Showing papers in "Catholic education. A journal of inquiry and practice in 2005"

Teaching: Profession or Vocation?

Abstract: Underneath Teaching there lies a conceptual framework through which we view its role and purpose. Different frameworks vary in outlook and imply contrasting attitudes and values. Which one we adopt impacts on what and how we teach. This study explores what it means to think of teaching as a professions versus a vocation. Its focus is restricted to teaching at the university level, but the analysis can be applied to other aspects of an academic career. The issue is of particular interest in relation to the Christian or Catholic identity of denominational colleges and universities. The intent is to show how the conceptual framework of a profession versus a vocation implies a number of contrasting attitudes and values towards teaching. Al though these contrasts need not be incompatible, they are in dialectical tension within academic institutions: excess of one highlights absence of the other, Finally, the study suggests that teaching as a vocation more directly promotes a distinctively Christian or Catholic identity in denominational institutions of higher education.

Spiritual Formation for Catholic Educators: Understanding the Need

Abstract: This article discusses the need for thoughtful programs of spiritual formation for lay educators who staff Catholic schools. The importance of teacher formation in spiritual growth and in knowledge of the Catholic faith and daily living of the Gospel is highlighted.

Mentorship: Toward Success in Teacher Induction and Retention.

Abstract: The mentoring of new teachers has proven to be an effective strategy in helping novice teachers succeed. This essay provides an overview of mentorship and suggests concrete, research-based techniques for implementing a mentor-ship program.

Children’s Cultural Capital and Teachers’ Assessments of Effort and Ability: The Influence of School Sector

Abstract: Bourdieu (1973) theorized that differences in social background correspond to differences in possession of cultural resources (cultural capital), as well as the orientation to those resources (habitus). Additionally, Bourdieu argued that struggles for power occur in different settings (fields). His essay reviews Bourdieu’s main ideas and describes how they may apply to the American educational system. In particular, two setting are considered; public elementary schools and Catholic elementary schools. Based in analyses using data form the Early Childhood, Longitudinal Study (ECLS), Catholic school kindergartners are more likely to participate in arts activities, and their parents are more likely to be involved in and comfortable with the school environment. Regression analysis show that arts lessons and attendance at arts events do not affect teachers’ perceptions of the effort or ability of students in either public or Catholic schools. Parents’ orientation toward school has more of an effect in public than in Catholic schools. In public schools, attending open houses and conferences, volunteering, and feeling unwelcome at school all affect teachers’ evaluations of students’ effort and ability, while only attendance at school events and conferences affect teachers’ perceptions in Catholic schools. These findings suggest that the traditional definition of cultural capital may not be appropriate for young American children, that parents’ orientation toward schooling should be included in future studies of educational stratification, and that more research is needed in the examination of public-Catholic school differences in cultural resources.

Religion, Religiosity and Private Schools

Abstract: The effects of religion and religiosity as measured by attendance at weekly religious services on the demand for private schooling is assessed. It is shown that Catholics, fundamentalist/evangelical Protestants, and respondents who attend religious services more often have a higher demand for private schooling. Data from the National Opinion Research Center’s “General Social Survey” are used.

Exploring values in catholic schools

Abstract: The past 30 years have been a busy time for Catholic school researchers. Once focused almost exclusively on historical research, Catholic school research in recent years has diversified and multiplied to include new descriptive and comparative studies. This article summarizes the findings of the most significant studies from 1966-2002 concerning values, the Catholic school effect, and apparent sector effects. Suggestions for future research are also proffered.

Alternative Teacher Education and Professional Preparedness: A Study of Parochial and Public School Contexts.

Abstract: As staffing in Catholic K-12 schools has transitioned to a predominantly lay teaching corps over the past 50 years, a parallel process of secularization has taken place in teacher education programs at Catholic colleges and universities. The tradition of teaching as a vocation in the formation of vowed religious has been replaced by standard programs of educational foundations, course work, and field experiences with a primary emphasis on the issues and needs of public schools. Many factors contribute to this focus in Catholic higher education: financial concerns; teacher candidate preference; state laws; lack of proximity, affiliation, or experience with Catholic schools. Many programs function under a mission to prepare teachers for any school setting, public, private, or parochial, and view an intentional focus on Catholic Education as limiting or debilitating to the professional development of teacher candidates. This article asks the question: can an alternative teacher program based in service to Catholic education prepare teachers to be effective in both parochial and secular settings? The study investigated the professional preparedness of M.Ed. in program teacher candidates (n= 163) working in Catholic Schools and program graduates (n= 137) and these graduates’ principals (n= 112) working in either Catholic or public schools. Results of the administration of a professional preparedness inventory indicated teacher self-reported and principal reported rates at comparable levels to replicated national surveys. Comparison of graduate and principal responses by school context indicated no statistically significant difference for overall measures of preparedness. Specific areas of significant difference were identified in the Catholic school context (higher preparedness rates in curriculum and instruction and questioning and discussion skills) and public school context (higher rates of preparedness in encouraging critical thinking, reflective practice, and use of technology). Discussion focuses on the Catholic school context as a viable alternative for the preparation of teachers for multiple school contexts.

Religious Participation as Cultural Capital Development: Sector Differences in Chicago’s Jewish Schools

Abstract: This paper uses the case of Jewish schools in Chicago to explore the role of religious schools in the development of cultural capital among youth. The author focus on three sectors of Jewish Schools (Orthodox day schools, non-Orthodox day schools, and non-Orthodox supplementary schools) as contexts for learning and expressing Jewish practices, affiliations, and beliefs, which are understood to be markers of cultural capital for the Jewish community. Survey results from 834 students in grades 7-12 revealed that family and school environments are independently associated with cultural capital development. Generally, the contributions of families are more prominent than the impact of schools, but both school type and learning opportunities also contribute to cultural outcomes.

Justice education as a schoolwide effort: effective religious education in the catholic school

Abstract: This essay describes and analyzes one successful justice education program flowing from community service, and demonstrates how such a program in Catholic school responds to several important “calls” to Catholic educators. These “calls” are issued by (a) the needs of the learners and the signs of the times, (b) official documents of the Church about the mission of the Catholic school and the faith growth of youth, and (c) a creative reading of history and contemporary expression of religious education that involves cooperation among all teachers and all subject areas in the school. The essay begins with a description of the justice education program at St. Pius XIII School, comprised of Grades 7 through 12. [The school is a fictional construct; it does not exist as one entity, but is the amalgam of the experiences of good practices in several schools.] Following the description is a treatment of each of the “calls” to which this effective justice education program responds.

Urban Revitalization: A Case Study of One Catholic Elementary School’s Journey

Abstract: This article offers background information on U.S. trends in Catholic school enrollment from 1965 through the present, and presents a case study of one school that is attempting to address issues of enrollment, identity, effectiveness, and the elusive but critical essence of making a difference in the lies of students. The importance of leadership, mission, and a sense of community are reconfirmed as essential elements to the future success of Catholic schools in the United States.

Teacher induction in catholic schools

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the induction process for beginning teachers in Catholic schools. Data were collected from 100 teachers using a survey that addressed teachers’ level of confidence in the pedagogical, religious, and managerial dimensions of teaching. The results of the study indicated that the induction experiences of beginning teachers in Catholic schools were similar to those of beginning teachers elsewhere. However, there is a need for the development and implementation of a systematic process of teacher induction that consciously meets the needs in the religious dimension for beginning teachers.

Motherhood and Tenure: Can Catholic Universities Support Both?.

Abstract: This paper presents a plan for the implementation of more family-friendly policies at Catholic colleges and universities, both as a matter of justice for women and on behalf of the well being of families. It is motivated by the teachings of the Catholic social tradition that emphasize the equality and dignity of women; the importance of the dual vocations of Christian parents, who are called to raise children and to work more publicly on behalf of the common good; and the inherent value of children and their right to be properly nutured and educated within the Christian family. Our starting point is the condition of families in the U.S. today as they struggle to thrive in spite of tremendous demands placed on parents who also work outside the home. We examine the negative effects on women and families that result from a refusal to accommodate parents with young children in the workplace. We are concerned in particular with the challenges faced by women academics at colleges and universities who are also mothers. We argue that, by and large, these women are not adequately supported in academia, even at Catholic universities, in spite of that tradition’s professed commitment to the health and well being of families. Finally we offer several concrete suggestions by which universities may better support women academics who are mothers, thereby contributing to the well being of women and families.

Incarnational immersion-based learning in cultural contexts: a charity model

Abstract: The Religious Pastoral Studies and Behavioral Sciences Departments of a Midwestern college have collaborated in offering academic courses in theology and anthropology that include service immersion experiences with people of diverse cultures in South Dakota, North Carolina, New Mexico, Kentucky, and Honduras. This paper explores the incarnational dimension of immersion experiences between native peoples and college students. Using a contextual theology model, students and faculty from various social science and religious studies disciplines reflect with native people on the historical and contemporary elements of their culture and spirituality. This paper discusses the historical development of the immersion courses, methodology, curriculum design, student learning objectives and outcomes, incarnational value formation in Sisters of Charity charisms, and future directions.

Narrative Theology in the High School Classroom: Teaching Theology through the Literature.

Abstract: If Jesus Taught most Frequently through symbol and story, and the early Church passed on his teachings primarily through story, especially the four Gospels, why is today’s Catechesis and theological pedagogy not more informed by “narrative theology” ”“ theology which focuses on the narratives told by Jesus and the Gospels precisely as narratives? This article provides some basic foundations for the discipline of narrative theology, argues for a more narrative approach to theological instruction, and, by way of application, proposes a full year curriculum for high-school students that enables teachers to teach theology through the narratives of both the Bible and secular literature.

Vincentian Education and the Charism of St. Vincent de Paul

Abstract: St. Vincent de Paul is a popular saint in the contemporary practice of Catholicism. This article explains why, providing a historical overview of the many influences in Vincent’s life and demonstrating how central Vincentian themes can be incarnated in educational institutions. Vincent’s passion”love of the poor”remains a compelling challenge today.

The Two Wings of Catholic Thought: Essays on Fides et Ratio, edited by David Ruel Foster & Joseph W. Koterski, SJ

Abstract: The editors describe the purpose of this volume “to help deepen appreciation for the stereophonic approach to truth” that Pope John Paul II suggests in the reference in Fides et Ratio to faith and reason as “the two wings” of Catholic thought (Foster & Koterski, 2003, p. ix). These 10 essays on Fides et Ratio combine by dividing: understanding each wing’s operation by itself allows a firmer grasp of how they work together to allow a tradition to take flight. The book has three parts. Section 1 addresses the doctrinal ramifications and developments occasioned by the pope’s encyclical as they pertain to the possibility of a Christian philosophy, the fate of metaphysics, theological anthropology and our understanding of the person, and the role of Mary and the effects of a Marian framework in an encyclical devoted to faith and reason. Section 2 concerns implications and applications of Fides et Ratio to Catholic higher education and to contemporary culture. Section 3 puts the encyclical into historical context by discussing the role of wisdom literature, medieval philosophy and theology, contemporary philosophy, and the Church’s own teaching from Vatican I to John Paul II. A useful summary outline of Fides et Ratio follows the third part. The real contribution of The Two Wings of Catholic Thought is to convey very effectively – better than the encyclical itself does – just why Fides et Ratio ultimately matters inside the Church and for important issues in wider culture. Despite appearances in both tone and texture, it turns out that John Paul II’s analysis of the two wings of Catholic thought has wider appeal than only to theological ornithologists with advanced degrees. Instead, this volume ably demonstrates how Fides et Ratio speaks to the birdwatcher inside every child of God.

John Lancaster Spalding (1840-1916): A Catalyst for Social Reform

Abstract: The life and work of John Lancaster Spalding focused on the importance of Catholic ideals of life and education in the development of the human person and society in order to fit them to the high purpose of participating in God’s reign on earth and preparation for humanity’s ultimate end”eternal life with God. Following a brief biographical introduction, this article addresses the central themes of Bishop Spalding’s social thought and proposes that his attempts to articulate a Catholic perspective on social justice issues of his time were among the earliest in the United States. The article concludes by focusing on the importance of the role of education in Spalding’s social thought and proposes some implications for the teaching of peace and justice today.

"a great and lasting beginning": bishop john mcmullen's educational vision and the founding of st. ambrose university

Abstract: Catholic education surfaces as a focus and concern in every age of the U.S. Catholic experience. This article examines the struggles in one, small Midwestern diocese surrounding the establishment and advancement of Catholic education. Personal rivalries, relationships with Rome, local politics, finances, responding to broader social challenges, and the leadership of clergy were prominent themes then, as they are now. Numerous historical insights detailed here help explain the abiding liberal character of Catholicism in the Midwestern United States.