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The special project site
The special project site
The Commission on Catechetical and Religious Education (COMCARE) of the San Antonio de Padua Parish is a religious education arm responsible for faith formation activities. From mid-March to late April 2025, COMCARE conducted a total of ten (10) hours of catechesis to first-time recipients of Holy Communion, made up mostly of children aged 10-12 years old. By the end of the classes, learners are expected: to memorize the basic prayers; to understand the importance of the liturgy; and to know their faith. However, needs analyses revealed that COMCARE’s educational design process faces several challenges including frequent, last-minute instructional design changes, catechists’ diversified teaching approaches and tenure, and a lack of learner assessments. The First Communion of the learners was held on May 17, 2025.
The Learning Environment
COMCARE catechesis classes are held at different rooms in the San Antonio de Padua Parish (SADPP) Parañaque. These rooms are the San Antonio Hall on the first floor and a room of the second floor of the New Building. Both are beside the main church. The rooms are spacious and well-lit. There are enough tables and chairs to handle at least 35 learners, the average class size. While there are at least two (2) electric fans, the rooms still become uncomfortably warm. Only the San Antonio Hall has an air-conditioning unit; however, Church staff do not always allow it to be used for catechesis sessions. There are comfort rooms nearby for the learners, however they only have two cubicles in the female CR.
While observing, I sat either in front of the class helping with the slide presentation or at the back beside a few parents watching. The actual designing of instructional materials was done at my home.
The Schedule and Teaching Approach
Complete attendance of catechesis classes is required by learners in order to receive First Communion. The catechesis classes are held on weekends. There are six sections, one catechist per section, with around 35 students per class. The primary teacher is assisted by another catechist to note student attendance, to set-up the classroom, and to manage the learners; however, there are times when no assistant catechist is available. A Meta Messenger group chat is created for catechist-parent communication.
Three classes are held on Saturday and the other three on Sunday. On Saturday, there are two morning sessions held from 9:00am to 11:00am and one afternoon session held from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. As for Sunday, the time is the same but there is one class in the morning while there are two in the aftrnoon. Learners are allowed to swap or join classes with different catechists in case of schedule conflict. Each two-hour session covers two lessons. Ideally, each lesson is covered for around one hour. Learners are allowed a five-minute break, but often this extends to a ten (10) minutes.
Teachers primarily use live lectures and slide presentations embedded with text, images, videos, and songs for content delivery. No other print or digital materials are used. Learners are asked to bring a notebook, pen/pencil, and snacks and water. Assessments used are mostly formative -- primarily questions about the lessons, singing and following action songs, writing homework (writing the Ten Commandments, listing down sins committed, making a letter to Mama Mary, writing the basic prayers), praying, and demonstrations/practices of Confession and First Communion.
The Curriculum
COMCARE's catechesis lessons follow teachings from the Vatican II. Lessons are designed by the Head of COMCARE Sister Gertrudes "Todie" Tengco and senior catechist Sister Susan Loya. During an informal interview, Sister Todie shared that the goal of First Communion catechesis is for the children to know the basic prayers for absolution, to comprehend the significance of the liturgy, and to be familiar with their faith.
The catechists follow mostly an inquiry-based approach and relate the topics to learners' real lives. Each lesson is delivered in four phases with a main core value at the center:
Phase 1: Human Experience/Life Situation
Phase 2: Deepening/Value Development
Phase 3: Christian Message
A. Proclaiming the Word of God
B. Announcing the teaching of the Church
Doctrine
Moral Life
Worship
Phase 4: Christian Living (Faith Response)
Conviction
Commitment
Celebration
Sister Todie's Class - Week 1
The target learners/users
The target learners/users
The learners are mostly Filipino children aged 10-12 years old in Grades 5-7. There are about the same number of male and female learners in each class. The learners live close to the church. Some learners are in a stable financial situation while others are struggling. Learners can read and write in English and Filipino. The majority speak and prefer Filipino but a handful can understand English better.
The First Communicants are most engaged when watching videos and in practices. There were some very pro-active members of the class who often recite but many of them were shy. During lectures, some learners, especially the younger ones, easily get bored and are visibly distracted or falling sleep. Interviews with the learners show that they enjoy learning about their faith and participating in creative activities.
The Learning Style Questionnaire found that Sister Perry's students are mostly visual learners. Her learners often remember best by listening to a comprehensive lecture, often enjoy working with their hands; often best remember by picturing something in their mind, and often get information about what interests them by reading about it.
Analysis of the Prayers Pre-test scores found that only around a quarter (8 of 30) of Sister Perry's class had a high mastery of the Basic Prayers and Sign of the Cross. Most of the perfect scores answered the exam in English.
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