The intersection between schools and the higher education institutions that prepare graduates for teaching in schools is driven by secular agendas. These agendas showcase knowledge transfer as a key indicator of effective learning and teaching. However, the preparation of graduate teachers for service in Christian schooling systems cannot be…

Education forms a very significant activity within the Roman Catholic Church. The cultural and ethical formation of young generations and thus the future of society and the Church depend largely on it. Catholic schools grant the opportunity to base formal education on Christian anthropology and to shape students' personality in the light of the…

The formation of identity in a secularized world is different from formation in a religious oriented society. In this situation, educating young people and guiding their personhood formation is even more a task of connecting to the pupils from out of your own heart. A Catholic religious teacher can be a mirror for these young people when answering…

This article overviews the contemporary context for teaching Religious Education (RE) in Ireland and profiles changing religious demographics in an increasingly secular context. It presents the findings of a two-year mixed-methods study undertaken in two third-level Catholic colleges in Ireland, investigating four hundred third-level Initial…

A recontextualising approach in religious education has been adopted in the newly revised religious education curricula of the four dioceses in Victoria: the dioceses of Melbourne, Ballarat, Sandhurst and Sale. This approach requires a radical change to the teacher's role from knowledge transmission to one which supports students to grapple with…

The relationships between RE leaders in Catholic education and their schools and their religious communities may be ambiguous. RE leaders often appear disconnected from both 'ordinary' teacher issues and 'ordinary' leadership issues because of their religious responsibilities. In this innovative research project, the authors have explored RE…

Catholic schoolteachers face the pedagogical dilemma between remaining faithful to the doctrinal requirements of Catholic Church teaching while also respecting their professional responsibility to promote autonomous, critical thinking and consider the pastoral needs of their students. Although in practice many Catholic educators achieve a…

Asserts that, for catechists, being a "faith sharer" is more important than merely imparting knowledge. Presents guidelines that may assist catechists in developing a program that builds both knowledge and character: (1) teach responsibility; (2) encourage self-discipline, independently and as a community; and (3) care for others. (EMH)

Discusses St. John Baptist de La Salle and his belief that teachers were called by God, through baptism, to view their role in the life of the school as a ministry, not just as a job. Suggests "Lasallian schools" as a model for preparing teachers to touch the minds and hearts of children entrusted to them. (VWC)

This article is concerned with 26 primary and secondary student teachers' early perception of themselves as Catholic educators in Scotland. It analyses their perspectives on what it means to be a Catholic teacher, what is expected of them by the Church and what motivated them to choose this particular career path. Discussion of these issues…

Proposes guidelines for Catholic religious educators to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable theological pluralism, and infallible and non-infallible religious teachings. Considers personal theological competence to be essential in dealing with dissenting ideas in the classroom. (DMM)

This paper assesses religion teaching as a profession in light of selected characteristics that scholars agree are common to all professions. Evidence was drawn primarily from church documents and survey data from "The Next Generation: A Study of Catholic High School Religion Teachers." The findings indicate that religion teaching meets two of the…

Argues that the ministry of education has been not only present but prominent in the New Testament and all subsequent Church history, that this ministry had developed with remarkable success in the United States in spite of severe obstacles, and that Catholic educators have an opportunity to begin a golden age in the ministry of education, but…

Reviews the history of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), from its inception in 1899 to the present. Highlights World War I as a turning point for ACCU because of an increased impetus to improve the schools and their enrollments. States that near the middle of the century, Catholic higher education joined the mainstream,…