FAQs
Spirit of Truth, School Edition
Who writes your textbooks?
All Sophia Institute for Teachers materials are written by veteran Catholic school teachers with advanced degrees. They are then tested in classrooms as well as reviewed by leading academics before publication.
Do I need anything else to use Spirit of Truth?
In grades K-5, as long as you have a teacher’s guide for your use and student workbooks for each student, you are ready to go. We recommend each student have his or her own copy of the Bible to use in grades 6, 7 and 8.
Do you offer online resources or support?
Yes!
When you adopt the Spirit of Truth religion textbook for your school, you are assigned a Sophia Institute master teacher for the life of the program who will provide you and your faculty with a free, live training webinar, as well as be available via email to answer questions or provide other advice. Additional webinars that help provide background knowledge on the Faith and teaching strategies may be purchased.
We also provide teachers with fresh classroom materials each month. Free lesson plans on the Sunday Gospels are provided for each week, and lesson plans that help students apply Catholic principles to current events are provided each month. Teachers also have access to our curriculum exchange, and all of the sacred art included in our books are also available in our digital art library.
I don’t have a strong theology background. Do they need a lot of knowledge to use Spirit of Truth?
No!
The beauty of Spirit of Truth is its lesson plan format. Its comprehensive but modular design ensures that it can be used successfully by experienced and knowledgeable teachers as well as by teachers with little to no theology background.
Because all the readings, handouts, activities, and assessments are ready to go, your students will receive a complete understanding of the Faith even if their teacher is learning along with them.
Teachers frequently report how well Spirit of Truth has increased their personal understanding of the faith and bolstered their own spiritual life.
Spirit of Truth, Parish Edition
Who writes your textbooks?
All Sophia Institute for Teachers materials are written by veteran Catholic school teachers with advanced degrees. They are then tested in classrooms as well as reviewed by leading academics before publication.
Do I need anything else to use Spirit of Truth?
In grades K-5, as long as you have a catechist guide for your use and student workbooks for each student, you are ready to go. We recommend each student have his or her own copy of the Bible to use grades 6-8.
Do you offer online resources or support?
Yes!
When you adopt the Spirit of Truth religion textbook for your parish, you are assigned a Sophia Institute master teacher for the life of the program who will provide you and your catechists with a free, live training webinar, as well as be available via email to answer questions or provide other advice. Additional webinars that help provide background knowledge on the Faith and teaching strategies may be purchased.
We also provide your catechists with free session plans on the Sunday Gospels each week, and session plans that help students apply Catholic principles to current events are provided each month.
I don’t have strong theology or teachings backgrounds. Do I need a lot of knowledge or teaching experience to use Spirit of Truth?
No!
The beauty of Spirit of Truth is its lesson plan format. Its comprehensive but modular design ensures that it can be used successfully by experienced and knowledgeable catechists as well as by those with little to no theology or teaching background.
Because all the readings, handouts, activities, and assessments are ready to go, your students will receive a complete understanding of the Faith even if their catechist is learning along with them.
Catechists frequently report how well Spirit of Truth has increased their personal understanding of the faith and bolstered their own spiritual life.
Spirit of Truth, Home Edition
How much content does each grade level include?
Each grade level of Spirit of Truth provides a wealth of lessons and activities that can be completed over at least 30 weeks, though you may spend more or less time, depending on which ones you choose to do with your children.
What if I have several children at different ages? Can I teach them using the same book?
This answer depends on your children’s maturity and reading level. We recommend you review each grade level using the preview available on this page. Each grade level of Spirit of Truth could easily be adapted one grade level up or down, and perhaps more, but this will depend on your children.
Do I need anything else to use Spirit of Truth?
In grades K-5, as long as you have a parent’s guide and student workbooks for each child, you are ready to go. We recommend each child have his or her own copy of the Bible to use in grades 6, 7 and 8.
Who writes your textbooks?
Spirit of Truth Homeschool Edition was drafted by dozens of veteran Catholic homeschoolers and classroom teachers and edited by a team of three editors with a combined 24 years of homeschooling experience.
Do you offer online resources or support?
Yes! With Spirit of Truth theology textbooks, you will have access to pre-recorded videos that help provide background knowledge on the Faith and teaching strategies.
Our Home Edition section provides you with a host of additional resources to enhance your experience with Spirit of Truth Homeschool Edition. There you will find access to tests and quizzes, a sacred art library, and many other resources.
I don’t have a strong theology background. Do I need a lot of knowledge to use Spirit of Truth?
No!
The beauty of Spirit of Truth is its weekly plan format. Its comprehensive but modular design ensures that it can be used successfully by experienced and knowledgeable homeschooling parents as well as by parents with little to no theology background.
Because all the readings, handouts, activities, and assessments are ready to go, your children will receive a complete understanding of the Faith even if you are learning along with them.
Our users frequently report how well Spirit of Truth has increased their personal understanding of the faith and bolstered their own spiritual life.
A Family of Faith
Does A Family of Faith replace faith formation or religious education classes?
It can, but doesn’t have to. Some parishes offer A Family of Faith as an alternative to traditional faith formation classes, and some use it in place of these classes. Parents are also free to purchase and use the program on their own.
What if the parent doesn’t know the Faith well, or know how to teach?
A Family of Faith is completely turn-key for the parents, giving them the easy-to-understand content and step-by-step instructions for each activity, helping them to gain knowledge of the Faith and confidence as they teach it. Various tools are also available to help parents turn potentially problematic situations into successes, such as what to do when a child asks a question you do not know.
Shouldn’t the religious education of children be left to the parish?
Since the current faith formation and religious education model is struggling to transform family life, and since many young people who go through faith formation are leaving the faith, we are proposing a new model (which is actually an ancient model) where the parish focuses on catechizing the parents in order to strengthen parent/child engagement in the Faith. This increases the likelihood that a child will receive an authentic education in the Faith and develop into a knowledgeable and practicing Catholic. Countless studies have shown that parental engagement with the child is the single most effective way to develop young people into disciples of Christ.
But what if parents don’t want to be bothered and remove their child from religious instruction altogether? Wouldn’t we be better off just maintaining the status quo?
This did not prove to be the case in the pilot tests we conducted among nine parishes nationwide. While it is true that some parents will likely decide to offer no instruction than to participate in this program, the vast majority of families are finding A Family of Faith to be far more flexible, enabling them to transform the family activities they already do into encounters with God. Parents are able to enter into those “teachable moments” of everyday life. A Family of Faith leads parents into a conversion to Jesus Christ, which is beneficial to the parish, but most of all to the children they are raising.
Is there a lot of work involved for families? How much time will this program take?
No. There are two lessons to teach each month, along with a variety of family and child activities. Each lesson should take no more than 30-45 minutes to complete, and requires minimal preparation on the part of the parent. For the parish catechists, our leader’s guide provides them with ice breakers, presentation notes, discussion questions and answers, and step-by-step instructions for activities, freeing the catechist from the burden of developing all of this on his or her own.
For what age children has this program been developed?
Because this program focuses on teaching the faith to parents and helping them make it an organic part of family life, it is perfect for parents with children of all ages. For example, a monthly feature called “Your Catholic Home” gives specific advice for ways to make the Faith a regular part of each day. The Children’s Activity Books are recommended for children in grades K-8, and features engaging activities at various grade levels. Parents can skip the activities they believe are too elementary or too advanced for their child.
Does my child have to be a strong reader?
No. Although readings and written activities are offered, the Children’s Activity Book and Parent’s Guide offer a wide variety of activities using numerous strategies to impart and assess knowledge that do not rely on reading or writing.
How many meetings are required per month?
We recommend and provide everything you need for two meetings per month: one 90-minute session early in the month with parents only, and a second 90-minute community meeting after Sunday Mass near the end of the month. The 90-minute session catechizes parents and helps them to deepen their knowledge of the Faith. Entire families attend the 90-minute community meeting, which is meant to help ensure accountability and build community through games and other family activities.
What tools does the program offer to ensure accountability?
The program offers several options, along with a planning worksheet for parish teams to determine how they will build in accountability. For example: Families are given a year-long project that they will add to each month; catechists may require parents to bring these projects in occasionally to check progress. Each community meeting begins with a question and answer session with children, which gives the catechist a chance to assess the knowledge of individual children. Finally, the last session of each year features a fun and interactive game with dozens of questions covering content from the whole year. This game could be used as a final written assessment if desired.
How does the program handle sacramental preparation?
A Family of Faith does not treat the Sacraments as isolated events and is not designed to serve as preparation for receiving the Sacraments. Students grow in their spiritual journey through regular activities with their parents, prayer, Mass attendance, and participation in parish life. Because this program moves away from grade-based cohorts and focuses on transmitting the faith as a whole, preparation to receive the Sacraments occurs as the child naturally matures and shows evidence of understanding. Each child’s readiness to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist, and Confirmation should be assessed on an individual basis. If a parish has a sacramental preparation program assessment, it may be offered in addition to the content presented in A Family of Faith.
How will I know my children are learning?
You will undoubtedly see your children learn as they memorize Scripture verses and are able to define key words of our Catholic Faith. Children will demonstrate in conversations their understanding of concepts of the Faith, and you’ll see them begin to live their Faith through service projects, an enriched prayer life, and a deepening relationship with Jesus Christ. The child’s desire to know, love, and serve Jesus is proof that they are learning and becoming a disciple of Christ.
Does the program offer help for getting families involved?
Yes. We offer tools for planning, tips for developing an “elevator pitch” and getting the word out, strategies for recruiting and retaining families, a sample bulletin announcement, and much more.
Una Familia de Fe
¿Una Familia de Fe reemplaza el catecismo (CCD) o las clases de educación religiosa?
Puede, pero no tiene que hacerlo. Algunas parroquias ofrecen Una Familia de Fe como una alternativa a las clases tradicionales del catecismo (CCD), y algunas lo usan en lugar de estas clases. Los padres también pueden comprar y utilizar el programa por su cuenta.
¿Qué pasa si los padres no conocen bien la fe, o sabe cómo enseñarlo?
Una Familia de Fe está completamente listo para los padres, dándoles el contenido fácil de entender y las instrucciones paso a paso para cada actividad, ayudándoles a adquirir conocimiento de la fe y la confianza a medida que lo enseñan. También hay varias herramientas disponibles para ayudar a los padres a convertir las situaciones potencialmente problemáticas en éxitos, como qué hacer cuando un niño hace una pregunta que usted no pueda responder.
¿No debería dejar la educación religiosa de los niños a la parroquia?
Dado que el modelo actual del catecismo (CCD) y educación religiosa está luchando por transformar la vida familiar, y dado que muchos jóvenes que pasan por el catecismo (CCD) abandonan la fe, estamos proponiendo un nuevo modelo (que en realidad es un modelo antiguo) donde la parroquia se centra en catequizar a los padres de familia con el fin de fortalecer el compromiso entre padres e hijos en la fe. Esto aumenta la probabilidad de que un niño reciba una educación auténtica en la fe y se convierta en un católico experto y practicante. Innumerables estudios han demostrado que el compromiso de los padres con el niño es la forma más efectiva para que los jóvenes se conviertan en discípulos de Cristo.
Pero ¿qué pasa si los padres no quieren molestarse y eliminar a su hijo de la instrucción religiosa por completo? ¿No estaríamos mejor solo manteniendo el statu quo?
Esto no fue el caso en las pruebas piloto que realizamos entre nueve parroquias en todo el país. Si bien es cierto que algunos padres probablemente decidan no ofrecer más instrucción que participar en este programa, la gran mayoría de las familias encuentran que Una Familia de Fe es mucho más flexible, lo que les permite transformar las actividades familiares que ya realizan en encuentros con Dios. Los padres pueden entrar en esos “momentos de enseñanza” de la vida cotidiana. Una Familia de Fe conduce a los padres a una conversión a Jesucristo, lo cual es beneficioso para la parroquia, pero sobre todo para los niños que están criando.
¿Hay mucho trabajo involucrado para las familias? ¿Cuánto tiempo tomará este programa?
No. Hay dos lecciones para enseñar cada mes, junto con una variedad de actividades familiares e infantiles. Cada lección no debe tomar más de 30 a 45 minutos para completar, y requiere una preparación mínima por parte de los padres. Para los catequistas de la parroquia, nuestra Guía del líder les proporciona juegos para conocerse, notas de presentación, preguntas y respuestas de discusión e instrucciones paso a paso para las actividades, liberando al catequista de la carga de desarrollar todo esto por sí mismo.
¿Para qué edad de niños han desarrollado este programa?
Debido a que este programa se enfoca en enseñar la fe a los padres y ayudarlos a convertirla en una parte orgánica de la vida familiar, es perfecta para padres con niños de todas las edades. Por ejemplo, una función publicación mensual “Su hogar católico” brinda consejos específicos sobre cómo hacer que la fe sea una parte regular de cada día. El Libro de actividades para niños se recomienda para niños en los grados entre el Kinder y el 8avo grado, y presenta actividades atractivas en varios niveles de grado. Los padres pueden omitir las actividades que consideran demasiado elementales o avanzadas para su hijo.
¿Mi hijo debe ser un buen lector?
No. Aunque se ofrecen lecturas y actividades escritas, el Libro de actividades para niños y la Guía para padres ofrecen una amplia variedad de actividades que utilizan numerosas estrategias para impartir y evaluar el conocimiento que no depende de la lectura o la escritura.
¿Cuántas reuniones se requieren por mes?
Recomendamos y proporcionamos todo lo que necesita para dos reuniones por mes: una sesión de 90 minutos a principios de mes con solo los padres, y una segunda reunión comunitaria de 90 minutos después de la misa dominical cerca de fin de mes. La sesión de 90 minutos catequiza a los padres y les ayuda a profundizar su conocimiento de la fe. Familias enteras asisten a la reunión comunitaria de 90 minutos, que está destinada a ayudar a garantizar la responsabilidad y construir una comunidad a través de juegos y otras actividades en familia.
¿Qué herramientas ofrece el programa para garantizar la responsabilidad?
El programa ofrece varias opciones, junto con una hoja de trabajo de planificación para que los equipos de la parroquia determinen cómo generarán responsabilidad. Por ejemplo: Las familias reciben un proyecto de un año que agregarán a cada mes; los catequistas pueden requerir que los padres traigan estos proyectos ocasionalmente para verificar el progreso. Cada reunión comunitaria comienza con una sesión de preguntas y respuestas con los niños, que le da al catequista la oportunidad de evaluar el conocimiento individual de los niños. Finalmente, la última sesión de cada año presenta un juego divertido e interactivo con muchas preguntas sobre el contenido de todo el año. Este juego podría usarse como evaluación final escrita si así lo desea.
¿Cómo maneja el programa la preparación sacramental?
Una Familia de Fe no trata los sacramentos como eventos aislados y no está diseñado para servir como preparación para recibir los sacramentos. Los estudiantes crecen en su viaje espiritual a través de actividades regulares con sus padres, oración, asistencia a la misa y participación en la vida parroquial. Debido a que este programa se aleja de las cohortes basadas en el grado y se enfoca en transmitir la fe como un todo, la preparación para recibir los sacramentos ocurre a medida que el niño madura naturalmente y muestra evidencia de comprensión. La preparación de cada niño para recibir los sacramentos de reconciliación, eucaristía y confirmación debe evaluarse de forma individual. Si una parroquia tiene una evaluación del programa de preparación sacramental, se puede ofrecer además del contenido presentado en Una Familia de Fe.
¿Cómo sabré que mis hijos están aprendiendo?
Sin duda, verán a sus hijos aprender mientras memorizan los versos de las escrituras y pueden definir las palabras clave de nuestra fe católica. Los niños demostrarán en las conversaciones su comprensión de los conceptos de la fe, y los verá comenzar a vivir su fe a través de proyectos de servicio, una vida de oración rica y una relación más profunda con Jesucristo. El deseo del niño de conocer, amar y servir a Jesús es una prueba de que están aprendiendo y convirtiéndose en discípulos de Cristo.
¿El programa ofrece ayuda para ayudar a involucrar a las familias?
Sí. Ofrecemos herramientas para la planificación, consejos para desarrollar un “discurso de elevador”, o sea un discurso que se hace rápido y consejos para correr la voz, además de estrategias para reclutar y retener a las familias, una muestra de anuncio del boletín y mucho más.