MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com is a website offering online courses based on religion curricula, such as the Didache series and the Faith and Life series. This review addresses only the Faith and Life series for grades one through eight. If you are not already familiar with the series, you might want to first read the review of the print series since the online version now includes most features of the printed books and then some. As of 2024, the second-grade online course prepares children for the sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion. That course might also be used with third- or fourth-graders who need to prepare for the reception of those sacraments.
First, I have to say that this is a marvelous idea. The online courses are designed primarily to be used for independent study, although family prayer and discussion are essential.
There’s no need to purchase any printed resources. Optional downloadable Family Guides are provided for each course, but individual lessons from these are linked to the corresponding online lessons, making it unnecessary to download the entire guide. You won't need to use all of the material in the Family Guides; just select what is useful to you. The Activity Book for each course is also available as a downloadable PDF, but questions from them are already incorporated into online lessons.
Online courses are designed for students to walk through each step in sequence. Audio is available on every page for students to listen whenever they prefer that mode of learning more than (or in addition to) reading. An automatic bookmark tracks where students are in a course.
Each lesson has five sections, with one or more activities in each section.
The first section, Prepare," introduces the lesson topic in a brief paragraph, presents a scripture verse with a brief explanation, shows an artwork and explains its spiritual message, and then wraps up with an opening prayer.
The second section, Proclaim, repeats and expands on the theme introduced at the very beginning of the lesson.
The third section, Explore," presents the lesson material (same as in the print student textbook) with an option for students to listen instead. Many lessons insert other material, requiring students to interact with it online to proceed. For example, the first lesson of the fourth-grade course adds images and audio explaining salvation history briefly with a timeline. Students have to click on various images, learning how stories from the books of the Bible play their parts in salvation history. “Words to Know" follows next, teaching keywords and definitions for the lesson with online flashcards. After the vocabulary is Catechism Practice with questions and answers for students to learn. The third section concludes with "Activity," a presentation of questions from the printed student Activity Book. Online questions are marked correct or incorrect immediately. Younger students are given drag-and-drop images and audio instructions, so they do not have to be able to read to answer questions.
The fourth section, "Apply," urges students to apply what they have learned in a specific, practical way. A saint's biography is sometimes included to inspire students to emulate their powerful example.
The fifth section, "Celebrate," has a short, original prayer or one of the standard prayers (Our Father, Hail Mary, etc.). The standard prayers are taught and recited throughout the courses, so students using the courses properly should learn them. The final link in the lesson takes you to the Family Guide pages for that lesson since they include some application questions (under #4) that can be discussed with children and follow-up activities (under #6), such as memorizing a scripture verse, drawing, arts and crafts, or a faith-building activity (e.g., offering up a sacrifice to God or spending time in adoration). I highly recommend that parents use the Family Guide questions and activities.
Every lesson has an online assessment that is graded online as soon as it is completed and submitted.
Faith and Life online courses are great for busy families homeschooling children at various grade levels. However, for best results, parents should pray out loud with students, quiz them on catechism questions and vocabulary, discuss some of the lesson material, and try to do some of the follow-up activities.
Each course subscription allows one student access to that course for 12 months from the date of enrollment. Teachers have 15 months of access. All courses can be set up under one teacher account. MyCatholicFaithDelivered.com will set up separate access names and passwords for each child in your family so two or more children can work on their lessons simultaneously on different devices. Class prices differ, so check for group pricing discounts.
