Distinctive Features of Catholic Schools & the Mandate for Catholic Education in WA
Founding Story of Catholic Education in WA
First Catholic School in Australia set up in 1804
First Catholic School in WA set up in 1843
6 Sisters of Mercy led by Ursula Frayne arrived in 1846
Sisters of Mercy
1847 - Opened Fremantle Free School for Females
1849 - Opened what would become Mecedes College, first secondary school in the colony.
1853 - Completed a complex providing 4 more schools
1865 - 61% of Perth's children being educated in Catholic Schools
Between 1846 and 1871 - 40 Lay Teachers recruited to educate boys and girls
Catholic Schools requested governmental support but were denied in 1869
Pro Catholic Governor appointed in 1871
Ensured Catholic Schools receive 50% of funding of government schools
1872 - Education Act ensuring compulsory education for children up to 13 years old
Between 1871 - 1895:
Sisters of St Joseph arrived
Presentation Sisters arrived
Christian Brothers arrived
Catholic Expansion Policy
Establish a Parish
Recruit Lay Teacher
Rent Premises
Raise Funds
Build School (before a Church)
Have school approved for government funding
Ask a religious order to take over school
Barely changed over a century
School day started with 1/2 hour of religious instruction
Religious Education revolved around the catechism
After WW2 Catholic population in Australia doubled
Schools became the greatest responsibility and burden of the Church
Led to strikes in the 60's due to the inability to cope without government assistance
Limited funding by of non-government schools in 1964
1973 - Gough Whitlam establishes Karmel Commission - federal aid to schools with low funding and high needs
1970's lay teachers became major force in Catholic Schools
1975 - now
Significant funding at both Commonwealth and State level
Bishops support the Catholic Education system
Well qualified teachers
Schools able to maintain their individual traditions
Recognised sexual abuse that has occurred in the past
Mandate of the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia
Importance?
Values the work of Catholic Schools
Outlines the roles of those involved in Catholic Education
Connects Catholic Schools to the life of the Church and belief in Christ
Explains that Catholic Schools and those that work in them are signs of God's presence and purpose
Core Beliefs and Values of Catholic Schools
Any discussion about Catholic Schools must begin with God
Evangelisation - bringing the Good News of God and Jesus Christ
Religious Education + Standard Curriculum
Combine Faith, Life and Culture
Involve Family, Local Church and Local Community in the School
Bishops Mandate
Mandate of the Catholic Education Commission of WA
Signs of the presence of the self-revealing God
Signs of the times in the Christian Witness of the Catholic School
Signs of the times in the Catholic School Curriculum
The original state of holiness and justice created by God
God is calling people into relationships today
God is experienced today in ways revealed by Jesus Christ
The history of salvation
Signs of God's presence and purpose today
The integration of faith and culture
The integration of faith and life
Spirit of family
Christian pastoral dimension
Student - teacher relationships
Spirit of poverty
Consecrated religious
Lay-faithful
Primary proclimation
Sense of the sacred
New evangelisation in Catholic Schools
School culture of initiatory catechesis
Apprenticeship in Christian living
Curriculum learning areas
Religious Education
Centered on the student
Value all human beings
Knowledge offered in a spirit of service
Knowledge brings responsibility
Catholic Schools: their curriculum
What is curriculum - essentially what the students are to learn at school
Informal vs Formal Curriculum
Catholic Curriculum - assist young people in engaging with the wisdom and faith of a community in a way that is meaningful to them
Built around developing the whole person, now just curriculum knowledge
Informal
In school and out of school - behaviour, values, thought process etc.
Formal - Curriculum Learning Areas + Religious Education
Extremely effective in Catholic schools which influences formal curriculum
Aims to increase religious awareness or a sense of the sacred
Religious Education - shares the Catholic faith by promoting knowledge
Made engaging and relevant to the students
Same 9 learning areas as government schools - influenced by the Gospel Values
Vision for learning: Ensures that along with strong academic skills, children and young adults will be able to collaborate, innovate, create, appreciate and think critically within a Catholic world view in order to be a positive influence on a rapidly changing and increasingly secular world