TOB JUNE CURRICULUM UPDATE

Summer 2016 marks the debut of our Theology of the Body PreK-12 curriculum for the upcoming school year. The Holy Spirit and the spirit of Saint John Paul II have been the wind in our sails as we make great time in this first release of this authentic, age-appropriate Theology of the Body material. A blessed team of talented writers, designers, priests, school and parish administrators, educators, communicators and volunteers have been making a gift of self to bring this inspiration to life for every school-age child.

HIGH SCHOOL RELEASE SCHEDULE

The high school release is first. Over three years in formation, the high school Theology of the Body curriculum, Called to be More, conforms seamlessly with the pattern of teaching set down by the USCCB. This enables Catholic high school teachers to integrate Theology of the Body beautifully into the schedule they currently follow – using the elements that work best for their particular teaching style and tailored to the needs of their students.

The first four semesters of online material will be released in August 2016: • The Revelation of Jesus Christ in Scripture
• Who is Jesus Christ?
• The Mission of Jesus Christ (The Paschal Mystery)
• Jesus Christ’s Mission Continues in the Church.
These units will be available for trial or to purchase by the end of August and can be ordered through RuahWoodsPress.com click on the Free Trial link that will be available then. The imprimatur and nihil obstat are currently under consideration (we are due to hear by mid-July) and approval is pending. The cost of the program is $5 per student per semester. (Our pricing objective is to make this attainable for every Catholic high school student in the US.)

The balance of the high school courses will be produced and released through 2017 and 2018. These courses were conceived and written by Emily Macke, a mother and educator who has a MTS from the John Paul II Institute. They are graced by the photographic work of Corynne Hogan and videography of Nick Staresinic, (both Franciscan University graduates). Each course enables teachers to journey with their students through the tenets of our faith in light of Theology of the Body. They include prayer, lessons, young adult testimonial videos, discussion questions and more and can be experienced on smart board, desktop, mobile devices or by printout. The piloted version has already received high praise from high schools in the Greater Cincinnati area.

PreK-4 PILOT SCHEDULE

The grade school writing process for the Theology of the Body curriculum is well underway. In keeping with the vision of Karol Wojtyla (Pope St. John Paul II), this level of curriculum is literature-based. For young Karol, using the most artistic language of the culture – plays, poetry, prose – was the best way to hold fast to the truths of what makes us human – even in the midst of the great atrocities he witnessed through WWII.

Award-winning children’s literature, beautifully written and illustrated, is the leaping-off point for a delightful journey through themes of Theology of the Body. Each grade level will ultimately feature 2-3 works of literature and a companion Teacher’s Guide to inspire students to grasp the most basic concepts in Theology of the Body with activities and exercises designed to incorporate all of the senses. It is lovingly written and designed by JPII Institute for Marriage and Family graduates, Molly Power and Katherine Quan.

A Pilot Unit featuring one work of literature and Teacher’s Guide has been created for grades PreK through 4. The pilot materials are being offered to schools and parish catechetical programs throughout the Archdiocese of Cincinnati free of charge for the 2016-17 school year. Materials will be delivered to educators in August. The deadline for pastors, principals, or DREs to sign up for the program is June 10, 2016. To register, contact the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis (or pastors, principals, and DREs in the diocese are invited to register here).

Pending successful response to the pilot, finished materials for PreK through 4^th grade are anticipated to be ready for the 2017-2018 school year. Development of grade 5-8 materials will follow.