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Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors
Inclusion in Worship
High School Teacher Guide
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever observed an .outsider,. a
young person standing alone near a
group of teens involved in some
activity? At a time in life when peer
acceptance is so important, and
individuals can be so self-conscious, the
reasons for a teen.s isolation may be the
.wrong. clothes or a disability. No
matter the reason, isolation is always
painful.
This lesson addresses the challenge of
inclusion for young teens today. Using
a passage from St. Paul.s first letter to
the Corinthians, you and your students
will reflect together and explore the
nature of .giftedness. and .disability..
OBJECTIVES OF THIS LESSON
Students will:
-
gain insights into their own giftedness
and limitations and the giftedness
and limitation of others;
-
come to appreciate the gifts of each
person, including those with
disabilities;
-
discover some of the limitations
experienced and adaptations used by
people with disabilities; and
-
join with others in prayer for the
inclusion and appreciation of all.
PREPARE YOURSELF
Begin by reading through the student
lesson. Then, prayerfully think about
your own experiences with disabilities.
If possible gather with other teachers to
discuss ad share your won ideas and
feelings. Pathways Awareness
Foundation.s 20-minute video, Open
Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors, is a
helpful starting point for discussion. The
video and its accompanying booklet
may be available in your parish library.
If not, you may call 1-800-955-2445 and
schedule a free screening with a
Pathways representative to obtain a free
copy.
Since you are teaching high school
students, consider whether the
videotape would be valuable for your
class to view after they have studied this
lesson with you.
PREPARE MATERIALS
Make copies of the two lists of
commands on the next page simulation
activity described in the lesson. Provide
cotton earplugs for each student. Have
at least one Bible, if not copy for each
student.
TEACHING HINTS
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Before you distribute the lesson
paper: Write the letters .MVP. on the
board or on newsprint. Tell students the
letters will stand for .Most Valuable
person. today, and ask them to help you
make a list of valuable people and some
of their gifts. For instance, students
might list .mom. because she helps her
kids with homework, or friend .Joe.
because he.s great at math.
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Read from the Bible: If you like,
have copies for each student, but read
this passage aloud yourself, with
appropriate emphasis and feeling. Ask
students if they know anyone who has
any of the gifts Paul listed in this
passage (wisdom in discourse, power to
express knowledge, faith, healing, and
prophecy). Remark that Paul only wrote
a partial list of gifts here.
-
Distribute the lesson paper: Read
The Most Valuable Player story aloud.
(student lesson page one) Then direct
students to read Different Gifts, All
Needed (student lesson page one)
silently and fill in the blanks naming their
own and others. gifts. (Examples of gifts
could include athletic, artistic or
academic abilities, etc.) Spend some
time discussing this section when all
have finished.
Read the first two paragraphs of We All
Have Gifts aloud (student lesson page
two). Get the whole class involved
answering the question about some
disabilities they know (for example:
people who cannot see, hear or walk;
people who have difficulty speaking;
people with depressed spirits; people
addicted to drugs or alcohol).
Read the rest of the section aloud,
stopping to encourage students to
answer the questions together.
-
Written Activities: Guide students
in doing the activity in More Able than
We Think (student lesson page three).
Have them work together in pairs or
threes. Discuss the ways to welcome
people who have disabilities listed in this
section.
-
Simulation Activity: Ask
students to divide into pairs. Distribute
the following lists of commands, giving
half of the students list .A. and their
partners list "B."
List A:
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Sit down.
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Clap three times.
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Bunny, pink.
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Jump up.
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Wave your right hand.
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Go to the door.
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Mom and Dad.
List B:
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Shut your eyes.
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Smile.
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Book, paper,
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Shake my hand.
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Run in place.
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Bend your knees.
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Red white and blue.
Give each student cotton or earplugs (or
ask them to plug their ears with their
fingers).
Ask Students with list "A" to
read each command softly and wait for
their partner to respond by doing that
command. Then ask students with list
"B" to do the same.
Note: Two commands per list are
nonsense commands meant to make
the exercise more challenging.
Use the questions in the student paper
under .Questions to Consider. to lead a
discussion of the experience (student
lesson page four). -
Prayer: Give Students time to write
a petition that can be prayed aloud
during the prayer service. You might
want to have students work in pairs to
write a petition. When all petitions are
written, gather students in a prayer
circle and lead them in the simple
Prayer That All People May Be
Included (student lesson page four).
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