We Give Each Other Crowns

Last summer and early autumn, I traveled to give several workshops and talks. I was teaching people about Accessible Church School (aff. link to the book), the model of teaching the faith that sticks best for everyone and has the benefit of including people with disabilities, too. One of my favorite parts of in-person presentations is that I can demonstrate the patterns and ideas that I teach in my books and writings. You might read right past my recommendation to use enhanced dress up props for all ages of Sunday school, or you might even dismiss it because you think it sounds too fun or childish for serious teens to learn. You might not trust me when I say that all long-term memory is based on gross motor neuron coupling and music and fun. But when you SEE it happen in front of you, you will get it. Oh! You’ll think. I never thought teaching and learning could be like this.

One of my favorite teaching moments last year was at a workshop with an amazing group of teachers near Chicago. One of the women present was a venerable mother and grandmother of the church who spoke little English but whose patron and name saint was our Panagia (the Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of God). When we got to the part about adding beautiful props for teaching saints’ lives so that girls as well as boys could look like the icons we venerate, I revealed a beautiful queen crown to show what I meant. I asked if anyone was named after Mother Mary, and everyone nodded towards the venerable lady. She consented to try on the crown. At that exact moment, sunlight flooded the room and lighted her. With her silver hair and the God-honoring crown, she WAS an icon. We were all struck speechless by the beauty for a moment. I could have said a million ways that we are living icons, but when that venerable grandmother consented at her daughter’s urging to try on the crown to help teach us, and God lit her with sunlight, everyone understood perfectly. To imitate the saints is all of our goal. When we teach, we honor them by showing the students that they, too, are living icons.

Add This Pattern to Your Church School

If you would like to add a beautiful sensory anchor to help your students remember the saints this winter and early spring, here are some good options (Amazon Affiliate Links provided for your convenience):

Queen Crowns to honor Our Lady (at the Annunciation), which you can reuse when you teach about St. Katherine, St. Barbara, St. Nino, and other holy women saints who wear crowns in their icons. King Crowns work great for Emperor and King Saints, too!

Blue cloak for St. Brigid, which you can reuse for many other female saints, who are often honored with blue garments.

Shepherd staff and toy sheep for acting out the life of St. Patrick (I like to hide a sheep or two up high to surprise the students; sometimes I have even used masking tape to place them high on a wall to show that sometimes sheep REALLY go astray.) You can also use these to act out Jesus’ Parables and the Old Testament story of Jacob and Laban.