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Terms of Use
Terms of Use
Thank you for visiting our website (“Site”). The effective date of these Terms of Use (“Terms”) is September 2, 2014.
This Site is owned by RCL Benziger (“RCLB” or “We”). We provide this Site and related services to you subject to your acceptance of and compliance with these Terms. Please read the following carefully before you use this Site. If you decide to use this Site, you must agree to these Terms. If you do not want to honor these Terms, do not use this Site. No access to any password-protected portion of the Site will be granted without your affirmative acceptance of these Terms.
We may make changes to these Terms from time to time as our Site develops, so please check back frequently. Your continued use of the Site and associated services following any posted changes to the Terms constitutes your consent to them.
By using this Site, you consent to our collection and use of personal information as set forth in our Privacy Policy, which is hereby incorporated into these Terms.
General Rules
We grant you a limited, nonexclusive, revocable license to make personal and noncommercial use of the Site. By downloading content on the Site, you agree that the materials you download will be used only by you. The Site is protected by copyright as a collective work and/or compilation, pursuant to U.S. and international copyright laws and conventions. Additionally, all materials published on the Site are protected by copyright and owned or controlled by RCLB, or the party credited as the provider of the content, software, or other materials. By using this Site, you agree to confine your use of the Site and its content to personal and not commercial purposes, to abide by all additional copyright notices, information or restrictions contained in any particular content accessed through this Site, and not to modify, adapt, distribute, or resell any materials available to you through the Site. You further agree not to bypass any technical measures used to prevent or restrict access to the Site; not to use any data mining, robots, or similar automated data gathering and extraction tools to access the Site; not to violate or attempt to violate the security of the Site; and not to interfere with or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Site.
The trademarks, trade dress, logos, and service marks displayed on the Site are owned by RCLB or are used by permission. Nothing herein may be construed as granting any right or license to use any trademark.
You agree to use this Site only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You acknowledge that your use of the Site is at our sole discretion, and your license to use the Site may be terminated by us at any time. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to refuse service to anyone and to block or prevent your future access to and use of this Site as we deem necessary or appropriate.
Your Account
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You represent and warrant that you own or otherwise control the rights to any Content you upload, transmit, or otherwise make available through the Site; that use of the Content you provide does not violate the intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights of any third parties; that use of the Content you provide will not cause injury to any person or entity; that the Content will not contain any software viruses or other harmful devices; and that you will not use the Site to impersonate any other person or entity. You specifically agree that you will not upload to, distribute, or otherwise publish through the Site any Content that is libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, profane, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, or abusive, or is otherwise harmful or illegal. You may not, without the express approval of RCLB, distribute or otherwise publish any material containing any solicitation of funds, advertising, or solicitation for goods or services.
While we are not responsible for any content of messages or materials uploaded by Site users, we reserve the right to delete, move, or edit messages that, in our sole discretion, we deem to violate any of your obligations pursuant to these Terms, or to be otherwise unacceptable. However, you shall remain solely responsible for any and all harm caused by the content of your message.
E-mail Messages and Submissions
The e-mail messages that users are able to create using this Site consist of a combination of material that is proprietary to RCLB, and, if the sender chooses, a customized message that is written by the sender. We are not responsible for the content of such messages. You acknowledge that any submissions (e.g., Letter to the Editors, articles) may be edited, removed, modified, published, transmitted, and displayed by RCLB.
Limitation of Liability
This Site, its content, and any associated services are provided by US on an “as is” or “as available” basis. wE make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of this Site, to the information, content, materials, or products included on this Site, or to the functionality, of any services associated therewith. To the fullest extent permissible by applicable law, WE disclaim all implied warranties, including without limitation the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
by using the Site, you acknowledge that your use of the site is at your own risk. WE will not be liable for damages of any kind arising from or otherwise related to your use of the site, including without limitation direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and consequential damages, even if we have been advised of or should have known of the possibility of such damages.
certain state laws do not allow limitations on implied warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain damages. if these laws apply to you, some or all of the above disclaimers, exclusions, or limitation may not apply to you, and you may have additional rights.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless RCLB, its agents, distributors, and affiliates, and their officers, directors, and employees, from and against any claims, demands, damages, costs, and expenses, including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees, arising from or related to your use of the Site, your submission of any Content, or your breach of any provision of these Terms.
You agree that if you are dissatisfied with the Site, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using the Site.
Links to and from the Site
The Site may contain links to sites and resources operated and controlled by parties other than RCLB. Such links are provided for your convenience only and do not imply or constitute RCLB’s endorsement of any third party material or contents. RCLB assumes no responsibility or liability for your activities on such sites. We recommend that you review the terms and policies of those sites carefully, as they may differ from ours.
If you wish to link to our Site, you may link to the home page only. You do not have permission to link directly to any other portion of the Site, or to make any linked material appear to be provided by your site or by any site other than the RCLB Site.
Miscellaneous
This agreement has been made in and shall be construed and enforced with Ohio law. Any action to enforce this agreement shall be brought in the federal or state courts of Ohio. If you proceed to use this Web site, you will be signifying your agreement to the above rules and restrictions. If you do not agree to be bound by these terms, you do not have permission to use this Web site and must exit at this time.
Copyright Infringement Claims
RCLB respects the intellectual property rights of third parties, and complies with the terms of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) regarding such rights. We reserve the right to remove access to infringing material posted to its site. Such actions do not affect or modify any other rights we may have under law or contract.
If you believe that any portion of the material contained on this site infringes your copyright, notify us of your claim in accordance with the following procedure. We will take appropriate action as required by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3).
Written Notification must be submitted to this site’s Designated Agent:
Lori Krafte, Esq.
Wood Herron & Evans LLP
2700 Carew Tower
441 Vine Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Phone: 513.241.2324
Fax: 513.241.6234
lkrafte@whe-law.com
To be effective, the Notification must be in writing and contain the following information:
A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed;
Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site;
Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to locate the material;
Information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to contact the complaining party, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an electronic mail address at which the complaining party may be contacted;
A statement that the complaining party has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
A statement that the information in the notification is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
Upon receipt of the written Notification containing the information outlined above, RCLB will:
Remove or disable access to the material that is alleged to be infringing;
Forward the written notification to such alleged infringer;
Take reasonable steps to promptly notify the alleged infringer that it has removed or disabled access to the material.
A Counter Notification will be effective if in writing, provided to the Designated Agent, and including substantially the following:
A physical or electronic signature of the alleged infringer;
Identification of the material that has been removed or to which access has been disabled and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed or access to it was disabled;
A statement under penalty of perjury that the alleged infringer has a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled;
The alleged infringer’s name, address, and telephone number, and a statement that the alleged infringer consents to jurisdiction of Federal District Court for the judicial district in which the address is located or, if outside of the United States, for any judicial district in which RCLB may be found, and that the alleged infringer will accept service of process from the person who provided notification or the agent of such person.
Upon receipt of a Counter Notification containing the information outlined above, we will:
promptly provide the complaining party with a copy of the Counter Notification;
inform the complaining party that it will replace the removed material within ten (10) to fourteen (14) business days following the receipt of the Counter Notification, provided RCLB’s Designated Agent has not received notice from the complaining party that an action has been filed seeking a court order to restrain alleged infringer from engaging in infringing activity relating to the material on RCLB’s network or system.
This process only relates to reporting a claim of copyright infringement. Messages related to other matters will not receive a response through this process.
Contact Us
RCL Benziger
8805 Governor’s Hill Dr.
Suite 400
Cincinnati, OH 45249
www.rclbenziger.com
Toll-free:
1-877-275-4725
Parish Products Overview
Overview of Parish Products
All of RCL Benziger’s parish resources are rooted in the rich and diverse tradition of the Catholic faith. Our faith formation programs provide an excellent foundation for a lifetime of faith. These parish resources nourish the spiritual wellbeing of each child with the richness of God’s Word, the Church’s teachings, and liturgical expression. Catechists and catechetical leaders are equiped with the tools to foster an environment of Catholic values for learners of all ages and to celebrate these diverse traditions within the Catholic Church. RCL Benziger is committed through our products to support parish life and faith formation by providing families energetic and engaging ways to express and celebrate the Catholic faith.
STORIES OF GOD'S LOVE PRESCHOOL PARISH AGES 3–4 or 4–5 • Kindergarten
RCL Benziger’s complete solution to religion readiness education. Stories of God’s Love is available for both preschool (ages 3-4 or 4-5) and kindergarten. It follows the USCCB’s “Guidelines for Pre-School Materials” and was written by a team of early childhood specialists. This program also meets the early learning standards of the National Association of Education for Young Children (NAEYC). Stories of God’s Love serves as the foundational program for ages 3–4, 4–5, and kindergarten for parishes.
Stories of God’s Love offers:
- A Scripture-based approach, presenting the Bible as the source for learning about God
- Age-appropriate formation with story leaflets and seasonal leaflets
- Lessons of We Celebrate Holy Days and Holidays; includes a Catholic Prayers page
- A family focus that helps children and their families live Christian values
- Available virtues based magazine for families
Give children a sound foundation that leads to faith in action!
Be My Disciples is an innovative and complete religious education program that empowers students and their families to answer the call to discipleship. This new program will lead children and their families to grow in their conversion to Jesus Christ, to develop the habits of discipleship, and to decide each day to choose life in Christ. Using a balanced approach, Be My Disciples is validated by new insights in education today.
Be My Disciples:
- Invites children to discipleship through its catechumenal methodology
- Teaches Scripture, doctrine, and liturgical celebration through its spiral structure
- Challenges children to integrate faith and life through activities and faith choices
Free TrialView Products Program Overview Scope and Sequence Order Review PackProduct Brochure
Blest Are We Faith In Action
New Parish Program for Grades K–8
Key Features:
- Beautifully illustrated covers depicting key Scripture stories
- A new design that is visually appealing to digital natives with an emphasis on digital technology
- Updated Take Homepages for each \chapter that engage families in the faith formation of children in an easy and accessible way
- Increased focus on children with special needs, with teaching tips for catechists in every chapter
- A Faith in Actionfeature that establishes a strong connection to Catholic Social Teaching
INTEGRATED APPROACH
Each unit of Blest Are We Faith in Actionis based on a particular theme or area of Catholic belief and practice. This theme is studied over four individual chapters that correspond to the four pillars of the Catechism:
- What Catholics Believe
- How Catholics Worship
- How Catholics Live
- How Catholics Pray
In this way the essentials of Catholic teaching are presented in an integrated and balanced approach that helps children learn and deepen their faith and Catholic identity.
Select the sacramental catechesis that fits your needs.
The foundations of each of our Sacrament preparation programs are Sacred Scripture, Church teaching, life experience, ritual, and prayer. Our materials focus on engaging children, youth, and their families in developing deeper relationships with Jesus Christ; in preparing children and youth to receive the Sacraments; and in helping families become more active participants in the life of the Church.
Build strong families, live and share Christian values, and promote child safety!
RCL Benziger’s Family Life (K-8) integrates child safety content within the framework of moral catechesis and Catholic family living. New for the Family Life program is an online eAssessment platform which provides educators with the ability to measure mastery based upon parish, school, or diocesan requirements.
Parish Student Books, Levels 1–6
Features in the Parish student books serve the needs of religion programs with:
- Age-appropriate summary of Church teaching
- Important Scripture knowledge and skills
- 11 lessons for liturgical seasons and feasts
- Take Home family pages
- Faith in Action, which builds a sense of belonging
Separate Guides for Parish or School
Both teacher and catechist guides give you easy-to-follow, flexible plans, along with the background information, teaching tips, and resources you need to bring lessons to life for young people.
Simple, Yet Effective, Three-Step Process
The Engage, Teach and Apply, Connect format keeps young people focused as they discover and learn, then apply and reinforce learning with integration activities. Practical connections to real life help young people see that faith is alive and active.
Activities and Assessment Tools
A variety of activities and assessment instruments are included for every chapter and unit of each student book.
Called to Prayer and Liturgical Lessons
These reproducible resources for all the weeks of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost connect teens with the liturgical life of the parish. Prayer services using a variety of styles of prayer inspire teens to worship.
Helping Kids Live Their Faith
This book explores the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching and includes age-appropriate service projects.
Overview of Adult Products
Overview of Adult Products
RCL Benziger offers well-balanced and effective resources to help meet your parish's adult faith formation needs. Our popular, easy-to-use resources for adults, including catechists and religion teachers, honor the directives of the National Directory for Catechesis.
Adults grow in faith as they continue to turn their hearts and minds to God and respond to the invitation of fullness of life as disciples of Jesus Christ. Echoes of Faith, one of the most comprehensive online tools available for catechist formation, invites catechists, religion teachers, and those preparing to enter the Church to both learn the teachings of the Church and develop a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
Apprentices in Faith and Young Apprentices, available online, and the Foundations in Faith series support RCIA directors, catechists, families, adults, and youth who are a part of the RCIA process. Materials for the periods, rites, and ministries of the RCIA support your catechumenate team, catechumens, and candidates every step of the journey.
RCL Benziger's many resources for adult faith formation encourage learning about and living the Catholic faith.
Echoes of Faith Emmaus Edition
The new Echoes of Faith catechist formation process is inspired by the story of The Appearance on the Road to Emmaus (see Luke 24:13-35).
Walk with Jesus as you accompany others on a journey that echoes faith in Christ. Echoes of Faith Emmaus Edition leads catechists through comprehensive formation, helping them to grow in their understanding of Church teachings, the role of the catechist, and methodology.
Echoes of Faith 3.0 is the most comprehensive Digital Learning Center available for catechist formation. The newly revised and fully interactive online design provides flexible learning and communication options for group members and leaders. Get complete access for one year with each paid subscription (individual or group) and start enjoying these features and benefits.
- Formation and skills training on your schedule—work at your own pace
- Fourteen modules that answer three essential questions new catechists ask: Who am I and what do I do? (Three Catechist Modules) What do I teach? (Five Theology Modules) How do I teach? (Six Methods Modules)
- In-depth interviews by recognized experts in the catechetical field
- New bonus interviews and enrichment articles to extend learning
- Accessible on desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices
The BEST Basic Formation for Catechists and School Religion Teachers!
Echoes of Faith Plus is a video-assisted program offering comprehensive basic catechist formation. This bestselling program has been updated and expanded to integrate the key teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the General Directory for Catechesis, and the National Directory for Catechesis.
- Catechist Set (three modules) Being: Who am I as a catechist and as a disciple of Jesus Christ?
- Theology Set (five modules) Knowing: What do I teach?
- Methodology Set (five modules) Savoir faire: How do I teach?
Every module provides a DVD with the video segments of the meeting design and a participant booklet with a comprehensive learning design that begins with a process for spiritual formation.
An integrated CD-ROM provided in each booklet makes it easy to make up a missed session or to complete an independent study of the topic on a home computer.
The Affordable Online Resource for RCIA and Adult Formation!
Instant online access lets you download, print, and e-mail to anyone in your parish. Based on the Church's time-honored model of apprenticeship, this unique online resource offers a variety of easy-to-use comprehensive handouts.
RCIA Directors find complete session handouts for RCIA sessions organized according to the periods of the RCIA:
- Inquiry
- Catechumenate
- Purification and Enlightenment
- Mystagogy
Catechists will find sound background information on Scripture and Church teaching, and are given a clear path for preparation and for sharing their faith.
Participants discover solid doctrinal background, reflection questions on the Sunday readings, explanation of key Catholic terms, suggestions, and inspirational quotations from Church leaders and documents.
Equip your parish with a comprehensive program to support every period and rite of the RCIA process.
Foundations in Faith resources help you blend spiritual and catechetical formation throughout all periods and rites of the RCIA.
For the Team
- Precatechumenate Manual
- Catechumenate Catechist Manual
- Purification and Enlightenment Resource Book
- Mystagogy Resource Book
- Celebrating the Rites
- RCIA Director's Guide
- Handbook for Catechists
- RCIA: How Are We Doing? A Self-Assessment Tool
For the Inquirer
- Handbook for Inquirers
For the Catechumens and Candidates
- Catechumenate Participant Book
- Handbook for Prayer
- Handbook for Neophytes
For the Sponsor
- Handbook for Sponsors
Overview of School Products
Overview of School Products
All of RCL Benziger’s school resources are rooted in the rich and diverse tradition of the Catholic faith. Our school resources invite students to begin their journey of faith through an exploration of Scripture and Tradition, using researched-based educational strategies and age-appropriate techniques.
We support the efforts of Catholic schools in providing families energetic and engaging ways to explore and live out the Catholic faith. Cross-curriculum activities and inquiry-based learning encourage students to encounter Christ and become disciples in our digital age.
RCL Benziger is pleased to announce that we now offer even more quality resources for Catholic Schools through Kendall Hunt Publishing.
Kendall Hunt is the premiere publisher of innovative, hands-on, inquiry-based and virtual reality science, mathematics, and gifted curricula for grades K-12. Their award-winning research and standards-based programs are available in both print and digital components that fully engage students, teachers, and parents.
RCL Benziger proudly supports you in nurturing the whole child through faith-based education, and we are dedicated to helping you create the most enriching learning experiences for children with our array of print and digital resources.
Preschool (ages 3–4 or 4–5) • Kindergarten
The Scripture-based format of Stories of God’s Love begins where every catechesis should begin—by touching children’s hearts with the Gospel message. With this complete religion readiness program, young children learn about God’s love through age-appropriate Scripture stories and engaging stories of their own lives. A team of respected early childhood specialists wrote Stories of God’s Love with a choice of either single-day or multi-day formats for ages 3–4, 4–5, and kindergarten.
Stories of God’s Love offers:
- A Scripture-based approach, presenting the Bible as the source for learning about God
- Age-appropriate formation with story leaflets and seasonal leaflets
- Separate parish and school guides that meet the needs of both parish and Catholic school programs with a choice of either single-day or multi-day formats
- A family focus that helps children and their families live Christian values
- Online support for children, parents, catechists, and teachers
Build a world filled with Christ’s disciples!
- Invites children to discipleship through its catechumenal methodology
- Teaches Scripture, doctrine, and liturgical celebration through its spiral structure
- Challenges children to integrate faith and life through activities and faith choices
View Products Program Overview Scope and Sequence Order Review Pack Free Trial
School Student Books, Grades K–8
Blest Are We Faith in Action honors the thematic approach, content, and teaching format of our treasured Blest Are We Faith and Word series. Each grade level features cover art that exemplifies a story from Scripture, highlighting that grade level’s theme. Visually appealing and theologically sound with an enhanced design, Blest Are We Faith in Action engages today’s learner on their formative journey.
The ever-changing developmental needs and aptitudes of young people are met with these key features:
- Faith in Action pages for each chapter, establishing a strong connection to Catholic Social Teaching
- Redesigned Take Home pages, supporting families in the faith formation of their children
- Increased focus on children with special learning needs, addressing practical ways to adapt lessons
- eBooks, music, web support, and eAssessment resources, engaging young learners through digital integration
Blest Are We Faith in Action supports you in teaching and developing digital disciples. Students will enjoy interactive connections with their textbooks, while teachers will find a variety of useful content for helping students on their formative journey of faith.
View Products Product Sampler Scope and Sequence Order Review Pack View Video Free Trial
Faith First Legacy Edition School offers an effective spiral method. Every year, on every grade level, doctrinal lessons on all four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church deepen age-appropriate understanding.
In-depth Scripture study chapters encourage children to read the Bible and apply its meaning for today, and seasonal materials help make connections with the liturgical life of the parish.
Family Life Education-an essential component of a faith formation curriculum!
Use Family Life to:
- Educate young people on the appropriate use of the Internet and social media
- Support parents in raising and educating their children with the tools to help them make the right choices
- Pass on Gospel values to live by: honesty, courage, self-discipline, fidelity, and chastity
- Build strong families, live and share Christian values, and promote child safety
We know you want to provide young people and their families with the education they need to live wholesome, healthy lives that are founded on the faith of the Church. In fact, the need has never been greater for a family-based program that provides resources for chaste living, child safety, and faith formation. RCL Benziger’s Family Life series meets all of these needs.
Family Life equips children to deal with modern challenges in appropriate ways, using language and concepts they can readily understand and practice. It guides children, their parents, teachers, and catechists to integrate five themes of Catholic family living: God’s gifts of family, self, life, love, and community.
NEW Online eAssessment Platform
RCL Benziger’s new eAssessment platform provides your Catholic school with the ability to monitor, track, and report completion of the Child Safety Education Standards for our Family Life program. This resource enables you to measure comprehension based upon your parish, school, or diocesan guidelines and requirements, including the Mission and Catholic Identity and Academic Excellence standards.
Catholic Textbook Project History series: History books that form Catholic Identity
Students attending Catholic Schools deserve to learn all of history in their classrooms, including the significant historical impact of saints, religious orders, and lay Catholic men and women over the past 2,000 years. Our textbooks bring history to life by using a narrative format that engages student interest and invites them into the story of history. The grade-specific offerings include fourth grade to high school. Join schools in every diocese who are choosing to have their Catholic identity permeate their entire curriculum while reigniting their students’ curiosity and interest.
Explore K-12 Math, Science and Gifted Curricula
RCL Benziger, as part of the Kendall Hunt family of companies, offers math, science, virtual reality and gifted curricula. Kendall Hunt’s award-winning research and standards-based programs are available in both print and digital components that fully engage students, teachers and parents.
Press Release
News
Title
Kendall Hunt Publishing Company and panOpen Launch Strategic Partnership to Support Colleges, Universities, and Schools With OER-Based Courseware
Content
Partnership includes equity investment and sales coordination; Chad M. Chandlee, Kendall Hunt’s President & COO, joins panOpen board (Dubuque & New York): Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, a leading provider of custom educational content solutions, and panOpen, a next-generation OER-based courseware company, announced today a strategic partnership covering a range of areas of mutual support. Kendall Hunt led a $1.4M equity investment, with current panOpen shareholders also participating, to fund sales, marketing, and content initiatives. In addition, panOpen will become the preferred OER solutions provider for Kendall Hunt’s national sales team. panOpen courseware includes interactive assessments, analytics, teaching slides, videos, flashcards, student study tools (such as highlighting, note-taking, and classroom note sharing), and deep-linking Learning Management System integration (LMS), with single sign-on and gradebook synching. Faculty adopters can also auto-generate the courseware within their LMS classroom shell, without a requirement to visit the panOpen website. “We know that there is growing faculty interest in OER,” noted Chad M. Chandlee, Kendall Hunt’s President and COO. “Faculty, however, do not want to compromise when it comes to content quality, supporting technologies, ease of use, or live support. As panOpen is a venture that powerfully addresses all of these, we have found an ideal partner to help grow this important emerging content category.” The new relationship will help raise awareness generally of OER options for professors and teachers, as the Kendall Hunt national sales team, which is a market leader in consultative and needs-based content services to faculty, can now offer comprehensive OER solutions in response to increasing demand. According to a recent report, raising such awareness, and making faculty aware of institutional initiatives to promote these materials has a dramatic impact on the classroom usage of OER. Among community colleges, for example, faculty are about five times as likely to adopt OER if they are aware of institutional OER initiatives (5% vs. 26% of adopters); at state universities, that number is about three times higher than those who are unaware (4% vs. 15%). The report, which makes use of data through academic year 2018/2019, underscores the extent to which OER continues to grow and is now a central part of classroom materials for higher education. As the report notes “The number of all faculty using OER as required materials has nearly tripled, rising from 5% in 2015-16 to 14% in 2018-19. The growth among faculty teaching introductory courses is equally impressive, growing from 8% to 26% in the same period.” There is mounting evidence that the shift to remote teaching is accelerating the OER adoption rate, with numerous institutions seeing an increase in usage. The pandemic has hit economically disadvantaged student populations hard, particularly in the Black and Latino/a communities. panOpen’s OER-based courseware solutions are ideally suited to support these communities: they dramatically lower costs, make content digitally available on day one, offer perpetual access, and provide faculty with the ability to shape content to local contexts. The partnership between these companies will meet the moment by widely bringing this opportunity to institutions and individual faculty alike. “Kendall Hunt has an impressive track record not only in building a successful educational publishing company but also for its entrepreneurial leadership, especially in anticipating education industry trends and helping to lead the way,” commented Dr. Brian Jacobs, panOpen’s CEO and Founder. “We believe that openly licensed educational content is a rapidly emerging global category and we are thrilled to embark on this next phase of the company with such a compelling partner.” ABOUT PANOPEN Designed by educators, panOpen is a courseware platform that realizes the promise of OER by providing all of the components required for its widespread use. panOpen offers complete peer-reviewed content, customization tools, assessments, analytics, LMS integration, and a means of financially sustaining campus-based OER efforts. With panOpen, faculty adopt enhanced interactive OER as they would a commercial textbook, with confidence in the quality and reliability of the content. panOpen preserves the virtues of OER—radically reducing textbook costs and freeing faculty from the constraints of commercial copyright—while delivering the quality, features, and ease-of-use faculty expect from their learning materials. The result has enormous implications for pedagogical practices, changing the relationships of instructors and students to their educational content. To learn more, visit http://www.panopen.com @panOpen About Kendall Hunt Publishing Kendall Hunt Publishing, headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa, is a dynamic provider of quality educational products and services. Utilizing a collaborative, solutions-based approach, Kendall Hunt partners with educators to develop affordable content tailored to meet students' needs. Through a combination of superior service, innovative technology applications and an exceptional content library, Kendall Hunt delivers proven results for both educators and students. Visit us at www.kendallhunt.com to learn more.
Title
Kendall Hunt Publishing Company Acquires Paradigm Education Solutions
Content
DUBUQUE, Iowa, Feb. 7, 2020, -- Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, a proven leader in academic publishing, announced today it has completed the purchase of Paradigm Publishing, LLC (dba Paradigm Education Solutions). Paradigm is one of the nation's leading postsecondary providers of print and digital learning solutions for computer technology, health careers, business technology, and career development.
Paradigm Publishing, LLC will continue to operate under the Paradigm Education Solutions name and maintain its office in Minneapolis. This acquisition will allow Kendall Hunt to more effectively and efficiently serve the needs of both traditional and post-traditional students in the higher education market. The content and technology being acquired will enhance Kendall Hunt's current capabilities with the addition of programs such as health careers and certification courses.
Family owned and operated for over 75 years, Kendall Hunt has over 8,000 print and digital titles providing quality educational products and services in several markets, including K-12 and Catholic Publishing in addition to Higher Education.
"We recognize that the post-secondary market is evolving and are excited to broaden our offering to the individual looking for non-traditional career development," said Chad Chandlee, president and chief operating officer. "Our company was built on the premise of need identification and creating custom solutions to meet those requests. This acquisition allows both companies to benefit from each other's successes by combining premier content with innovative new platforms that meet the needs of today's students."
Paradigm's courseware prepares students to acquire the requisite digital literacy skills and career knowledge needed to enter the workforce, reskill, upskill and succeed as professionals. Their Cirrus™ platform reimagines how these skills are taught and learned, delivering a comprehensive, personalized and seamless learning experience in a 100 percent cloud-based environment. Paradigm also offers effective resources that help hard-to-employ populations find rewarding and stable work under the JIST Career Solutions brand.
"I'm proud of the extraordinary work done by the Paradigm team, in particular, their development and launch of the Cirrus™ digital learning environment," said Eric Cantor, chief executive officer at Paradigm Education Solutions. "I am confident that the results we have achieved to date with Cirrus™ will be further accelerated as Paradigm becomes part of Kendall Hunt."
About Kendall Hunt Publishing
Kendall Hunt Publishing, headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa, is a dynamic provider of quality educational products and services. Utilizing a collaborative, solutions-based approach, Kendall Hunt partners with educators to develop affordable content tailored to meet students' needs. Through a combination of superior service, innovative technology applications, and an exceptional content library, Kendall Hunt delivers proven results for both educators and students. Visit us at www.kendallhunt.com to learn more.
About Paradigm Education Solutions
Paradigm is a leading provider of educational technology solutions that prepare traditional and post-traditional students to achieve the requisite digital literacy skills and career knowledge needed to enter the workforce, reskill, upskill and succeed as professionals. With a focus on contextualized, competency-based learning, Paradigm's digitally-driven solutions are flexible and adaptive to give students the power to learn anytime, anywhere. Visit www.ParadigmEducation.com to learn more.
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OpenSciEd Partners with Kendall Hunt Publishing
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Source: Kendall Hunt Publishing | Wed, 28 Aug 2019, 09:00:32 EDT
DUBUQUE, Iowa, Aug. 28, 2019 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Kendall Hunt is excited to announce they have been chosen as the manufacturing and distribution partner for OpenSciEd, a leader in the science Open Education Resource space.
Kendall Hunt Publishing
Currently, the OpenSciEd middle school units are being field-tested by over 200+ teachers with over 5,000 students using the materials in 100 districts across 10 states. The first three units were released on Aug. 15, 2019, and the rest of the units will be completed three at a time with all 18 available by winter 2022.
These unit materials are readily available and free at OpenSciEd. Print materials, including student and teacher resources, are available for purchase through Kendall Hunt.
Kendall Hunt publishes hands-on science, mathematics, and supplemental/gifted textbooks and digital curriculum, including a virtual reality offering. Earlier this year, Kendall Hunt partnered with Illustrative Mathematics providing free access to 6-12 open educational resources digital math curriculum, and offering professional development opportunities and print materials.
Kendall Hunt has worked with BSCS Science Learning for over 20 years publishing various science textbooks. BSCS is the lead institution in the OpenSciEd Developers Consortium, responsible for the overall coordination of development and field testing.
“It is a privilege to provide schools with science instructional materials that combine the expertise of a world-class development consortium and the wisdom of current teachers, administrators, and state leaders,” said Jim Ryan, Executive Director of OpenSciEd.
“It is OpenSciEd’s objective to lower as many barriers as possible for teachers and students to engage with college and career-ready science standards. For that reason, in addition to providing free digital access to OpenSciEd materials, our partnership with Kendall Hunt provides high-quality print student and teacher books at extremely attractive prices,” Ryan added.
“Kendall Hunt is pleased to enter this partnership with OpenSciEd,” said Kendall Hunt K-12 Vice President Charley Cook. “Providing quality educational curricula and resources is of the utmost importance to Kendall Hunt. We take pride in not only developing textbooks and digital resources of this caliber but through partnerships with non-profits and other companies offering curriculum with competitive pricing through our manufacturing and distribution channels,” he adds.
About Kendall Hunt:
Celebrating 75 years of providing innovative educational solutions, Kendall Hunt publishes hands-on science, mathematics, gifted, and virtual reality curricula for grades PreK-12, in addition to the only free, certified Illustrative Mathematics middle school and high school curriculum for students in grades 6-12. In conjunction with offering a variety of stand-alone PreK-12 products, ConstructEd, a division of Kendall Hunt allows schools and/or teachers, to create made-to-order textbooks or digital products using existing products or creating their own. For more information, visit https://k12.kendallhunt.com/.
About OpenSciEd:
OpenSciEd was launched in 2018 as a nonprofit to address the need among teachers and school districts for high-quality, open-source, full-course science instructional materials, as well as to support the implementation of middle school science instructional units as a result of the adoption of the National Research Council’s document, “A Framework for K-12 Science Education” and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). For more information, visit https://www.openscied.org/.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Angela Kearney
K12 Marketing Manager
Kendall Hunt Publishing Company
800-542-6657, ext. 1072
563-581-6078
Title
RCL Benziger Announces Exclusive United States Sales and Distribution Agreement with Veritas for Credo
Content
Cincinnati, OH—Effective April 24, 2018, RCL Benziger, a Kendall Hunt company, announced today that it has established a strategic partnership with Veritas of Ireland to become the exclusive United States distributor of the Catholic high school series, Credo. Under the terms of this agreement, RCL Benziger will hold the exclusive rights to market, sell, and distribute the acclaimed series throughout the United States.
The Credo series is a comprehensive presentation of the Catholic faith for high school students. In the series, students are called upon to live as people of faith through prayer, reflection, and meditation. The spiral format includes a strong social justice theme that moves “from life to faith to life,” moving them from information to formation to transformation. The Credo series also speaks to the multicultural nature of the high school population and contains both print and digital components.
Catholic Publisher, RCL Benziger, is well known for its religious education programs for Catholic schools and parishes, making the company an ideal distribution partner with Veritas and the Credo series. The partnership will enable both organizations to meet the growing customer demand for more comprehensive solutions for Catholic high schools.
“We are excited to partner with RCL Benziger to expand our reach in the United States market,” said Aidan Chester CEO, Veritas. “The series is already being used in schools across the country but this agreement will give Credo the on the ground presence needed to significantly increase the number of schools using the series. By joining forces with one of the most respected U.S. Catholic publishing houses, we are confident that many more schools across the U.S. will get to see the Credo series including the innovative interactive website that accompanies the series with additional resources for teachers, students, and their families.”
“With the addition of Credo to our current product line, we can provide even more catechetical resources for Catholics of all ages from early childhood through adulthood,” said Charley Cook, Vice President of RCL Benziger and Kendall Hunt Publishing. “Like RCL Benziger, Veritas is known for excellence in publishing and strictly following the catechetical guidelines of the Catholic Church, making them an ideal distribution partner. We are proud to add Credo to the many great resources we currently offer to the Catholic schools we serve, and are confident that we can expand distribution of this valuable resource.”
ABOUT RCL BENZIGER
RCL Benziger is one of the oldest publishers of Catholic educational materials and faith formation resources in the United States. Known for its digital product offerings and bilingual resources, RCL Benziger is a major provider of religious education programs for Catholic schools and parishes. The RCL Benziger family of products supports catechists, educators, students, families, and individuals. In 2016, Dubuque, Iowa-based Kendall Hunt Publishing Company acquired RCL Benziger, joining two leaders in the K-12 publishing industry. Family owned and operated, Kendall Hunt was previously part of William C. Brown that published religious education materials for the Catholic faith, starting with The Archdiocese of Chicago in the early 1970s, before expanding throughout the United States in the 1980s under the name Brown ROA. Visit www.RCLBenziger.com to learn more.
ABOUT VERITAS
Veritas is Ireland’s leading religious publisher and retailer. They publish more than 40 books each year in the areas of theology, scripture, prayer, spirituality, parenting, counselling, children’s issues, social commentary, and liturgical resource. They also publish religious education texts for primary and post-primary schools, which are used throughout Ireland, as well as the widely acclaimed Credo series in the U.S. In addition to a strong publishing profile, they are also Ireland’s foremost religious retailer, with stores nationwide in Dublin, Cork, Derry, Ennis, Letterkenny, Monaghan, Naas, Newry, and Sligo. For more information visit www.veritas.ie.
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Spanish Webinars with Marcelo Murúa - Wednesdays at 6:00 PM EST
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Marcelo Murúa es un catequista y formador laico con 25 años de experiencia en cursos de formación de biblia, catequesis y espiritualidad, presenciales y a distancia. Es miembro de la Sociedad de Catequetas Latinoamericanos y Coordinador Escuela Diaconado y Equipo de Animación Bíblica en la Diócesis de Bariloche, Argentina. Murúa ha publicado más de 30 libros para distintas editoriales de habla hispana. Especialista en desafío de cursos de formación pastoral por internet, con más de 25 cursos en línea en BuenasNuevas.com.
September 15 Be My Disciples Parish 6:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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September 22 Blest Are We Faith in Action Parish 3:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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September 29 Blest Are We Faith in Action Parish 6:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada)
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October 6 Bendecidos Fe en Accion - Bilingual 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada)
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October 20 Sacraments - Parish 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada)
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October 27 Family Life School 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada)
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November 3 Family Life School 6:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada)
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Join us on Zoom for a short 15-minute demo. Register in advance for each meeting. After registering, participants will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
4:00 PM EST
Praying the Scriptures and Resources for RCIA for Parishes (English & Spanish)
Learn more about our lectionary and RCIA programs for both English and Spanish users.
Register at: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMldO2sqDgsHdd9HrY2duMNLTh6zeotgpBZ
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
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Sacrament Preparation for Parishes (English & Spanish)
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Tuesday, November 23, 2021,
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Credo for High Schools
Learn more about our high school religious education program for grades 9-12.
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July 21 Blest Are We Faith in Action for Schools 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 2:00 PM Central, 12:00 PM Pacific
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July 28 Blest Are We Faith in Action for Schools 6:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 5:00 PM Central, 3:00 PM Pacific
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August 4 Blest Are We Faith in Action for School 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 2:00 PM Central, 12:00 PM Pacific
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August 11 Blest Are We Faith in Action for Schools 6:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 5:00 PM Central, 3:00 PM Pacific
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August 18 Stories of God’s Love for Parish & School 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 2:00 PM Central, 12:00 PM Pacific
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August 25 Blest Are We Faith in Action Parish 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 2:00 PM Central, 12:00 PM Pacific
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September 1 Blest Are We Faith in Action for Parishes 6:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 5:00 PM Central, 3:00 PM Pacific
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September 8 Be My Disciples for Parishes 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 2:00 PM Central, 12:00 PM Pacific
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September 15 Be My Disciples for Parishes 6:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada), 5:00 PM Central, 3:00 PM Pacific
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September 22 Blest Are We Faith in Action Parish 3:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada), 2:00 PM Central, 12:00 PM Pacific
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September 29 Blest Are We Faith in Action for Parishes 6:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 5:00 PM Central, 3:00 PM Pacific
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October 20 Sacramental Preparation Resources 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 2:00 PM Eastern, 12:00 PM Pacific
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October 27 Family Life for Schools 3:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 2:00 Central, 12:00 PM Pacific
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November 3 Family Life for Schools 6:00 PM Eastern (US and Canada), 5:00 PM Central, 3:00 PM Pacific
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NEW - Faith Fuel Blog
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Looking for inspiration from a Catholic point of view?
Faith Fuel is RCL Benziger's new blog that will focus on feeding Catholic leaders, teachers, catechists, parents, and students. By sharing articles that reflect life today as a Catholic, we want to make you laugh, bring you to tears, encourage, and challenge you to live your faith in your home, at work, and in the world.
Our authors are leaders in the Catholic community. Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist Mary Morrell and Catholic writer, liturgist, and mission leader Mary Sellars Malloy share real stories and experiences that are encouraging and inspiring. We hope you enjoy the blog!
Click the image to visit Faith Fuel page.
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by Dr. Lauri Przybysz, D.Min.
About the Author
Dr. Lauri Przybysz specializes in equipping families to live their vocation to be domestic churches and signs of God’s love. Lauri received the Doctor of Ministry from the Catholic University of America, and she has been both a Catholic middle school religion teacher and a faith formation coordinator at the archdiocesan and parish levels. She is the mother of six children and grandmother of 21.
It is the hope of our school and parish programs that we will inspire young people to meet the ongoing challenge of living our faith as we meet the hungry, the sick and sorrowful, responding with open hearts to their material needs and their spiritual yearnings. We are called to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy in the world—simple ways we care for the physical well-being of others. Jesus tells us that when we do these Works for others, we are doing these Works for him (Matthew 25: 31-40). In the simple, everyday acts of love within our homes, schools, neighborhoods, and parishes that we are mercy-workers.
As the school year begins, ask your students to suggest practical ways that people of their age can practice these works. The Corporal Works of Mercy are:
• Feed the hungry.
• Give drink to the thirsty.
• Clothe the naked.
• Visit the imprisoned.
• Shelter the homeless.
• Visit the sick.
• Bury the dead.
Some of these works may seem like adults-only activities, but children can learn to apply them to their everyday situations. For example, we can put our faith into practice by inviting a new classmate to join our lunch table, or waiting for someone to catch up in line, or sharing a treat with someone who does not have one, or not laughing when someone makes a mistake.
Welcome New Classmates. The Family Life series explores the qualities of friendship at all grade levels, especially in “God’s Gift of Love.” For example, in grade 5, lesson 7, page 47, discusses how we mature in love through friendships. A new Second Edition of Family Life is now available, with diverse life stories focusing on moral virtues for everyday living.
Practicing Mercy. Invite students to make illustrations of someone doing these works of mercy. Assign pairs of students to role play someone giving and receiving these actions of love and care.
Open Our Ears and Our Hearts. In The Joy of the Gospel, Pope Francis urges us: “We need to practice the art of listening, which is more than simply hearing. Listening . . . is an openness of heart which makes possible that closeness without which genuine spiritual encounter cannot occur. Listening helps us to find the right gesture and word which shows that we are more than simply bystanders.” (no. 171)
Listening well demonstrates respect for others, a key principle featured in the Family Life series. View the Scope and Sequence to identify listening skills practice at each grade level. Here are a few suggestions that will help us optimize our listening efforts.
• Look the person in the eye when they are talking to you. Put down the book or tablet or put aside other tasks for a moment. Turn toward the person; stoop down if necessary. Stop, look, and listen.
• Repeat simply what you have heard them say. This shows you’re listening to hear.
• Be slow to speak. If you want someone to talk to you, you need to listen, listen, listen!
About the AuthorDr. Lauri Przybysz specializes in equipping families to live their vocation to be domestic churches and signs of God’s love. Lauri received the Doctor of Ministry from the Catholic University of America, and she has been both a Catholic middle school religion teacher and a faith formation coordinator at the archdiocesan and parish levels. She is the mother of six children and grandmother of 21.
by Mary Clifford Morrell
About the Author
Mary Clifford Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to ten, is a Catholic journalist, editor, and author who has served the Dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey; Burlington, Vermont, and RENEW International in the areas of religious education and communication.
In the Catholic Church there are many days set aside for prayer for special themes. Two recent days are World Day of Prayer for Grandparents and the Elderly, which was held July 23, and World Day of Prayer for Creation, scheduled for Sept. 1.
These days give us an opportunity to focus on important issues in our lives of faith, but more importantly, they serve as a catalyst to help us remember these issues throughout the year.
Loving and respecting our grandparents and elders and the world God created are not one-time, over and done with, events. One day of prayer is good, but our faith calls us to be loving, grateful and responsible carers of our elders and our environment every day.
With a new school year just around the corner, it’s a good time to review the year’s schedule and create ways to engage children throughout the year in activities that carry on their role as young disciples, caring for grandparents, elders and, also, protecting the world in which they live.
What follows are a number of suggestions for nurturing love and gratitude for grandparents and older adults. Anything that’s not done during the school year may be sent home as suggestions for parents during the summer months.
Sometimes, of course, students will have no living grandparents, or their family situation doesn’t include time with grandparents or older family members. Some creativity is needed to adapt an activity in those cases. With younger children, all adults appear old, so allowing them to substitute a parent or teacher or neighbor will keep them engaged and not feeling left out.
A school year full of caring
Tell stories – Encourage students to share stories of special things they do with their grandparents, or with older aunts and uncles, or elderly neighbors. Why are these experiences important to them or their special elderly person? You might get the stories rolling by sharing one of your own.
Create a memory book – Children who are old enough to write may decorate a small notebook of their choosing and spend 15 minutes once a week logging a memory of time spent with their grandparents or special person and include illustrations if they like to draw. Books may be given as gifts at Christmas time or at the end of the school year.
Write prayers – Children’s prayers are always inspirational. Provide an opportunity for students to create their own prayers for their grandparents. After they are displayed for a time in the classroom, they make wonderful and well-loved refrigerator art.
Invitations – Help children create invitations for the special elders in their lives to come to school events, Masses, luncheons, teas or read alouds. Being in the presence of youth can be a joyful experience for elders.
Good Advice – Create a bulletin board of sage advice given by grandparents and special elders to children. Written in the children’s own words, they are certain to bring a wealth of smiles.
Nursing home penpals – Connect with local senior centers or nursing homes and ask permission for children to send personal notes about God’s love and care for them to residents who may have no family, or who are often alone. One class may adopt one resident, or permit the staff to distribute to those most in need.
In-class prayer service – Create an age-appropriate prayer service around the beautiful prayer below from Jesuitresource.org, adapting it as needed to other special elders in the lives of your students. It can be a time of insight and appreciation on the value of elders for students:
Our Grandparents
We thank you, Lord, for our grandparents who have played such an important role in our lives. We remember with joy all of the time spent together doing simple things like fishing, doing a puzzle, baking cookies, taking a walk, reading a story and learning about the wonder of nature.
Thank you for the privilege of hearing their stories of life in another time and place that inspired us to work hard, be patient, courageously endure hard times and to dare to follow our dreams.
We are forever grateful for the wisdom and stability they provided when we felt our world was falling apart.
What a great gift to us that they loved us just because we were their grandchild. Thank you that they counted it joy to spend time listening as we told them about the big and little things going on in our lives.
May we continuously feel their hugs and feel the warmth of their smiles so that we can better comprehend your constant and unchanging love for us.
We ask your kind forgiveness for the times we failed to appreciate our grandparents, for the times we were too wrapped up in ourselves and our own activities to spend more time with them.
Help us to become more like them as we age, learning how to accept with grace the limitations of aging bodies. Give us their strong and supernatural grace to face the loss of our own aging friends and family the same way our grandparents have. May we learn from them how to face the prospects of our own limited time on earth and our own deaths with the dignity, peace, and assurance of eternal life.
And when our time comes to be grandparents ourselves, help us to follow in their loving footsteps.
From Jesuitresource.org.
About the AuthorMary Clifford Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to ten, is a Catholic journalist, editor, and author who has served the Dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey; Burlington, Vermont, and RENEW International in the areas of religious education and communication.
by Dr. Lauri Przybysz, D.Min.
About the Author
Dr. Lauri Przybysz specializes in equipping families to live their vocation to be domestic churches and signs of God’s love. Lauri received the Doctor of Ministry from the Catholic University of America, and she has been both a Catholic middle school religion teacher and a faith formation coordinator at the archdiocesan and parish levels. She is the mother of six children and grandmother of 21.
Our aim is to put students not only in touch but in communion, in intimacy, with Jesus Christ. One of our challenges as teachers of children’s faith formation programs is assessing how well students are actually learning. Faith formation environment is different from that of academic subjects, yet students need to master a certain amount of information about Catholic teaching and Tradition. Asking questions can only give you a snapshot of what a few students know (or probably already knew). What can you do to discover whether or not your curriculum and teaching methods are accomplishing what you intend for them to accomplish?
Here are a few quick and easy things you can do on a regular basis to assess students’ knowledge and progress.
Know/Wonder: Give students a sheet of paper with two columns. One should be labeled “What I know”, the other “What I wonder about”. Then at the beginning and end of each quarter, lesson unit or other time period, have them complete the sheet listing what they know about the person and topic and what they wonder about it. This will let you see what knowledge students have coming into the study as well as potential questions or doubts they may have. After a unit, it can help you gauge the effectiveness of it and see what questions students now have. (Be sure to address them, taking care to protect the identity of the student asking the question.)
Question Time Cards: Periodically, give students an index card and pen when they enter the classroom. Instruct them to write any questions they have about God, Christianity, the Bible, your lesson, etc. Allow them to add questions to their cards as you go through the lesson. Collect the cards and announce that you will make time to respond in an upcoming class—give yourself enough time to do any research you need to do.
Graffiti: As students enter the room, ask them to write on the markerboard or on a sheet of paper at least one thing they learned the previous week in your class or something they know (or want to learn) about the topic of the day. Encourage them to be artistic, providing several colors of markers.
Exit Tickets: At the end of a unit, give each student a sticky note. Ask them to write on it one new thing they learned in class that week or one thing they are going to do differently in their lives because of the lessons. To leave class, they must give you the sticky note with an answer written on it.
Extended Projects: Ask students to dive even deeper into the person or topic you have been studying. You can group students or have them work individually. Try giving students one entire class period to work on their projects with additional time of a few minutes at the beginning of each class until the deadline.
Assessment takes a bit of extra effort, but it can reinforce your teaching efforts and expand students’ experience of growing closer to Christ as they learn more about him and our Church.
About the AuthorDr. Lauri Przybysz specializes in equipping families to live their vocation to be domestic churches and signs of God’s love. Lauri received the Doctor of Ministry from the Catholic University of America, and she has been both a Catholic middle school religion teacher and a faith formation coordinator at the archdiocesan and parish levels. She is the mother of six children and grandmother of 21.
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