Recent comments by staff at Oxford University on the (perceived) shortcomings of candidates for higher education courses cannot be dismissed as solely the port-sodden ruminations of bewhiskered professors!
The heart of the matter is as follows: schooling in the United Kingdom seems to have become solely a pursuit of 'good' grades intended to provide entrance to a top university and thus lead to a degree and a 'good job'. What is missing here is the crucial element of the fostering of intellectual curiosity leading to further exploration of the cultural heritage of mankind.
We can all provide anecdotal evidence of so-called good schools which provide revision classes outwith hours where teachers are expected to attend and offer tuition with past papers etc. There are also many ‘access initiatives’ which offer similar services to children from other types of schools. All of these schools are playing by the rules of a system which has a narrow focus on results and accountability.
A similar issue arises in the classroom and perhaps it is time to address deeper issues regarding the planning of lessons. For example, are we prepared to question the validity of schemes of work - both in schools and in HE institutions - which are driven by complex ladders of intended learning outcomes and associated success criteria? Do these criteria serve as signposts to wider learning or do they confine teaching and learning to narrow and measurable objectives?
It might be time to return to the brief essay /exam question - without layers of success criteria - such as:
'Explore the value of education today.'
'Schooling can provide opportunities for education. Discuss.'
The debate continues.
25 January 2012
2 January 2012
Pope Benedict XVI and Education
First of all, I wish you a very happy and fruitful 2012.
The first posting of 2012 concerns Pope Benedict XVI's annual message for the World Day of Peace (January 1) which, this year, takes education as its theme. Since his election in 2005, Pope Benedict has made a number of references to education in various speeches: his speech to the Diocese of Rome in 2007 is probably the best known of these. The recently published message for 2012 has developed his key thoughts on education and placed them in the public domain as a vital reference point for all involved in education today. (It would be a mistake to see these thoughts on education simply as guidelines for Catholic education. His field of reference is far wider.)
Pope Benedict addresses first the role of educators before dealing in turn with the following topics: educating in truth and freedom; education in justice; educating in peace. He concludes with an appeal to all, and especially to young people, to raise one's eyes to God. Running through the text are themes which are common to Benedict's wider writings on faith and culture: the need for integral education and the noxious effects of utilitarianism, rationalism and individualism on economics and culture. For Benedict, the key 'outcome' of education (if I may be permitted to use this difficult and problematic term to refer to the work of a nuanced intellectual) is freedom. The following passage is a neat summary of his broader vision:
This text asks deep questions about the purpose of education in a world in which innovation tends to be confused with progress and traditional sources of authority are, it seems, no more than reminders of unenlightened times. Pope Benedict has, once again, challenged these new 'orthodoxies'. What will our response be?
The first posting of 2012 concerns Pope Benedict XVI's annual message for the World Day of Peace (January 1) which, this year, takes education as its theme. Since his election in 2005, Pope Benedict has made a number of references to education in various speeches: his speech to the Diocese of Rome in 2007 is probably the best known of these. The recently published message for 2012 has developed his key thoughts on education and placed them in the public domain as a vital reference point for all involved in education today. (It would be a mistake to see these thoughts on education simply as guidelines for Catholic education. His field of reference is far wider.)
Pope Benedict addresses first the role of educators before dealing in turn with the following topics: educating in truth and freedom; education in justice; educating in peace. He concludes with an appeal to all, and especially to young people, to raise one's eyes to God. Running through the text are themes which are common to Benedict's wider writings on faith and culture: the need for integral education and the noxious effects of utilitarianism, rationalism and individualism on economics and culture. For Benedict, the key 'outcome' of education (if I may be permitted to use this difficult and problematic term to refer to the work of a nuanced intellectual) is freedom. The following passage is a neat summary of his broader vision:
It is the task of education to form people in authentic freedom. This is not the absence of constraint or the supremacy of free will, it is not the absolutism of the self. When man believes himself to be absolute, to depend on nothing and no one, to be able to do anything he wants, he ends up contradicting the truth of his own being and forfeiting his freedom. On the contrary, man is a relational being, who lives in relationship with others and especially with God. Authentic freedom can never be attained independently of God (section 3).
This text asks deep questions about the purpose of education in a world in which innovation tends to be confused with progress and traditional sources of authority are, it seems, no more than reminders of unenlightened times. Pope Benedict has, once again, challenged these new 'orthodoxies'. What will our response be?
23 December 2011
Reading: the key to education
Education is the key to a good society. Educators have a great responsibility to preserve and develop our shared cultural inheritance. This inheritance is more than simply an accumulation of 'knowledge' but includes this 'knowledge' in the wider context of what it is to be a good human person.
In this light, this blog has striven to promote the virtue of reading as a sine qua non of the professional teacher. Recent posts have identified a range of texts which will assist educators in their crucial cultural mission: The Lost Tools of Learning (May 14); Understanding Teaching and Learning - Classic Texts on Education by Augustine, Aquinas, Newman and Mill (October 9); Communicating Faith (November 6). All of the above have a major contribution to make to understanding the complex yet rich field of education.
A new text for those interested in Catholic Education is now available: A Companion to Catholic Education (Gracewing) offers a series of essays on key themes arising in Catholic Religious Education. While this volume does not claim to be a complete textbook or manual of instruction on the Catholic faith, it serves as a gateway to the further study of theology - the discipline once known as the 'queen of the sciences'. More broadly, this volume is another reminder that all education and schooling is rooted in the study of a cultural inheritance - in this case religious - which demands a considered response.
I wish all the readers of this blog a happy Christmas and a fruitful 2012.
In this light, this blog has striven to promote the virtue of reading as a sine qua non of the professional teacher. Recent posts have identified a range of texts which will assist educators in their crucial cultural mission: The Lost Tools of Learning (May 14); Understanding Teaching and Learning - Classic Texts on Education by Augustine, Aquinas, Newman and Mill (October 9); Communicating Faith (November 6). All of the above have a major contribution to make to understanding the complex yet rich field of education.
A new text for those interested in Catholic Education is now available: A Companion to Catholic Education (Gracewing) offers a series of essays on key themes arising in Catholic Religious Education. While this volume does not claim to be a complete textbook or manual of instruction on the Catholic faith, it serves as a gateway to the further study of theology - the discipline once known as the 'queen of the sciences'. More broadly, this volume is another reminder that all education and schooling is rooted in the study of a cultural inheritance - in this case religious - which demands a considered response.
I wish all the readers of this blog a happy Christmas and a fruitful 2012.
10 December 2011
Exams and Results
Recent stories in England over the conduct of certain exam boards should not come as a surprise. The results-driven agenda of modern education is the real story here. While a 'good education' aims to develop people of faith, culture, wisdom and discernment, it sits alongside and within a broader attainment culture which seems to idolise exam results. Understandably, parents and schools often pull out all the stops in this drive for results: parents, because they wish their children to get the grades which lead to a good university degree and the prospects of well-paid employment; schools, because it suggests that they are doing their job well and avoids awkward questions from prospective parents and government inspection regimes.
It would be unwise to call for the end of exams. What is needed is a broader educational reform which allows those with genuine academic ability to shine. Rigorous exams will always be part of this system. What needs examining, however, is not the candidate's 'recall of facts' but the ability to move beyond the narrow confines of learning outcomes (intended or otherwise) and pre-determined success criteria in order to discuss and explore ideas from an informed position.
It will be interesting to see how the English exam system moves on from here.
It would be unwise to call for the end of exams. What is needed is a broader educational reform which allows those with genuine academic ability to shine. Rigorous exams will always be part of this system. What needs examining, however, is not the candidate's 'recall of facts' but the ability to move beyond the narrow confines of learning outcomes (intended or otherwise) and pre-determined success criteria in order to discuss and explore ideas from an informed position.
It will be interesting to see how the English exam system moves on from here.
27 November 2011
Gove's vision of a traditional education
Michael Gove's recent speech on the need to promote high standards in education is a notable example of how to state the obvious. (Michael Gove is the Secretary of State for Education in England.) Let him speak for himself:
I want to proclaim the importance of education as a good in itself. I want to argue that introducing the young minds of the future to the great minds of the past is our duty. I want to argue that we should be more demanding of our education system, demanding of academics, headteachers, professionals in school and students of all ages. We should recover something of that Victorian earnestness which believed that an audience would be gripped more profoundly by a passionate hour long lecture from a gifted thinker which ranged over poetry and politics than by cheap sensation and easy pleasures.
The idea that a school or university should promote a body of knowledge as worthy to learn for its own sake is a radical idea. This is an age when a university can promote itself as a place of 'useful learning' (and miss the irony) and other Higher Education institutions jump through hoops in order to promote the employability and the transferable skills which 'employers' allegedly seek.
One wonders, however, if the agenda outlined in Gove's speech is no more than a fantasy. Some who agree broadly with Gove's analysis would suggest that things have gone too far and cannot now be remedied. I would beg to differ. We cannot let the heavy rain-laden clouds allow us to forget that one day the sun's rays will again offer us warmth, nurture and comfort.
I want to proclaim the importance of education as a good in itself. I want to argue that introducing the young minds of the future to the great minds of the past is our duty. I want to argue that we should be more demanding of our education system, demanding of academics, headteachers, professionals in school and students of all ages. We should recover something of that Victorian earnestness which believed that an audience would be gripped more profoundly by a passionate hour long lecture from a gifted thinker which ranged over poetry and politics than by cheap sensation and easy pleasures.
The idea that a school or university should promote a body of knowledge as worthy to learn for its own sake is a radical idea. This is an age when a university can promote itself as a place of 'useful learning' (and miss the irony) and other Higher Education institutions jump through hoops in order to promote the employability and the transferable skills which 'employers' allegedly seek.
One wonders, however, if the agenda outlined in Gove's speech is no more than a fantasy. Some who agree broadly with Gove's analysis would suggest that things have gone too far and cannot now be remedied. I would beg to differ. We cannot let the heavy rain-laden clouds allow us to forget that one day the sun's rays will again offer us warmth, nurture and comfort.
20 November 2011
6 November 2011
Review of 'Communicating Faith' (John Sullivan, Ed.)
The recent focus by Pope Benedict XVI on the necessity of a ‘new evangelisation’ brings into sharp relief the on-going and, it seems, increasingly urgent, need to re-think how the Catholic faith is communicated to the world. Pope Benedict has also identified a current ‘educational emergency’ which is not simply a perceived crisis in the teaching of Religious Education but is a broader crisis which, at its root, rejects the concept of authority in education: the concomitant relativism has, he claims, eroded the moral foundations of the west.
This extensive volume edited by Professor John Sullivan, the professor of Christian Education at Liverpool Hope University, explores some of educational challenges which are apparent in the lineamenta for the 2012 Synod of Bishops: a) how can the Church proclaim a message of salvation in an age of relativism and marked hostility to religion; b) how can the Church most effectively use its resources in the family and its many and varied educational enterprises to renew the educational mission which is at the heart of Christianity.
This volume offers a scholarly approach to understanding some key issues for faith formation today. The tone is academic and presupposes some familiarity with key contemporary writers in the broad field of Catholic Education. There are twenty-three chapters arranged in six sections.
Parts One brings out what is understood by the ‘grammar of faith’. These underpinning principles place the various dimensions of learning viz cognitive, affective, attitudinal alongside the need for education to be both formative and critical.
Part Two explores the starting points or ‘baselines’ for faith communication in the home and parish with some interesting points made about the liturgical dimension. Given the recent developments in liturgy in the English-speaking world and the broader ‘Benedictine’ reforms in liturgy, there is an urgent need to re-examine how an appreciation of liturgy is fundamental to the formation of a Catholic mind.
Part Three looks closely at the important role schools play in the communication of a faith tradition. This section explores the challenges posed to Catholic education by the prevalence of ways of thinking that, superficially at least, seem to be hostile to the Christian message. These challenges can be addressed by solid reflection on ways in which Catholic education can be developed in the school.
Part Four examines the tension emerging from the teaching of religion in tertiary education. This is perhaps the most challenging of the loci mentioned in this volume. This section reminds us of the need to find ways to bring together virtue and authority in an environment which often looks to the fruits of the Enlightenment as a perceived bulwark against the influence of religion.
Part Five brings an international flavour to the debate with an exploration of key educational challenges in Africa, the United States, Ireland and Europe. The themes emerging from section are, interestingly, not just localised challenges but are local expressions of broader challenges to faith communication: inculturation, inclusivity and identity.
Finally, Part Six has an ‘operational dimension’ in that it has a particular focus on some innovative ways of communicating the faith. This section will repay careful reading as the teacher and catechist needs to draw from historical and contemporary sources in order to communicate well.
Overall, this volume is rich in interesting and challenging material. However, I would like to draw particular attention to the valuable material contained in Chapters Five and Six. Chapter Five looks at the many theological and pastoral issues surrounding the question of sacramental preparation in the Catholic school. Father Peter McGrail, a priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool and an associate professor at Liverpool Hope University, draws on his primary research on this subject and pulls no punches in his description of the tensions surrounding the public celebrations of the sacraments of Confession, First Communion and Confirmation. A more extensive treatment of this theme is contained in his excellent book First Communion Ritual, Church and Popular Religious Identity. Father McGrail’s chapter in Professor Sullivan’s volume will certainly offer some food for thought for those involved with and interested in the sacramental preparation of young people.
In Chapter Nine, Stephen McKinney of the School of Education in the University of Glasgow explores how religious faith can be communicated within the context of Religious Education. At the heart of this chapter is an interview with Bill Horton, retired Adviser for Religious Education (Secondary schools) in the Archdiocese of Glasgow. A key message of this chapter is that a commitment to faith formation in Religious Education is not an escape route from intellectual rigour. This is a timely reminder of the need to adopt a scholastic approach to Religious Education. The advent of This is Our Faith in Catholic schools in Scotland ensures that programmes of Catholic Religious Education should foster both piety and orthodoxy. This aspiration is not without challenges, as all Catholic educators would acknowledge.
Professor Sullivan’s book is a valuable addition to the literature on Catholic education. Catholic schools would do well to have Professor Sullivan’s well-crafted volume available as a resource for general staff development. Those in leadership roles in Catholic education will find much material for their own professional and faith development. It deserves a wide readership.
(This review first appeared in Flourish, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Glasgow.)
This extensive volume edited by Professor John Sullivan, the professor of Christian Education at Liverpool Hope University, explores some of educational challenges which are apparent in the lineamenta for the 2012 Synod of Bishops: a) how can the Church proclaim a message of salvation in an age of relativism and marked hostility to religion; b) how can the Church most effectively use its resources in the family and its many and varied educational enterprises to renew the educational mission which is at the heart of Christianity.
This volume offers a scholarly approach to understanding some key issues for faith formation today. The tone is academic and presupposes some familiarity with key contemporary writers in the broad field of Catholic Education. There are twenty-three chapters arranged in six sections.
Parts One brings out what is understood by the ‘grammar of faith’. These underpinning principles place the various dimensions of learning viz cognitive, affective, attitudinal alongside the need for education to be both formative and critical.
Part Two explores the starting points or ‘baselines’ for faith communication in the home and parish with some interesting points made about the liturgical dimension. Given the recent developments in liturgy in the English-speaking world and the broader ‘Benedictine’ reforms in liturgy, there is an urgent need to re-examine how an appreciation of liturgy is fundamental to the formation of a Catholic mind.
Part Three looks closely at the important role schools play in the communication of a faith tradition. This section explores the challenges posed to Catholic education by the prevalence of ways of thinking that, superficially at least, seem to be hostile to the Christian message. These challenges can be addressed by solid reflection on ways in which Catholic education can be developed in the school.
Part Four examines the tension emerging from the teaching of religion in tertiary education. This is perhaps the most challenging of the loci mentioned in this volume. This section reminds us of the need to find ways to bring together virtue and authority in an environment which often looks to the fruits of the Enlightenment as a perceived bulwark against the influence of religion.
Part Five brings an international flavour to the debate with an exploration of key educational challenges in Africa, the United States, Ireland and Europe. The themes emerging from section are, interestingly, not just localised challenges but are local expressions of broader challenges to faith communication: inculturation, inclusivity and identity.
Finally, Part Six has an ‘operational dimension’ in that it has a particular focus on some innovative ways of communicating the faith. This section will repay careful reading as the teacher and catechist needs to draw from historical and contemporary sources in order to communicate well.
Overall, this volume is rich in interesting and challenging material. However, I would like to draw particular attention to the valuable material contained in Chapters Five and Six. Chapter Five looks at the many theological and pastoral issues surrounding the question of sacramental preparation in the Catholic school. Father Peter McGrail, a priest of the Archdiocese of Liverpool and an associate professor at Liverpool Hope University, draws on his primary research on this subject and pulls no punches in his description of the tensions surrounding the public celebrations of the sacraments of Confession, First Communion and Confirmation. A more extensive treatment of this theme is contained in his excellent book First Communion Ritual, Church and Popular Religious Identity. Father McGrail’s chapter in Professor Sullivan’s volume will certainly offer some food for thought for those involved with and interested in the sacramental preparation of young people.
In Chapter Nine, Stephen McKinney of the School of Education in the University of Glasgow explores how religious faith can be communicated within the context of Religious Education. At the heart of this chapter is an interview with Bill Horton, retired Adviser for Religious Education (Secondary schools) in the Archdiocese of Glasgow. A key message of this chapter is that a commitment to faith formation in Religious Education is not an escape route from intellectual rigour. This is a timely reminder of the need to adopt a scholastic approach to Religious Education. The advent of This is Our Faith in Catholic schools in Scotland ensures that programmes of Catholic Religious Education should foster both piety and orthodoxy. This aspiration is not without challenges, as all Catholic educators would acknowledge.
Professor Sullivan’s book is a valuable addition to the literature on Catholic education. Catholic schools would do well to have Professor Sullivan’s well-crafted volume available as a resource for general staff development. Those in leadership roles in Catholic education will find much material for their own professional and faith development. It deserves a wide readership.
(This review first appeared in Flourish, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Glasgow.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)