As per course,
"Faith in Action – Key Concepts
developing the theoretical understandings necessary to develop teaching and learning tools and practices for religious education and pastoral experiences
experiencing faith in action through Christian leadership
understanding the importance of shared responsibility, partnerships and
leadership in the community as conveyed in the Foundations of Professional Practice
exploring shared responsibility and partnerships involving family, school, parish and the community in the expression of faith and the Catholic journey
understanding the key components and principles associated with the mission of Catholic schools and exploring ways of integrating them across the curriculum and in educational experiences
understanding the principles and significance of pastoral service for Catholic education.
Read Text: The Catholic Source Book, Edition 3 (Rev. P. Brown. 2000): An Overview of the Tradition. pp. 61-80, 115-128.
or
The Catholic Source Book, Edition 4 (Rev. P. Brown. 2007): An Overview of the Tradition. pp. 55-74, 102-118.
Read Article: Catholic Update: Ten Good Reasons to Be Catholic , (1997) by Kathy Coffey
http://www.americancatholic.org/messenger/oct1997/feature2.asp
Reason Number Ten was a fill in the blank.
Can you name your favourite reason for being Catholic?
What Catholics Believe - Nine Things That Make Us Catholic (2002).
http://www.peterpaul.org.uk/growing-in-faith/what-catholics-believe/
Tasks
Review the submodule entitled The Vocation of the Catholic Educator
Following the directions below, you will create a Personal Philosophy of Catholic Education. Post your completed philosophy to the discussion forum, and respond to at least two of your colleagues posts.
Your Philosophy of the Vocation of the Catholic Educator – The New Evangelization
The Ontario Catholic Elementary Religious Education Policy, (pp. 1, 6 - 7, 2012) emphasizes the importance of the Catholic school’s role in the new evangelization whereby all catechesis is to be placed in the context of evangelization:
As a genuine instrument of pastoral ministry, it participates in the evangelizing mission of the Church as a privileged environment of Christian education and a genuine experience of Church… Teachers have a place of privilege and a great responsibility to participate in this new evangelization.
In This Moment of Promise, (p. 26, 1989), the Bishops of Ontario have described teachers as “the ones involved most directly in creating a learning climate within Catholic Schools.”
These are heavy responsibilities that require teachers to live out their faith, become more faithful, and directly affect the evangelization of our young people.
Using some of the documents and passages below for support, write your personal Philosophy of Catholic Education. It will be approximately one to two pages.
In light of the challenges facing Christianity and the Catholic faith today (decreasing participation in formal religious practices, sexual abuse issues within the Church, the legacy of residential schools, societal influences on young people) how do you see yourself as a modern-day evangelizer?
What background, history, or gifts have brought you to this stage in your life? How can you as an educator be a witness to Catholic education?
How would you integrate Catholicity across the curriculum?
How can you experience faith in action through your Christian leadership?
How would you promote the Home - School - Parish partnership?"
The Vocation Of The Catholic Educator
The Role of Catholic Education
As an expression of the evangelizing mission of the Roman Catholic Church, the primary task of the Catholic school is to educate and form students in faith, in partnership with the home and parish, so that they may become people of Christ. Perhaps the best understanding of what it means to be the people of Christ can be found in the Gospel of Matthew 25:31-46, where Christians are called to “feed the hungry; welcome the stranger; clothe the naked; visit the sick and the isolated.”
In our own time, we hear a great deal about work being done in Ontario’s Schools to create ‘schools of character’. Society can only benefit from such efforts. At the same time, however, Catholic schools must continue to be schools of transformation, transforming not only students but society as a whole, into the image of Christ.
“A Catholic school could never be simply a place where students accumulate skills and information, a place where they learn how to get ahead and sell their gifts on the open market. If this were so, our schools would prepare students for nothing more than a shallow life far removed from the profound vision of life revealed in the gospel. A Catholic school must be a place where all knowledge and relationships are transformed by questions of meaning, by the quest for meaning.”
This Moment of Promise, Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1989
The Catholic School Graduate
Catholic education is a holistic education designed to form and inform students, mind, body, heart and soul. It is committed to excellence as it invites students to respond in the context in which they live in the light of their faith. Catholic education is dedicated to ensuring that students reach their full potential so that there is success for all. This desire is expressed well in the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations where the vision of the learner is summarized.
The Graduate of a Catholic school will be:
A discerning believer formed in the Catholic faith community.
An effective communicator.
A reflective, creative and holistic thinker.
A self-directed, responsible, lifelong learner.
A collaborative contributor.
A caring family member.
A responsible citizen.
The OCSGE were developed through The Institute for Catholic Education – You will find the OCSGE listed on the ICE website. http://iceont.ca/resources/ontario-catholic-school-graduate-expectations/
Scripture Passages Instructing Us In
Our Responsibilities as Catholic Educators
The mission of Catholic schools reflects our way to salvation. (Matt. 28:18-20)
We are the messengers. Who will hear if we do not speak? (Rom. 10:13-17) (2 Timothy 4:1-5)
I want you to know that Yahweh God is really Abba our Father. (John 17:20-26)
To hear me speaking to you, to allow the word to become alive, you need to pray and reflect and listen. (Mark 1:35) (John 8:32)
What you do with the lost ones is the criteria of authentic discipleship. (Luke 15:1-32) (Matthew 18:10-14)
I have come to call you to the fullness of human life. (John 10:10)
My way is a way of hope and dream and vision. (Matt 28:5-8)
I call you to a simple way of life, a conversion to the child. (Matt 18:1-4)
The Spirit will come to you as support, as presence. (John 16:7-16) (John 14:15-17)
I remind you to reach out in forgiveness and reconciliation. (Matt. 5:23) (Matt 18:21-22)
Love is the heart of my message. (John 15:9-10) (Matt. 22:37-40) (Mark 9:30-37)
When you come together in my name, celebrate my presence. (Matt. 18:20) (Luke 22:19-20)
Often when I walk with you, I will be a stranger figure, in disguise. (Luke 24:13-35)
Make sure your actions accompany your words. (Matt. 7:21-27) ( James 2:14-17)
I invite you to be partners with me, a branch to the vine. (John 15:1-17)
Be people of compassion and people of service. (Matt. 25:34-40)
Online Resources Supporting the Mission of Catholic Schools
The Catholic Partners’ Website www.ocean.net contains links to all Catholic Provincial organizations sites.
The three Catholic curriculum Cooperatives provide a wide variety of curriculum resources, religion and family life support and teacher professional development.
Catholic Curriculum Cooperative http://www.catholic-curr-coop.org
Eastern Ontario Catholic Curriculum cooperative http://www.eoccc.org
CARFLEO is the Catholic Association of religious and Family Life Educators of Ontario.
Archived editions of Catholic Update are available on the web. TheAmericanCatholic.org is the home of the online editions of St. Anthony messenger, Catholic Update, Millennium Monthly, Youth Update, Scripture from Scratch and other Catholic features. http://www.americancatholic.org/newsletter/CU/Archive.asp
An encyclopedia of Catholic terms, words and phrases is available online. http://www.catholic.org/encyclopedia
The Catholic Register offers news and commentary on to pictures including religion, moral and spiritual matters, politics, and popular culture. http://www.catholicregister.org
New Catholic Times Newsletter http://www.newcatholictimes.com
http://www.catholicteacher.com The online companion to Today’s Catholic Teacher Magazine
***Many other sites are available to support Catholic Education. If you use or find a site that you would recommend and like to share, please send to the instructor and an extended list of resources will be made available to all.
Catholic Government Documents Guiding Us In Our Vocation as Catholic Educators
ACBO: This Moment of Promise (1989)
http://acbo.on.ca/englishweb/publications/promise.htm
HCDSB: School Effectiveness Framework (2013)
http://www.hcdsb.org/Board/bip/Documents/2013%20School%20Effectiveness%20Framework.pdf
ICE: Ontario Catholic Elementary Religious Education Policy Document Grades 1-8 (2012)
Ontario Catholic Secondary Religious Education Curriculum Policy Document (2006)
http://www.iceont.ca/ice-publications.aspx
OCSTA: 68 Years of Success
http://www.ocsta.on.ca/ocsta/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/168-years-of-success.pdf
As per discussion, "
Sample Catholic Educator Cover Letter:
Scientists understand the “Killer” whale (Orca) as one of the most socially adept creatures on the planet, even more so than humans-the lobe of the brain which regulates emotional responses is an enlarged part of their brain, 5 times larger than that of a human. I feel like teachers naturally aspire to the empathetic capacity and altruism that this creature is capable of. My name is Carmelo Bono and I am applying for an occasional teaching position within Niagara Catholic District School Board. What interests me in a position as a Catholic occasional teacher is the experience that it provides space for to support my faith community and the Church (as an institution) in another meaningful way. My experience assessing and evaluating in accordance with Growing Success while abroad and studying FNMI Medicine Wheel Framework, has given me a perspective on how I assess students’ and triangulate their progress using conversation and observations from classroom experiences. My experience in equitable teaching with predominantly second language learners has provided unique opportunity to revisit the bible from the way I experienced it as a child, through the stories as lessons and God as a unifying idea of what connects all living things. My classroom scaffolding and differentiation techniques vary between technological activities and active learning lessons depending on availability of resources and policies. My experiences at MLIS (an offshore BC school in China) provide me with necessary abilities to manage a classroom positively. I am currently teaching at I/S level in the English department of HBIC. Other teaching subject experiences are in teaching Careers Ed., Mathematics (Junior/Intermediate) Food and Nutrition, HPE, ESL, and Tourism. I am hopeful in continual completion of additional qualifications in FSL. My time in private offshore Canadian international schools required a strong basis and confidence in transparency and fairness, specifically in regards to ELL teaching. Schools here in Ontario will greatly benefit from having a teacher with practical experience in special education and ELL on staff.
I serve not only as a classroom teacher, but a representative of my faith and a sponsor for the following extra-curriculars Sanshou Club, Cooking Club, Skateboarding Club and Comic Club. I actively participate in Annual Activity Day, Sports Day (of which I have also organized and facilitated with my colleagues), tutorials and other extra-curricular events for the student body (socially and academically). In participating, it is faith in the teachings of the lord that makes me confident my efforts serve to help students develop themselves. Upon realizing that the only enhancement to this experience is the investment in my skills, I began participating in Professional Development Committee Meetings as a facilitator. Soon after I find myself showcasing my abilities in the kitchen for teachers during Professional Development Activities, among other things. My activities in the PLC really inspire me to inquire more about additional qualifications. This leads me to my completion of Specializations in Reading and Teaching ELL along with numerous other AQ’s and ABQ’s.
What a lot of faith educators don’t consider is that Jesus himself was working in a turn of the century profession before he took on the responsibilities bestowed upon him by God. We may not be educating the 21st century savior directly, but we as faith educators can certainly use the experiences and reflections of faith through Catholic Social Teachings (as an example) to emphasize how in the 21st century, these are a necessity for not only understanding technology in the workplace but utilizing it to its full potential. Jesus doesn’t just create things with tools, he mends and bends what individuals think they know about themselves and the world through questioning what they know.
Working with students and helping them develop themselves as parts of a larger community has always been a passion of mine. As a Eucharist person, or a herald of my faith, I hope that I can have the opportunity to serve my faith in a similar way as that of those we admire, our role models and faith leaders. Thank you for taking the time to read my cover letter and resume. To reach me, e-mail (csbono@lakeheadu.ca) and skype are the only ways (Skype: carm.bono). Thanks again and enjoy the rest of your day.
Seasonal blessings,
Sample Catholic Teacher Philosophy of Education:
Being a Eucharist person, my values strongly surround the beatitudes and principles that are reflected in the ten commandments. Law is law, no matter where in the world one may be, and to say one does not know, is bliss. As a teacher I take a stand in the things I do and say to/for my students as an advocate. The responsibility to act as a witness to my faith has prepared me well for the responsibility that a care provider during a field trip or class time is intended to take.
Students, however they may identify (2SLGBTQQIA, First Nations, Metis, Inuit, or a Passport holder of another nation) are the future of the world; they are going to be the doctors who we go to when sick; the policy makers who decide whether or not taxes go up or down; our students are the most important people in and to society. I do not believe in handing out answers, but building opportunities for learning through supporting students through their signature strengths through a medicine wheel framework. Supporting students to build themselves through the community and grandfather teachings of the FNMI perspectives as it is not only a path towards truth and reconciliation for Canada but a matter of inclusive school-community development.
While studying to become a teacher, “Growing Success”, considered the most sacred educational document in Ontario as it offers guidance through a crucial shift in assessment and evaluation of Ontario’s practices in education. Students are not eligible to score a zero, unless the course ends and nothing is handed in, every student deserves opportunity to succeed and surpass their expectations of their abilities. Ontario asks teachers to focus their practices on assessments for learning rather than solely of learning in order to support growth mindsets in classrooms and to reflect most recent and relevant examples of student’s best work. Students are not expected to be held back. If a student is “held back”, it means the teacher failed somewhere along the line, or the supports are not in place at a school to offer the accommodation needed to support that student’s learning difficulties. I spent so many years teaching abroad with the British Columbia Curriculum, because of the adjustments it made on a provincial level to accommodate learners who come from different cultures, their provincial exams were disheartening to overseas students to say the least because of the disconnect of cultural references students would be exposed to on an exam.
As a classroom teacher I teach to success and as a herald of my faith. Working with my students to build the competency to not only express themselves, but their skills, critical thinking competencies and reading abilities is how promote inclusive and equitable teaching practices. My strategies to enhance critical thinking, apply to active learning models such as experiential (cooking with students in kitchens), inquiry and/or project-based. In these students are all actively using English as well as comprehension skills to communicate with each other verbally, physically or visually. Participating in school showcase events with materials that are specific to the engagement of the student body in a related topic/subject area; as well as classroom communal learning in say “Mystery of…” Family event (most notably) are initial ways I survey the school parents and teachers interest and activeness in a new learning community.
A teacher is not only a teacher though. I where many hats, I offer post-secondary education advice to my students (as a portion of rapport), when discussing progress and or goals of their learning; coaching advice on sports teams (Ball Hockey and Volleyball most notably); as well as support in areas of interest such as comic book clubs and charity fundraisers. I offer my evenings to school events.
I am a teacher among the many other things that I do for my school and students, I am Carmelo Bono.
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