Current Experience
Faith Club at St.Jean Marie Vianney Elementary School for my school placement
During my placement at St.Jean Marie Vianney I was able to create a Faith Club Group with one of my Students in my Grade 6 Placement class! This allowed Grade 6 students to help encourage younger grades to be more accepting and participating in their faith. Sessions were held once a week in the Zen-Zone of the school in which activities were faith-fun based to develop a sense of faith community building. I had made a Faith booklet for students to refer to prayers and hymns. We used this in our club and I had given it to the other teachers as well. I also was able to partake in Catholic Education Week with Faith club and Mrs.Duke's class. The theme was , "We are Many, We are One". Everyday we had said one decade from the rosary, played the theme song at the beginning of the day and had engaged in a classroom puzzle activity. This activity incorporated students to create a puzzle piece that represents themselves and their culture in which it is a piece to our classroom "We are many, we are one" puzzle. With Faith club we had made a growing in faith tree with each student from the schools' handprints and butterflies to resemble, "We are Many, We are One":
.png&height=175.666&width=175.666&scale=0.259&x=76.173&y=0)
.png&height=175.666&width=175.666&scale=0.268&x=55.332&y=0)
.png&height=175.666&width=175.666&scale=0.295&x=86.058&y=0)
.png&height=175.666&width=175.666&scale=0.135&x=34.345&y=0)
.png&height=175.666&width=175.666&scale=0.199&x=77.077&y=0)
.png&height=175.666&width=175.666&scale=0.126&x=19.588&y=0.001)
.png&height=175.666&width=175.666&scale=0.153&x=56.145&y=0)
Confirmation Catechist- St. Francis Xaiver Church Mississauga
I have been a Confirmation Catechist Leader for the parish, St.Francis Xaicer Church in Mississauga for two years now. In this role I lead the Confirmandi and their family in their Sacremental preparation modules for Confirmation for a 12 week period. The modules were coordinated around DynamicCatholic.Com with their Confirmation Modules. Every week I had provided the module for the students and their family to engage and reflect with. Answers were submitted following this to track their engagement. I had also assisted with their Confirmation Retreat and heir Sacramental mass.
.jpeg&height=175.666&width=175.666&scale=0.058&x=29.277&y=0.001)
.jpeg&height=175.666&width=175.666&scale=0.058&x=29.277&y=0.001)
Please feel free to scroll and read through my learning blocks from Religious Education: Teaching in Catholic Schools
The Vocation of Becoming a Catholic Educator Learning Block
I chose the balance scale to be one symbol thatrepresents the heart of teaching, how I representmyself and how I want to be seen as a teacher.Balance is needed on every aspect of life,education, learning and within the classroom. Ifone aspect is more prominent than the other, thenholistic goals that we try to achieve as a teacherand educator become blindsided with theseunbalanced attempts. This balance can alsoencourage and uplift weakness points for us aseducators and for our students. It’s withimbalance of specific strategies, tools andmethods, which can also hinder improvement andsuccess. Being an educator and student can beoverwhelming, but with balance it can help tackleobstacles one step at a time.
Self-Awareness was a commontheme and point addressed from the readingsfor this module, which also relates to balance.When you are self-aware as an educator, youcan also teach and lead by example ofconsciousness and empathy for yourclassroom. By allowing yourself to “look”within you are understanding what needs to bedone internally and externally for balance foryou and for others. Which is needed forholistic balance inside and outside aclassroom to be able to respond to your needsand the needs of others respectfully.
History provides a perspective into the present and future since history always repeats itself in some way, shape or form. By being familiar with history of Catholic of Education in Ontario and globally, it can build a culture of reconciliation through awareness and acknowledgement. Through this insightful awareness and education of history it can also ensure we do not take this gift for granted, for some countries condemn this faith and teaching. But it does not mean we can ignore the holistic historical lens of how Catholic education is and was privileged in certain aspects of Ontario and North America. Through my own learning and understanding of the history of Catholic education in Ontario and globally, I am engaging with OCT ongoing professional learning of standards of practice and ethical standards of integrity. Which is why it is important to be familiar with history and all history for that matter, to be culturally responsive to the needs of the given society students are growing up in. If educators do not unlearn and learn certain aspects and forms of history through a decolonized lens, it can be extremely detrimental in perpetuating privilege and ignoring the areas of injustice. Through the comprehension of the history of Catholic education, in a decolonized framework, teachers like me will have the potential to adapt and modify present Catholic education to meet the current needs of society, that does not privilege certain groups over others. Moreover, this can then lead to further modifications of how pedagogy and curriculum of public vs catholic education systems are privileged and othered.
One standard of practice I choose is ongoing professional learning and one ethical standard of practice I choose is integrity. First, as educators with alignment of culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy (CRRP), it is a part of our career to engage in the acts of learning and unlearning to be culturally responsive educators. In this profession stagnancy oftentimes leads to indirect ignorance. Especially within the Catholic Board there needs to be ongoing professional learning to ensure the classroom is enriching and meaningful for all students. This aligns with the ethical standard of practice of integrity because through the ongoing process of learning a, “continual reflection assists members in exercising integrity in their professional commitments and responsibilities” (OCT 2022). Since I am a South Asian Canadian female, in my elementary school days it was hard for me to connect with my Caucasian Catholic counterparts. Although we shared the same faith, I was still seen as an outsider for my culture because I celebrated Christmas and Easter a bit differently. If teachers engage with, learn, and understand that culture and religion are intertwined with each other it will help bridge ignorant gaps that perpetuate within the classroom. This is why, I would take the time to respectfully learn each of my students and their families’ cultural values, to see how it interplays with their faith and education. Although I had never had my school placement due to COVID, when I was an emergency instructor, there were many times a student will talk about their home life relating to a religious observance holiday. To try and avoid the student to be tokenistic and the “teacher”, we would have classroom discussions of similarities and differences. I would also research about it on my own to connect and extend the discussions. Through integrity and ongoing learning, educators can embrace the act of unlearning and learning for meaningful Catholic Education.
ReferencesOCT. (2022). Standards for the teaching profession - oct.ca. Ontario College of Teachers. Retrieved from https://www.oct.ca/-/media/PDF/Standards%20Poster/OCTStandardsFlyerENPUBLISH.pdf
Context of Teaching in Catholic Schools Learning Block
I believe the most important aspect of our Catholic education system is communal engagement. Through community learning and experiences, it fosters empathy and respect towards people within the community that share similarities and have differences with us. Through sacramental celebrations and when we receive the communion in mass, we see a pattern of community involvement in which we all congregate as one to uplift and reinforce that we are brothers and sisters, and we share our grief and love together. This also extends to my own purpose as a Catholic educator to emphasize the importance of strengthening our relationships with our peers, family, and community to celebrate and embrace the differences that we share. This purpose affects how I teach to invite differences and not focus on just the similarities. We often times focus on the similarities we share with our peers, but then neglect our differences, which can lead to bullying or othering. Instead, it is important to embrace our differences as we are all unique but should support and respect each other. Moreover, this leads to one of the reasons why Catholic education matters; #3. “The Value of Relationships as a Reflection of the Divine”. This is due to the fact that we learn empathy and respect from our familial and school relationships to foster this on our own within and for the community as adults. In one of my classes for the BEd program at York – Early and Family Literacy, we had to create a family calendar of literacy and cross-curriculum activities related to the month and grade we chose. The group I was a part of we chose the month of December for Grade 3, and I connected one of the activities a section of Family Life as well. This was the lesson plan as follows that foster, “The Value of Relationships as a Reflection of the Divine”: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aRr5qV43sB4TxRYoEyZdBHYI5pE3rf2cX5cUgoZDOQA/edit?usp=sharing From December 19's activity, the read-aloud a Caribbean girl is adjusting to Canada’s climate and customs that are different from her own, after her mother marries a Canadian man. Through the Family Life connections, we recognize the value of her own and her new blended families’ customs, appreciate that love is open to others and how to appreciate the differences within a family. This is to, “unite together in solidarity”. It was interesting to create this lesson plan since I was able to connect this read-aloud to Family Life, Literacy, Social Studies and Culturally Responsive and Reflective Pedagogy. This is why “The Value of Relationships as a Reflection of the Divine” in Catholic education matters because it starts with our familial relationships and interactions to learn empathy and respect for our neighbours and community.
From the resources the OECTA website posted I was drawn to the CBC podcast series, “Telling our Twisted Histories (CBC Podcasts, 2022), specifically the school episode. Through Catholic pedagogical goals this podcast situates the viewers in the culturally relevant story of Ontario Catholic Education, to analyze the ways at which this story is communicated and to learn about communal learning in a different perspective. Alternatively, through Indigenous pedagogical goals it creates a space for community members to contribute and educate on their experiences that have been twisted and been misrepresented. In Ontario’s education, there is a rhetoric of embracing and encouraging multi-lingual experiences, to connect the student’s home and cultural life to school. This is also to embrace our Catholic teachings of respecting differences and engagement with communal and familial learning. However, if I used this podcast in the classroom, it would invite discussion of why Indigenous people were denied their right to embrace, learn and engage with their family for their culture and languages. This can also spark discussion of how some cultures and languages are privileged over others and what can we do as a community to ensure that Indigenous culture and education is represented in a safe space for all to bridge the gaps between Western and Indigenous peoples and Catholic and Indigenous spirituality. What’s interesting about this resource, is that it is cross-curricular and can be connected with Social Justice, Social Studies, Literacy and CRRP lessons as well to connect and extend the classroom into meaningful lessons of community, spirituality, the virtues and identity.
I chose the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association conferences and seminars that it offers as a resource to help me in my teaching practice. Specifically, the, “Beginning Teachers Conference” – Direct Link: https://www.catholicteachers.ca/For-Your-Career/Conferences-and-Seminars. This resource of seminars and conferences offered by OECTA, can be useful in my pedagogy of connecting with community members through ongoing professional learning. Through networking and connecting, this resource can also extend my future classroom practices and environment for meaningful engagement and learning. Moreover, attending these seminars and conferences can also aid me in my first years of teaching that can seem overwhelming at first. What is also interesting is that the “Beginning Teachers Conference” changes its theme each year and members can attend within their first five years of teaching. I do believe that learning comes with active engagement and this resource provides that stepping-stone of an educators active engagement of learning to teach and follow through with pedagogy that is meaningful in an Ontario Catholic Education system. References CBC Podcasts. (2022, June 10). Telling our twisted histories | CBC podcasts | CBC listen. CBCnews. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/906-telling-our-twisted-histories OECTA. (2022). Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association. Home - Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA). Retrieved from https://www.catholicteachers.ca/
I chose the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association conferences and seminars that it offers as a resource to help me in my teaching practice. Specifically, the, “Beginning Teachers Conference” – Direct Link: https://www.catholicteachers.ca/For-Your-Career/Conferences-and-Seminars. This resource of seminars and conferences offered by OECTA, can be useful in my pedagogy of connecting with community members through ongoing professional learning. Through networking and connecting, this resource can also extend my future classroom practices and environment for meaningful engagement and learning. Moreover, attending these seminars and conferences can also aid me in my first years of teaching that can seem overwhelming at first. What is also interesting is that the “Beginning Teachers Conference” changes its theme each year and members can attend within their first five years of teaching. I do believe that learning comes with active engagement and this resource provides that stepping-stone of an educators active engagement of learning to teach and follow through with pedagogy that is meaningful in an Ontario Catholic Education system. References CBC Podcasts. (2022, June 10). Telling our twisted histories | CBC podcasts | CBC listen. CBCnews. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/906-telling-our-twisted-histories OECTA. (2022). Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association. Home - Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA). Retrieved from https://www.catholicteachers.ca/
Catholic Curriculum Learning Block
We can incorporate our faith into all subject areas through discussion and creativity. Cross-Curricular activities that we often see take place in the classroom with the blend of Math and Language or Science and Math, can also be incorporated with faith. I do think there has to be a level of discretion in terms of the kind of discussions you are having based off the grade level. For example, debating on reproductive technology, would not be a topic of discussion that primary ages could fully grasp on. However, I do feel that curriculum allows for easy integration of Catholic morals and values based off the virtues such as love, respect, empathy, and kindness follow through with OCT standards of care, trust, respect, and integrity and along with any Catholic or public-school values and morals. It just involves creativity and willingness to go beyond the curriculum expectations to connect and extend cross-curricular activities with faith. When I was an emergency supply instructor, there were some challenges following these incorporations of Faith into other subject areas to follow the teachers’ instructions. There are often times disconnect from home and school on spirituality and faith. This would then be brought to the surface at school through comments from the student or even from comments of other teachers. From these experiences it makes me adamant of how to fully prepare for this and to be confident enough to ensure that the teachings are meaningful for everyone. I think this apprehension can relate to an idea of finding ways to bridge familial gaps and invite the students to talk about what is Faith and spirituality to them and their family and how is it used/ seen at home. This can help you engage and understand your classroom to then figure out what can work and won’t work for cross-curriculum activities that incorporate faith.
I think a teacher’s role has changed since the inception of the first Catholic schools in terms of enhancement of diversity, awareness, acceptance, respect and kindness towards all ethnicities and cultures. If we use the Residential schools as an example, it is evident that during this time Catholic teachings in schools were used as a means of correcting or rectifying “the others” that were not European. However, since the time I was in school till now, we have seen a great change and the rise of culturally relevant and responsive pedagogy to evolve religious education for critical analysis of our culture, sacramental living and to adapt to the needs of the times. Although religious education has been heightened during my time in school till now, there has been a change to bring the church to our students, especially during the pandemic. Sacramental education for communion and confirmation within peel at least, are done through the church and not the school anymore. Alternatively, this change can be seen as a method to implement and increase church and familial engagement. This was also a way to counter the alarming issue of decrease in church attendance in some peel churches. When I was in school, the sacraments were taught at and done during school. But then we would see that majority would not try and attend church on Sunday. Moreover, being apart of this new method as a confirmation leader within the last year, it brings the community together at church as its true intent and bridges religious education to adapt with the times. This then leads me to make connections and analyze the disconnect that was present when I was in school with religious education and the church, in comparison to now. It is great to see this evolve and to see how religious education has taken on a new form.
When I was in elementary school, I was a part of a school initiative called “Youth Faith Ambassadors”. From this club, junior and intermediate grades were allowed to be a part of it and lead school liturgies, masses, assemblies, charitable events, and assisting the church with events. It was a great way as an older student to have a sense of leadership and identity within my faith to help build a school community within the church and our neighbourhood. It would be meaningful to have this club extended to elementary schools to enhance leadership, stewardship, and community values within students to feel a part of something bigger and to enhance their Catholic identity.
In high school, I was a peer-mentor in an outreach program for Grade 9 students entering high school, which was called Link Crew. Being a part of this club, we facilitated school assemblies, events, and were invited to the Salesian retreat to enhance our faith individually, as a club and as a peer mentor for the school.
Being a part of these two Faith leadership roles in elementary school and high school, it was a way for students to promote Catholic identity within classrooms and the school. However, once simple way of promoting this identity is through prayer and reflection. Prayer can be done throughout any time of the day, and we often associate it with just at church or before eating. But engaging with classroom prayers can build a community and an individual’s sense of reflection to promote Catholic identity
While doing some research I found an activity that can be used as a Segway between learning blocks – 3 minute retreat daily : https://www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer/?utm_source=cj&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=lp-content . This resource builds on self-reflection, awareness and meditation through a daily passage that can be read. We often jump from one activity to the next, this over stimulation can negate a student’s ability to ground themselves in faith and spirituality, which is why this activity is a great resource to build on Catholic Identity in the classroom and at home as well.
From the Fully Alive Family Life Education document, I can use this in my own classroom as a Primary/Junior teacher through cross-curricular and community building activities. It is evident from this document and curriculum there is an emphasis to work on the secular divide in our current society. Although, there was a small section dedicated to community partners, I would research and find ways to incorporate the community into the classroom or take the classroom out in the community to see religious practice, spirituality, and virtues in practice. There is enough emphasis placed on church vs school. But, in order to, “support the ongoing development of each student who, upon graduation…” (Family Life Education 2012). This can also support the teachings and curriculums goals that are to be entrusted with students upon graduation, and to take it into their own paths outside of the school environment. If we don’t properly bridge the divide between the community, it will never be integrated through a holistic approach that negates secularism. Ideas to implement in classroom: • Knights table events that students can partake in • Volunteer at the church/ monthly church visits to engage in communal celebration and volunteer work • Get in touch with Youth-run Non-Profit organization : EveryChild Now to get classroom to work on development projects and/or school club - https://everychildnow.mystrikingly.com/ • Engage in prayer and meditation to enhance everyday spirituality and faith • How can we work with the administration, Ministry, school board and city to allow students to create initiatives that are meaningful and long-lasting?
ReferencesFamily Life Education - Institute for Catholic Education. (2012). Retrieved, from https://iceont.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Family-Life-Ed-2012.pdf
When I was in elementary school, I was a part of a school initiative called “Youth Faith Ambassadors”. From this club, junior and intermediate grades were allowed to be a part of it and lead school liturgies, masses, assemblies, charitable events, and assisting the church with events. It was a great way as an older student to have a sense of leadership and identity within my faith to help build a school community within the church and our neighbourhood. It would be meaningful to have this club extended to elementary schools to enhance leadership, stewardship, and community values within students to feel a part of something bigger and to enhance their Catholic identity.
In high school, I was a peer-mentor in an outreach program for Grade 9 students entering high school, which was called Link Crew. Being a part of this club, we facilitated school assemblies, events, and were invited to the Salesian retreat to enhance our faith individually, as a club and as a peer mentor for the school.
Being a part of these two Faith leadership roles in elementary school and high school, it was a way for students to promote Catholic identity within classrooms and the school. However, once simple way of promoting this identity is through prayer and reflection. Prayer can be done throughout any time of the day, and we often associate it with just at church or before eating. But engaging with classroom prayers can build a community and an individual’s sense of reflection to promote Catholic identity
While doing some research I found an activity that can be used as a Segway between learning blocks – 3 minute retreat daily : https://www.loyolapress.com/3-minute-retreats-daily-online-prayer/?utm_source=cj&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=lp-content . This resource builds on self-reflection, awareness and meditation through a daily passage that can be read. We often jump from one activity to the next, this over stimulation can negate a student’s ability to ground themselves in faith and spirituality, which is why this activity is a great resource to build on Catholic Identity in the classroom and at home as well.
From the Fully Alive Family Life Education document, I can use this in my own classroom as a Primary/Junior teacher through cross-curricular and community building activities. It is evident from this document and curriculum there is an emphasis to work on the secular divide in our current society. Although, there was a small section dedicated to community partners, I would research and find ways to incorporate the community into the classroom or take the classroom out in the community to see religious practice, spirituality, and virtues in practice. There is enough emphasis placed on church vs school. But, in order to, “support the ongoing development of each student who, upon graduation…” (Family Life Education 2012). This can also support the teachings and curriculums goals that are to be entrusted with students upon graduation, and to take it into their own paths outside of the school environment. If we don’t properly bridge the divide between the community, it will never be integrated through a holistic approach that negates secularism. Ideas to implement in classroom: • Knights table events that students can partake in • Volunteer at the church/ monthly church visits to engage in communal celebration and volunteer work • Get in touch with Youth-run Non-Profit organization : EveryChild Now to get classroom to work on development projects and/or school club - https://everychildnow.mystrikingly.com/ • Engage in prayer and meditation to enhance everyday spirituality and faith • How can we work with the administration, Ministry, school board and city to allow students to create initiatives that are meaningful and long-lasting?
ReferencesFamily Life Education - Institute for Catholic Education. (2012). Retrieved, from https://iceont.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Family-Life-Ed-2012.pdf
Sacred Scriptures Learning Block
Before reading “Scripture in Religious Education” I was hoping that there will be an emphasis on contextual interpretation. It is a misconception that the Bible and religious scriptures are to indoctrinate our communal and individual beliefs as a “one size fits all” ideology. Which then pushes towards a secular life to avoid being “forced” to believe a certain set of values or teachings. This is also due to the fact of being taught that the passages and scriptures are to be understood for what the teacher says it means. But it is actually the opposite, and we take this for granted. When engaging with the Bible and religious scriptures, there should be an invitation and readiness for contextual interpretation. This is why I appreciated this reading because it mentioned that when teaching scriptures, “Effective pedagogy engages and empowers the learner and opens up a sense of mystery, wonder and meaning for the students. It provides freedom to investigate, inquire and use religious imagination to engage in critical reflection and empathetic dialogue with the Catholic tradition, culture and their experience” (National Catholic Education Commission Australia 2021). This relates to how I would bring scripture into the classroom in a meaningful approach, by engaging with, …vital, interpretive study of the Bible before teaching any text to students… Both teachers and students are the agents of interpretation. It is essential that students engage directly with the Bible and discover its meaning for themselves….Present a passage in its full context rather than detaching it or isolating single verses or using it solely as a ‘proof text’ for a theme or issue….Avoid any implication that a text has a single fixed meaning….(National Catholic Education Commission Australia 2021).
By first studying the text myself and not imposing my interpretation onto the students before they made sense of it themselves are the key points are relevant to how I would bring scripture into the classroom. ReferencesNational Catholic Education Commission Australia. (2021). Scripture for Teachers . National Catholic Education Commission. Retrieved from https://scripture.catholic.edu.au/index.php/home/foundations/scripture-in-religious-education/ Daily Reading for Tuesday July 19th 2022
Reading 1, Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
My personal interpretation of this reading is that we all are disciples of faith like flock of sheep. Although we may stray away from time to time, our faith in the Lord is our shepherd who will guide us with love and compassion. This relates to how I will be teaching in the future in a Catholic school, to emphasize that although you may sometimes feel lost within your faith, or education you can always rely on your faith to lead you back on the right path. As the reading mentioned, we should not dwell on our shortcomings because that will also hinder our ability to move forward in love and faith, which also applies to education as well. We are all a part of a community that is rooted in compassion, love and faith and should use these values to uplift our students in their education and their faith.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms
This Responsorial Psalm relates to the first reading but emphasizes the gift of reconciliation and forgiveness. We should not hold grudges, but also accept what was done and act accordingly. When we put trust and faith into the Lord, we are “listening” and embracing compassion, reconciliation, and forgiveness. As a future educator, the act of listening and allowing students to be heard is very important for a teacher-student relationship, but for them to understand with their peers that we should not hold grudges, but also seek forgiveness when we have done something wrong. When we listen to the word of God, it is through our faith we can lead a life of compassion, reconciliation, and forgiveness to fully listen and accept faith into our life and education. Gospel, Matthew 12:46-50
A key take-away from this Gospel that I had, is that through our faith we develop a community in our shared beliefs. It is from this community; we need to treat others as if they were our own blood and not discriminate or harm others based off their differences. We are all children of Christ and need to incorporate the virtues into reality and more importantly, realize we are all made in the image and likeness of God. This can be used in my future classroom as an anti-bullying lesson, to emphasize the importance of uplifting our peers, and not bringing them down. We are all a part of a community that is bigger than we can imagine, and we all play a role in how we put our faith into reality of how we treat one another. We need to embrace our differences because we are all unique, not use them as tools to discriminate. “How does the world give peace, and how does the Lord give it”
This daily meditation by the Pope, was posted on May 12, 2020. We live in a society that is fixated on a materialistic way that centers fast fashion, keeping up with the latest trends or products, to leave you with wanting more. But, as a consumer in this society we are never truly satisfied with what we have in the present or realize how far we have come to this moment in time, in comparison to other people or to who we were 10 years ago. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate our society advancing, but I do see the cost we are paying for it- we are never left fulfilled or truly satisfied. From this daily reading, it opened my attention to the unconditional and overflowing peace that comes with our faith in the Lord individually and as a community. Even as educators we are constantly looking and researching for the newest teaching method or what is the best way to teach and incorporate lessons. The satisfaction we get from obtaining a new lesson plan or new method of strategies, is temporary. From this fast method of pedagogy resource sharing, it gets overwhelming and leaves new educators to wonder if we are truly effective educators and have incorporated a meaningful lesson. When we fixate and centralize on trying to be current or up to date, we sometimes leave out meaningful lessons or strategies that could have been reiterated in a simple manner. I think this relates to how we as a Northern American country, view the world and our global counterparts. We have a perspective that our global counterparts are inferior to us because of consumerism making us think we have “more”, and we always think that they need that as well. We don’t need extravagant schools or churches. We place too much importance on materialism, and it takes away the meaning of communal faith and learning. Moreover, this leads to me question how we as North American Catholic educators re-frame fulfillment and peace through faith rather than placing and furthering temporary feelings on materialism and consumerism? How can we invite this peace into our own lives as educators to incorporate this into our classroom when we live in a society that portrays a different ideology? From the Catholic Curriculum Corporation resources, what caught my eye was, “Faith and Science in our Catholic Schools”. Specifically, the lesson plan for Organ Donation which can be related and incorporated for Grades 4 and 5 for Science Life Systems, Religious and Family Life Education. This lesson provides an overview of how to explain what Organ Donation is, the history behind it, the controversy that occurs and what the Church says about it. Since my undergraduate was in Honours Biology, I often felt a disconnect with my spirituality and my love for science. It was only my Grade 11-12 Biology teacher and third year Evolutionary Biology Professor, who took the time to provide connections with spirituality and science. As a future educator for the primary/junior divisions for DPCDSB, I found this resource engaging and meaningful to be able to infuse and integrate, spirituality and scientific topics together in a coherent manner in the classroom. My elementary school teachers were hesitant to engage with these topics and often referred to both as two distinct manners, but it furthers secularism and ignorance towards our faith in current society. With the effects on climate change and the global pandemic, students are aware of these issues and need to be able to discuss these topics that do not push them away from their faith. It is innovative and meaningful for me to be able to find ways to engage spirituality and science together to ensure students are affirming their identity as Catholic students in this community. Through this resource, it can support ways in which I can engage in respectful and meaningful conversations that incorporate cross-curricular activities of Science and Religious education.
By first studying the text myself and not imposing my interpretation onto the students before they made sense of it themselves are the key points are relevant to how I would bring scripture into the classroom. ReferencesNational Catholic Education Commission Australia. (2021). Scripture for Teachers . National Catholic Education Commission. Retrieved from https://scripture.catholic.edu.au/index.php/home/foundations/scripture-in-religious-education/ Daily Reading for Tuesday July 19th 2022
Reading 1, Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
My personal interpretation of this reading is that we all are disciples of faith like flock of sheep. Although we may stray away from time to time, our faith in the Lord is our shepherd who will guide us with love and compassion. This relates to how I will be teaching in the future in a Catholic school, to emphasize that although you may sometimes feel lost within your faith, or education you can always rely on your faith to lead you back on the right path. As the reading mentioned, we should not dwell on our shortcomings because that will also hinder our ability to move forward in love and faith, which also applies to education as well. We are all a part of a community that is rooted in compassion, love and faith and should use these values to uplift our students in their education and their faith.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms
This Responsorial Psalm relates to the first reading but emphasizes the gift of reconciliation and forgiveness. We should not hold grudges, but also accept what was done and act accordingly. When we put trust and faith into the Lord, we are “listening” and embracing compassion, reconciliation, and forgiveness. As a future educator, the act of listening and allowing students to be heard is very important for a teacher-student relationship, but for them to understand with their peers that we should not hold grudges, but also seek forgiveness when we have done something wrong. When we listen to the word of God, it is through our faith we can lead a life of compassion, reconciliation, and forgiveness to fully listen and accept faith into our life and education. Gospel, Matthew 12:46-50
A key take-away from this Gospel that I had, is that through our faith we develop a community in our shared beliefs. It is from this community; we need to treat others as if they were our own blood and not discriminate or harm others based off their differences. We are all children of Christ and need to incorporate the virtues into reality and more importantly, realize we are all made in the image and likeness of God. This can be used in my future classroom as an anti-bullying lesson, to emphasize the importance of uplifting our peers, and not bringing them down. We are all a part of a community that is bigger than we can imagine, and we all play a role in how we put our faith into reality of how we treat one another. We need to embrace our differences because we are all unique, not use them as tools to discriminate. “How does the world give peace, and how does the Lord give it”
This daily meditation by the Pope, was posted on May 12, 2020. We live in a society that is fixated on a materialistic way that centers fast fashion, keeping up with the latest trends or products, to leave you with wanting more. But, as a consumer in this society we are never truly satisfied with what we have in the present or realize how far we have come to this moment in time, in comparison to other people or to who we were 10 years ago. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate our society advancing, but I do see the cost we are paying for it- we are never left fulfilled or truly satisfied. From this daily reading, it opened my attention to the unconditional and overflowing peace that comes with our faith in the Lord individually and as a community. Even as educators we are constantly looking and researching for the newest teaching method or what is the best way to teach and incorporate lessons. The satisfaction we get from obtaining a new lesson plan or new method of strategies, is temporary. From this fast method of pedagogy resource sharing, it gets overwhelming and leaves new educators to wonder if we are truly effective educators and have incorporated a meaningful lesson. When we fixate and centralize on trying to be current or up to date, we sometimes leave out meaningful lessons or strategies that could have been reiterated in a simple manner. I think this relates to how we as a Northern American country, view the world and our global counterparts. We have a perspective that our global counterparts are inferior to us because of consumerism making us think we have “more”, and we always think that they need that as well. We don’t need extravagant schools or churches. We place too much importance on materialism, and it takes away the meaning of communal faith and learning. Moreover, this leads to me question how we as North American Catholic educators re-frame fulfillment and peace through faith rather than placing and furthering temporary feelings on materialism and consumerism? How can we invite this peace into our own lives as educators to incorporate this into our classroom when we live in a society that portrays a different ideology? From the Catholic Curriculum Corporation resources, what caught my eye was, “Faith and Science in our Catholic Schools”. Specifically, the lesson plan for Organ Donation which can be related and incorporated for Grades 4 and 5 for Science Life Systems, Religious and Family Life Education. This lesson provides an overview of how to explain what Organ Donation is, the history behind it, the controversy that occurs and what the Church says about it. Since my undergraduate was in Honours Biology, I often felt a disconnect with my spirituality and my love for science. It was only my Grade 11-12 Biology teacher and third year Evolutionary Biology Professor, who took the time to provide connections with spirituality and science. As a future educator for the primary/junior divisions for DPCDSB, I found this resource engaging and meaningful to be able to infuse and integrate, spirituality and scientific topics together in a coherent manner in the classroom. My elementary school teachers were hesitant to engage with these topics and often referred to both as two distinct manners, but it furthers secularism and ignorance towards our faith in current society. With the effects on climate change and the global pandemic, students are aware of these issues and need to be able to discuss these topics that do not push them away from their faith. It is innovative and meaningful for me to be able to find ways to engage spirituality and science together to ensure students are affirming their identity as Catholic students in this community. Through this resource, it can support ways in which I can engage in respectful and meaningful conversations that incorporate cross-curricular activities of Science and Religious education.
Profession of Faith Learning Block
The Encyclical that interested me was the most recent one by Pontiff, Pope Francis, “Fratelli Tutti” on October 3, 2020. The reason why I wanted to read more about this Encyclical was due to the current global issues we are facing today, it interested me to see what this Encyclical would address. Although, it was published in 2020, given what the world and within our country is facing currently, fraternity and social friendship resonated with me a lot as a future educator for the Catholic Board. The first thought that I had initially, was what I mentioned in 1.3 Learning Block, “History provides a perspective into the present and future since history always repeats itself in some way, shape or form. By being familiar with history of Catholic of Education in Ontario and globally, it can build a culture of reconciliation through awareness and acknowledgement.” This resonated with me a lot while reading chapter one of the Encyclical, especially the point made by certain signs of regression that are being portrayed in our current global dynamics. It would be a disservice to our students to ignore this, as what the Pope mentions as, “the end of historical consciousness”. Our students are members of the Catholic community, members of their local community, and members of the greater society, and to ensure we are validating their identity through Catholicism, we have to address what is going on in a meaningful and purposeful way. It is key to have historical consciousness being taught to your students within the Catholic system and as members of society, for them to understand that the issues of the past do play role in some way or form in the issues of our present day. Our identities and society are intersectional and historical. It has become so easy to ignore or follow suit with the “silent” culture, rather than using our faith to address and dismantle the issues we see within world peace, democracy, economic crisis, and health. More importantly, when we take on this form of “silent culture”, we could be ignoring a part of a student’s reality they face indirectly or directly, in which they would need guidance with their faith to navigate difficult times. Our spirituality is what motivates us and brings differences together to unite us all in our faith, which is why historical consciousness within my future classroom would be needed to counteract this regression we are witnessing take place. Moreover, by incorporating these documents within Catholic schools, it bridges the gap of the church vs. state and the church vs. education and affirms our student’s Catholic identity. Often both are seen as two distinct entities due to secularism, which makes it hard for Catholic educators to teach or incorporate it in within the classroom, which ultimately goes back to the “Silent culture” point. Additionally, from this Encyclical, it led me to think, when we incorporate this historical consciousness into our classrooms we are also reframing and enticing the point of social friendships within our classroom and local community. When we understand and learn about the issues that are going around and within us, we experience and can teach our students to acknowledge and act on the virtues of empathy, respect, and compassion for what we may not understand or are going through directly but leads to moral competence within our faith and society. Alternatively, when we engage in “Silent” culture and don’t incorporate these lessons, we are missing out on vital lessons that teach these virtues into action. This instead indirectly pushes for ignorance and lack of moral competence for our students to affirm their Catholic identity for themselves and within the community. We are all disciples within our faith. It is evident that from Chapter one of this Encyclical, it is important to include these documents within the classroom to ensure we are creating a sense of community and social friendship for our student to affirm their faith presently and outside of the classroom.
When reading through the “Stages of Faith Development”, it was comforting to see that my Faith development was “normal” or not out of the ordinary. At times, especially near my confirmation, I thought the questions I had were wrong to think about, which is what I supressed. But to see that during this development young teenagers like me felt the same and it is normal, was comforting. Since I am at the 5th stage: Personal Faith, I resonated a lot with what I had experienced and still experiencing with my faith. I had to reconstruct my faith that was not a product of my parents and come to terms with how I see myself within the Catholic Community. When I was accepted into the concurrent program for the Catholic board, I first questioned why I am going into this board when I was facing this disconnect with my faith. When I was younger going to church was seen as a chore because it was forced on my parents to go every Sunday. Even though I was taught by them the importance of communal faith and listening to the gospel readings, it did not fully resonate with me until I experienced the hardships and obstacles that I did during my undergraduate degree, as an adult. With the passing of my grandparents, experiencing difficult relationships, and navigating my life and where I see myself as a future educator, was I able to reconnect with my faith. These past two years I was able to go to church by myself, that does not seem like a chore, through the involvement of being a confirmation leader and emergency supply instructor, it helped me re-affirm my faith and spirituality. From the Ontario Catholic Religion Curriculum and Catholic Catechism, I chose the “Respect for the Dignity of Persons”. In our present society today, we are constantly seeing through politics, economy, the news, social media and within our lives the lack of respect for certain individuals or communities based off certain ideologies, health, socioeconomic status, gender, race/ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation. This lack of respect is pushed forward from the laws, policies, and rules we see are forced upon society through government, institutions and systems that deem control. This lack of respect is perpetuated based on the fact that it is present everyday inside and outside of the classroom between teachers and their students, between teachers and between students. This cycle can’t be broken if we as educators are teaching about respect in all its forms, but don’t provide action or counteraction within our own attitudes and beliefs. It would be hypocritical of ourselves to expect our students to learn, understand and accordingly act respectfully inside and outside of the classroom, if we don’t follow through with that ourselves. As Catholic Educators we need to take the time for serious self-reflection of our unconscious biases and prejudices that could in turn not respect the dignity of our students, their families, and their lived realities. It starts with us to be the change, that we want to see in our students. This can also extend within affirming out students’ Catholic identity in the action and intention of respect for us and our community. If we also don’t teach them to respect their body, life, and identity then they will also not respect others. When we incorporate our faith into these teachings, that we are all created in the image and likeliness of God, students and even us as educators, can meaningfully understand that our lives and where live in is a beautiful gift. We are all connected in faith, which means we should respect everything, everyone, and ourselves to ensure we are respecting our gift that is greater than we think it is. When I was doing some research on resources to share that were relevant to acceptance and inclusion, I found a resource that was shared on OECTA's website: Ontario's Education Equity Action Planhttps://files.ontario.ca/edu-1_0/edu-Ontario-Education-Equity-Action-Plan-en-2021-08-04.pdf What was interesting about this plan is that it was a three-year plan to ensure that the goal towards equity in all publicly funded Ontario classrooms has been reached through sustainable and equitable efforts.
Since it is 2022, during a pandemic and amidst the issue of peace around various countries and within Canada, we can be a little bit critical and assess how their goals have been somewhat reached or need to be improved. Nonetheless it is a useful resource to see with their timeline, of what we can mindfully change/ use in our future classrooms as Catholic Educators.
When reading through the “Stages of Faith Development”, it was comforting to see that my Faith development was “normal” or not out of the ordinary. At times, especially near my confirmation, I thought the questions I had were wrong to think about, which is what I supressed. But to see that during this development young teenagers like me felt the same and it is normal, was comforting. Since I am at the 5th stage: Personal Faith, I resonated a lot with what I had experienced and still experiencing with my faith. I had to reconstruct my faith that was not a product of my parents and come to terms with how I see myself within the Catholic Community. When I was accepted into the concurrent program for the Catholic board, I first questioned why I am going into this board when I was facing this disconnect with my faith. When I was younger going to church was seen as a chore because it was forced on my parents to go every Sunday. Even though I was taught by them the importance of communal faith and listening to the gospel readings, it did not fully resonate with me until I experienced the hardships and obstacles that I did during my undergraduate degree, as an adult. With the passing of my grandparents, experiencing difficult relationships, and navigating my life and where I see myself as a future educator, was I able to reconnect with my faith. These past two years I was able to go to church by myself, that does not seem like a chore, through the involvement of being a confirmation leader and emergency supply instructor, it helped me re-affirm my faith and spirituality. From the Ontario Catholic Religion Curriculum and Catholic Catechism, I chose the “Respect for the Dignity of Persons”. In our present society today, we are constantly seeing through politics, economy, the news, social media and within our lives the lack of respect for certain individuals or communities based off certain ideologies, health, socioeconomic status, gender, race/ethnicity, age, and sexual orientation. This lack of respect is pushed forward from the laws, policies, and rules we see are forced upon society through government, institutions and systems that deem control. This lack of respect is perpetuated based on the fact that it is present everyday inside and outside of the classroom between teachers and their students, between teachers and between students. This cycle can’t be broken if we as educators are teaching about respect in all its forms, but don’t provide action or counteraction within our own attitudes and beliefs. It would be hypocritical of ourselves to expect our students to learn, understand and accordingly act respectfully inside and outside of the classroom, if we don’t follow through with that ourselves. As Catholic Educators we need to take the time for serious self-reflection of our unconscious biases and prejudices that could in turn not respect the dignity of our students, their families, and their lived realities. It starts with us to be the change, that we want to see in our students. This can also extend within affirming out students’ Catholic identity in the action and intention of respect for us and our community. If we also don’t teach them to respect their body, life, and identity then they will also not respect others. When we incorporate our faith into these teachings, that we are all created in the image and likeliness of God, students and even us as educators, can meaningfully understand that our lives and where live in is a beautiful gift. We are all connected in faith, which means we should respect everything, everyone, and ourselves to ensure we are respecting our gift that is greater than we think it is. When I was doing some research on resources to share that were relevant to acceptance and inclusion, I found a resource that was shared on OECTA's website: Ontario's Education Equity Action Planhttps://files.ontario.ca/edu-1_0/edu-Ontario-Education-Equity-Action-Plan-en-2021-08-04.pdf What was interesting about this plan is that it was a three-year plan to ensure that the goal towards equity in all publicly funded Ontario classrooms has been reached through sustainable and equitable efforts.
Since it is 2022, during a pandemic and amidst the issue of peace around various countries and within Canada, we can be a little bit critical and assess how their goals have been somewhat reached or need to be improved. Nonetheless it is a useful resource to see with their timeline, of what we can mindfully change/ use in our future classrooms as Catholic Educators.
Christian Moral Development Learning Block
From this article, “Challenges and Opportunities” it is evident that after secondary school there is disconnect between spirituality and faith for young adults, especially since religious education is not incorporated for them in post-secondary. Being in this age category that the article is reflecting on, I do believe that even for my own parish participation it was only after being admitted into the teaching program that I started to realize two things: I need to be more involved in order to be able to teach in this board and that my faith and spirituality has been disconnected since I graduated from high school. There is a chapel at York and there is a prayer group as well, but it was very hard for me to join and be a part of that group as it felt so disconnected from my post-secondary experience. The articles points affect our future vocation because if this is prominent in ourselves since we are within this age-gap, then how can we teach and support students to engage in parish participation in post-secondary? It is clear that my faith and spirituality was supported and encouraged up until secondary school, which is due to the fact that I attended a Catholic elementary and high school, in which we received religious education. It is evident that we as future teachers should not just support and encourage this participation within their elementary to secondary school years, but how can we provide them the tools to carry out their faith as future adults? Just as we strive to achieve that we can support our students to be problem-solvers, critical thinkers, and well-rounded individuals, the same applies to ensure that they know how to navigate spirituality, faith, and parish participation on their own. I think this is why the churches in peel, have taken on the role of sacramental education, so individuals feel more connected with their spirituality and local church, rather than it being tied to their feeder school. However, there now lies a gap between church and school, and I wonder how we can assist this parish participation and spiritual growth as teachers with the church, apart from school masses with creating more initiatives that they can engage in? Can there be initiatives provided by the board to also support teacher’s parish participation, faith and spirituality?
Boston College. (2006, September 1). Challenges and Oppurtunities. C21 Resources - Boston College Newspapers. Retrieved from https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcctor20060901-01.2.5&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------
I was familiar with the Catholic Social Teachings before reading the article, “Ten Building Blocks of Catholic Social Teaching” (Byron 1998). On a personal level I do agree with most of the teachings, except for, “The Principle of Human Equality” and, “The Principle of Solidarity”. Specifically, after taking courses during teacher’s college that touched upon the topic of teaching for equitable classrooms, I do think that this needs to be re-phrased as “The Principle of Human Equity”. As we learned, treating individuals equally is inequitable and oftentimes leads to unfair issues that are present in our local and global community. When we as educators and as citizens proceed with the notion of “one size fits all” it leads to gaps and discrepancies for ours and others intersectional identities to be treated respectfully and fairly. On a spiritual standpoint, we can also see that equality would not lead to fairness. For instance, some churches depending on the demographic would need more support, in comparison to another church in a different demographic. So would it be fair to provide equal support when gaps and discrepancies are what is caused by equality for education and within institutional systems. Additionally, “The Principle of Solidarity” I do have some questions about. I think there needs to be more than action within solidarity. I do think that praying and demonstrating acts of solidarity are worthwhile. However, raising a flag or posting a tweet seem meaningless actions of solidarity when there is nothing else following through with it. I think this principle needs to be expanded upon and provide more detail as to what levels of solidarity entail and when each level is appropriate to act upon. Especially when these actions can bridge the gaps between Church and State. Moreover, I have been already incorporating, “The Principle of the Common Good” in my teaching pedagogy through my tutoring and my work with York University. Tutoring and this current role I have at York, require peer-mentoring skills that truly embody assisting mentees and students to reach their full potential and to realize their own confidence and strength. However, for my future classroom, I do want to focus on, “The Principle of Association”. This is because familial involvement needs to be incorporated in our classrooms to respect and represent the intersectional identities of our students and family. In order to be respecting of the common good and uplift our students through their faith, we also need to extend that to familial involvement. For our students to feel supported in all aspects of their life inside and outside of the classroom and church this principle can serve to heighten our Catholic teaching pedagogy and our participation within society as well. Website for the principles : https://raiseyou-moodle22.remote-learner.net/pluginfile.php/763861/mod_assign/intro/The%2010%20Building%20Blocks%20of%20Catholic%20Social%20Teaching%20%20America%20Magazine.pdf After reading and engaging with this learning block, I do have a question/challenge that I see that persists is with : Role of Government
We see a distinct divide and gap between Church vs State - especally in our educational pedagogies and decisions.
We have seen the Pope in the last week to act in solidarity and work towards reconciliation with Canada's Indigenous communities - more needs to be done, but how can the Church and State work towards reconciliation to protect the human rights, promote human dignity and build the common good for Vulnerable societes?
Boston College. (2006, September 1). Challenges and Oppurtunities. C21 Resources - Boston College Newspapers. Retrieved from https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcctor20060901-01.2.5&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------
I was familiar with the Catholic Social Teachings before reading the article, “Ten Building Blocks of Catholic Social Teaching” (Byron 1998). On a personal level I do agree with most of the teachings, except for, “The Principle of Human Equality” and, “The Principle of Solidarity”. Specifically, after taking courses during teacher’s college that touched upon the topic of teaching for equitable classrooms, I do think that this needs to be re-phrased as “The Principle of Human Equity”. As we learned, treating individuals equally is inequitable and oftentimes leads to unfair issues that are present in our local and global community. When we as educators and as citizens proceed with the notion of “one size fits all” it leads to gaps and discrepancies for ours and others intersectional identities to be treated respectfully and fairly. On a spiritual standpoint, we can also see that equality would not lead to fairness. For instance, some churches depending on the demographic would need more support, in comparison to another church in a different demographic. So would it be fair to provide equal support when gaps and discrepancies are what is caused by equality for education and within institutional systems. Additionally, “The Principle of Solidarity” I do have some questions about. I think there needs to be more than action within solidarity. I do think that praying and demonstrating acts of solidarity are worthwhile. However, raising a flag or posting a tweet seem meaningless actions of solidarity when there is nothing else following through with it. I think this principle needs to be expanded upon and provide more detail as to what levels of solidarity entail and when each level is appropriate to act upon. Especially when these actions can bridge the gaps between Church and State. Moreover, I have been already incorporating, “The Principle of the Common Good” in my teaching pedagogy through my tutoring and my work with York University. Tutoring and this current role I have at York, require peer-mentoring skills that truly embody assisting mentees and students to reach their full potential and to realize their own confidence and strength. However, for my future classroom, I do want to focus on, “The Principle of Association”. This is because familial involvement needs to be incorporated in our classrooms to respect and represent the intersectional identities of our students and family. In order to be respecting of the common good and uplift our students through their faith, we also need to extend that to familial involvement. For our students to feel supported in all aspects of their life inside and outside of the classroom and church this principle can serve to heighten our Catholic teaching pedagogy and our participation within society as well. Website for the principles : https://raiseyou-moodle22.remote-learner.net/pluginfile.php/763861/mod_assign/intro/The%2010%20Building%20Blocks%20of%20Catholic%20Social%20Teaching%20%20America%20Magazine.pdf After reading and engaging with this learning block, I do have a question/challenge that I see that persists is with : Role of Government
We see a distinct divide and gap between Church vs State - especally in our educational pedagogies and decisions.
We have seen the Pope in the last week to act in solidarity and work towards reconciliation with Canada's Indigenous communities - more needs to be done, but how can the Church and State work towards reconciliation to protect the human rights, promote human dignity and build the common good for Vulnerable societes?