• 5 Ways to Practice Generosity with Kids
• 5 Ways to Practice Justice and Mercy with Kids
• 5 Ways to Pray with Kids
• 5 Ways to Retell a Bible Story with Kids
• 5 Ways to Wonder with Kids
• 10 Sure Fire Ways to Engage Junior High School Students
• 11 Tips for Catechists
• 15 Ideas to Bring Religious Education to Life
• 17 Ways to Present Bible Stories
• Religious Education Lessons for All Learners
• Techniques for Building Community
• Template for Evangelizing Catechesis Session

Click here to download all the above articles in one packet.

Online Resources

Use the following websites to supplement your learning about how to teach faith formation.

Catechist.com

Catechist.com: https://www.catechist.com

Catechist.com serves catechists and catechetical leaders in parish religious education and formation programs, and religion teachers in Catholic schools. Catechist.com provides reliable catechetical formation with insightful articles about Scripture, the sacraments, liturgy and prayer, and Church history, dogma, and Tradition.

Check out the following sections for articles on teaching ideas and strategies: 

• Classroom Management Articles
• Lessons and Activities

Catechist Journey

(Developed by Joe Paprocki, Loyola Press): https://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com 

Catechist Journey includes articles, activities, and teaching ideas and strategies organized into several sections: Being a Catechist, Topics We Teach, Liturgical Seasons and Feasts, Spiritual Growth, and Discipleship. Check out the following sections and articles on teaching ideas and strategies:

Teaching Skills

• Find a variety of articles on teaching methods and approaches  

Here are three examples of the articles in the Teaching Skills section:

• Seven Activity Types That Require No Materials for Participants
• Best Practices for Creating a Welcoming Learning Environment
• Incorporating Movement into Faith Formation Sessions

Art and Music in Catechesis

Find a variety of methods and activities for integrating art and music into your classes 

The Religious Teacher

(Developed by Jared Dees): https://www.thereligionteacher.com

Find a variety of teaching approaches, methods, ideas, and activities on The Religion Teacher website. Here is a sampling of some of the resources you will find online. 

• The Religion Teacher’s Guide to Lesson Planning
• Lesson Plan Templates
• Graphic Organizers

The R3 Framework: Read, Reflect, and Respond: These three steps lead our students into an encounter with Christ: Read to learn about Christ. (Learn), Reflect to love Christ. (Meditate), Respond to live with Christ. (Pray, Contemplate, Act). https://www.thereligionteacher.com/re3 

Seven Scaffolding Ideas for Teachers: Using a scaffolding approach to teaching means providing support while students learn new ideas. https://www.thereligionteacher.com/seven-scaffolding-strategies/

Lesson Planning Checklist: A three step process with ideas and templates for lesson planning: https://www.thereligionteacher.com/lesson-planning-checklist/

Catholic Worksheets: https://www.thereligionteacher.com/catholic-worksheets/ 

Teaching Strategies: https://www.thereligionteacher.com/category/teaching-strategies

Edutopia

https://www.edutopia.org

Edutopia is a great source for the latest teaching ideas and strategies. Use the menu and search features to find the information you need. Here is a sample of the teaching articles online at Edutopia:

The Research on Life-Changing Teaching

https://www.edutopia.org/article/research-life-changing-teaching

8 Evidence-Based Tips to Make Your Lectures More Engaging—and Memorable

https://www.edutopia.org/article/8-evidence-based-tips-make-your-lectures-more-engaging-and-memorable

Talk Less So Students Learn More

https://www.edutopia.org/article/talk-less-so-students-learn-more

6 Exercises to Get to Know Your Students Better—and Increase Their Engagement

https://www.edutopia.org/article/6-exercises-get-know-your-students-better-and-increase-their-engagement

3 Ways to Ask Questions That Engage the Whole Class

https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-ways-ask-questions-engage-whole-class

19 Big and Small Classroom Management Strategies

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/big-and-small-classroom-management-strategies-todd-finley

22 Powerful Closure Activities

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/22-powerful-closure-activities-todd-finley

Demonstrating Self-Regulation With Tone of Voice

https://www.edutopia.org/video/demonstrating-self-regulation-tone-voice

Using Hand Signals for More Equitable Discussions

https://www.edutopia.org/video/using-hand-signals-more-equitable-discussions

4 Steps to Discussing Challenging Behavior With a Student

https://www.edutopia.org/article/4-steps-discussing-challenging-behavior-student

Promoting Student-Led Learning in Elementary School

https://www.edutopia.org/article/promoting-student-led-learning-elementary-school

Teaching Students How to Have Meaningful Conversations

https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-students-how-have-meaningful-conversations

7 Ways to Teach Kids to Manage Their Own Conflicts 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-ways-teach-kids-manage-their-own-conflicts

Teacher Moves That Cultivate Learner Agency

https://www.edutopia.org/article/teacher-moves-cultivate-learner-agency

Using Inquiry to Support Deeper Learning

https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-inquiry-support-deeper-learning

What the Heck Is Inquiry-Based Learning?

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron

Inquiry-Based Learning: The Power of Asking the Right Questions

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/inquiry-based-learning-asking-right-questions-georgia-mathis

 Discover, Discuss, Demonstrate: Using Inquiry-Based Learning to Keep Students Engaged

https://www.edutopia.org/article/discover-discuss-demonstrate-using-inquiry-based-learning-keep-students-engaged

4 Ways to Encourage Students to Ask Questions

https://www.edutopia.org/article/4-ways-encourage-students-ask-questions

Proactive Classroom Management Tips

https://www.edutopia.org/article/8-proactive-classroom-management-tips

60 Second Strategy – Videos

Learning strategies communicated in a one-minute video on 40 different topics including listening strategies, community building ideas, guided meditation, giving feedback, cooperative learning, reflection activities, closure activities.

https://www.edutopia.org/search?query=60-Second%20Strategy

Building a Joyful Classroom Community

https://www.edutopia.org/article/building-joyful-classroom-community

30 Techniques to Quiet a Noisy Class

https://www.edutopia.org/topic/teaching-strategies