This document reflects three intersecting aspects of the school in terms of Religious Education, being that primary children come:
To Know: “the tradition through the deliberate, systematic and sequential teaching and learning activities and experiences” of religious education in the school (CEOM, 2008, p. 1)
To Worship: knowledge of the prayer, sacramental and liturgical life of the school is conducted, yet when they are celebrated this is a call to faith across the school and connected with families and the parish (worshipping)
To Love: involves living within the Catholic Tradition, meaning coming to the call to build up the reign of God and to live with principles that support the common Good
From prep to year 2, this curriculum takes influence from the Good Shepard Experience and has believes in the influence of story telling to “assist young children to learning about the faith by helping them to engage with scripture, liturgy and Christian life and service” (CEOM, 2007, p. 7). The Archdiocese of Melbourne, proclaim these years as those where the foundations are laid for “later learning and for life-long engagement with the mystery of God” (CEOM, 2008, p. 7). This process involves students being to the story, encouraged to wonder, invited to respond and also pray. Therefore, when students enter years 3-6, they hold an understanding Christian values and our foundational existence with God.
At Level 3 and 4, Coming to Know, Worship and Love takes an inquiry approach to religious education. This inquiry approach involves “engaging with different perspectives of the Catholic tradition to form deep religious understandings” (CEOM, 2008, p. 12). Students “form understandings about God, themselves and their world through the ongoing exploration of religious truths” as well as the development of thinking, reflecting and acting skills to deepen their connection to their faith. In taking this approach, our teaching and learning activities should value and encourage students to reflect upon their own personal experience and knowledge, even if this learning is a form of catechesis or evangilisation. It should also involve students wondering and forming their own questions and then interaction with a variety of sources to gather insights into the practices, teachings and stories of the Church (CEOM, 2008, p. 12). Children should also be encouraged to internalize and reflect on this new information and evaluate their previous understandings to create an invitation to act upon their learning.
To Know: “the tradition through the deliberate, systematic and sequential teaching and learning activities and experiences” of religious education in the school (CEOM, 2008, p. 1)
To Worship: knowledge of the prayer, sacramental and liturgical life of the school is conducted, yet when they are celebrated this is a call to faith across the school and connected with families and the parish (worshipping)
To Love: involves living within the Catholic Tradition, meaning coming to the call to build up the reign of God and to live with principles that support the common Good
From prep to year 2, this curriculum takes influence from the Good Shepard Experience and has believes in the influence of story telling to “assist young children to learning about the faith by helping them to engage with scripture, liturgy and Christian life and service” (CEOM, 2007, p. 7). The Archdiocese of Melbourne, proclaim these years as those where the foundations are laid for “later learning and for life-long engagement with the mystery of God” (CEOM, 2008, p. 7). This process involves students being to the story, encouraged to wonder, invited to respond and also pray. Therefore, when students enter years 3-6, they hold an understanding Christian values and our foundational existence with God.
At Level 3 and 4, Coming to Know, Worship and Love takes an inquiry approach to religious education. This inquiry approach involves “engaging with different perspectives of the Catholic tradition to form deep religious understandings” (CEOM, 2008, p. 12). Students “form understandings about God, themselves and their world through the ongoing exploration of religious truths” as well as the development of thinking, reflecting and acting skills to deepen their connection to their faith. In taking this approach, our teaching and learning activities should value and encourage students to reflect upon their own personal experience and knowledge, even if this learning is a form of catechesis or evangilisation. It should also involve students wondering and forming their own questions and then interaction with a variety of sources to gather insights into the practices, teachings and stories of the Church (CEOM, 2008, p. 12). Children should also be encouraged to internalize and reflect on this new information and evaluate their previous understandings to create an invitation to act upon their learning.
The Structure of the Sacramental Program
Coming to Know, Worship and Love teaches about the sacraments from prep to grade six. The units gradually increase in intensity, from a literal meaning to a focus on the inferential meaning of our faith. The following table shows the units that contribute to the development of knowledge and understanding of the Eucharist sacrament. This can help you see what knowledge children may bring with them to the classroom and how to connect to their prior understanding.