Re-Presenting Christian Tradition as a Source of Inspiration and Integration for Educators in Catholic Schools-A Proposal

A significant challenge facing leaders of Catholic schools in Ireland today is to ensure an appreciation for, and understanding of, the Catholic identity of the school among members of staff. A first aim of this research project was to create a ‘vital idea’ to re-present Christian faith to people working in Catholic schools, in a way that might resonate with the real world of teaching and learning and with their own lives. Drawing from Fratelli Tutti), we used the phrase ‘A Love that impels towards communion’ as the ‘vital idea’. A second aim was to present it to principals of second-level Catholic schools and garner their responses to it. We did this with twelve principals, using a focus group methodology. We first explained the thinking behind the ‘vital idea’, and then gathered their responses to it. The reaction of the principals was favourable. It made sense to them personally and chimed with much of what they are doing professionally. However, the word ‘communion’ was found not to be helpful. A further finding relates to values: while the values in the ‘vital idea’ were embraced and talked about easily, there was little explicit reference to God, the source of those values

Wellbeing in the Irish Junior Cycle: the potential of religious education

Wellbeing is central to the new Junior Cycle (lower secondary education) in Ireland as a principle and curricular area. This paper argues that while it should never be the case that the rights of parents or their children regarding Religious Education are compromised, Religious Education can make a real and positive contribution to wellbeing in the Junior Cycle. The paper begins by reviewing two recent international longitudinal studies to demonstrate the strong positive correlation between religion and wellbeing. It goes on to highlight the potential of Religious Education in helping schools to fulfil the Junior Cycle wellbeing requirements. It concludes that as a legitimate source of wellbeing, Religious Education with sound content and pedagogy, well taught by qualified and supported teachers, can be an integral part of a Junior Cycle programme

Thriving or surviving : reclaiming the Ignatian spiritual tradition as a resource for sustaining teachers today

Thesis advisor: Thomas H. GroomeNo amount of curriculum drafting, standardized testing, or technological aids are sufficient to make a good school. A school is only as good as its participants – students, parents, auxiliary staff, leaders, and of course, teachers. Teachers teach for life – perhaps decreasingly the duration of a professional lifetime, but for the very life of the school and the lives of those who participate in it. So much depends on the spirit of the teacher and therefore on what is likely to sustain their spirits. Fostering the spiritual lives of teachers is crucial; healthy spirituality can be a sustaining force, helping teachers to thrive rather than simply survive in our schools today. In this dissertation I address the need for intentionally engaging and nurturing the spirituality of teachers. I see spirituality as central to every teacher (indeed, every person), no matter who they are, where they work, or who or what they teach. It does not assume any particular religious tradition or religious faith at all. But it does account for the search for what is meaningful in life, and places this search within a transcendent horizon. The issue is important both for the personal and vocational development of teachers themselves and because their spiritual lives dynamically affect the educational life and experience of the whole school community. The dissertation goes on to suggest a spiritually inspired pedagogy drawn primarily but not exclusively from the Ignatian tradition. Chapter 1 sets out to describe the lived reality for teachers today, and lifts up the desire to serve and relationality as two great motivators in the decisions to enter and stay in the teaching profession. Chapter 2 re-frames these motivators as age-old and honored spiritual themes. In order to help craft a spiritual pedagogy to sustain teachers, Chapter 3 turns to the rich tradition of Ignatian spirituality. I hold up the Ignatian tradition as just one example of how the spiritual potential of education can be appropriated by any school and the teachers therein. Chapter 4 proposes five dynamic and overlapping configurations of a spiritual pedagogy. The idea is that when certain spiritual commitments in the form of these five configurations become operative for educators, they cannot but become realized in their teaching. Chapter 5 names and describes some general practices that can support the five configurations of a spiritual pedagogy. It follows with some specific suggestions, first for the teacher, and finally for the leadership of the school community.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2008.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry

Religion as a source of well-being: implications for second-level school programmes in Ireland and beyond

Internationally, student well-being is emerging as a core concern in the field of education. This paper examines the relationship between religion and well-being as advanced by three recent international studies. It highlights the relationship between religion and spiritual development (as a dimension of well-being). The second part of the paper provides a brief outline of second level education in the Republic of Ireland before turning to the potential of Religious Education to address the well-being concern at the heart of the new Irish Junior Cycle. With recourse to this practical illustration, it proposes Religious Education as a resource for student well-bein

How school ethos influences the integration of newly arrived migrant students into second level schools in Ireland and Malta

This is the first empirical study to explore how ethos influences the integration of Newly Arrived Migrant Students (NAMS) into second level schools in the Republic of Ireland and Malta. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with school leaders, teachers, and parents, the article focuses on the role of ethos in the school-led integration practices in two schools - one in Ireland and the other in Malta. Although both are schools with a denominational ethos, the two units of study are located at either end of the European Union, with very different profiles and contexts. Findings suggest that, although expressed differently depending on local circumstances and traditions, for both schools, their ethos is a primary factor in their approach to integrating NAMS. While the study is carried out in Ireland and Malta, it is also of interest to other jurisdictions where schools are faced with increasing numbers of NAMS and growing diversity amongst their student populations

Religious education in Irish Catholic primary schools: recent developments, challenges and opportunities

Catholic schools in the Republic of Ireland, historically the principal education provider in that country, are coming under increasing pressure. This article outlines five recent developments which put pressure on primary Catholic education, in particular Religious Education in Catholic schools. Some of these are state driven, such as new curricular proposals and policy changes. Other pressures include changing popular attitudes and the need for school divestment. Cumulatively these developments pose challenges but also opportunities for the Catholic sector. The concluding section of the article offers a brief discussion of those challenges and opportunities

Inclusive second level religious education in Ireland today: what do teachers say?

The Irish religious landscape is changing. Census data reveal that the percentage of those who identify as Catholic is in steady decline, while the proportion of those with no religion continues to rise. Christian religious practice in Ireland is also decreasing, especially among young people. Catholic schools, once the dominant provider of second level education, are now in a minority. This changing landscape has influenced Religious Education in second level schools. It is now an optional subject, and the historic tradition of denominational, confessional Religious Education has given way to an approach designed to be inclusive of students of all faith and none. Yet the surrounding discourse is unsupported by the perspectives of Religious Education teachers. This study attempts to address this knowledge gap by investigating their views and experiences, particularly with regard to inclusion. Results indicate that teachers are concerned about ‘religious students’. Whereas new to the Irish context, this reflects international research which suggests that in a rapidly secularising society, those who continue to practice any faith, especially the once-majority faith, are vulnerable. Findings signpost evidence of this, with RE teachers most concerned about the bullying of Catholic students and least concerned about the bullying of atheists

Context rules! Top-level education policies for newly arrived migrant students across six european countries

Migration across Europe is an increasing reality over the last number of decades, affecting countries with long histories of immigration as well as countries newer to the phenomenon. Although education remains a key factor in receiving and integrating migrants, policies and practices differ among countries. How contextual factors shape these differences is under-represented. This article reviews the top-level education policies on receiving Newly Arrived Migrant Students (NAMS) in six European countries – Belgium, Ireland, Malta, Norway, Portugal and Romania – in an attempt to fill this gap. Employing the European Commission four-dimensional framework of educational support for migrants, we examine how the context of each country shapes these policies. Findings are somewhat paradoxical, indicating both the contextual nature of top-level policies, and a trend towards policy homogenisation at a European level, despite very different national contexts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio