Special Ed Religion Classes

By Mary Lou Rosien
May 4, 2010

I had to pull my daughter out of formal faith formation classes this year.  It was a frustrating decision for me, because she understood the faith content of the class, but she is cognitively delayed and couldn’t manage the bookwork for the course.

This has generated some discussion in my parish about whether there is a way to modify coursework or possibly even set up Special Ed religion classes.  Another parent brought up the opposite issue, but one having the same result.  For some students, the work or the level of understanding of the faith is too simplistic.

As faith formation has evolved, so has education.  Consider opening up these discussions and possible solutions in your own parishes.  We now acknowledge that children do not always benefit from the same style of teaching, the same coursework, or the same level of information.  How can we change the way we teach to specially challenged or gifted students?

Do we need different books, locations, or volunteers who have knowledge in these areas?  Can we personalize classes or offer home-study classes for kids who just don’t ‘fit’ into the regular realm of faith formation classes.  Most parishes are now requiring catechists to complete a certification program to teach the faith.  Should some information in identifying and teaching children with special needs be a part of that certification process?

In this column I cannot answer all these questions.  I will keep you, blessed reader, updated if we make any progress in these areas.  I would appreciate any updates from you on how your parishes are handling these challenges effectively.  God bless.

Write to me at mrosien@rochester.rr.com

Mary Lou Rosien is a Catholic wife, mother to seven and has been a Catechist off and on for 30 years. She is trained as a social worker and parent/family coach. She is also a literacy volunteer in the public school system. Several of her own children have disabilities including Asperger's (a mild form of autism), Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Learning Disorders, ADHD and Anxiety Issues. Her 16 year-old daughter had surgery two years ago for a Chiari I malformation of the brain and has recovered beautifully! She is a columnist for Our Sunday Visitor Online and is the author of, "Managing Stress with the Help of Your Catholic Faith" (OSV Publishing).

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