Religious Education for the Home and Small Meeting

July 23, 2019 | Children's Religious Education, Curricula Home RE, Home and Family, Small Meetings, Teaching Resources Small Meetings RE

First Day School in a Box 2

This is an idea packet assembled for families and small meetings who seek to educate children in Quaker faith and practice. Originally published in 1986, this is a treasure trove, worthy of adaptation and revision given that most Quaker meetings still face these challenges.

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0. Table of Contents and Introduction

1. Starters, First Day School in a Box: Ideas for starting a First Day School even with sporadic attendance, broadly mixed ages and no real classroom.  These short term projects can also be used as a series of a more established First Day School, once a month break from the regular curriculum or intergenerational activities.

2. Beyond the Box: When a core group of children gather each First Day, this section presents choices about schedule, organization, grouping and theology. The handouts will help RE programs learn from others who have navigated similar situations.

3. Curriculum Ideas: Many long and short term curriculum ideas for broadly mixed age groups.

4. Monthly Variety: Activities meetings may decide to do on a monthly basis either in place of First Day School or at some other time such as a family retreat or evening youth group.

5. Especially for Teachers: Collection of articles to help teachers relate to their students, plan lessons and get a feel for where their piece fits into the overall picture. These articles can be used as a basis for disucssion during teacher training sessions.

6. At Home: Whether there is a thriving First Day School or not, building a spiritual foundation in teh home is most important. This chapter is a must for everyone. .

7. Historical Perspective: Traces the origins of what we now call religious education. A glimpse of our past really helps put the present into perspective.

Author: Mary Snyder and Friends

Illustrator: Nina (Speed) Gold, Sandra Branam

Publisher: Friends General Conference

Age Group: 4 to 5 years, 6 to 8 years, 9 to 12 years, All Ages, Nursery, preschool

Preparation Time: 

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Topics: All-Age Activities, Bible, Centering, Community, Equality, First Day School Admin, First Day School Programs, Handout Samples, Ideas and Techniques, Integrity, Multiple Age-Group Classrooms, Peace, Quaker Faith & Practice, Quaker Process, Quaker Values, Service, Service Projects, Simplicity, Social Action, Spiritual Journeys, Stewardship, Teacher Training, Testimonies, Truth, Ways of Teaching

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