Challenges of Parish Religious Education

So much has changed in education in a relatively short amount of time. Some good and some not so good! However, there is a solid and growing movement in education to adapt to the 21^st Century (although we are already almost two decades in)! Parish religious education seems to be the slowest to accommodate change. It may be revealing to look at the educational landscape to identify challenges of parish religious education.

In the catechetical world, many Catholic schools have had the benefit of not only keeping up with but contributing to some of the exciting changes that are taking place in education. Unfortunately, few parishes have had the awareness or wherewithal to even attempt implementing meaningful change in their classrooms or instruction. Common challenges include declining enrollment, continued (or increasing) difficulty in getting volunteer catechists, negative feedback from children and/or parents about the program, lack of parent interest, involvement or fear of how to help their child develop faith, and the list goes on. There may be a recognition of common challenges but few consider other factors such as changes in formal education.

So, what is different in education in today’s classroom that may be of interest to the catechetical world?

If you think about what we teach, then not much! We teach Scripture and Tradition and all things related. However, if you look at the educational space, practically everything has changed from the way you and I were educated! Let’s see what’s happening in education today that determine the challenges of parish religious education programs.

Student vs. Learner

The foundation of the educational system in the United States was to educate for factory work, as that was the predominate need in the country at the time. Grade level curriculum was developed in a progressive manner so that by the end of twelfth grade, students would have enough basic knowledge and maturity to hold down similar type jobs.

The approach of the teacher was to fill the empty vessels (students) with knowledge. There was little required on the part of the student other than to do the required work. In other words, students are taught to be compliant to the system.

Today’s student is considered more of a learner, which places more of an active role on the child. Learners are more interested and engaged, and more likely to succeed based on their own motivation rather than that of the teacher. Personalized learning (tailoring instruction so that it addresses each learner’s unique needs and preferences versus instructing everyone the same way) is allowing more engagement with students leading to better success rates. Think of learning styles, in that we each have a specific way we learn best, which is not the same style for everyone! Basically speaking, learning is now student focused and the teacher takes more of a facilitator role.

Teacher vs. Facilitator

Think back to your favorite teacher and picture them in the classroom. We’re they at the chalkboard? Chances are they were. That’s because the previous system was teacher-driven. The teacher was considered the font of knowledge and the student was the empty vessel.

Today’s teachers realize it’s not about them! Of course, the teacher is in control of all aspects of what happens in the classroom, but they realize that if the student is not engaged they are not likely learning. They realize that it is not about teaching memorization of facts as much as it is engaging with the content, understanding the principles at work and the implications of the content, and leading them to attempt to recreate or even develop possible solutions to the challenges. Teachers have become facilitators to students to foster critical thinking, synthesis of ideas, and creative problem solving.

In the religious education classroom, we have wonderfully devoted people who usually are not professional educators, much less facilitators. They usually teach using their favorite learning method. Arts and crafts for the younger children, reading from the book for intermediate, and lectures for the older ones. The challenge is that students are learning in many ways throughout their formative years, and while these approaches have many benefits, there are many other ways students prefer to be engaged with learning, that could be considered.

Limited vs. Limitless Curriculum

Today, it is recognized that students, even in college, are being prepared for jobs that do not yet exist! How can we prepare students for something that we cannot see? The result is to prepare learners not to a set of defined and limited curriculum, but in a way that enables students to take the reigns of critical thinking, problem solving, and leading their learning not to our checklist, but where they can create and exceed our curriculum expectations based on their own motivations.

Both Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge focus on cognitive levels and their progression in learning. They move from remembering and recall, to applying and understanding skills and concepts, to analyzing and evaluating, and strategic thinking, to creating and extended thinking. If all we do in the parish classroom is ask students to recall and remember, they will never be challenged to analyze, evaluate, think strategically or create. If ignored, this limited approach will provide additional challenges for parish religious education. Learners and curriculum should intentionally be challenged and led to higher forms of cognitive development.

Parent vs. Educator

Have you ever accused parents at your parish of having a “drop-off” mentality? That is, parents drop-off their children at religious education classes with the expectation that we will teach their child all they need to know about faith, thus removing the obligation from the parents themselves?

We all know that the Church promotes the parents as the primary educators of faith, so how do we reconcile the parent’s role versus the parish’s responsibility? Some dioceses and many parishes are taking a proactive role in solving this problem. Current approaches and solutions have been implemented from sending home handouts to holding monthly family faith programs to mandated family education programs.

Ironically, in most cases, neither the parent nor parish catechist is a professional educator. This provide substantial challenges for parish religious education. However, there is a consensus that parents need to take more direct and intentional responsibility for the faith development of their children. How can we assist them in this movement and responsibility?

Classroom vs. Dynamic Learning Space

Today’s classrooms are designed to reflect the ways students learn. Since teachers are now facilitators of learning, students take on more decision-making about what they learn and at what pace. Therefore, there is not a need for a large teacher desk at the center of the front of the room. In fact, chalkboards have been replaced with dry erase boards, and many of those today are mobile. Mobile desks have become a main stay because of the need to go from large group to small groups in a matter of seconds. Many schools even have mobile chairs! All of these changes have led to a dynamic learning space where students are engaged and excited about learning.

Environment, especially classrooms, is one of the most overlooked areas in our parishes. Because we generally operate on a “we don’t have any money” mentality, I have heard of parish catechetical leaders (PCLs) say they couldn’t even afford pencils. We become challenged when we lose our vision and hope. Too many parishes have dated classrooms but do not feel that is important enough to address. Their concern is on books and materials, volunteers and enrollment. I believe ignoring the learning space is one of the least recognized challenges of parish religious education.

Old Technology vs. Digital Technology

I remember two absolute necessities for school; a spiral notebook and a sharpened pencil. Of course, you’d better have an eraser on that pencil! Today, kids still need pencil and paper, but they have grown up with digital technology. Chances are, even if a kid over 12 forgets their pencil, they still have a smart phone with them. The reality is that kids approach life differently than adults because of the influence of technology as they have grown up. Social media broadens their scope to the social extreme in ways that are difficult for many older folks to understand. The result is that digital technology has become such an important part of the lives of youth it cannot be ignored. Virtually all schools have embraced digital technologies in many ways from instruction and assessment to parent engagement, to emotional learning and record keeping. They see it and address it.

This contributes to the many challenges of parish religious education in that many in parish leadership do not realize that technology is essential to use with today’s learners. Some parishes have provided a basic infrastructure of Wi-Fi and flat screens in classrooms, but volunteer catechists struggle to know how to use it. Others use money as the reason for not moving in the direction or simply aren’t interested as if the way we have always done it is best.

What are your thoughts?

These examples are only some of the challenges of parish religious education that we face today as religious educators. Please consider the questions below and share your thoughts or comments.

• What additional challenges do you face?
• What solutions can you recommend?