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    • Home
    • About the Curriculum
    • Montessori - Cavaelletti
    • Contact
    • Curriculum
    • Gallery
    • Pedagogy
    • Theological Foundations
  • Home
  • About the Curriculum
  • Montessori - Cavaelletti
  • Contact
  • Curriculum
  • Gallery
  • Pedagogy
  • Theological Foundations
Where Spiritual Formation Begins - The Child

Welcome to Orthodox Catechesis for The Early Child

The Orthodox Catechesis & Spiritual Formation (OCSF) program offers a ten-day intensive course designed to prepare adults to serve as catechists for young children ages three to six. 

Orthodox Catechesis for The Early Child Today

Discover Orthodox Catechesis for The Early Child

At Orthodox Catechesis for The Early Child the course equips catechists with both theological and pedagogical foundations for early childhood spiritual formation. Participants learn to organize and present the curriculum, prepare the Children’s Room learning environment, and utilize hands-on instructional materials designed for young learners. The training includes comprehensive lesson plans, theological background, and free patterns for the materials used in instruction.


We invite you to join us and discover all that Orthodox Catechesis for The Early Child has to offer. Our community is warm, welcoming, and supportive, and we believe that everyone has something valuable to contribute.

About Orthodox Catechesis for The Early Child

Theological Foundations

Theological Foundations

Theological Foundations

Because children participate fully in the life of the Church from the earliest age, it is important to consider how they may engage meaningfully in worship and in the broader life of the ecclesial community. The Orthodox Church provides a rich liturgical and sacramental tradition through which even young children may  participate in worship and the Divine Liturgy.

Theological Foundations

Pedagogical Approach

Theological Foundations

Theological Foundations

While remaining true to Orthodox theological tradition, this program introduces principles derived from Montessori pedagogy. The Montessori method is utilized due to its recognized efficacy in addressing the developmental needs of young children through experiential and hands-on learning. Its inclusion is based solely on pedagogical merit, independent of the personal religious beliefs of Maria Montessori or Sofia Cavalleti.

Read More Pedagogy

Curriculum Focus

Theological Foundations

Curriculum Focus


The early childhood curriculum emphasizes the child’s experience in the Church and focuses primarily on Gospel narratives that reveal the life and love of Jesus Christ. Because young children tend to think concretely, the curriculum includes relatively few Old Testament narratives, which may be interpreted too literally at this developmental stage. For example, after hearing the narrative of Jonah and the whale,  a young child may wonder when it will be their turn to be swallowed by a whale, 

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