Perceptions of Teacher Burnout in Catholic Schools
Barbara L. Brock
Creighton University
(pp. 281-294) Vol. 2 No. 3; March 1999
This study examines the perceptions of burnout of educators currently employed in Catholic elementary and secondary schools. Data were collected from teachers, counselors, and administrators regarding their perceptions of the causes, symptoms, and prevention of burnout. Results of the study suggest that burnout is largely a symptom of workplace issues that can be identified and corrected. The long-term and destructive effects of teacher burnout warrant the time and financial support needed to improve working conditions for teachers in Catholic schools.
Principals and Pastors Sharing School Leadership:
Perspectives from Nebraska and New South Wales
Barbara L. Brock & Jennifer Fraser
Creighton University & St. Michael’s Primary School
(pp. 85-100) Vol. 5 No. 1; Sept 2001
This paper reports the results of a study of the roles and interactions of principals and pastors in Catholic elementary schools in New South Wales and Nebraska. Findings revealed the importance of clearly defined roles and frequent communications and established a profile of the components of successful principal-pastor working relationships.
The Lack of Consensus among Catholic for Establishing New Elementary Schools
Michael Cieslak
Diocesan Research and Planning Office Catholic Diocese of Rockford, Illinois
(pp.175-189) Vol. 10 No. 2; Dec 2005
For a century Catholic schools have formed the basis for a strong system of acculturation into Catholic identity and values. Catholic schools provided a low-cost basic education and served as a common school for all social classes of Catholics. This system has weakened considerably in the last decades. Between 1970 and 2000 there was a net loss of 3,595 Catholic schools in the United States, a 29.9% decline. In addition, the nature of these schools seems to be changing as the percentage of total Catholic school enrollment made up by non-Catholics has increased ten-fold in 30 years. Many Catholic Schools seem to have pursued increased academic excellence at the expense of religious acculturation. This paper examines diocesan data to determine the extent to which Catholics still consider Catholic elementary schools to be important. Findings include survey data on school importance from 55,000 diocesan Catholics. I addition, parishioner survey results are presented from two suburban parishes, each of which is considering establishing a parochial elementary school. If new elementary schools are going to be established, a way must be found for Catholics to arrive at a consensus on this issue.
The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in a Republican-Controlled Congress: A View from the Bishop’s Conference
William F. Davis, O.S.F.S.
United States Catholic Conference
(pp. 97-106) Vol. 3 No. 1; Sept 1999
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, the largest single federal education program, is due to be reauthorized in 1999. ESEA is aimed at offering a variety of services to students and staff in public, private, and religious schools. For the first time, reauthorization will take place in a Congress with Republican majorities in both houses. The idea of the Republicans radically altering the program has been raised in many circles. This article addresses the purpose and history of ESEA as well as the prospects for any radical reshaping of the statute in the current reauthorization process.
A Qualitative Study of a Parental Involvement Program in a K-8 Catholic Elementary School
Janet Ann Donovan
St. John the Baptist School
(pp. 158-172) Vol. 3 No. 2; Dec 1999
This article demonstrates that there is virtual unanimity among America’s educational leaders in the belief that when parents become involved in their children’s education, the children do better in school. Moreover, the study also reveals that in educational circles serious disagreements exist among leaders as to the degree to which parents should be involved in their children’s education. Central to the study is a small Catholic elementary school whose parental involvement program is not only diametrically opposed to contemporary educational thinking but could be interpreted as a refutation of it.
Educating Urban African American Children Placed At Risk: A Comparison of Two Types of Catholic Middle Schools
L. Mickey Fenzel & Janine Domingues
(pp. 30-52)
Although the number of urban Catholic schools has declined in recent years, Nativity model middle schools, first developed by the Jesuits over 35 years ago, have appeared throughout the nation to address the need for effective alternative education for urban children placed at risk. The present study compares the effectiveness of two types of high-poverty Catholic schools for 322 African American middle school students. Result show that Nativity schools are more successful than traditional Catholic schools in effecting student gains in standardized test score performance. Results also suggest that features such as small school and class size, small student-teacher ratios, and an extended academic day contribute to these gains. The quality of the school and classroom environment, as perceived by students, that contributed to the amount of engaged learning time also may have contributed to their stronger academic performance. Implications for urban schooling for African American middle school children placed at risk are discussed.
Collaborative Problem-Solving: The Journey of Dayton Catholic Elementary School
Margaret Frey
University of Dayton
Karyn Hecker, Delores Hardy, Shannon Herzog, Theresa Paulette, & Jeri Robinson
Dayton Catholic Elementary School
(pp. 342-354) Vol. 3 No. 3; March 2000
As Catholic schools continue to excel academically, some parents, teachers, and board members question the availability and advisability of effective teaching for all students. This article outlines a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of all students in Catholic schools, including students with special needs. Following a plan that calls for collaborative problem solving and an intervention assistance team, the authors provide a first-hand account of how one school successfully serves a diverse student population.
Catholic School Faculty as an Adult Learning Community: A Model for Children
Catherine Eggleston Hackney
Kent State University
(pp. 388-399) Vol. 1 No. 4; June 1998
Educational leaders have historically expressed belief in the importance of teacher development. They have, however, largely failed to view professional development activity as a process that lies at the very heart of efforts to create a community of learners. This article reviews the author’s experiences with a Catholic elementary school faculty as that faculty journeyed toward becoming a learning community characterized by sustained inquiry, collective problem solving, and shared decision making. Implications for practice are considered.
The Political Climate in the Current U.S. Congress for the Public Policy Agenda of the
Catholic School Community
Frank J. Monahan
United States Catholic Conference
(pp. 74-80) Vol. 3 No. 1; Sept 1999
This paper discusses the political climate for addressing education policy issues in the 106th Congress, which convened in January 1999, and assesses the politics surrounding the issue of federal financial assistance for Catholic elementary and secondary education. It identifies two categories of issues: the equitable participation of nonpublic school students and teachers in federal education programs and school choice initiatives such as tax credits or vouchers. The article draws from historical and current political trends to explain why equity for Catholic school students and teachers in education programs is likely to be achieved through the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in this Congress. It also addresses the potential difficulties in pursuing a school choice agenda.
Urban Revitalization: A Case Study of One Catholic Elementary School’s Journey
Roxanne Farwick Owens
DePaul University
(pp. 58-74) Vol. 9 No. 1; Sept 2005
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 lives 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.
Increasing Academic Motivation in Primary Grades
Michael Pressley, Sara Dolezal, Lisa Raphael, Lindsey Mohan
Michigan State University
Alysia Roehrig & Kristen Bogner
University of Notre Dame & University of Minnesota
(pp. 372-392) Vol. 6 No. 3; March 2003
This review of research into motivation begins with the various approaches to increasing academic engagement that have been validated in studies, especially in the past quarter century. Two brief case studies of exceptionally engaging primary teachers, both working in Catholic schools, follow. General findings from qualitative studies of primary grade teaching affirm that engaging teachers fill their classrooms with instruction that promotes motivation and do little that undermines student motivation. This contrasts will less engaging teachers who do less that is motivating and more that undermines academic motivation. Thus, every minute of every day the engaging teachers do what the best educational motivation researchers have identified as effective. The review concludes by recognizing that such engaging instruction is consistent with Catholic philosophy of education.
The Grammar of Catholic Schooling and Radically “Catholic” Schools
Martin Scanlan
Marquette University
(pp. 25-54) Vol. 12 No. 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.
The Catholic Elementary School Curriculum: Elements of Coherence
Merylann “Mimi” J. Schuttloffel
The Catholic University of America
(pp. 295-305) Vol. 1 No. 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.
That Feeling of Being on the Edge: Six Case Studies of Stress in Catholic Elementary School Administrators
Monica Veto, Patricia Nugent, & Sharon Kruse
Gilmour Academy, St. Hilary School, & University of Akron
(pp. 301-318) Vol. 4 No. 3; March 2001
Educational administration is a stressful profession. As reform agendas and student populations become more challenging, little is changing in schools to counter this long-standing truth. Educational leaders of the 21st century are facing more pressures, changes, and challenges as the pace of their professional lives increases. This study develops notions around novice and veteran administrators’ identification of and responses to stressful incidents in their professional practice.
