Discussion on Catholic Schools Role and Mission - Essay Example

? EDLE 636 - Discussion Posts College: Session 3 In regard to the Catholic school’s role and culture, it ought to be dthat it makes a recognizable contribution in the church’s evangelizing mission allover the universe. In addition, despite several obstacles, the said school has not relented in the sharing of social along with cultural development responsibility within diverse communities, as well as, amongst its members. Moreover, the catholic school plays a dominant role in the less fortunate people’s development both spiritually and materially (Kelly, 2002). Basically, the school makes a unique contribution in the culture versus faith synthesis and the faith versus life synthesis. The school’s principal aim is to aid its pupils in getting assimilated within the present culture rather than fearing the world. The catholic school essential nature is that it is amongst the great opportunities of the church’s salvilic mission. Catholic education pays reverence to individuals’ transcendence, enlightening them on the manner in which to live within this world while fixing their eyes on the God’s vision. It is also essential to acknowledge that the catholic education has a counter-cultural position and it is largely multi-leveled in nature (Gilchrist, 1994). On one side, the catholic school can be considered as a ‘civic institution’ whose targets, procedures and characteristics are similar to any other school. On the other side, the said school can be considered as a ‘Christian community’ which possesses educational goals which are founded on Christ along with his gospel. In regard to the previously mentioned sediments, Gilchrist’s article can be said to have given the true picture of the catholic education. Gilchrist’s article has sampled various studies carried out by different researchers regarding the Australian catholic schools’ ‘catholic’ character. The studies’ findings indicate that the modern parents do not possess soaring religious expectations concerning the schools (Miller, 2005). Gilchrist has also made highlights on the problems currently been faced within the catholic education. Session 5 In accordance to the given readings, the particular role of every leadership team in overseeing learning is data analysis. Evidence-based leadership role is viewed as vital in the promotion of data utility (Pettit, 2012). However, there is the general perception that evidence-based leadership is absent within the analysis and utilization of results within the school level. This kind of leadership comprises of components such as the recognition of the data leader’s role along with providing operational elements which facilitate efficient, as well as, effective analysis along with utilization of the given information. These may entail of proper school structures along with satisfactory time to carry out such analysis. Moreover, it comprises of the whole-school plans formulation in order to make thorough utilization of the information. In accordance to the featured LTLL model within the Bezzina’s article, the shared moral purposes versus shared leadership relationship is dynamically interplaying (Bezzina, Burford & Duignan, 2007). The model makes an illustration of the manner in which the sharing of moral purpose along with leadership closely intertwines within the trusting relationships network. In the absence of that, it seems uncertain that instructors would possess the confidence in engaging in picking up of the educational leadership mantle within a mutual fashion that promotes shared moral purpose deepening. Pettit articulates that the ‘moral potency’ along with context role in shifting to moral action from the moral purpose is to function as a filter sandwiched amid the moral action and moral purpose; amid the leader’s readiness and perceived capacity to act, as well as, the enacted observed behavior (Pettit, 2012). Importantly, in accordance to Pettit’s analysis, the context within which student achievement data is viewed has the great influence on the readiness of the leader and the capacity to shift to moral action from moral purpose. In that regard, Pettit states that moral potency turns out as an influential component in determining how the moral along with ethical concerns are turned into action. Therefore, shifting to action from purpose brings about context-bound observable behaviors. Session 6 It is actually a true fact that a ‘catholic’ curriculum exists. Catholic curriculum cannot be simply described as the knowledge and skills transmission. It additionally encompasses the processes through which the planning and delivering of teaching are undertaken. Within the contemporary context, it entails of teaching colleagues and learners relationships, within, as well as, away from the learning rooms (D'Orsa, 2008). Teacher identity is the crucial mediating variable once we scrutinize the catholic curriculum. In that perspective, principals along with system authorities desire to aid teachers by means of personal, as well as, professional development along with offering excellent resource materials. They also struggle to bring about the school’s catholic identity through a diversity of means which, in their means, support individual teacher faith development and emphasize on the essence of the teaching staff turning out as a learning community within faith matters along with other school life areas. It has also been discovered that the school community faith reinforces catholic ethos within all school life aspects. The aforementioned aspect enables the individual departments along with teachers to realize success in the catholic worldview integration within specific subject areas (Buchanan & Engebretson, 2009). It is of great essence for the catholic learning institutions to possess their unique curriculum. In the first place, the curriculum gives the schools a catholic identity. Moreover, the curriculum guarantees the learning institution’s catholicity. The curriculum plays a vital role in establishing the learner’s self –acceptance along with self-esteem by assisting them realize and utilize their talents which in turn enables them to comprehend their individual worth (D'Orsa, 2008). The curriculum also assists the learners to realize their fellow student’s intrinsic worth. The curriculum also provides learners with chances to utilize their talents on a common good behalf within unique and practical ways that aid community building. It is through the curriculum that teachers, personally and collectively have turned out as both the message, as well as, medium. Session 7 The given readings have brought about detailed information regarding the issues and nature of catholic schools’ religious leadership. In accordance to Bezzina articles, there is the necessity for the crucial shift in the scope, meaning and perspective of the schools leadership so as to establish organizational cultures which advocate, nurture and sustain shared leadership. Due to diverse reasons which vary from efficacy, through survival to principal, it is as at present unsustainable to invest leadership in individuals only (Bezzina, 2008). Numerous authors campaign for the need of acquiring shared leadership which is also termed as parallel leadership or distributed leadership. Specifically, shared leadership tends to provide a procedure of promoting the moral purpose commitment. The aforementioned experiences do not collide with the information featured within the Vatican document. This is due to the fact that the Vatican document suggests that extra research, experimentation along with study ought to be carried out within all areas which affect the Catholic school’s religious education dimension. Even though substantial work has already been carried out, numerous individuals think that there is the need to even do more. This is actually a reality in each school where freedom is effectively shielded by civil law (Bezzina &Wilson, 1999). All in all, a religious aspect ought to be present in both within and outside school walls. The Vatican document further suggests that educators ought to comprehend the appropriate manner to react to their expectations, putting into consideration that within the cultural pluralism world, it is only dialogue which paves way for hope. It can be recommended that leaders ought to be given support in various ways in their catholic schools religious leadership. It is vital to let the leaders implement their policies within the learning institutions without any form of pressures (Congregation for Catholic Education, 1988). The leaders ought to be free to offer students the chance to undergo authentic learning. This is due to the fact that an unauthentic learning is unethical and also inappropriate. Session 9 In the ‘mission integrity’ article by Grace, catholic learning institution leaders’ role in sustaining and enhancing ‘mission integrity’ involves becoming the mission integrity guardian. In respect to Hodgkinson’s sediments, it is the school leader’s responsibility to carry out the educational enterprise’s continuing value audit. Specifically, the school leaders ought to not only enhance but also guard the school’s mission integrity (Grace, 2002). This implies that the school leaders unlike the school managers are basically involved with authenticity and principle issues, as well as, ethical along with moral conduct. They are also involved in the development of youth in terms of a good life concept. The bishops pointed out the catholic schools remain to be at crossroads because of the changes been experienced within the enrollment patterns and within the NSW educational along with cultural context. These changes have spontaneously affected the catholic school’s roles, as well as, composition in the present years. In addition, the schools remain to be at cross-roads due to the escalating percentage of ostensibly-catholic along with other-than-catholic admissions (Grace, 2010). The poorer families’ students’ under-participation has also contributed towards the catholic schools being at cross-roads. Besides these schools currently have a diverse students’ mix and reduced support for their particularly religious mission from the school’s external community as compared to the past (Bishops of NSW and the ACT, 2007). The implications of the critical indicators through which advancement towards the four principal goals shall be measured on the leaders of the catholic schools are that they will have to make a recommitment to the catholic schooling adventure within the new 21st century. In addition, the leaders will have to make it certain that their school’s mission statement is redesigned so as to clarify the school’s catholic purpose. Moreover, they will have to ensure that growth towards an increased school staff percentage of teachers who are staunch Catholics particularly those dealing with religious education. The leaders will also have to make it certain that day to day school life is earmarked by characteristically catholic symbols along with mission. Additional challenges which will be faced by the catholic school leaders outlined within the readings within this module include the lack of support from families along with parishes. Moreover, only a small number of students have received catechetic or pastoral service as compared to the previous generations. Besides, the catholic leaders will have to work with the basically less supportive surrounding culture along with its dominant agents like the media and novel technologies (Davies, 2002). There is also the challenge of resisting the increasing pressure of catholic schooling demand. Therefore, it has become difficult to bring down the school system to controllable scales within which the leaders can select learners and staff who unwaveringly embrace the catholic school mission. References Berquist, L. M. (1998). Designing your own classical curriculum: A guide to Catholic home education. San Francisco: Ignatius Press. Bezzina, M. (2008). We do make a difference: Shared moral purpose and shared leadership in the pursuit of learning. Leading and Managing, 14(1), 38-59. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.informit.com.au/fullText;dn=168566;res=AEIPT Bezzina, M. and Wilson, G. (1999). Rethinking Religious Leadership in Schools. Journal of Religious Education, 47(2) 11-18.   Bezzina, M., Burford, C., &Duignan, P. (2007). Leaders transforming learning and learners: Messages for Catholic leaders. Paper presented at the Fourth International Conference on Catholic Educational Leadership, Sydney.  (August 2007) Bishops of NSW and the ACT. (2007). Catholic Schools at a Crossroads. Sydney. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://www.arm.catholic.edu.au/educational-resources/catholic-schools-at-a-crossroads.pdf/view Brown, W. E., & Greeley, A. M. (1970). Can Catholic schools survive?. New York: Sheed and Ward. Bryk, A. S., Lee, V. E., & Holland, P. B. (1993). Catholic schools and the common good. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press. Buchanan, M.T & Engebretson, K. (2009). The significance of theory in the implementation of curriculum change in religious education. British Journal of Religious Education, 31(2), 141–152. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from     http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=36353312&site=ehost-live Catholic University of America., & In Miller, M. J. (1951). The integration of the Catholic secondary school curriculum. Washington: Catholic University of America Press. Congregation for Catholic & Education. (1997). The Catholic school on the threshold of the third millennium. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations Congregation for Catholic Education. (1988). The religious dimension of education in the Catholic school. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_19880407_catholic-school_en.html Davies, B. (2002). Rethinking schools and school leadership for the twenty-first century: changes and challenges. International journal of educational management. 16(4), 196-206. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=0951-354x&volume=16&issue=4&articleid=838823&show=html D'Orsa, T. (2008, April 16 - 18). In the second modernity it takes the whole curriculum to teach the whole Gospel. Paper presented at the Prophets of a future not our own: Queensland Catholic Education Commission Conference on Catholic Curriculum, Brisbane. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/ereserve/copyright/documents/DOrsa10936.pdf Dwyer, B. (1993). Catholic schools: Creating a new culture. Newtown, N.S.W: E.J. Dwyer. Flynn, M. (1993). The culture of Catholic schools: A study of Catholic schools, 1972-1993. Homebush, NSW: St. Pauls. Gilchrist, M. (1994).  New studies raise question: How 'Catholic' are Catholic schools?  AD2000 &(1) p.9 Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from    http://www.ad2000.com.au/articles/1994/feb1994p9_816.html Grace, G. (2010).  Mission Integrity: Contemporary challenges for Catholic school leaders.  Paper presented at the Fifth International Conference on Catholic Educational Leadership, Sydney, Australia. (August 2010) Grace, Gerald. (2002). Catholic schools: mission, markets and morality. London: Routledge/Falmer. Chapter1. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from     http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/ereserve/copyright/documents/Grace11647.pdf Hallinan, M. T. (2006). Handbook of the sociology of education. New York, NY: Springer. Kelly, A. (2002). Grace, meaning and Catholic education.  In D. Duncan & D. Riley, leadership in Catholic education, pp.1-16.Sydney: Harper Collins. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/ereserve/copyright/documents/Duncan9055.pdf McLaughlin, D. (2001). Roman documents on the Catholic school. In The changing Catholic school: exploring and challenging new roles. A literature review for the Queensland Bishop's Catholic schools research project 1998-2000. (pp. 65-82). Brisbane: Queensland Catholic Education Commission. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/ereserve/copyright/documents/McLaughlin11528.pdf Miller, J. (2005). Serving communities: Catholic education in service to the Gospel. An address,Catholic Education Week, Melbourne. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://ezproxy.acu.edu.au/login?url=http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/ereserve/copyright/documents/Miller11611.pdf Pettit, P. (2012).  Moral Potency: the contextual link between moral purpose and moral action.  Paper presented at the 17th Annual Values and Leadership Conference Brisbane, Australia. (October, 2012)  Reardon, M. (2005). Catholic schools then and now. Oregon, Wis: Badger Books. Sander, W. (2011). Catholic schools: Private and social effects. New York: Springer. Sullivan, J. (2001). Catholic education: Distinctive and inclusive. Dordrecht: Kluwer. The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium. Retrieved 10 April, 2013, from http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_27041998_school2000_en.html Read More