Opening prayer
First: get the children to sit in a circle (around the table). Get them to "chat" about the year that’s gone by. Ask them what they liked, what they disliked; if they would like something different. Leave them free to give their opinion. Remember that some suggestions may be brought to the attention of the Children and Youth Department to be analysed (many of the children might suggest things that don’t depend only on the Spiritist teacher, such as more classroom time; so it’s important to explain that there is a hierarchy and rules to be met).
Second: activity technique – union and cooperation.
The technique begins with the Jesus’ image used in the door poster. Cut the figure in accordance with the number of children who attended the classes during the year, even if on this day they are not all present.
Place the pieces of the cropped figure around the room in places that they may seek (behind the curtains; under the table and chairs). Each child will have to search and bring only one part of the cropped figure; they can’t get more than a piece of the picture each.
When they come back from their search the Spiritist teacher will prompt the children to try to assemble the picture. Get them to assemble and later glue the parts of the picture in the centre of a cardboard paper or other craft paper.
Each child will be holding their piece of the picture and will try to assemble the puzzle together as a team. They will only succeed if all children are present on this day. Otherwise, some parts will be missing, but they should still try to put it together as best as they can.
Watch the end result and make considerations about unity and cooperation from the following aspects:
* If everyone came and they managed to assemble the poster with all the pieces, reflect on the contribution from each one for the accomplished work. This work represents the individuality, the experiences of each child and the ideas that everyone brings to the group.
* If some children didn’t come and, therefore, they failed to assemble the poster with all the pieces, say it would have been important that all children were present to perform the task. Please make sure that what they have done is valued. Each one is important for the class because you will always have doubts/questions, as well as experiences to share. Someone will always have lived or will be living a very similar situation you are going through, which can help the group as a whole. Please highlight the importance of everyone’s participation on all the discussions.
* Emphasize also the importance of everyone’s efforts and work for assembling the picture; and not only with their part of the puzzle. We can write on the cardboard at the end something like: "Dear children, did you notice this picture is not complete? It’s because your part is missing! Join the Spiritist education classes (insert the year) in the (write the name of the Spiritist centre) and be part of this team."
We can also attach hearts with the names of the children that are present in this class into the cardboard, to value them and leave the poster in the Spiritist centre so all children can see it during the holidays.
Third: ask them if they can identify who is in the picture. Answer: Jesus
Remember the first lesson they had Jesus – He who has Jesus in his heart is never alone! Bring the poster that’s attached to the door and ask if they managed to improve on the attitude they wrote on the heart, at the beginning of the year. Each child should talk about themselves.
After that, hand a picture taken with all classroom children to each one of them and a heart made out of craft paper or cardboard, that’s looks exactly the same as the one on the panel, with a pin on it. Ask them to put it on their clothes (the heart should be made out of red cardboard or craft paper and say: "He who has Jesus in his heart is never alone"; this should recall the heart designed for the door poster which was done together with them at the first lesson of the year). Say that the year is ending but next year we want to see everyone back with us. You may also give them the heart as a fridge magnet.
Say they are with us not just to learn but also to teach us and teach others. Distribute another red heart with the same text and ask them to give this heart to someone else. They should teach this person what they learned about Jesus (that we are never alone and that we can always talk to Jesus through Prayer).
Closing prayer
Class suggested being suitable for: 3rd cycle (11 to 12 years old).
Spiritist Teachers: Camila, Emanuelle and Juliana – Spiritist Centre Caminho da Prece.
Translation: Carolina von Scharten, London, Sir William Crookes Spiritist Society linked to BUSS - The British Union of Spiritist Societies.
