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heardclarke
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | Dallas Area, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 197 |
| First Name: | Lisa | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Episcopalian; confirmed RC Easter 2005 |
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Posted: Thu Jun 21st, 2007 07:08 pm |
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Dear friends,
I posted this earlier at the end of another topic, so please forgive me if you already read it. Here is my story:
I was "Anglo-Catholic" as long as I can remember. My father is an Episcopal priest. My husband works as the organist/choir director at a large Episcopal church. He and I came there as newlyweds in the spring of 1990. The parish was very traditional then. All six priests were male and married; "old school" sermons about the sacraments, theology, and Scripture were the order of the day. The liturgy and music were carefully planned and rehearsed. We were very comfortable there.
I had experience teaching Montessori from before we were married, and tried that in Dallas, but most of the schools were more permissive than the one I had trained in. These places were really child care centers that were using the Montessori materials. I found a job at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School teaching first grade. Here I was encouraged to use a creative, child-development approach, as I was accustomed to, but it was within a specific curriculum plan and in a very structured environment. This was a good fit for me and I worked there for five years. I was sorry that I could not take Communion at Mass, but then neither could my first graders.
In 1998, our daughter Lucy was born. I left teaching and stayed home with her for a time. Our son Hugh was born nineteen months later. As the children grew, I began volunteering at the Episcopal church in the new Godly Play program. It was a very creative Sunday school program with the religion curriculum designed by Maria Montessori and some of her students.
It's difficult to explain here, but this method (of storytelling, questioning, and art responses) really calls forth your deepest beliefs about Christ and the Church. The classes are challenging to teach because there is a precise way to tell each story, and they are best told from memory. There are also specific actions that the storyteller must do as the story is told. It is almost like a liturgy. Then there are "wondering questions" about the story. After this, the children create unstructured art work (which is often highly relevant to the stories and deeply insightful). Finally, there is a "feast" with everyone sitting in a circle sharing a simple snack. All this is designed to make the children familiar with the liturgy, the Bible, and the Church year while they are young.
Many people who have taught Godly Play (and the more traditional Catechesis of the Good Shepherd) report that their own spiritual life is changed. What I noticed was, that what happened in the classroom with the 4-to-6 year olds seemed more real than what was happening in the "big church." It seemed that the things we discussed (little kids are not shy!) were the real issues, and as if the sermons in the pulpit were about less important things. Also, having been at that parish for 15 years and being active as we were, we knew a lot about the way it was being managed. There was a "keep 'em happy" mentality. The rector who had hired Kevin was long since retired; his replacement had been removed by the bishop due to a scandal; and the latest one (naturally) disliked any kind of controversy. Discussions on tough issues (like morality) were avoided.
There were some issues for our family too. Episcopal schools are hard to afford and hard to get into here. Public schools in Dallas are neither good academically nor wholesome. We discussed starting a school at our church, but it was too controversial because nobody could agree on whether it should be exclusive or reach out to the urban neighborhood. Enrolling the kids in an Episcopal Montessori school, which Lucy especially needed due to some mild developmental delays, I went to work in a Catholic school, so we could try to afford private education. I was worried about both kids and prayed for help in becoming a better wife and mother. Little did I realize that things were going to change very soon.
Even from my first interview at St. Pius, I felt that God was calling me to be there. The kids were not from "enriched" environments like the ones at the big Episcopal church. The principal wanted teachers who would work with the kids in creative ways, but push for academic excellence. I had a great year. I soon discovered that that feeling of "real-ness" that I'd experienced in Sunday school was here too. The faculty were there because they loved the church and the students. Most could make a lot more money in a public school. Many parish families were also sacrificing financially to keep the kids enrolled. Eventually, when Lucy finished the Montessori program, i transferred them over to my school.
Meanwhile the Episcopal Church was not getting any better of course....An openly homosexual bishop was elected that year in NH, then approved at General Convention by a majority of the national delegates. I was ALREADY indignant even before that, that the church was assertively prochoice and that being "relevant" seemed to be more important than being faithful. Even the liturgy, which my husband worked so hard to enrich musically, was being shortened, and it seemed to be put together more and more hastily. But that election (and the televised debate surrounding it) was the proverbial "last straw" for me. I told my husband Kevin I needed to look into RCIA because it seemed like the Real Church was at St. Pius.
Kevin said I must do whatever I thought was best, though he fully expected quite a backlash at his work once people found out. My pastor at St. Pius was very kind and let me come to discuss the Catechism reading assignments with him after school, instead of going to class in the evening after teaching all day. That winter, we lost one of our eighth grade girls tragically to a sudden illness, and the whole school and parish community came together as a family to grieve and help her family as best we could. I realized then that they really were my church family now. I was confirmed at Easter Vigil.
The reaction Kevin expected at his church did happen. The rector questioned my husband three times about what I'd done. Kevin suggested he give me a call and ask me about it, but he didn't. One choir member told Kevin that she thought I might have bipolar disorder or something; she seemed to think I was having a breakdown. The rector thought maybe our marriage was in trouble. (Actually it hadn't been this good in years!) The business manager had asked him right after my Confirmation whether he was going to become a Catholic too. Having already been confirmed Catholic in junior high, my husband truthfully said he was not going to. The reply startled him: "That's good, because a Roman Catholic probably couldn't hold an administrative position here." So much for "tolerance" in the Episcopal Church!
Meanwhile, things are going great at work for me at least. Last year my daughter had her First Communion, and this coming year my son will have his. I have been teaching second grade myself this past year (but not my own two children) and now that I am a REAL Catholic teacher I get to prepare the kids for First Communion. I use the Godly Play lessons (in addition to the assigned book) and it is wonderful to see them respond to the stories and the questions. After having religion class for two years already, the kids get right to the heart of the lessons and give really thoughtful (and thought-provoking) responses. Seeing them go to Reconciliation and First Communion for the first time is just awesome!
I hope this wasn't too long for you all. Thanks for reading it.
Love,
Lisa
Last edited on Mon Nov 12th, 2007 03:34 pm by heardclarke
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Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
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Credo Catholic
Member
| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1212 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Jun 21st, 2007 09:48 pm |
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| Dear Lisa, thank you for sharing your story. I'm so glad you were able to make the jump and that your husband journeyed with you. Is there a book about Godly Play?
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heardclarke
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | Dallas Area, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 197 |
| First Name: | Lisa | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Episcopalian; confirmed RC Easter 2005 |
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Posted: Fri Jun 22nd, 2007 12:06 am |
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Yes, I think the best one to start with is Teaching Godly Play by Jerome Berryman, but you should know that Jerome learned it from Sophia Cavaletti, who learned from Maria Montessori. Caveletti and Montessori were Catholic; Jerome Berryman is an Episcopal priest.
The method that Sophia Cavaletti herself used is called the "Catechesis of the Good Shepherd." I would like to study it myself. It is often preferred by Catholic churches; Godly Play is more often used by Protestants. I am still using Jerome's method because the Catechesis requires a whole room set up just for that purpose and two years of training; I don't have access to a whole room or that training. There are Catholic parishes that use Godly Play, and I think this is because it is a more flexible and less expensive program.
I just wanted to let you know there are two schools of thought on this, because you might want to investigate both, but I think Godly Play is the best method I can manage by myself, and I'm going to keep using it.
You can also look at the website called "Godly Play Resources." They make and sell the books and materials that we use to tell the stories, but I have made a few of my own as well as buying those. You can see what the stories look like there.
Enjoy!
Lisa
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Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
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Credo Catholic
Member
| Joined: | Sat May 5th, 2007 |
| Location: | Greenville, South Carolina USA |
| Posts: | 1212 |
| First Name: | Marsha | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Baptist, Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Jun 22nd, 2007 12:17 am |
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| Lisa, my daughter in N.C. has three children, one with autism and they all go to a Montessori school. My daughter went to work there to help pay the tuition, and when the director retired, the board hired my daughter to be interim director. We love the Montessori method, it has worked very well for the child with autism (fairly mild case). My interest in Godly Play is that my daughter and her husband do not attend church and the children (ages 3, 5, and 7) are growing up with virtually no religious training. Since she is now gung ho for Montessori, my ears picked up when you mentioned it! I am going to look into it, and see if any of it can be adapted for them. When you said it helped your faith as well, I thought it might help hers. I would do anything to help them find spirituality and a love for God.
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heardclarke
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | Dallas Area, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 197 |
| First Name: | Lisa | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Episcopalian; confirmed RC Easter 2005 |
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Posted: Fri Jun 22nd, 2007 12:45 am |
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Wow, that is a tough situation.
I think that Berryman's approach would be helpful and attractive to a mom with an autistic child because it is known to be therapeutic..... He has also used the stories in hospitals (and even has miniature versions you can lay out on a bed.) The integration of artwork with the stories might be attractive, since Montessorians are all about self-expression of the child.
It incorporates a very "low-key" and non-confrontational approach. Perhaps you could find someone in NC who is using it and talk with them. Even if the church isn't Catholic, any exposure that includes this method has to be better than nothing. The kids invariably like it if you can manage a visit. But be careful--it sounds like "baby steps" are in order here!
If nothing else works, there are DVDs of Jerome demonstrating the stories. You could learn those yourself. But tap into that network. Google "Godly Play." The people are great. I am sure there is someone that can help.
Love,
Lisa
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Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
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susiedear
Member
| Joined: | Thu Oct 12th, 2006 |
| Location: | Twin Cities, Minnesota USA |
| Posts: | 186 |
| First Name: | Elizabeth | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Pentecostal / Evangelical / Catholic! |
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Posted: Sun Jun 24th, 2007 04:43 pm |
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Dear Lisa, I loved very word of your story! Thanks for writing.
Four years ago I went back to school to become a licensed English teacher. The university I went to is affiliated with the Baptist denomination, and the program directors and professors do not have one kind word to say about the Montessori method. Now I know why! One prof is especially anti-Catholic-anything.
Thanks, again, for writing.
Elizabeth
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But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the return you get is sanctification and its end, eternal life. St. Augustine
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heardclarke
Member
| Joined: | Mon Apr 9th, 2007 |
| Location: | Dallas Area, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 197 |
| First Name: | Lisa | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle Episcopalian; confirmed RC Easter 2005 |
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Posted: Mon Nov 12th, 2007 08:26 am |
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Dear susiedear,
Yes, Montessori scares people who belive in the Calvinist doctrine of depravity. Catholics belive that, as God's creatures, we possess a natural desire to learn about "the good" and to be good. Original sin just gets in the way. (At least, I hope that is right! That's what I understand Aquinas to be saying.)
Lisa
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Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
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Dave Armstrong
Network Apologist
| Joined: | Fri Nov 2nd, 2007 |
| Location: | Melvindale, Michigan USA |
| Posts: | 1227 |
| First Name: | Dave | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Nominal Methodist / evangelical non-denom / "Bapticostal" / Catholic |
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Posted: Mon Nov 12th, 2007 12:43 pm |
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Thanks so much, Lisa, for sharing your story. It helps many others a great deal, and we never know how God may use any part of our story to help someone else along the way in some fashion.
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I'm happy to offer whatever theological & personal assistance I can. My blog, Biblical Evidence for Catholicism, contains 1900+ papers & web pages (absolutely free) & 16 apologetic books (for sale):
http://www.biblicalcatholic.com/
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