10 Little Things That Can Make a Big Difference for Catechists

Over the years, I have picked up a number of handy suggestions from catechists—little things they do in their classes that I think make a big difference. Here are 10 things that you can do on a regular basis to help you become a more effective and engaging catechist right now—without adding tons of additional planning time.

1. Greet your students at the door each week with a task they need to complete. For example, hand them index cards, and tell them to write down the most significant event or experience of their past week. Keeping young people on task from the moment they enter is a form of preemptive discipline.
2. If your group is reading a long block of material from the textbook, call on the first volunteer to read, and then tell that reader to pick the next volunteer and so on. It adds a little twist that children find fun.
3. If you're leading a group discussion, bring in a foam ball, and toss it to someone as a prompt to respond to a question you've asked. Invite the participant to toss it gently to another student for the next response.
4. Begin the session by asking the young people to mention something good that happened in the past week. Use the foam ball mentioned in #3!
5. Invite young people to mention someone or some situation that needs our prayers. Gather all of these thoughts into your opening prayer.
6. At the end of class, go around and ask each young person to name at least one thing he or she learned that session. (Wow, you can use the foam ball again!)
7. As the young people leave, stand at the doorway with a bowl of holy water for students to bless themselves.
8. Create a simple prayer box from a shoebox, wrapped in nice paper, and cut a slit in the top. Place it in the room. Invite the young people to write prayers at any time on small slips of paper and to drop them into the box. Designate a time for reading the prayers out loud.
9. Have the young people set up the prayer center at the start of every session with a tablecloth, Bible, crucifix, candle, or other appropriate items. Make a ritual out of it.
10. Invite the young people to bring their own symbols to add to the prayer center as the year proceeds.

What other little ideas would you suggest that catechists can do on a regular basis that can make a big difference in their teaching? Share with us in the Catholic Faith Formation Facebook group.