First Day – Catholic School Chronicle

July 27, 2011July 27, 2011

Commissioning Prayers for Catholic School Teachers for Beginning the Year

I received an email yesterday from Brian Flaherty asking whether I knew of any commissioning prayers for teachers for the beginning of the school year. I sent him a quick email with two services I found, but after a little more digging I came up with some other resources, and I thought it would be a good idea to share them with you.

The best resource I found–though I didn’t find it in time for my email to Brian–is the USCCB’s Commissioning Service (pdf format) intended for use this year on Catechetical Sunday, September 18, 2011. There are options for commissioning teachers during Mass and outside of Mass.

Second, there is the Blessing of Students and Teachers from the official Book of Blessings. This is the blessing that the USCCB commissioning service is based on.

Next up is a commissioning ritual in Microsoft Word format from the Catholic Education Office of the Diocese of Wollongong, Australia.

Finally, the National Association for Episcopal Christian Directors has a pdf document titled Commissioning of Church School Teachers that might be able to be modified for use in Catholic schools.

Are you familiar with other commissioning services? If so, I’m sure Brian and others would love to know about them. Mention them in the comment area below.

I really appreciate Brian’s question since it gave me a chance to address a real need. If you have a question, feel free to submit it using the contact form on the “About” page.

August 28, 2010

Will Your School Air President Obama’s 2010 Back-to-School Address?

The Catholic Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin will allow its schools to air President Obama’s back-to-school speech this year, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. The article goes on to say that this is a reversal of last year’s decision not to allow the speech to be shown in Catholic classrooms. The diocese is not mandating the speech, but is leaving the decision in the hands of local teachers and administrators.

Last year the prospect of showing the speech generated controversy around the nation, with many schools and districts opting not to show it. The speech itself proved to be fairly benign, but there was quite a bit of discussion about the teaching materials provided by the Department of Education, and about the appropriateness of showing it during school.

What is your diocese saying about broadcasting the speech to your students? Anything? Has this come up in faculty meetings or water-cooler conversations? Will you be showing it in your classroom this year? Why or why not? If you’re a Catholic school parent, what’s your opinion?

Express yourself by leaving a comment below–and let’s keep it civil, please.

August 27, 2010January 11, 2014

40 Ways to Welcome Your Students on the First Day of School

The first day of school is the most important day of the year. Here are some ways you make students feel positive and welcome as they enter your classroom (followed by ten ways NOT to welcome your students):

Say hello!
Shake their hands as they come in.
Give them a high five.
Lead them in a prayer service.
Give them each a blessing.
Welcome them in Pig Latin.
Say Hola!
Write a message on the chalkboard/overhead/digital screen.
Have a positive song playing as they enter.
Play a musical instrument.
Recite an inspirational poem.
Sing a happy song.
Give them each a piece of candy.
Give them a fortune cookie.
Scramble the words Welcome Back on the board and have them solve it.
Do a tap dance.
Play a clip from Dead Poets Society or another inspirational movie.
Have them punch a time clock as they enter.
Perform a singing telegram.
Give them each a holy card/bookmark.
Say Wilkommen!
Introduce yourself.
Teach them how to line dance
Yell, “Let’s get ready to rumble!”
Play “Zombie Nation” by Kernkraft 400.
Play a YouTube video.
Breakdance.
Take a picture of the class to remember their names.
Hand them a free pencil customized with your name.
Recite “Pioneers, O Pioneers” by Walt Whitman.
Ask all your online teacher friends to send well wishes and advice via Twitter, and read them.
Bring in a brown bag filled with objects that define you, explain the objects, then invite your students to do the same.
Laugh like a mad scientist (BWAH HAH HAH!).
Bring in plain donuts, frosting and cake decorations and invite them to decorate their own breakfast (or make one for a friend).
Have them introduce themselves.
Have them introduce themselves while doing jumping jacks.
Have them break through a big Go Get ‘Em poster, like a football team running onto the field.
Ask for their autographs for your autograph book of Future Famous People.
Read them one of St. Paul’s greetings such as 1 Corinthians 1:4-9.
Ask them to bless each other and you on this grace-filled day.

Be sure to add your own ideas by commenting below.

And, as a bonus, 10 ways NOT to welcome students back:

Show them a slide show of your summer vacation.
Tell them the results of your annual physical.
Hand them a discipline slip as they enter and tell them not to lose it, because they’ll probably need it soon.
Slap them on the butt and say, “Way to go! You actually got up in time to make it to school!”
Sit at your desk reading Retirement Planning for the Aging Schoolteacher
Assign them seats based on last year’s standardized test results, highest scores in the back, lowest scores in the front.
Play grunge music and start a mosh pit.
As they walk into your room, have your principal point out individual students who got in trouble last year.
Hand them a Christmas list so they can get working on your gift early.
And finally, point out the big countdown you’ve posted in the front of the room that marks the number of days until school gets out.

August 24, 2010August 23, 2010

More First Day of School of Prayers

This time of year, Catholic School Chronicle always gets visited by people looking for prayers to use on the first day of school. It’s been a couple of years since we posted this prayer, so it’s time for some more. The following two prayers are adapted from prayers written by Dolores Curran. The originals can be found in Curran’s book Family Prayer.

Parent-Teacher-Student Litany

Leader: Dear God of all creation, thank you for the marvelous gift of learning. We beg you to hear our prayers for our school life. Come into our midst, into our minds and into our hearts.

(After each of the following petitions, all respond, “Hear our prayer, O Lord.”)

For school boards and superintendents,
For principals and secretaries,
For custodians and bus drivers,
For librarians and cooks,
For teachers and learners,
For buildings and playgrounds,
For budgets and books,
For parents and families,
For assignments and grades,
For field days and field trips,
For book reports and homework,
For kindergartners and school aides,
For first graders and reading teachers,
For second graders and music teachers,
For third graders and school nurses,
For fourth graders and room parents,
For fifth graders and speech therapists,
For sixth graders and playground supervisors,
For seventh graders and assistant principals,
For eighth graders and resource people,
For freshman and activity directors,
For sophomores and coaches,
For juniors and drama teachers,
For seniors and counselors,
Keep us all under your loving care this year, Lord, and teach us to love one another as we learn from one another.

(After each of the following petitions, all respond, “Pray for us.”)

Mary, mother of all students,
That we may all be what God wants us to be,
That we may accept the responsibilities of learning,
That we may support our schools and teachers,
That we may perceive, judge and act wisely,
That we may grow in age and grace,
That we may furnish educational hope for all,
That we may change the world,
That we may make new friends and keep old friends,
That we may be patient with our students and teachers,
That we may keep our school clean and pleasant,

Come, O Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts and minds of your faithful. Grant us faith, knowledge and perseverance so that we may go forth and spread the Good News. Amen.

A Prayer for the First Day of School

Teacher: As school begins, Mary, we put this year in your hands. We pray that our class will emerge in June more educated, more prayerful and more compassionate to others.