Catholic Morality
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This semester course is designed to focuses on moral development for the high school student. A prime question posed throughout the course is “What kind of person am I becoming, and what kind of person do I want to become?”
The course offers a Catholic answer to these questions, centering on Jesus as the model of full humanness and looking at the virtues of Jesus as they can bee seen in the lives of people past and present and in the students’ own lives.
TEXT
Pell (1996): Issues of Faith and Morals. San Francisco. Ignatius Press
Crawford-Hodapp (2001) Growing in Christian Morality Student Casebook. Winona, Minnesota. St. Mary’s Press
Also, the course will be supplemented from the Catholicism and Ethics series from C.R. Publications.
GOALS
- Students will reflect on the thematic questions, “What kind of person am I becoming, and what type of person do I wish to become?”
- Students will understand the Christian vision of morality, with Jesus as the model of full humanness as a way to affirmatively respond to the question above.
- Students will recognize the sources of help available to Christians on the moral journey.
- Students will follow a process for moral decision making.
- Students will know and live by the teaching of the church on moral issues.
- Students will embark upon an ongoing process of forming an informed conscience to assist them in future moral decision-making
EXPECTATIONS
- Be prepared for class
- Actively participate
- Maintain at all time Christian respect for self and others
- Maintain at all times personal responsibility
HOMEWORK
This class meets four days a week. Students are expected to have finished assigned reading before each class in anticipation of participating in discussion the day of class. There is no substitute for being prepared for class. The readings and daily assignment should take no longer than one hour a night. Projects may require additional time during nights and weekends to complete.
All assignments are due at the beginning of each class period. Excused late work will be accepted under the following conditions:
- If the student is absent the day the work is assigned, it is the student’s responsibility to get the assignment from the teacher as well as arrange time for instruction and modification of the due date.
- If a student is absent on the due date, the work is due the date of student return.
- In the event of an emergency, which must be verified by a signed parent note, the date will be delayed appropriately.
Policy on Late Assignments: (read this carefully – “Crash and Burn” possibility here)
Assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. If you foresee a problem, come and discuss it with me before the due date. This includes retreats, sports dismissals, etc. In case of illness, please see me upon your return. Computer/printer problems do not constitute a crisis or excuse. (Do not wait until the last minute to do the assignment.)
A cute smile, tears, a winning personality, a “Mother Teresa” level of Christian behavior, being related to the teacher, etc., will not help you get a late assignment accepted. A grade can very quickly disappear down the drain with a few missed assignments. Be VERY careful here.
- If the student is absent the day the work is assigned, it is the student’s responsibility to get the assignment from the teacher as well as arrange time for instruction and modification of the due date.
- In the event of an emergency, which must be verified by a signed parent note, the date will be delayed appropriately.
- In the event the work DOES come in late, 15% will be taken off for each day late. An assignment that is 3 or more days late will be scored as a “0”.
PARENT/STUDENT CONTACT:
All are encouraged to contact me at the school in the event a question arises or clarification is needed. I may also be reached by e-mail at powersb2@hotmail.com.
Additional details:
You are responsible for arriving to class on time and prepared. This means:
Anyone not in their seat engaged in the entry task by the five minute “bell” will be marked tardy. Photo finishes are not acceptable
You must have all material you need to participate in class. Texts, notebook(s), study guides, pens, pencils. If class has started and you are not prepared, you will be sent to your locker to get prepared, but will be marked tardy
If the instructor has to tell you more than once to tune in, you may be marked tardy and are subject to after-school detention. If such behavior persists, you will be ejected from the class room and marked Unexcused Absent, with all attendant consequences (see Handbook for specifics)
G@G: 1-4,7-8,10,18-23,26-28,38-40,42,44-54
