Catechist - a classy person. Curriculum for innovative pedagogical preparation for teaching religion
Project title
Catechist - a classy person. Curriculum for innovative pedagogical preparation for teaching religion
Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries
Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie (The Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw)
Name of programme
Operational Programme Smart Growth
Competition
Competencies in higher education
Project value
PLN 253 793.51
Funding value
PLN 246 098.51
Project delivery period
from 01/08/2019 until 31/10/2022
Get to know our team
Have a look at the outcome of our work
What problem does our project solve?
The project "Catechist - a classy person" solves the problem of pedagogical preparation for teaching religion, which in its previous form has not always equipped future religion teachers with skills and competencies useful in today's schools. Participants in the project - in line with the three important dimensions of formation: to be, to know, to be able to act - through individual meetings with a counsellor discovered their strengths and weaknesses relevant to the didactic process. They also went through a series of classes that expanded on the latest knowledge, and through additional practical activities and training, they developed their ability to work not only with students, but also with their parents and other school employees. Particularly valuable was the participation of alumni of higher theological seminaries who will be able to work at the school after graduation. It is this group of teachers that is sometimes stereotyped and accused of lacking adequate preparation. Participants in the project will be able to help dispel this stereotype.
Who will benefit from the outcomes of the project?
The results of the project 'Catechist - a classy person' will directly benefit graduates of theological studies who completed the curriculum of innovative pedagogical preparation for teaching religion. The innovation, which consists, among other things, in updating and enriching the study curriculum and, above all, personalising the training process, enabled the preparation of each participant in an individual way, based on their strengths. As teachers of religion, they will use the acquired knowledge, skills and competencies in their work at school, so that the results of the project will also indirectly benefit the students, their parents and other employees of the schools where the persons who participated in the project will be employed.
What was the most challenging aspect of the implementation of the project for us?
The greatest challenge during the implementation of the project was the restriction in the possibility of holding internships, due to restrictions in the operation of educational and childcare facilities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Another difficulty was a coordination of activities taking place in three establishments, which in times of the pandemic was somewhat facilitated by the use of modern technology. An independent reason that impeded the implementation of the project was a decreasing number of participants who, for reasons unrelated to the project, lost their student status or, for personal reasons, prolonged their studies, with the consequence that they left the project. This was all the more difficult as, according to the declarations of some of them, they were still interested in participating in the innovative pedagogical preparation for teaching religion.
Our advice to other Applicants
When designing activities, it is worth considering flexible enough implementation paths to allow, where possible, participants who, for example, due to difficulties in completing their basic course of study, are doing so in a different form than they had planned.