Catholic Education: Transforming the World
"The
only people really capable of changing the world aren't even adults yet…."
says Justin Trudeau (2001), son of the late Prime Minister Trudeau. "They're
our students. They're our children. We have an opportunity here to make a difference.
That's why I went into teaching."
Justin Trudeau made these statements at the Quest for Character Conference held in Aurora, Ontario on April 27, 2001. The comments, made in a speech to both Ontario Public and Catholic educators, emphasized the prime importance of character formation as an essential aim of education.
What Trudeau (2001) was really talking about is our mandate as educators (both public and Catholic), to "change the world." In Catholic educational circles, we often say that our goal is to follow the example of Jesus, which is to "transform the world." When Toronto hosted Canada's first ever National Catholic Educational Association Convention in 1990, the theme chosen for this gathering of nearly 23,000 Catholic educators was "Catholic Education:Transforming Our World."
"Transforming our World" is a huge responsibility that is very future focused. "A teacher's responsibility," as Trudeau (2001) puts it, "is to the society that doesn't even exist yet, that will be peopled and run by the students we have today."
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Character Formation: Integration of Faith and Life
"Its task is
fundamentally a synthesis of culture and faith, and a synthesis of faith and
life: the first is reached by integrating all the different aspects of human
knowledge through the subjects taught, in the light of the Gospel; the second
in the growth of the virtues characteristic of the Christian." (The
Catholic School n. 37)
Character formation within the context of Gospel values is a high priority for Catholic education. The subjects that we teach are but a means to accomplish this desired aim. Educational literature on the Catholic school informs us that "Gospel values and motivation must be cultivated in all subject areas and, indeed, in all of the various activities of the school" (The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School n. 107). Unless all subject areas in the Catholic school consider and actively teach from a religious dimension, the school will more than likely fail in its task of educating students in faith.
Click
on Curriculum Development For Saskatchewan
Catholic Schools. Specific Learning Outcomes for Transforming the World
John Henry Newman (1801-1890) who lived over a century before Justin Trudeau, and who is often referred to as the "Father" of Second Vatican Council, even though he died many years before the Council, once said that:
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"Education is a higher word; it implies an action upon our mental nature, and formation of character, it is something individual and permanent, and it is commonly spoken of in connection with religion and virtue." |
In an interview,
world-renowned expert on character education, Thomas
Lickona stated:
"I believe character education is the deliberate effort to cultivate virtue - that is, objectively good human qualities that are good for the individual person and good for the whole of society. That doesn't happen accidentally or automatically. It happens as the result of great and diligent effort."
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What Virtues?
Shimabukuro
(2000) poses a challenge to those of us who are charged with the responsibility
of delineating learning outcomes. She asks the questions:
The answer to these questions according to Shimabukuro (2000) is very much dependent on a teacher's own educational philosophy. It is very important, as already pointed out in Module 1, that this philosophy be informed by a strong Catholic identity on the part of the teacher and the school. Shimabukuro (2000) also reminds us that consideration of learning outcomes must focus on the whole child to include "the student's intellectual, religious/spiritual, emotional, and social growth." Catholic schools must strive to be proficient in all these areas so that students are not only informed, but also formed and transformed (Groome, 1996).
In the Saskatchewan context, learning outcomes in a Catholic school must be delineated by adherence to the provincial curricula, but viewed in the light of the Gospel message, which emphasizes the teaching of values and virtues. One Australian Catholic school organization eloquently expresses this sentiment in a system policy which reads:
"Catholic schools are meeting places for those who wish to express Christian values in education: a curriculum designed to promote a Christian approach to education must be so expressed as to embody Gospel values such as summarized in the Beatitudes (courage, forgiveness, love, humility, poor in spirit ...)"
What are the Key Gospel Values?
The terms values and virtues are frequently used interchangeably in the Catholic educational literature. An Australian perspective shedding further light on additional Catholic values is outlined here for your consideration (click here to see entire document Gospel values across the curriculum). This link provides teachers in Catholic schools the scope to include values and virtues across the curriculum.
The term "Gospel values" is usually taken to include such qualities as:
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Universality of Virtues
The question "Whose values will be taught?" was once regarded as a paralyzing one, but polls show broad agreement among people of all faiths and no faith. The Gallup organization, for instance, finds more than 90 percent poll support for stressing honesty, democracy, patriotism, moral courage, caring for friends and family, and the acceptance of people of all races and ethnicities (Leo, 1999)
Lao-Tse
is the great Taoist philosopher who wrote the Te Tao Ching, one of the most
sacred texts of Taoism. "His writings teach the philosophy of the
Tao, or the Way, which is reality that naturally exists prior to and gives rise
to all other things such as the physical universe and all things in it. Te,
which means virtue, is the life energy in things and a sense of morality which
constitutes the Way" (Stiner, 1997). Eighty percent of Lao-Tse's teachings
were devoted to promoting universal virtues.
Nostra Aetate, one of the Declarations of Second Vatican Council in 1965, is the first positive statement ever made by the Church on the Catholic view of the values, beliefs and virtues taught by other faiths.
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In one of its most powerful statements Christians are called upon to "acknowledge, preserve, and promote the spiritual and moral goods" found amongst people of other faiths (NA 2)….Dialogue is commended, and the truths to be found in the great world religions are affirmed (Barnes, 2000)….Since "all peoples comprise a single community, and have a single origin", the council says clearly that the Church "rejects nothing which is true and holy in these other religions" (Barnes, 1996). |
There is no better opportunity for the Catholic teacher to proclaim our ecumenical spirit and solidarity with all the world's religions than in the area of Character education. The values and virtues that are integral to the Christian tradition are also emphasized, taught and celebrated in the all of the world's great religions. Alongside the great Christian religions of the world, there are the other great religions of Judaism, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, all of which share common virtues with the Catholic faith. The worldwide web and other literature sources contain many lists that contain these universally shared virtues. While we must teach children to understand and celebrate the distinctiveness of the Catholic tradition, it is equally important for them to develop an appreciation for all the world's great religious traditions. The common denominator that can lead to this appreciation is to be found in our shared virtues.
Perhaps one the most respected lists of shared values that Catholic teachers can utilize in teaching virtues in all curricular areas is to be found in The Virtues Project that many Catholic and Public schools have used a primary resource and teaching tool in teaching these universally held virtues. The Virtues Project offers an approach, which calls people to adhere to the virtues, the qualities of character, and the simple elements of spirituality honored by all cultures and sacred traditions. However, it does not promote the practices or the beliefs of any particular religion. It's grounded in the simple wisdom of many world religions, all of which describe the human virtues as the highest aspiration for humanity. The universal virtues as listed in the Virtues Project documents can be accessed by clicking here.
Native Values
While
certain Native values are unique to aboriginal culture and spirituality, there
also exists a strong universality factor that is common with the other great
religions of the world. In fact, from a strictly values perspective, there is
much to be found in Native spirituality that can be supported both biblically
and from a strictly Catholic perspective. Respect for the wisdom of elders,
the concept of family responsibilities extending beyond the immediate family
to embrace the whole community, and the emphasis on sharing for the common good
of all are not foreign to those of us who practice the Catholic faith. The universality
factor also runs deep in other areas such as respect for parents, respect for
property and nature, love of neighbor, peaceful living and respecting the rights
of others. Click on these sites to find other lists of native values: Native
Values, Alaska Native Values
for the Curriculum, AthabascanValues,
Traditional
Native Values. Compare and contrast these lists with both Catholic values
and the values of the other great religions of the world.
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The Provincial Curriculum
A Catholic school's success is not only measured by the learning outcomes associated with Catholic virtues and values, but is also measured by a teacher's success in providing quality educational experiences for children based on the learning outcomes articulated by provincial curricula. To be successful, Catholic schools need to provide quality learning experiences in all subject areas, and, at times, these learning experiences may not reflect an obvious connection to the faith dimension. The important thing for the Catholic educator is the "teachable moment"; that time when a particular student's comment, or national event, or teacher experience, or curriculum objective, or divine inspiration, allows the teaching/learning process to be illumined by the light of faith.
While it is beyond the scope of Catholic Curriculum Online to analyze and detail each and every curriculum document, it is very much within our scope to suggest ways and means for teachers to look at instruction through the eyes of faith. Such was the case when Saskatoon Catholic Schools took the Common Essential Learnings and developed its own view of CELS in a document entitled Putting on the Mind of Christ. Our goal is to also put on the "mind of Christ" by looking for new and exciting opportunities that allow for faith, reflection and curriculum to come together. Herein lies the true challenge for the "reflective practitioner".
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References:
Barnes, Michael S.J. (1996). "Catholic Schools in a World of Many Faiths" in T. Mclaughlin, J. O' O'Keefe, and B. O'Keefe (eds). The Contemporary Catholic School: Context, Identity and Diversity. Guildford and King's Lynn: Biddles
Groome, Thomas. (1996). "What Makes a School Catholic?" in T. Mclaughlin, J. O' O'Keefe, and B. O'Keefe (eds). The Contemporary Catholic School: Context, Identity and Diversity. Guildford and King's Lynn: Biddles
Leo, John. (1999). "C is for Character" in Catholic Educators Resource Center
Lickona, Thomas. (2001) "Character Education" interview with Early Childhood Today.
Stiner, Amber E. (1997). Lao-Tse (Website )
The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education: The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School. Rome: 1988
Trudeau, Justin. (2001). "The Quest for Character". Excerpt from speech given by Justin Trudeau at an International Symposium sponsored by the York Region District School Board of Ontario. (Video tape of speech can be purchased by contacting Roger's Television).
Can
a Catholic school claim success on faith based outcomes only? What else is
needed?