Photos courtesy of Andrew Fasullo
ABCs and 123s fittingly permeate the early-learning classroom and, in the mission-driven classroom, so too do the ABCs of faith. In early childhood, children learn to share, take turns, and follow directions. Essentially, through their experience of others and the outside world, these early learners are learning who they are. Most importantly though, in the Catholic early childhood environment, children learn whose they are. They come to know and understand that they are unique and unrepeatable souls made in His image and likeness. While a deeply theological lesson, a life-long one for that matter, don’t underestimate a child’s ability to grasp all that is beautiful, honorable, and true early on in his or her life. Wonderfully and fearfully, these truths are written in their hearts. Furthermore, as our Lord urged, let the children come to Him (Mark 10:14). These precious souls are made for more and, specifically, for Him in eternity. Never forget, “The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14).
As our Lord—the master catechist—taught, cultivating a mission-driven early childhood environment is brought about through Him. As He beautifully showed us, this catechesis involves nurturing unity, instilling faith, and developing the whole person. Jesus commanded that all children come to Him (Mark 10:14). While certainly not perfect, drawing from Christ, Catholic education today celebrates this truth of unity in His one Body. Many of us can point to a story in our own educational journeys when children rallied around a classmate to make him or her feel welcome. A poignant example of this unity, and one which I’ve shared with my high school students, is “Phillip’s Story” printed by Saint Mary’s Press (2013). Phillip was an eight-year-old boy who had Down syndrome. In his religious education class, Phillip had always been seen as different and sadly, felt it himself. During an Easter lesson, children were assigned to take an Easter egg and fill it with something from outside that represented life. When it came time to open the collections, it was revealed that a child had placed a leaf in his assigned egg, another, a flower, and yet another, a butterfly. However, much to the vexation of the other children, Phillip’s egg was empty. To their astonishment, and soon-to-be-changed hearts, Phillip profoundly explained, “It’s Easter and the tomb is Empty.” No greater is carrying out this mission of unity imperative than in early childhood where we teach children to recognize each other’s infinite worth.
“Go and fear nothing, I will help you.”
Our Lady of Good Help
A mission-driven early childhood environment instills faith. Christ taught that a child-like faith is needed to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:4). It should be noted though that faith is not wishing and believing. Quite the contrary, being one of the theological virtues, faith is infused in us. It is knit into our innermost being. Thus, a child-like faith is innate and innocent. It is not mired by pride, envy, or greed. Instead, a child-like faith draws from a deep knowing of Him. Saints such as Saint Thérèse, who providentially entered the Carmelite Order on the Feast of the Holy Innocents and whose body remains incorrupt today, demonstrated this gift of faith. Furthermore, when attuned to this faith, you will notice that our early learners can demonstrate it, and quite frequently, too. In fact, whoever has ears to hear has encountered the real-life expression, “from the mouths of babes!” One day during our after-school program, I was reading the story “Our Lady’s Wardrobe” to a group of preschool four-year-olds when I encountered such an inspiring moment. When we reached the Our Lady of Knock apparition in the story, one of the four-year-olds saw Our Lady and Saint Joseph, but in childhood curiosity asked me where Jesus was. A beautiful and age-appropriate lesson on Christ the Lamb followed. Formed on the circle, carpet spots, and during morning meeting, early learners come to know the Holy Family and vitally, they come to know Christ and seek Him. From the mouths of babes, we hear how these young hearts are being formed through us.
A mission-driven early childhood environment develops the whole person—body, mind, and soul. It is through the early childhood pedagogy that children experience formation as immersion rather than obligation. Like the concept of learning through play, children learn the Catholic faith through encounter. They pray as a class with their teachers. They learn the names of and form relationships with saints. In many cases, they attend Mass alongside the whole school community. Most importantly, they form a relationship with Him. Beyond sentimentality, the early learning encounters of Christmas pageants, May crownings, and songs of “Jesus Loves Me” form our children’s hearts. Thus, preciously, our early learners are encountering God in a real way in the classroom. Just like the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, in the missiondriven early childhood classroom, students encounter and then recognize Christ. Also, like those two disciples, our early learners go forward from that formative environment with their hearts burning for Him. For remember, while the two disciples set out on that long road discouraged, they re-entered Jerusalem uplifted and with a mission! Through encounters with Christ, the mission-driven early childhood environment uplifts our children and sends them forth to proclaim the Good News.
Creating a mission-driven early childhood environment strengthens the whole school community and beyond. Regardless of which grade level the school extends, the early childhood environment embodies the foundation of the school. More deeply, as Christ directly made known, these early learners are the foundation of the Kingdom. It belongs to such as these! (Mark 10:14) Perhaps unexpected for human understanding, yet all according to His plan, the students building blocks—metaphorically and physically—in our schools, are themselves the building blocks of Heaven. Imperatively, that child-like faith written on hearts, and further formed in the early learning environment, can save all of us. While our first role may be as an educator, as a life-long learner, what can we grasp from these children’s innate and innocent wonder and awe? As Christ taught, and His Mother—Our Lady of Good Help—echoed, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (John 20:29). Taking this truth with us in teaching, let us rest assured in Our Lady of Good Help’s message, “Go and fear nothing, I will help you.” Carrying out the vineyard work of our Lord, early childhood catechesis nurtures all souls, especially the children’s—the building blocks—for the Kingdom.
Andrew Fasullo
is the vice principal for Saint Andrew Catholic School, Newtown, PA, Archdiocese of Philadelphia.afasullo@standrewcec.com