-Children in this age range are divided into three multi-aged groups

-The year is divided into three-week blocks. Each block explores a story in three different ways, through three different 'intelligences'. Please see the multiple intelligences page on our webiste, which explains multiple intelligences a bit more. I think if you just look at the page with any particular story in mind, it will help you to broaden your thinking about how that story might be explored!

-This year's block themes will follow a 'UU Identity and UU History' focus. We will begin with a block on the UU principles and then will study the stories of some of our UU Heroes (including many who we have honored by naming our rooms after them at UUFR). At the end of the year we will explore the story of our own congregation's history, honoring our Founders (after whom we have named our social hall 'Founders Hall'.)

-Each week these children gather in the sanctuary to share the first part of the worship service in the sanctuary with our Fellowship community. Following a time for all ages, they leave the service and each week they go to a different location for a 'workshop'. The location of workshop rotation class changes from week to week as each of our workshop rotation spaces is suited best for the particular workshop that is held in it.

-Each class is accompanied by two workshop 'guides'. These volunteer teachers form relationships with students, address discipline issues, and take care of the administrative duties of teaching, such as taking attendance and ensuring the room is left in good order.

-The workshops are led by adults who volunteer for a one-time commitment to lead an exciting project that explores the story in a unique way. Ideally, this allows the kids to meet and get to know lots of the adults in our congregation. It also allows them to benefit from the creativity and talent of the adult congregation, as workshop leaders can create a workshop to lead with all three groups that involves their passion or talent. For example, a woodworker may come up with a workshop that uses woodworking to explore a story. They might do it for three weeks in a row with all three groups. In other cases, volunteers lead workshops that are planned by the DRE for one to three weeks. In these cases they get to spend time meeting our wonderful kids without much preparation.

-It allows us to use 'non classroom' spaces, which facilitated the addition of new classes this year as our program grows.

-It allows us to do activities that engage all types of learners.

-It helps our kids to really KNOW stories, as they hear them for three weeks in a row and explore them in three different ways.

-It helps our kids to meet and form relationships with more adults in our congregation.

-It allows adults who cannot commit to on-going teaching to spend time with our children.

-It helps us turn the talents and passions of adults into EXCITING workshops for our kids! Teaching 'what you know' or 'what you love' goes a long way!

-We still need some 'workshop guides'

-We still need class parents for all three classes! This position is responsible for coordinating teachers' schedules and encouraged to organize one social event for the families of children in the class.

-We are booking workshop leaders as we go this year! If you have a particular talent, talk with the DRE about turning it into a workshop! We also have some workshops in mind, but seek adults who can commit to one to three weeks of leading them. I welcome any questions you have and I will continue to update you on this new model of RE! I do hope that the workshops will make our stories come alive for our children!

With warm Regards,

Tryst Chagnon Director of Religious Education, UU Fellowship of Raleigh