Teach about Vocations
This page is a tool box of resources for teaching staff to develop lessons that engage students in different aspects of the culture of vocation.
The assemblies for both primary and secondary schools are Power Point Presentations and include a suggested script in the notes section of the presentation for the staff or students delivering the assembly.
Primary School Resources
The Gift of Priests and Sisters
An engaging interactive assembly resource has been made available from Ten Ten, in partnership with the National Office for Vocation, to help primary school children understand why certain people choose to follow God’s call to become priests and sisters.
The Gift of Priests and Sisters Presentation [ppt]
The Gift of Priests and Sisters Plan [pdf]
As part of Ten Ten’s research for the assembly, a number of priests and sisters were asked to respond to a questionnaire about their ministry. There were so many insightful responses that they could not fit them all into the assembly, so they produced a short document which shares a larger selection of responses to a variety of questions.
The Gift of Priest and Sisters Document [pdf]
Assembly: To be a Disciple
The question posed at the beginning of this assembly is who is your hero? Recognising that it is often those we most admire that we want to follow. The contents of the assembly encourages students to see Jesus as a hero worth following. You will need access to the internet as the assembly includes an online film clip.
To be a Disciple Assembly [ppt]
Key Stage 1 Starter Activity: What makes you Happy?
What makes you Happy? is a practical activity for students to identify what makes them happy. This is intended to be an introduction to the theme of our vocation to happiness and should enable the classroom practitioner to draw out the importance not only of personal happiness, but the social and political aspects of this truth.
Presentation [ppt] Presentation [pdf]
Key Stage 1 – Activity Sheet: Made to be Happy
Following teaching on happiness or John 13:23 this activity sheet will be a card that enables student to identify when they are happy and introduces the idea of joy through service.
Activity Sheet [doc] Activity Sheet [pdf]
Key Stage 2 Starter – What makes you Happy?
The small group activity aimed at getting students describing images of things that might make them happy, prioritising them as a group and then exploring why these things make them happy.
Key Stage 2 – Activity Sheet: A vote for me is a vote for happiness!
Following teaching on the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-11 the aim of this activity is aimed at drawing out what the students have learned by creating a manifesto, should they become Prime Minister for the day.
Secondary School Resources
The resources for secondary schools have been created to help students explore the various vocations in life, particularly focusing on the priesthood a religious life to enable learning on this topic of the RE curriculum.
Assembly: Pray for Vocations
The intention of this Power Point based assembly is to challenge vocational stereotypes through a short game that leads to the question about their own sense of purpose and calling. The suggested script is included in the notes section of the presentation. It is recommended that a lively piece of instrumental music is embedded in the presentation for the duration of the game.
Pray for Vocations Assembly [ppt]
Starter Activity: Vocations thought shower and acronym
These worksheets are intended to enable students to express what they already know about priesthood and religious life. They can be used as an exercise for individuals in a class or as part of a small group activity.
Mind Maps
The following mind maps can be used to help students express their thoughts on what priests, religious brothers and sisters are like.
Prayerful Reflection
There are a number of ways in which you can use the following thought clouds for a prayerful reflections with students. Here are a few suggestions:
1. Give students printed copies and ask them to write a prayer or poem using the words to inspire them.
2. Project the image on a screen for the whole class to see. Start with an opening reflection on God’s call and then invite students to speak out a word they would like God to bless them or someone they care about in life.
3. Either project the image or give students printed copies of the image so that they can choose one word that they like or intrigues them and ask them to hold that question in their mind, letting go of all other thoughts, cares and concerns. Whichever you choose, please be sure to end the time of prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.
![Hand of Love Image [jpg]](http://www.ukvocation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/hand-of-love.jpg){kind=link}
![Joy Thought Cloud Image [jpg]](http://www.ukvocation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Joy-thought-cloud.jpg){kind=link}
![Love Thought Cloud Image [jpg]](http://www.ukvocation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Love-thought-cloud.jpg){kind=link}