We are ready to welcome our children and youth back for a
new year of Religious Education!
This year, our lessons will be about World Religions. This
will work nicely with our first Sunday services, also about World Religions.
Teens will be in those services as an introduction to each religion. During the
rest of the month, they will use art, drama, food, and field trips to deepen
their understanding of each World Religion topic explored.
Leading this group are six terrific moderators: Chad,
Karen, Meg, Drake, Will and Beth.
The Early Learners will continue the Spirit Play model we
introduced last year. Spirit Play, modeled partly on the Montessori method of
learning, encourages children to ask questions of wonder. Stories from all
traditions, including our own, introduce children to promises (principles) of
Unitarian Universalism. To reinforce these, children have independent work time
as part of the lesson. The stories this year will mainly focus on the World
Religions topics explored during the first Sunday service each month, along
with some of our basic UU lessons.
Teaching this year is a group of familiar volunteers, as
they were all teachers last year. Beth, Kari, Kathy,
Sarah, Jan, Hala, Christine, Carl, Martha and Carolyn. Thanks so much for coming back!
All teachers and moderators met on August 17 for a teacher
orientation and all are excited for another year of teaching the youth of
UUFC. The first session will have
already taken place on August 31, along with our parent orientation.
Safety First
The events in New Orleans earlier this summer have reminded
us to have a good plan for emergencies. Currently, Reverend Terre, Cecil Huey,
Beau Blackwell and DRE Theresa Pizzuto are working on a safety plan for similar
situations. Once completed, this will be presented to the teachers, parents and
congregants. Look for a date in early November for a congregational-wide fire
drill during Sunday morning. The classes will have several practice drills
before that date. Stay tuned for more details.
In the interim, we have asked teachers to please keep cell
phones with them in class. In case of fire, look for your children at the shed
behind Founders’ House. Also know that our check-in and check-out process is a
way of protecting your child.
Spotlight: Carolyn
Turner
Carolyn is not ashamed to admit that she was shamed into
getting involved. She realized how few of the youth she actually knew and
decided to change that. Beginning as a part-time substitute, Carolyn ended up
serving on the RE committee as well as teaching Spirit Play. She is currently
in her third year with the committee and teaching. With her experience as an
early elementary school teacher, we are happy to have Carolyn’s help! She
enjoys teaching, in part, “because I've enjoyed see their development, both
intellectually as well as developmentally. They are a very diverse group
and full of interesting insights and information and most of all, energy. Hugs
are always most welcome, too.” We’re sure the children enjoy the hugs as much
as Carolyn does.
