Preparing to Teach a Lesson

1. Always pray before you prepare and before you teach your classes. Call on the power of the Holy Spirit to inspire you with His love and truth so that you can be an effective catechist. Your conviction of the truth will make a difference in how the faith is absorbed by the students.
2. Read the Chapter Summary and the Chapter Overview Chart to familiarize yourself with the aims and the flow of the lesson. The Teacher/Catechist Manual provides engaging dialogue to present the truths of the faith fully. Sidebars (Digging Deeper, Living the Virtues, and Teaching Tips) are also provided to give teachers a foundation for the information being taught. If there is a topic for which you would like more background to prepare your lesson, see the Catechism references and other online resources that are provided.
3. Don't skip the Preparing My Heart section on the Chapter Summary Page. It includes quoted passages from Scripture, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or a saint, along with reflection questions. The purpose of this section is to evangelize and enlighten you so that you may become an effective witness to the faith.
4. Review vocabulary words for the chapter. Each chapter has Words to Know. Students will be assessed on these definitions. In longer definitions, the first sentence will be the formal definition that the students will be expected to memorize. Any subsequent sentences that are in italics provide helpful context but will not be required for memorization.
5. Utilize the Ecclesial Method. This 5-step lesson plan is the same routine for each chapter and each grade level. This method is particularly effective because it gradually reveals the truths of Divine Revelation and calls those being catechized to conversion and discipleship.

Helpful lesson planning guides for K-5 Parish Catechists can be found here.

Simplified Lesson Plans (45-minute and 75-minute) for Parish Catechists are available in the Resource Library.