Volume 3, Number 3
March, 2000
Table of Contents
Editors' Comments (p. 273)
Ronald J. Nuzzi, Thomas C. Hunt
Articles
The Catholic School: Avenue to Authenticity
Denis McLaughlin
Australian Catholic University
(pp. 274-292)
A document from the Vatican’s Congregation for Catholic Education has confirmed that the fundamental purpose of Catholic schools is to create an educational environment promoting authentic humanity. This position has its basis in a Catholic concept of personhood, which underpins the thrust of the 1998 Roman document, The Catholic School on the Threshold of the Third Millennium. This article outlines a philosophical framework for Catholic education and establishes a comprehensive theological foundation for community living. Education, the life of faith, and the common good all come under the rubric of authentic humanity.
Traditional and Progressive Schools: Identifying Two Models of Educational Practice
Louis A. Chandler
University of Pittsburgh
(pp. 293-305)
Two broad approaches to contemporary education have evolved in recent decades: the traditional and the progressive. The purpose of this study was to survey public, Catholic, and independent elementary schools across the state of Ohio with the aim of finding out: (1) the extent to which various educational practices associated with those two approaches have reportedly been adopted in schools; and, (2) if the types of schools differ along a continuum of traditional to progressive educational practices. It was found that most schools report a balanced mix of practices, with Ohio’s elementary schools ranging along the traditional to progressive continuum in the following order: independent nonchartered, independent chartered, public, and Catholic. All schools tend to be more traditional in the approach they adopt to reading and to assessment. Assessment is influenced by state mandates regarding proficiency testing in selected grades. A better understanding of the practices reported to be in place in today’s schools will help inform the current debate on school reform and focus the discussion of choice by providing a framework with clear alternatives.
Values Infusion: A Systematic Response to Catholic Identity
Mary Jane Krebbs
Archdiocese of New York
(pp. 306-314)
This article explains how the Archdiocese of New York responded to the need for making its values-based approach to education more conspicuous and formal. Through ECOS, a curricular change process, the Office of the Superintendent of Schools spearheaded a dialog and a program focusing on Catholic identity and values infusion as one source for the resurgence of that identity.
The Creation of the Catholic School Leadership Program at Seton Hall University
Kevin M. Hanbury, Zeni V. Fox & Charles P. Mitchel
Seton Hall University
(pp. 315-324)
This article summarizes the development and implementation of a Catholic school leadership program at a diocesan university. Supported by university faculty as well as seminary faculty, this program offers a unique response to the training of future school leaders. The course work blends leadership theory, theology, and educational administration and is delivered via a cohort model.
Focus Section
“To Include or Not to Include?” That is NOT the Question
Jean M. Barton
Center for the Advancement of Catholic Education, The Catholic University of America
(pp. 329-341)
Turning to psychological research, intelligence theory, and behavioral studies, this article offers practical advice for implementing an inclusive model of Catholic education. Field-tested models are discussed and suggested components for any inclusion program are provided. The article concludes with a vision statement for inclusive Catholic education.
Collaborative Problem-Solving: The Journey of Dayton Catholic Elementary School
Margaret Frey, Karyn Hecker, Delores Hardy, Shannon Herzog, Theresa Paulette &
Jeri Robinson
University of Dayton & Dayton Catholic Elementary School
(pp. 342-354)
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.
Success Central: Implementing a Program to Meet the Needs of
Diverse Learners in a Catholic High School
Teresa Marie Laengle, SC, Deborah Redder, Wilma Somers & Kathryn Sullivan
Catholic Central High School
(pp. 355-362)
Catholic high schools are among the most effective educational environments in the United States. Often celebrated as comprehensive and college preparatory, the typical Catholic high school boasts of its graduation rate, percentage of college-bound seniors, National Merit finalists, athletic prowess, and scholarship awards. This article pursues a relatively new theme for most Catholic high schools: creating an environment responsive to the needs of diverse learners. Following a school-within-a-school model, one Catholic high school in the Midwest designed and implemented a program to serve students with special needs. Their insights, struggles, and vision form the basis of this article which chronicles a success story worthy
of replication.
Planning for the Inclusive Classroom: Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
Alison Gould & Sharon Vaughn
University of Texas at Austin
(pp. 363-374)
Students with a wide range of academic abilities and behavioral needs are represented in general education classrooms. This article provides practical suggestions for individualizing instruction within a large class to meet the needs of diverse learners. The article describes the Planning Pyramid, a format for planning multilevel lessons; provides special considerations for students with behavior problems; and offers suggestions to support teachers through the use of effective staff development programs.
The Delivery of Special Education Services in Catholic Schools:
One Hand Gives, the Other Hand Takes Away
Charles J. Russo, Joseph D. Massucci & Allan G. Osborne, Jr.
University of Dayton, University of Dayton, & Snug Harbor Community School
(pp. 375-389)
This article examines legal issues surrounding the delivery of special education to children whose parents have voluntarily enrolled them in Catholic schools. In so doing, the article reviews the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), its regulations, and case law over the extent to which special education must be provided, the way in which it is delivered, and the quality of services that students in Catholic schools receive. The final portion of the article addresses questions about the delivery of special education in Catholic schools, including guidelines for implementing the new provisions in the IDEA in a manner that avoids running afoul of the Establishment Clause.
Focus Section Book Reviews
How to Reach and Teach All Students in the Inclusive Classroom (pp. 390-392)
By Sandra F. Rief & Julie A. Heimburge
Reviewed by Kathy M. Beam
Inclusion in Secondary Schools: Bold Initiatives Challenging Change (pp. 392-394)
Edited by Daniel D. Sage
Reviewed by Kelly Branaman
The Hero’s Journey: How Educators Can Transform Schools and Improve Learning
(pp. 395-396)
By James L. Brown & Cerylle A. Moffett
Reviewed by Marian C. Glancy
Review of Research
Toward a Reconceptualization of Developmental Disability
Ronald J. Nuzzi
University of Dayton
(pp. 397-399)
Book Reviews
The Call to Teach (pp. 401-403)
By David T. Hansen
Reviewed by Mary LaBarre
Spiritlinking Leadership: Working Through Resistance to Organizational Change (pp. 403-405)
By Donna J. Markam, OP
Reviewed by Ronald W. Rebore
Education and Transformation: Marianist Ministries in America Since 1849 (pp. 406-408)
By Christopher J. Kauffman
Reviewed by John Augenstein
The Catholic University as Promise and Project: Reflections in a Jesuit Idiom (pp. 409-410)
By Michael J. Buckley, SJ
Reviewed by Vincent Duminico, SJ