Important Influences in How I Approach What I Do in my ClassroomThe Jesuit vision is in my bones. I graduated from St. Louis U. High in 1970, from Rockhurst College in 1974 and have my Master’s Degree from St. Louis University. I have taught at my high school alma mater since 1980. I have attended many JSEA Conferences and these have had a great influence upon my views.Since I began teaching at St. Louis U. High the idea of what makes a Jesuit high School Jesuit has been an important issue. In the 80s we were asked to reflect upon this and discuss it often. As a Theology faculty member and during my years as Department Chair I have tried to learn as much as I can about the Jesuits and have worked to keep this challenge real. I have a web site for my students and parents “Guiding Ideals of Jesuit Education” at <http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/2688/JesuitIdeals.html> My years in Jesuit school as a student and as a faculty member have been on of the major factors in my development as a person and as a teacher. The formal learning experiences listed below have also been extremely formative. I believe in Jesuit education and value it because it has meant so much to me. Matthew Sciuto , December 2008 JSEA/CORE WORKSHOPS Fr. William O’Malley, S.J.. “First, teach them how to think. You need to teach them how to think. You need to convert the baptized.” How has this affected what I do? Fr. O’Malley is the religious educator who most voices what I believe about Jesuit, Catholic religious education. His workshops, textbooks and videos have helped me shape and utilize the key ideals of how to teach religion effectively. Thomas Groome “Christian Religious Education Through Christian Praxis.” How has this affected what I do? The emphasis on the story of the faith and individual stories, how they compare and can inform. Also the idea of looking at “praxis,” the importance of the practical, every day activity. Fr. John Shea, S.J. “Narrative theology.” The effectiveness of using stories to teach religion. How has this affected what I do? Since this workshop, this is how I teach Old Testament Salvation history: as a story of the Jewish people. Freshman get interested, even excited, when you tell the story. We emphasize the story of people, called by God to do important things, and show their struggle and their pains. Julie Collins “Facing History and Ourselves” Using history to teach morality. Julie Collins at Georgetown Prep taught her senior morality centered around the Holocaust. How has this affected what I do? What I learned here was the impetus for adding a recurring theme on the American Civil Rights movement with my freshmen. It also led me to use more and more historical and literary content in my classes. I red what my students read in English class and use this to illustrate key ideas or to elicit reflection. I also try to know what they are studying in their history classes so we might build off this when appropriate. Charlie Shelton, S.J.. “Adolescent Spiritual Development” How has this affected what I do? He reinforced many of my beliefs about how to teach adolescents. He clarified and supported many key ideas that underlie how I teach my courses. Specifically: • be student centered (not text centered) • understand your audience, their world, their real needs. • emphasize relationships rather than rules, truth rather than doctrine • the human Jesus (rather than the institutional Jesus) that the adolescent is open to meeting and will let into their lives. • share their journey, share your journey. ARCHDIOCESAN WORKSHOPS AND PAUL VI CLASSES • William O’Malley, S.J.. converting the Baptized • Mike Carat “Teaching Skills” • Fr. Tom Kopfensteiner “Adolescent Morality” • Charlie Shelton, S.J. “Adolescent Spirituality” JESUIT PUBLICATIONS • “Preamble to the Constitutions of the Jesuit Secondary Education Association” • “Apostolic Consciousness: Key to Jesuit Education” by Rev. Robert J. Starrat, S.J.. 1973 • “Teaching for the Kingdom: Christian Formation in Jesuit Schools” Committee on Religious Education, Jesuit Secondary Education Association 1987 • “Go Forth and Teach: The Characteristics of Jesuit Education” Jesuit Secondary Education Association, 1987 • “The Four Hallmarks of Jesuit Pedagogy: Prelection, Reflection, Active Learning and Repetition” by Ralph Metts, S.J.. Jesuit Secondary Education Association 1991 • “What Makes a Jesuit High School Jesuit?” Jesuit Conference 2000 • “Do You Speak Ignatian? A Glossary of Term Used In Jesuit Education” by George W. Traub, S.J.. and Walter J. Conlan, S.J.. RECENT IGNATIAN HERITAGE COURSE WITH TEACHERS FROM SLUH AND DESMET • “The Ignatian Heritage,” Dr. Paul Shore; Graduate level course at St. Louis University for DeSmet/SLUH teachers, Spring 2002 JSEA WORKSHOPS • JSEA Colloquium Cura Personalis 2003 in Denver and JSEA symposium Cleveland Cura Apostolica in 2004 MISSOURI PROVINCE RETREATS • Fall of 2004 Veteran FAculty Retreat in Sedalia, Colorado • Summer 2005 Missouri Province Colleagues Retreat in Sedalia, Colorado SLUH FACULTY WORKSHOPS • reaching the hard to reach student • the homosexual student • Diversity • Learning Styles • Tom Hoerr’s “Distributed Intelligence” and Howard Gardnars’s Multiple Intelligences” • Technology: web pages, |