Reaching the Teachers

In 2002 the Diocese continued its efforts to give teachers the tools and knowledge needed to be classroom leaders.

"There are things, new needs, new distractions, new challenges, and we try to tell them how we can meet them," said Elise Antreassian, director of religious education at the Diocese.  "Sunday School teachers need to know how to reach a child who might not think of God the rest of the week."

Diocesan staff worked with a new Sunday School in 2002, guiding the Armenian Church of Nashville, TN, as it launched its own Sunday School program.

The mission parish has an uphill battle to build a Sunday School, as they do not meet the same day each month and they have a smaller community.  But in this inaugural year of the program, they've seen about seven kids attend regularly, and the students seem to be getting something out of the experience.

"We felt it was very important to have a Sunday School, because we value the religious education of our children," said Tina Yahnian, the Sunday School superintendent in Nashville.  "If we build a strong foundation, our church will continue to thrive throughout the years."

Key to making the endeavor a success is the handful of volunteers who teach and coordinate the program.  Also important was the expert guidance the community received from the Diocese as the program got started.

"The Diocese has been a great help," Ms. Yahnian said.  "We were fortunate to have assistance in getting our program started.  We have received weekly communication and the Diocese has donated books."

Besides meeting with the Sunday School teachers of the Nashville mission parish, the Diocesan Department of Religious Education also offered a two-part adult-education seminar on the Divine Liturgy to those parishioners.

Diocesan staff also held workshops for teachers in a variety of parishes during 2002.  Two big regional workshops were held at the St. John Church of Southfield, MI, and the St. Mesrob Church of Racine, WI.

That workshop, called "Curriculum for a New Age," discussed innovative ways to convey information and engage children.  It focused on new ways Sunday School teachers can approach teaching and how to overcome some of the unique challenges they face.

In 2003 the Diocese will hold similar workshops, but with a slightly different focus.  Instead of just giving teachers the tools to be better educators, the Diocese will bring parents into the mix by holding workshops for both Sunday School teachers and parents.  The Diocese will also provide guidance to teachers on how they can involve parents more in their parish education programs.

In the summer of 2002, the Diocese also brought Sunday School leaders from 10 local parishes to New York's Diocesan Center for training through the weeklong Mardigian Institute, designed to give parish teachers the tools, ideas, and confidence to teach the badarak and the Armenian faith to our youngest members.

"Our kids are the most important treasure of the Armenian Church," said Institute participant Leiza Bouroujian, who is in her first year teaching Sunday School at the St. James Church of Richmond, VA.  "If we educate them properly and emphasize the importance of their faith, they'll grow up to be better Christian Armenians."