Welcome to the Welcome to the Word: God-talk and Word: God-talk and

the staffroomthe staffroom Amalee MeehanAmalee Meehan: : CEISTCEIST

&&John O’Roarke: Mercy MounthawkJohn O’Roarke: Mercy Mounthawk

What kind of God is What kind of God is communicated in this clip?communicated in this clip?

What is your reaction to What is your reaction to this portrayal of God?this portrayal of God?

ChristianityChristianity

God’s intimate God’s intimate involvement with involvement with the world reaches the world reaches a whole new level a whole new level with the with the IncarnationIncarnation

God becomes one of God becomes one of us in Jesus Christus in Jesus Christ

The IncarnationThe Incarnation

Look, the virgin shall Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,conceive and bear a son,

and they shall name him and they shall name him Emmanuel,Emmanuel,

which means, “God is with which means, “God is with us” us”

(Mt 1:23)(Mt 1:23)

This is the central This is the central mystery of the mystery of the Incarnation: God is with Incarnation: God is with us in Jesus Christus in Jesus Christ

G D

How do we enter this How do we enter this relationship?relationship?

Jesus is the love and Jesus is the love and tenderness of God, the tenderness of God, the means of friendship, means of friendship, and the bridge between and the bridge between us and God.us and God.

He is the ultimate way He is the ultimate way

that God comes into our that God comes into our lives and draws us lives and draws us close. close.

Who do you say that I Who do you say that I am?am?

Jesus asked his disciples Jesus asked his disciples

““Who do you say that I am?” (Mk Who do you say that I am?” (Mk 8:29). 8:29).

How do you answer his questionHow do you answer his question

right here, right now?right here, right now?

Course OutlineCourse Outline

Spirituality and life’s journey  Spirituality and life’s journey  Being a reflective teacher Being a reflective teacher Imago Dei:Imago Dei: Who am I and Whose Am I?  Who am I and Whose Am I?  Jesus - the face of GodJesus - the face of God Jesus as teacherJesus as teacher The spirituality of teaching and The spirituality of teaching and

learning  learning  Celebrating the Catholic school  Celebrating the Catholic school  

So Far . . .So Far . . .

Where did the course come Where did the course come from…from…

Joining the dots…Joining the dots…

The expectations …The expectations …

The experience in the school … The experience in the school … learning communities…learning communities…

The expectation The expectation Gravissimum Educationis Gravissimum Educationis (1965)(1965)

‘‘teachers must remember that it depends teachers must remember that it depends chiefly on them whether the catholic school chiefly on them whether the catholic school achieves its purpose’ (Flannery 1998 p.733)achieves its purpose’ (Flannery 1998 p.733)

‘‘the catholic educator must be a source of the catholic educator must be a source of spiritual inspiration…the Lay Catholic spiritual inspiration…the Lay Catholic educator is a person who exercises a educator is a person who exercises a specific mission within the Church by living specific mission within the Church by living the faith, a secular vocation in the the faith, a secular vocation in the communitarian structure of the school…communitarian structure of the school…Lay Lay Catholics in Schools: Witnesses to Faith Catholics in Schools: Witnesses to Faith 19821982

Formation is indispensible … and must be kept Formation is indispensible … and must be kept up to date and on the same level as, and in up to date and on the same level as, and in harmony with human formation as a whole’ harmony with human formation as a whole’ CCE 1982 #62 (CCE 1982 #62 (Lay Catholics in SchoolsLay Catholics in Schools))

CEIST is committed to building school faith CEIST is committed to building school faith communities ….where staff are supported and communities ….where staff are supported and facilitated in their vital role within the school facilitated in their vital role within the school (p.11) (p.11)

So how do we do this????So how do we do this????

ACTIVE SPIRITUALITY ACTIVE SPIRITUALITY

SPIRITUALITY FOR THE ACTIVE LIFE SPIRITUALITY FOR THE ACTIVE LIFE (Parker Palmer 1990) (Parker Palmer 1990)

The experiences of teachers’ everyday work The experiences of teachers’ everyday work are central to teachers’ spirituality… are central to teachers’ spirituality… ‘choosing to integrate everyday spirituality ‘choosing to integrate everyday spirituality into a more meaningful whole is what into a more meaningful whole is what spirituality is all about’ ( Ashton 2004 p 56-spirituality is all about’ ( Ashton 2004 p 56-57)57)

There is nothing in everyday life that is There is nothing in everyday life that is ‘irrelevant to the spiritual life’ (Paul VI ‘irrelevant to the spiritual life’ (Paul VI 1965)1965)

Groome 2002, 284) ‘Spirituality should be Groome 2002, 284) ‘Spirituality should be lived ‘in the market place of life’lived ‘in the market place of life’

Constant business and over-business of Constant business and over-business of teachers’ daily lives militates against teachers’ daily lives militates against nourishing their inner lives, research nourishing their inner lives, research has shown that reflection on the has shown that reflection on the experiences of daily life – the good and experiences of daily life – the good and the bad – sustains their spirits… the bad – sustains their spirits… (Jackson and Jackson 2005, McMahon (Jackson and Jackson 2005, McMahon 2003, Simone 2004) 2003, Simone 2004)

[[Courage to Teach Programme – Parker Courage to Teach Programme – Parker Palmer Palmer ]]

Moments of grace…Moments of grace…

Experiences in daily life that nurture Experiences in daily life that nurture spirituality:spirituality:

Experiences of community, feelings of Experiences of community, feelings of being connected, and being being connected, and being appreciated…appreciated…

Experiences of making a difference:Experiences of making a difference:

student achievement, student growth, student achievement, student growth,

MAKING SPACEMAKING SPACE

Not adding another burden…Not adding another burden…

BUT MAKING SPACE BUT MAKING SPACE

CREATING CAPACITYCREATING CAPACITY To reflect on the moments that To reflect on the moments that

providentially fill our days…providentially fill our days… Giving teachers the eyes with which Giving teachers the eyes with which

to discern these moments: scripture to discern these moments: scripture and tradition…and tradition…

Reflecting togetherReflecting together

When was the last time you had a When was the last time you had a good conversation? John good conversation? John O’Donoghue at the 1O’Donoghue at the 1stst CEIST CEIST conference in this very hotel.conference in this very hotel.

Prayer - communal and life giving Prayer - communal and life giving ……

COMMUNITY IS KEYCOMMUNITY IS KEY

Learning communitiesLearning communities

Learning school Pilot Project Learning school Pilot Project AFL grouping AFL grouping SEN literacy and numeracy groupSEN literacy and numeracy group

So we started with a meeting with So we started with a meeting with interested teachers to see what they interested teachers to see what they wanted… our planning is based on wanted… our planning is based on this meeting. this meeting.

AimsAims This course aims to enliven participants’ This course aims to enliven participants’

understanding of the Catholic faith in understanding of the Catholic faith in ways that are formative, informative and ways that are formative, informative and transformative.transformative.

Through connecting how God is revealed Through connecting how God is revealed with the deep desires of the human heart, with the deep desires of the human heart, it hopes to deepen participants’ own faith, it hopes to deepen participants’ own faith, praxis and relationships – with God, with praxis and relationships – with God, with themselves, and with others - especially in themselves, and with others - especially in the context of the school community.the context of the school community.

What model are we using? What model are we using? Dialogue of faith and life Dialogue of faith and life

What teaching strategy did I use?What teaching strategy did I use? How effective was it in achieving How effective was it in achieving

the learning outcomes?the learning outcomes? Were all the students engaged?Were all the students engaged? Is it efficient in terms of time? Is it efficient in terms of time?

Will I get the course covered?Will I get the course covered? What would I change if I were to What would I change if I were to

use this method again? use this method again?

CRITICAL MOMENTS

A lot of work with teachers A lot of work with teachers focused on ‘what’ we do, or focused on ‘what’ we do, or ‘how’ we do it or occasionally ‘how’ we do it or occasionally ‘why’ do we do it - we might ‘why’ do we do it - we might consider focusing on ‘who’ is consider focusing on ‘who’ is doing it….doing it….

‘‘We teach who we are’We teach who we are’

Let’s change the Let’s change the questions – to look questions – to look

through the prism of through the prism of faith and belief… faith and belief…

MOMENTS OF GRACEMOMENTS OF GRACE Did I treat all the students fairly?Did I treat all the students fairly? Did I deal with that student with Did I deal with that student with

any sense of mercy or compassionany sense of mercy or compassion Did I see in that moment a seed Did I see in that moment a seed

that I planted? that I planted?

You have to have the glasses cleanedYou have to have the glasses cleaned You have to have the mirror polishedYou have to have the mirror polished

Sultan and the Chinese and the IndiansSultan and the Chinese and the Indians

Therefore our aim: ‘to enliven Therefore our aim: ‘to enliven participants’ understanding of the participants’ understanding of the Catholic faith in ways that are formative, Catholic faith in ways that are formative, informative and transformative’.informative and transformative’.

Nothing new here…Nothing new here…

An age old method of prayer…An age old method of prayer… How does the word of God speak to me How does the word of God speak to me

in my experience of life today? in my experience of life today? Meditation / reflection on scripture in Meditation / reflection on scripture in

the stuff of every day…the stuff of every day…

An invitation to teachersAn invitation to teachers

This course is an invitation to every This course is an invitation to every teacher of every subject area, to explore teacher of every subject area, to explore their faith and connect it to their life, their faith and connect it to their life, especially their work life. especially their work life.

It is spiritual in emphasis, and we hope to It is spiritual in emphasis, and we hope to engage people at the level of head, heart engage people at the level of head, heart and hands – practical living. and hands – practical living.

There are no fees, no travel and no There are no fees, no travel and no exams. We ask simply for time and exams. We ask simply for time and enthusiasm! enthusiasm!

TimeTime

The course runs over seven evenings The course runs over seven evenings for two hours each eveningfor two hours each evening

one hour during the week to mull over one hour during the week to mull over the preceding class, to write a one the preceding class, to write a one page reflection and, from time to page reflection and, from time to time, read a short article.time, read a short article.

Short Bib:Short Bib: Ashton, W (2004) The Sorcerer’s Ashton, W (2004) The Sorcerer’s

Apprentice. In Donton and W Ashton (Eds.) Apprentice. In Donton and W Ashton (Eds.) Spirituality, Action and Pedagogy Spirituality, Action and Pedagogy (Vol 8), (Vol 8), New York: Peter Lang.New York: Peter Lang.

(Paul VI 1965) Decree on the Apostolate of (Paul VI 1965) Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity the Laity

Groome, T.H. (2002) Groome, T.H. (2002) What Makes us What Makes us Catholic Catholic San Francisco: Harper Collins San Francisco: Harper Collins

Meehan, Amalee. (April 2008) Bring Them Meehan, Amalee. (April 2008) Bring Them Home: A Role for Catholic Schools in Home: A Role for Catholic Schools in Ireland Today. Ireland Today. The FurrowThe Furrow