“Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.” -Psalm 111:2
“…the attitude and posture needed by the adult in our work should rather be one of humble observer. In the child, there exists a hidden, but profoundly religious nature, which the child desires to live out. For a child to reveal this true nature the adult needs to be prepared for the task of helping this revelation to occur. We need to recognize that our primary call is to be a humble and attentive observer of life.” (“The Religious Experience with the Child Three to Six,” Journals of the Catechesis of the good Shepherd, 1984-1997, 1995 Newsletter, 258-262)
Lynne Worthington joins us on the podcast again to explore the art of observation, a deep-rooted attribute of what we do in The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. That through observation we can “discover the true nature of the child” (Montessori) and we can “begin to see the religious potential of the child” (Cavalletti) and then through observing the child we can “listen deeply to God” (Rojcewicz). She speaks about the basic characteristics and attitudes of an observer (learn to be SILENT, to OBSERVE, to put on the mantle of HUMILITY, to be STILL, and to LISTEN). We discuss the differences between observing in a Montessori classroom and a CGS atrium as well as the differences between observing the different atrium levels.
Lynne speaks into how important Observation is in this work which is shown in our very first Point of Reflection for The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd:
- The child, particularly the religious life of the child, is central to the interest and commitment of the catechist of the Good Shepherd. The catechist observes and studies the vital needs of the child and the manifestations of those vital needs according to the developmental stage of the child
Lynne Worthington worked for 30 years as a catechist for children and adults at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Durham, NC. She also served as the coordinator for CGS in Immaculata School and for the parish. Since 1991 she has taken part in National Formation courses for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, earning certificates as a catechist for all three levels, ages 3-12 years old. She has participated in numerous formation leadership workshops and is recognized as a formation leader by the National Association of The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. She holds an MA degree in Pastoral Studies from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO.
Lynne now lives in Ball Ground, GA and volunteers in Atria in the Archdiocese of Atlanta. She and her husband, Bill, have three grown children and two grandchildren.
Taste and See: Savoring the Child’s Wisdom by Pam Moore
“Observation as Prayer” by Rebekah Rojcewicz, 2021 Journal of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd –
Podcast episode with Pam Moore about the book Taste and See
Podcast episodes to go with the Montessori principles discussed in this episode:
Observation in the Montessori Classroom, Montessori Print Shop