CATHOLIC TEACHERS'CONVENTION

My turn on the blog again. Well you are probably wondering where I was last week .I was fortunate to go to a very important convention held every 3 years to find out what has been happening and where we are heading in Catholic Education.
I would like to share my report with you.

GRACE REDDY’S REPORT ON THE CATHOLIC CONVENTION  10-12 JUNE 2015
HORIZONS OF HOPE
The keynote speakers including the Minister of Education were very inspiring. As DRS of St Anne’s, it was a very enriching experience for me to attend the talks and seminars.

I will briefly describe below the messages and information I acquired.
The convention was very well attended with over 1000 educators and clergy from New Zealand and neighbouring Pacific islands.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER; PROFESSOR THERESE D’ORSA “MISSION AND CULTURE”

D’Orsa’s message was that Catholic Education is a principle by which means the Catholic community builds the kingdom of God on earth, a mission shaped by context in every era.

Pope Francis’ mission is being at the heart of the people- “I am a mission on this earth”.
The word educate means to lead, a call through our Baptism. Everybody has the responsibility for leadership, parents, students, teachers, bishops..all are leaders of Catholic education.
Mission frames everything we do. A leader today helps to bring culture and their faith together.
Our Catholic curriculum connects faith and culture to live life issues. We need to rebuild our Catholic Education Community, building faith and culture together. The Catholic school is a community for the Kingdom, forming the intellect and heart. In Matt 13: 24-30 we are reminded to cultivate the wheat not the weeds.

By bringing our faith and culture together, we can create a more human world fit to live in because we and the earth are God’s creation.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:  PROFESSOR GEMMA SIMMONDS

Gemma’s  talk was awe-inspiring , motivational and easy to listen to.I Her wicked sense of humour added value ande reality to what she had to say.
She was all about how we transform education by the power of tenderness. She talked about the process of how we are “being made God.” God grows us. He sees what He has made and finds it very good.

We are the Church and we feel it when bad things happen but we can’t just leave the Church- We have to find answers to our problems. The signs we give are all out ward signs of  grace operating in us, signifying God in us, in our homes, schools and every other place. We are to receive hope and live Christ. Catholic Schools exist because of their  cultural significance and following Christ. As Catholic educators we need to have a longing for God, desiring for ultimate values and virtues in which the living God can enter and live with intimacy with us, be “Good News” for mankind, love and cherish every student.
Our deepest longing and happiness lies in being the Gospel. Truth and love cannot be produced but can only be received and all we can do is to encourage children to receive these gifts. A spirit-filled life is living and coping with our failures-stop scutinising , cope with good Catholic leadership. We are a church of sinners, led by sinners trying to be less sinful.
God lives in relationships-where there is love God abides there.
We must be evangelized not sacramentalised.  We must uncover the sacredness of human life through pastoral care, helping to nurture the sacredness of life not only through the number of times we go to Sunday Mass.
Hope in the fact that our students may one day bear fruit- the fruits of the Holy Spirit, not the fruits of the church.
We can be God makers if we allow the Holy Spirit to do so.

 HEKIA PARATA- MINISTER OF EDUCATION

The honourable Hekia Parata emphasized that education is a passport for a successful life. We must lift this through general celebrations of education in the community, excellence in governance, engaging parental community, leadership in teaching and learning. She is passionate about the achievement of Maori and Samoan students, including those 16/17 year olds who have left school.
She wants us to take opportunities of online learning and grow the digital fluency of teachers and students in a school that advances educational progress.

Ethnic diversity is part and parcel of who we are as New Zealanders. The challenge is how we respond to this.
Collaboration? Release? Relief? Inquiry?These are great but …we also need to think about what we can give to our community.
We have a reciprocal obligation of getting and giving.

 

SIR BROTHER PAT LYNCH….
It has been 40 years since Integration  (1975) and we have a very good relationship with the government.
Sir Brother Pat Lynch outlined a few very important facts.
Governance is the most important aspect of Catholic school education and this lies in the hands of the Board of Trustees.
 ACHIEVEMENTS SINCE 1975
Our schools are great both primary and secondary, with good NCEA results-thanks to our educators.
We have continued to keep a good relationship with the government over the years.
Our Catholic Schools Portal will enable all our Catholic institutions to better share our ideas and resources and we must register for this.
We must focus more on the Gospels-NT, Acts of the Apostles. “Shine a light on Jesus in the eyes  of the people.”  ( Pope Francis)
Globalisation__-- Technological Revolution e.g Google is a huge resource in our world today. Catholic Resources (USA) is an excellent site for delivering resources for RE liturgies, prayer and other aspects of special character.
Diversity - We are statistically more ethnically diverse in our schools. ..45% Pakeha.
Engagement of immigrant families in meaningful ways is vital so they feel that they belong.
We at St Anne’s have a growing Filipino community.

Hope. “It is in Hope that we are saved”.. (St Paul)

We have to be witness to hope as educators. The great leadership of our Catholic Bishops to support our Catholic schools is extraordinary. We are to stay united despite our differences. “One of us is never as strong as all of us.”
Evangelisation- There is a lot of innovation in our schools in this area. As Catholics we need to be unabashedly Catholic in all we do. Our education philosophy “Minds Under Construction” should reflect what we believe in.
The BOT are advised to read the Integration Agreement on a regular basis. Our commitment is to the person of Jesus otherwise our ID is suspect. Our mission is to be a focus in action. We have an enterprise which is the product of faith, leadership, hard work and collaboration. “Be enthusiastic, be joyful and bring good news to everyone we serve. As Pope Francis says, “ We are called to wear God’s smile”.
Parihaka Launch
Last but not least, Turei Thompson enlightened us on this most valuable resource which has been reorganized by Caritas as a resource of opportunity to study as a legacy in the principles of self-sufficiency, community development etc. No matter who the person is , these principles are valuable today. We are encouraged to visit Parihaka as a celebration of past and present.

A hard copy of this resource is available for school use.

 The last spotlight  seminar I took part in  was on UDL (Universal Design for Learning) which I found rather useful as it is all about grouping students according to how they learn using differentiated instruction.

Apart from the  listening to the key note speakers I also attended four seminars on the Modern Learning Environment, Meditation, Integrating RE in our curriculum planning and assessment and reporting to parents. These were much thought provoking and interesting. I hope to share the ideas and resources with my colleagues during the term.

I was captivated from the moment the convention opened until it concluded and would like to see more teachers from St Anne’s be given the opportunity to attend in the next three years, which would require putting it in our long term strategic goals.

On a personal level the experience of this convention has deeply touched my heart and I will endeavor that TENDERNESS is the overall arch that guides all my teaching and learning  at school, at home, and in the community at large believe I am a mission guided by the Holy Spirit.

 

Peace and hope be with you
Grace Reddy (DRS)