Priests find confirmation preparation challenging: Confirmands recommend everything from football to drawing classes.

Prasters Struggle with Confirmation Preparation: Confirmands Recommend Everything from Soccer to Art Classes

Confirmands suggest various ways to help priests with the challenging confirmation preparation process.

7A at Østermarkskolen in Aars dreams of even more creativity and activity in their teaching. (Photo: © Morten Lerkenfeldt Sørensen, Danmarks Radio) 32 minutes ago

Small talk and disturbances fill the confirmation room when priests try to teach. This is the experience of several priests according to the Folkekirkens Uddannelse- og Videncenter.

To assist priests, the center is now inviting them to the 'Cook in the Confirmation Room' course.

The course aims to fill priests' toolboxes with tools to tackle the Danish 7th and 8th grades.

But what if they are asked what it's about?

7A at Østermarkskolen in Aars was recently confirmed and can therefore be considered experts on confirmation preparation.

> - It works best if you do something different every time, because it can get boring to sit down and do the same thing over and over again, says Sofie Horsbøll Stensbøll, 7th-grade student at Østermarkskolen, Aars.

Jakob Juhl Ladegaard and William Isak Nielsen have a different take on things.

- It's about doing things in a different way and with a good dose of humor, says Jakob Juhl Ladegaard, who is supported by William Isak Nielsen:

- Our priest didn't always explain it in the biblical version, but instead in his own, they say.

The boys had not looked forward to the confirmation preparation before their meeting.

- I thought it would be dreadful, says Jakob Juhl Ladegaard.

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Creativity is the way forward

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The confirmation group from Østermarkskolen had a tradition of blowing horns. A tradition that most confirmation candidates wholeheartedly endorse.

And horns or other "fuel for the engine" are necessary, according to Mads Christian Hansen's advice.

- It could be fun if you were active, creative, and made something that wasn't exactly like school, for example, running or playing soccer, he says.

He didn't quite clarify what it had to do with God, life, or other confirmation preparation topics.

Instead, he suggests opening the art room and, for example, drawing a cross.

Sofie Horsbøll Stensbøll and Kirstine Høyer Dahl can easily recognize the image of a local that can sometimes be a bit noisy. (Photo: © Morten Lerkenfeldt Sørensen, Danmarks Radio)

Kirstine Høyer Dahl would be happy to support the idea of putting creativity in the driver's seat.

- We could do something fun as a class, like being creative and going outside, she says.

Maybe there's even room for all suggestions and more, as Sofie Horsbøll Stensbøll suggests, there should be a little more variation than just the old and the new testament.

- It works best if you do something different every time, because it can get boring to sit down and do the same thing over and over again, she says.

Taken as a whole, 7th grade at Aars is quite happy with their time in the confirmation room, which included a "run" around the church with various questions.

The students from 7A at Østermarkskolen can easily recognize the image of a place where there can sometimes be a lot of noise during the periods that should be reserved for preparation for confirmation. And even though they have many suggestions for what could have been done, confirmation preparation does not need to be a vacation, says Mads Christian Hansen.

- You have to give before you can enjoy, he says, referring to the big confirmation party and the many gifts he received.

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