S
Integrating Liberation Theology into Restructuring: Toward a Model for Urban Catholic Schools Edward St. John
(pp. 265-280) Volume 2, Number 3, March 1999
While the research on Catholic schools focuses on their distinctive character including the central role of faith communities within those schools, the challenges facing faith communities in urban Catholic schools have received relatively little attention. This essay argues that the integration of the principles of liberation theology, especially reflection on Gospel passages related to social justice, into the Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) may be a viable approach to restructuring in urban Catholic schools. The congruities and incongruities in the origins and purposes of liberation theology and the ASP are examined. Then a strategy is suggested for integrating liberation theology into the ASP, with the intent of building a deeper shared sense of community and commitment to social justice.
Brothers of the Christian Schools
Luke Salm, F.S.C.
Manhattan College
(pp. 188-197) Volume 11, Number 2; Dec 2007
The Brothers of the Christian Schools, popularly known in the United States as Christian Brothers, have made numerous significant contributions to the development of Catholic education. Building and staffing schools, colleges, and orphanages, producing textbooks and catechetical materials, advocating for the poor, and creating new models of Catholic education are among their many successes. Manhattan College, St. Mary’s Press, and San Miguel Schools are all products of this community of Catholic educators.
Religion, Religiosity and Private Schools
William Sander
(pp. 7-21) Volume 9, Number 1; Sept 2005
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.
The Grammar of Catholic Schooling and Radically “Catholic” Schools
Martin Scanlan
(pp. 25-54) Volume 12, Number 1; Sept 2008
A “grammar of Catholic schooling” inhibits many elementary and secondary Catholic schools from reflecting on how they practice Catholic Social Teaching (CST). The values of human dignity, the common good and a preferential option for the marginalized are central to CST. Schools can live these values by serving children who live in poverty, are racial, ethnic, and linguistic minorities, or have disabilities. This article demonstrates how a grammar of Catholic schooling has allowed Catholic schools to fall into recruitment and retention patterns antithetical to CST. Drawing upon a multicase, qualitative study of three urban Catholic elementary schools serving marginalized students, the article illustrates how select Catholic schools are breaking the grammar of Catholic schooling by practicing CST. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Leadership Role Expectations and Relationships of Principals and Pastors in
Catholic Parochial Elementary Schools: Part I
Duane F. Schafer
(pp. 234-249) Volume 8, Number 2; Dec 2004
Parish Elementary schools in the United States have a governance structure that often precipitates conflict. The principal is the designated leader of the school, the educational administrator, and the supervisor of the faculty and students. By canon law, however, the pastor of the parish remains ultimately responsible for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the entire parish.This review addresses the relationship of pastors and principals in parish schools. After a brief review of general governance in the Catholic Church, the review analyzes the roles of pastor and principal respectively, and concludes with some preliminary advice about role expectations.
Leadership Role Expectations and Relationships of Principals and Pastors in
Catholic Parochial Elementary Schools: Part 2
Duane F. Schafer
(pp. 230-249) Volume 9, Number 2; Dec 2005
This review examines several topics that inform many struggles currently experienced in the relationship between a canonical pastor and the principal of the parochial elementary school. Drawing on current research, this review examines various leadership theories, including the popular servant leadership model, and proceeds to a discussion of role expectations, role conflict, and role ambiguity.
Student Affairs Professionals at Catholic Colleges and Universities: Honoring Two Philosophies Molly A. Schaller & Kathleen M. Boyle
(pp. 163-180) Volume 10, Number 2; Dec 2006
Student affairs professionals are encouraged by their professional organizations to recognize the responsibility they have to their institutions by “supporting its mission, goals and policies” (American College Personnel Association [ACPA], 2006, p. 6) and by avoiding conflicts of interest between the self and the college or university (national Association of Student Personnel Administrators [NASPA], 1990), others point out that most students affairs professionals are educated at secular universities and experience little preparation regarding the Catholic intellectual tradition (Estanek, 2001). The purpose of this study was to explore the following questions: Are there student affairs professionals at Catholic colleges and universities who are able to bring together a student affairs philosophy with that of catholic colleges and universities? If these professionals do exist, what can we learn from their knowledge and approaches that might help other student affairs professionals at Catholic colleges and universities to honor both philosophies? The results suggest that a great deal can be learned from seasoned professionals in Catholic student affairs, which may well assist new professionals in negotiating these two different philosophies.
Advanced Placement Science Programs in Catholic High School
Daniel D. Schinzel
(pp. 417-440) Volume 3, Number 4; June 2000
The purpose of this study was to examine Advanced Placement (AP) science programs in participating Catholic high schools and develop guidelines for the implementation of similar programs at other Catholic schools. The areas of interest were curriculum, instruction, and Advanced Placement examination results. Administrators and teachers at Catholic high schools with Advanced Placement science programs were surveyed using instruments developed by the researcher. The responses of AP teachers and administrators were analyzed and compared in order to determine important features of existing science programs.
The Importance of Religion in Adolescents’ Lives
Barbara Schneider, Holly Rice & Lisa Hoogstra
(pp. 366-389) Volume 7, Number 3; March 2004
This study examines the importance and relative impact of religious behaviors in the development of adolescents. The links among adolescents’ positive emotional and behavioral outcomes, religious practices in the home, and extracurricular activities at school are explored.
A Superintendent of Schools Challenges the New Journal and the
Catholic Educational Community
Elaine M. Schuster
(pp.83-90) Volume 1, Number 1; Sept 1997
The Catholic Elementary School Curriculum: Elements of Coherence
Merylann “Mimi” J. Schuttloffel
(pp. 295-305) Volume 1, Number 3; March 1998
This study investigates those characteristics of the written curricula for selected diocesan elementary schools that distinguish the curricula as uniquely Catholic. Findings from the study indicate the presence of three values that serve as common themes: 1) acquiring Catholic faith knowledge; 2) engaging in Catholic faith practices; and 3) recognizing from a holistic perspective the multiple needs of students. The different approaches or “looks” of the curricula examined represent a variety of curriculum development approaches on a continuum of centralization/decentralization.
The Character, Mission, and Future of Lutheran Higher Education
Mark R. Schwehn
(pp. 423-437) Volume 6, Number 4; June 2003
This article looks at the history of Lutheran higher education in the United States, discusses what Lutheran institutions of higher education must do to remain vital centers of learning, and examines questions that face American higher education in general.
Section 504 and Catholic Schools
Nikki L. Schweinbeck
(pp. 464-478) Volume 4, Number 4; June 2001
This article explains the implications of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for Catholic schools educating students with disabilities and special needs. The author delineates the types of disabilities covered; accommodations required under the law; suggestions for teachers, parents, administrators, and pastors; and the need for ongoing staff development to empower faculty to be responsive to the needs of diverse learners.
Women Scholars, Integration, and the Marianist Tradition:
Learning From Our Culture and Ourselves
Mary Ellen Seery, Shauna M. Adams, Kathryn Kinnucan-Welsch, Connie L. Bowman,
Patricia R. Grogan & Laurice M. Joseph
(pp. 297-314) Volume 5, Number 3; March 2002
In the fall of 1997, a group of junior tenure-track women faculty in the Department of Teacher Education at the University of Dayton decided to meet regularly in order to support each others’ scholarly endeavors in the process of achieving promotion and tenure. The group of subsequently became known as the Writing –Writers’ Support Group (WWSG). In 2000, the group conducted a self-study of its group process to determine how the formation of women’s WWSG fit with the mission and characteristics of a Marianist university. The results suggest that, although each of the characteristics could be identified in the group processes, the group best identified with the Marianist mandate to educate in family spirit. Each member of the group considered the possible reasons for this outcome.
Historical Overview of Catholic Education Law: How Did We Get Where We Are?
Mary Angela Shaughnessy, SCN
(pp. 437-453) Volume 4, Number 4; June 2001
Private school law is a relatively new phenomenon in legal research. This article serves as a primer in case law for private schools, reviewing the most significant decisions of the past 30 years and articulating several important distinctions for Catholic educators. After examining the foundational cases, the author concludes with a look at several hot topics that educators are facing in the courts.
Catherine Spalding: Co-Foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth
Mary Angela Shaughnessy, SCN
(pp. 334-345) Volume 9, Number 3; March 2006
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (SCN) maintain a vibrant presence in ministry in the U.S.. This article presents an overview of their co-foundress, Catherine Spalding, and shows Mother Catherine to be the creative, mission-driven, and articulate leader that is still very much in need in today’s society.
Emerging Governance Models for Catholic Schools
Lourdes Sheehan, RSM
(pp. 130-143) Volume 1, Number 2; Dec 1997
This paper traces the early history of Catholic school governance and reviews the status of those models most commonly applied to diocesan and local board levels. The author then explores emerging governance models, explaining their salient features and discussing the advantages and concerns associated with their implementation.
Internal Issues in Private Education
Lourdes Sheehan, RSM
(pp. 444-453) Volume 2, Number 4, June 1999
One of the keynote addresses at the Private Research Conference held at the University of Dayton in November of 1997 focused on “Internal Issues in private Education.” This paper addresses several salient points and then poses research questions related to this topic and to issues which embrace school participants school organizations and management, school climate and culture, and academic programs and support services in private schools.
Toward a Pedagogy Grounded in Christian Spirituality
Gini Shimabukuro
(pp. 505-521) Volume 11, Number 4; June 2008
Church documents, theology, leadership theory, and sociology come together in this article to present a pedagogy for Catholic schools that is deeply rooted in personal faith and a contemporary understanding of the person. Practical insights into developing a spirituality for teaching are offered.
Cluj: A Jesuit Educational Outpost in Transylvania, 1693-1773
Paul Shore
(pp. 55-71) Volume 5, Number 1; Sept 2001
For the 80 years the Society of Jesus operated a complex of institutions in the Transylvanian town of Cluj, including an academy, a school for aristocratic boys, a residence, and an architecturally distinguished church. The Jesuits endeavored to convert the local population, which included Orthodox Romanians, Jews, Roma (Gypsies), Armenians, Lutherans, and Unitarians, to Catholicism and to introduce the program of studies outlines in their curricular guide, the Ratio Studiorum. While their conversion efforts met with only modest success, the Jesuits had a major impact on the culture of the region, training the local elites, introducing the Baroque aesthetic in the visual arts, operating a printing press and pharmacy, and employing outstanding scientists as teachers. The reasons for the failure of the Jesuits to make more progress in their missionary efforts may be found in both local circumstances and in the institutional culture of the Society itself. Political forces beyond the control of the Society sealed its fate, and it was suppressed by order of the pope in 1773. The vestiges of the Jesuit era in Cluj, however, are still visible today.
The Hidden Civic Lessons of Public and Private Schools
David Sikkink
(pp. 339-365) Volume 7, Number 3; March 2004
Curriculum theory has long acknowledged the presence of a hidden curriculum in schools. Whereas the formal curriculum is explicit and documented, the hidden curriculum involves those attitudes, experiences, and learnings that are largely implicit and unintended. This article compares the hidden civic lessons found in public and private schools. Catholic and other private schools have measurable organizational strengths that socialize students into participation in public institutions more effectively than public schools.
The University Consortium for Catholic Education (UCCE):
A Response to Sustain and Strengthen Catholic Education
Paige A. Smith
(pp. 321-342) Volume 10, Number 3; March 2007
This article examines the current and potential contributions of the University Consortium for Catholic Education (UCCE) to both K-12 and higher Catholic education. In order to situate the development of alternative teacher preparation programs, a history of Catholic teacher formation is addressed followed by a brief summary of the existing programs that comprise the UCCE. Attention is given to the essential nature of a Catholic educator’s responsibility to deepen Catholic identity through authentic education in collaboration with the family and how recent college graduates who matriculate in UCCE programs are formed to respond to this task.
Teacher Commitment and Longevity in Catholic Schools
Cathy Squillini
(pp. 335-354) Volume 4, Number 3; March 2001
This study investigated the characteristics of job satisfaction that lead to commitment and longevity in the Catholic school system for full-time Catholic elementary school lay teachers. The study was conducted using 339 teachers in the Archdiocese of New York who were part of the Catholic school system for 10 or more years. Data were collected through survey questionnaires and interviews. Using a theoretical framework relevant to job satisfaction, motivation, and adult development, the data were analyzed to determine how teachers are influenced by the work, the workplace, and other members in the workplace in determining their job satisfaction. The results of the study indicated that Catholic elementary school lay teachers place high priority on characteristics such as autonomy, administrative recognition and support, student motivation, and positive relationships with colleagues. Participants also stated that these characteristics are the conditions of the Catholic school system that encourage them to remain in Catholic school teaching. For the Catholic elementary school lay teachers in this study, commitment stems from the cultural bonds between the teacher and the school that reflect the shared values and beliefs held by both.
Let the Little Children Come to Me: Preaching the Gospel to Children
Del Staigers
(pp. 90-103) Volume 4, Number 1; Sept 2000
Children’s Masses and Children’s Liturgy of the Word have become commonplace in many parishes. This article develops a theology of preaching to children based on a full understanding of revelation and grace. The author questions the content and style of preaching to children that has emerged since Vatican II and offers practical advice for preachers, teachers, catechists, and liturgical planners.
The Purpose of a Students Affairs Program Within Jesuit Higher Education
Jeremy Stringer & Erin Swezey
(pp. 181-198) Volume 10, Number 2; Dec 2006
Education With a Sense of Wonder: A Spiritual Journey
Ruth Stuart Starratt
(pp. 216-225) Volume 3, Number 2; Dec 1999
The visual arts offer ample opportunities for educators to teach to the soul. This essay opens up some of the possibilities present in art education, opportunities to inspire dreams, announce visions, and ask ultimate questions.
Liturgy as Curriculum: The Dynamics of Liturgical Education
Robert J. Starratt
(pp. 57-71) Volume 4, Number 1; Sept 2000
Most Catholic schools avail themselves of many opportunities during the academic year to gather for an all-school Mass. Select teachers and students typically plan the liturgy and execute the needed ministries during Mass. This article situates liturgy planning and celebration in the context of the formal curriculum and calls for explicit liturgical education in Catholic schools. One Catholic high school’s experience with a “showcase liturgy” concept is described in detail.
Blondel and a Living Tradition for Catholic Education
John Sullivan
(pp.67-76) Volume 1, Number 1; Sept 1997
This paper suggests that an appreciation and application of the notion of Maurice Blondel’s “living tradition” would help in addressing some concerns about Catholic education. Blondel’s key insights and his contributions to Catholic thinking and a living tradition are discussed along with the educational implications for Catholic schools.
Pragmatism and a “Catholic” Philosophical Anthropology
James Swindal
(pp. 71-95) Volume 6, Number 1; Sept 2002
Catholic identity is often discussed in relation to institutions such as schools and hospitals. Catholic identity can also be investigated in relationship to various disciplines, including philosophy, anthropology, and psychology. This article builds a bridge to neoscholastic thought in articulating a philosophical anthropology which strives to maintain a Catholic identity and focus. The work of Charles Taylor, a leading Catholic philosopher, is presented in an effort to place the existential problem of personal agency within a Catholic framework.