Citizenship and Children

GRADES THREE TO SIX: CREATING A ‘COMMUNITY OF CONSCIENCE’

Already developing their compassion, these children are ready to examine injustices. This prepares them to become part of a ‘community of conscience’ referred to in the bishops’ statement.

At school:

1. As a lead-in for a discussion, read the quote of St. Teresa together and come up with three ways to be the hands, eyes, and feet of Christ in your classroom and the larger school community. Periodically check in with each other: are we remembering to do Christ’s work? What are new ways to try?

2. Help children understand the numerous advantages of creating a strong community. After-school care groups, clubs and scout troops, or religious education classes can find unique and fulfilling ways to reach out to others.

An example: an artistic leader of a 4H group could pair up with an activity director at a residence for assisted living. Together, they can create an intergenerational community by offering art classes for the children and residents. Watercolor painting, knitting, and woodworking are some possibilities for both generations to learn together and to teach one another. Encourage both age groups to take increased responsibility for the content, materials, etc. If the participants are willing to pray together, suggest that.

3. Together, decide on a topic of social injustice of interest to your children, such as hunger and food insecurity in American children. Assist them in researching this topic. Designate a place where students can post this information, and encourage them to add more regularly. Find out if it is possible to have this posted right outside your classroom, where others will also benefit from seeing it. Placing it there, you can encourage students to find ways of making it more attention getting, more clearly laid out, etc.

4. If this is an election time, find out which candidates on state and national levels address the issue your students are researching and see where they stand.

5. You can also use this issue to study CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS. An example: if your topic is hunger in America, discuss “Rights and Responsibilities”:

• It is the child’s right to have adequate and healthy food. Whose responsibility is it to provide this?
• What if parents or other family members cannot provide it? Who then is responsible?
• What are the causes of this hunger? If the cause is the result of human actions, then does this change who is responsible?

6. Check to see if it is possible for older children to tutor younger ones in reading. Make certain the tutors know how to do this. Point out that the tutors are taking a responsibility to give other children their right to read.

7. Encourage children to learn of additional issues. Catholic Relief Services has an excellent website which will introduce readers to many issues.

8. The program Pennies for Peace addresses the lack of education of children in Central Asia. It is a fun program that enables American children to impact their sisters and brothers far away in a very concrete and positive way. It is also a program easily implemented and can be organized and run mainly by children. This could be done by one classroom, an entire school, a religious education program what reaches out to the parish for this, etc.

At home:

1. As a lead-in for a discussion, read the quote of St. Teresa together and come up with three ways to be the hands, eyes, and feet of Christ at home, with extended family members and friends, and in your neighborhood and parish. Periodically check in with each other: are we remembering to do Christ’s work? What are new ways to try?

2. As a family, decide on a topic of social injustice of interest to your children, such as hunger and food insecurity in American children. Research this topic—they will probably be better at doing this research than you! Establish a place in your home where children can post the information, and encourage them to add more regularly. Refer to any new information regularly.

3. If this is election time, find out which candidates on state and national levels address this particular issue and see where they stand.

4. Family discussions lead to tremendous learning for a child. Use the issue your family is researching to study CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHINGS. An example: if your topic is hunger in America, discuss “Rights and Responsibilities”:

5. Encourage children to learn of additional issues. Catholic Relief Services has an excellent website which will introduce readers to many issues.

6. During election time, you can discuss the candidates’ views with your children. Then explain your values and how they affect your decisions at election times.

7. Take your child with you to the voting polls if possible.

8. The program Pennies for Peace addresses the lack of education of children in Central Asia. It is a fun program that enables American children to impact their sisters and brothers far away in a very concrete and positive way. It is also a program easily implemented and can be organized and run mainly by children. Consider doing this as a family, an extended family, a neighborhood, etc.