The service of fourth-year college seminarians focuses on the teaching apostolate. Class lecture, practicum, journal keeping, and reflection meetings achieve the goal of the program. During the year prior to their teaching, the seminarians attend a class on catechetical methods and teaching the faith to children.
The following behavioral objectives are suggested as means of achieving the goal of the senior program:
- To listen carefully to the children in order to determine their needs in the area of religious instruction
- To draw conclusions about what is and is not taught to the children about religion at home and to test these conclusions
- To draw conclusions about the effectiveness of parish religion programs and to test these conclusions
- To develop skills of self-evaluation
- To use the opportunity of teaching as an experience to learn more about the life of faith of children
- To gain experience as a teacher of the faith
