“True respect for the child is only possible when we have respect for God in the child.”
Level I Formation Course
Children ages 3 - 6
The Level I Atrium lays the foundation for the child's encounter with the Catholic community of faith. The Atrium itself is a community in which children and adults live together a religious experience which facilitates participation in the wider community of the family, the Church, and other social spheres.
In the Atrium, work and study spontaneously become meditation, contemplation, and prayer.
The Atrium is a place in which the only Teacher is Christ; both children and adults place themselves in a listening stance before his Word and seek to penetrate the mystery of the liturgical celebration.
The themes presented in the Atrium are those to which the children have responded with depth and joy. These themes are taken from the Bible and the Liturgy (prayers and sacraments) as the fundamental sources for creating and sustaining Christian life at every developmental stage and, in particular, for illuminating and nourishing the child in his/her most vital religious needs.
Key elements of Level I Atria include:
The Good Shepherd
The Eucharist
Baptism
The course also includes presentations, adult reflections, practice time, material making, and Montessori theory. Participants will collaborate in writing album pages and at the conclusion of the course will have a completed working album. Completion of Level I is a prerequisite for other levels of Formation Courses.
Level I Course Offerings
Course Fee
$1000 (plus credit card fees)
This is the total cost of the entire formation and includes an album binder, material making, and all formation sessions. Additional books are purchased by the participant.
Registration Fee: $200
If you pay the full tuition at time of registration: a $200 discount is provided.
The remaining balance of $800 plus credit card fees is due upon the first session of the formation course.
Payment Plans: a non-refundable $200 deposit is required upon registration.*
The remaining balance (plus credit card fees) is payable in monthly installments set up after registration.
Discounts are provided for religious (40%) and full-time students aged 21 and under (30%).
*If the course is cancelled the deposit will be refunded.
Auditing:
Space may be available for catechists who have already received their Level I formation certification. The cost is $300. If you have taken a Level 1 Formation Course through CCMA, there is no cost to audit. Please register with the link below. An Album Binder is NOT provided. If you would like a binder, an additional fee will be incurred.
Books
Please read prior to the course if possible, and bring reading materials to the course meetings.
Required:
The Religious Potential of the Child, 3rd ed — Sofia Cavalletti
Nurturing the Whole Child (updated version of Listening to God with Children) — Gianna Gobbi
The Good Shepherd and the Child: A Joyful Journey, Revised and Updated— Sofia Cavalletti et al
Recommended:
The Child in the Church — Maria Montessori & others, edited by E.M. Standing
All books can be found and ordered at the CGS website; your order supports this important work!
formation opportunities
Level I: Catechist Formation for working with children ages 3-6
Formation Leader
Laura Accettullo is Co-Founder, Head of Catechesis, Elementary Program Level II and Level III Catechist, and Sacramental Program Coordinator at John XXIII Montessori Center in Front Royal, VA. A Montessori child herself, she and her husband, Mark, incorporated Montessori principles in the home education of their nine children. Since being introduced to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program in 2000, Laura has received CGS certification in Levels I, II, III, and Infant-Toddler, and is additionally recognized as a CGS National Formation Leader for Level 1 and II.
front royal, Virginia
Location
John XXIII Montessori Center
1401 Linden St.
Front Royal, VA 22630