This part written and posted May 4th:
Tonight I sat for a couple of hours with some adults who are involved with our YDT Youth programs... we talked about making the following changes.
- This year's 9th graders will begin a new tradition of asking to be confirmed. (I will give them a simple way of doing this.) This fall's confirmation will proceed, more or less, as it has traditionally.
- This year's 8th graders would be promoted a year early to the high school youth program but would serve at least one year "apprenticeship" in that program (with Old Testament teachings) before being eligible to ask to be confirmed.
- I would continue to teach this year's 6th & 7th graders in pretty much the same way as this year, except that I'll be sharing some of the teaching duties with our youth director.
- This year's 5th graders would start participating in our Wednesday evening youth program this fall (at the beginning of their 6th grade year), meaning that they 6th, 7th and 8th graders would be together in much the same way as the Grades 7, 8 & 9 are now.
- Grades 4-5 would be involved in what is now our "56thers" program (obviously would need to be renamed!)
- Grades 6-8 would be in the three year sequence of teaching that our 7th-9th graders do now... Year 1: Old Testament & Ten Commandments, Year 2: New Testament & Lord's Prayer, Year 3: "Faith Basics" on God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Apostles' Creed) -- Nate and I will be looking at possible curriculum revisions in the next couple of weeks.
- Grade 9 would be an apprenticeship year in the high school youth program, during that year they would have the option to request confirmation. Upon making that request they would work, coached by their mentor, on their personal statement of faith, service projects and other faith-nurturing opportunities, leading up to "confirmation" in the fall of their 10th grade year IF they are ready.
- Youth in grades 10 - 12 would participate as they do now--those who have not yet been confirmed could request confirmation and work with a mentor as the 9th graders will.
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Added May 28, 10:18 p.m. Thanks to the comments, emails and participation of a few wonderful adults meeting this evening we are in the process of revising our ideas. The general revision is to not move the ages. This would mean that 5th-6th continue as "65thers" and Gr 789 will stay in the teaching part of the program. We are considering moving the high school YDT group to Sunday evenings and inviting--not requiring--9th graders to participate along with the 10th-12th on Sunday evenings while the 10th-12th will be encouraged to participate on Wednesdays as co-leaders. We also discussed whether how to add "memory work" to the program and how youth can "request to be confirmed" in a simple, way... We'll be posting more on this in the future.
I love the thought of the 9th graders ASKING to be confirmed. I really think they will get more out of it if they are truly asking as opposed to doing it because the "have to". Great idea!!
ReplyDeleteMike L
I agree with Mike. Confirmation would mean much more to students if they had to make the decision to be confirmed.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm not sure it would work out so well. I think after three years of study, students would just feel confirmation is the next step. I fear confirmation would end up being a "now or never" kind of thing. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think this is worth talking about.
Preston, what we're hoping for is that the "confirmation" would not occur after the "three years of study" (as you put it--it's actually not just study! :), but after at least a year of actually being part of a high school youth program that is more like what happens "after" confirmation today...
ReplyDeleteWhat prompted the discussion about changing confirmation?
ReplyDeleteKaren A
Good question, Karen. I'm not sure how to answer exactly, except to say that many churches have working for many years to see how best to make "confirmation" something that is integrated in with youth ministry and church life as a whole. Your perspectives would be a very helpful addition to the discussion.
ReplyDeleteAs a parent and educator, I have some concerns with having an eleven year old, 6th grader involved in an official confirmation program. I'd like to see a lot more discussion on this topic before a decision is made.
ReplyDeleteThanks Alisa! You and another educator are on the same wavelength! We met tonight and decided to not move the ages of the YDT program. It's feedback like yours that really helps us! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks to the comments, emails and participation of a few wonderful adults meeting this evening we are in the process of revising our ideas. The general revision is to not move the ages. This would mean that 5th-6th continue as "65thers" and Gr 789 will stay in the teaching part of the program. We are considering moving the high school YDT group to Sunday evenings and inviting--not requiring--9th graders to participate along with the 10th-12th on Sunday evenings while the 10th-12th will be encouraged to participate on Wednesdays as co-leaders. We also discussed whether how to add "memory work" to the program and how youth can "request to be confirmed" in a simple, way... We'll be posting more on this in the future.
ReplyDelete