St. James Academy
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St. James Academy |
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Fr. Callaham
This
class meets once a week for the entire
academic year and is taught by The Rev. Arthur Callaham.
The faith development curriculum in sixth grade is designed to introduce
students to the traditions and values of the Episcopal Church through the
examination of Holy Scripture and the Rites of the Church.
Students are thus equipped to begin the lifelong task of creating meaning
out of their experiences. This
process of formation applies not only to their own lives, but also to their
families, faith communities, and the world around them.
The
focus of this course is on practical questions Middle Schoolers typically face
as they encounter questions of ultimate meaning, often for the first time in a
formal, reflective setting. Through
reading, reflection, discussion, writing, and participation students will begin
to connect the issues and the questions they encounter in the course material to
their everyday lives.
The
Bible is the most published and widely read single volume in the history of the
world. As such it serves as more
than simply the foundational text for the three, major, monotheistic religions
of the West but it serves also as a significant marker for world culture in
general. For both of these reasons,
we will begin our exploration of matter of faith in the sixths grade with a
cursory reading of the major stories of the biblical narrative.
Beginning, in the fall, with the biblical account of creation we will
work our way through the Bible’s account of the relationship between God and
human kind, focusing specifically on the covenantal relationships that God
established with Abraham, Moses, the Kings of Israel and the Jewish community in
both exile and return. In the
winter, we will shift our attention to the related accounts of the life of Jesus
Christ and the early Christians as recorded in the narrative books of the New
Testament. Throughout our study, significant, repeated themes will be raised up
for the student’s consideration.
During
the Spring Trimester, we will engage C.S. Lewis as conversation partner in our
exploration of biblical themes. Lewis’
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe,
is heralded in both academic and religious circles as, perhaps, the prime
example of the use of biblical themes in the development of quality, juvenile
liturature. Thus, as the year comes
to a close, we will endeavor a close reading of this text and try to recognize
the biblical themes as we encounter them.
It
is fine for students to listen to these books. CD’s, Tapes and MP3’s are
available at the public libraries, bookstores (on-line also) and downloadable at
www.audible.com.
But perhaps the best method of all is just reading the text aloud. The
subsequent discussions are well worth the time.
This is a graded course. Evaluation will be based primarily upon the student’s
completed study guides, class presentations, class participation, and reports.
Parents and students are
encouraged to contact Fr. Callaham with questions and concerns either via
e-mail: acallaham@saintjames.org or
at the parish office: 410-771-4466.
In an attempt to reduce the
number of pages of printed material distributed in this class and to ensure that
an appropriate amount of material can be covered in our once-per-week class
format, this course makes maximum use of available internet technologies.
The foundation of these on-line resources is the class Moodle page which
can be accessed by pointing your browser to: http://saintjamesacademy.org/moodle/course/view.php?id=19
. This
page can also be accessed from the student resources page of the general academy
website.
Generally,
students will be expected to find and complete their weekly homework assignments
online. Occasionally, and most
particularly in the event of school closure or missed classes, additional course
material will be presented in electronic format. Students will also be able to
access their individual course grades online, so that they will be able to track
their progress through the course.
It is imperative that both
students and parents become both familiar and comfortable in the use of the
available internet technology. During
the first week of the course and periodically throughout the year, students will
be instructed in the appropriate and efficient use of on-line assignments.
I will also make myself available to parents during “Parent Teacher
Night” for individual questions. Furthermore,
I will be more than happy to answer questions from both parents and students at
any time during the year.