gos, “We Got the Beat”
Delta Goodrem
Goo Goo Dolls, “Better Days”
Green Day, “Time of Your Life”
Vince Guaraldi Trio, “Linus and Lucy”
Joe Hand, “I Want to Worship You”
Patrick Hernandez, “Born to Be Alive”
High School Musical
Enrique Iglesias, “Hero”
Joe Jackson, “Steppin’ Out”
Jars of Clay
Jimmy Eat World, “The Middle”
Eric Johnson, “Cliffs of Dover”
Katrina and the Waves, “Walking on Sunshine”
Mat Kearney, “Nothing Left to Lose”
Kool and the Gang, “Celebration”
Kenny Loggins, “I’m All Right”
Matt Maher
Chuck Mangione, “Feels So Good”
Martina McBride, “This One’s for the Girls”
Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dyin’”
Mercy Me, “I Can Only Imagine”
Jo Dee Messina, “Dare to Dream”
Hannah Montana
Van Morrison, “Youth of 1,000 Summers”
Randy Newman, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”
Newsboys
Nichole Nordeman, “Legacy”
Tom Petty
Popple
Dan Powter, “Bad Day”
The Pretenders, “I’ll Stand by You”
Rascall Flatts, “Life is a Highway”
Relient K, “Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been”
Santana
- “Migra“
- “(Da le) Yaleo“
Joe Satriani, “Summer Song”
Joey Scarbury, “Theme from Greatest American Hero”
Sherwood, “The Best in Me”
Sister Sledge, “We Are Family”
Sly and the Family Stone, “Everyday People”
Smash Mouth, “All Star”
Starship, “We Built This City”
The Stray Cats, “Rock This Town”
Survivor, “Eye of the Tiger”
Switchfoot
Chris Tomlin
Train, “When I Look to the Sky”
The Turtles, “Happy Together”
U2
Van Halen
Jaci Velasquez, “We Can Make a Difference”
The Ventures, “Hawaii Five-O”
The Wailin’ Jennys, “One Voice”
The White Stripes, “We’re Going to Be Friends”
John Williams
- Olympic Fanfare and Theme
- Main Title from Superman
- Main title from Star Wars
- Imperial March from Star Wars
- March from Raiders of the Lost Ark
Steve Winwood, “While You See a Chance”
Lee Ann Womack, “I Hope You Dance”
Weird Al Yankovic
- “The Saga Begins“
- “Ebay“
Other Soundtrack Music
- Theme from The Magnificent Seven
- Theme from Rocky
- Theme from Bonanza
- Theme from Peter Gunn
- Theme from The Pink Panther
This is a revised and enhanced version of an article I wrote for Teen Literacy Tips in August of 2007.
An All Star Video Tribute to Teachers
The following video was shared by one of my Catholic school colleagues, and I just had to pass it along. It would be fun to show at the beginning of a faculty meeting.
Encouragement for the Weary
I had a great first day of school yesterday, and I think my students did too. But I saw a look on some of their faces that I’ve seen before: “I don’t belong here because I always fail. So I’m done trying no matter how inspirational you try to be today.”
The following video is for them, and for everyone who feels exhausted from trying and trying, but not succeeding, and who feels like giving up. And I’m not just talking about students, either. Catechesis is a tough ministry, and sometimes it feels like we get nowhere. Modern culture isn’t exactly Catholic-friendly these days, so we can feel like our feeble attempts mean nothing in the grand scheme of things. But as you watch and listen to Nicholas James Vujicic, recall the words of the prophet Jeremiah:
“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.”
Thanks to Wes Fryer for sharing the video.