This monograph describes a process to transform the routine managerial aspects of the Catholic school principalship into a vibrant and prayerful ministry. It opens with a portrayal of a fictitious Catholic school principal, and the contemplative skills that are used as a method of reflective practice and leadership. The focus is on how to integrate educational-leadership practice with Catholic educational-leadership practice. The book summarizes key theoretical concepts related to contemplative practices. It discusses research that focuses on reflective practice and action research, and describes ways that preservice teachers can analyze their field experiences. The text also offers three levels of reflection to delineate the differences in behavior between educators who choose to act exclusively as technicians, and those who operate from a reflective framework. It elaborates six problem-solving frameworks to help Catholic educational leaders sort through the administrative problems they contend with, and to present the benefits of using multiple strategies for managing problems. It also explores the critical level of reflective practice by considering the substantive element overlooked in conventional reflective practice literature. The last chapter summarizes the importance of contemplative practice by positing a direct connection between the elements of character and the elements of leadership. (Contains 102 references.) (RJM)

This book highlights the model of contemplative Catholic school leadership as an influence on faith-formation cultures within the Catholic school, and it demonstrates the impact of cultural factors on Catholic identity formation. By integrating reflection and Catholic values with a leader’s decision-making process, the model described in this volume seeks coherence between the leader’s faith beliefs and their behaviors. Including five unique, international case studies, this research emphasizes the character of the school leader—including faith identity—as the principal architect of the school’s culture.

This guide for pre-service teachers provides the means for documenting professional growth and development. Takona (educational technology and media, LeMoyne-Owen College) and Wilburn (early childhood education, LeMoyne-Owen College) explain the principles and practice of developing and using a port.

This collection of essays is concerned with the Catholic Church’s understanding of the nature of human flourishing and the processes of education that flow from it. Each essay seeks, in its own way, to explore, illustrate and provide insights into the application of Catholic education policy and practice in differing socio/legislative circumstances. The book is divided into three main sections. The first explores Catholic teaching on education, its ethical basis and the Christo-centred nature of Catholic school leadership. The second considers some of the structural characteristics of Catholic educational systems in England, the United States of America and Jordan. The third section illustrates, in a series of case studies, how the universal precepts underpinning Catholic education are implemented in a variety of national and international contexts.

James D. Kirylo gives a personal and reflective account of what it means to be a Catholic teacher, drawing on the rich history of the Church and its inclusive nature through ecumenical, interfaith, and interreligious dialogue, along with the Church's social teachings and its link to liberation theology and a critical pedagogy in the light of faith. Recognizing teaching as a sacred vocation, Kirylo covers how faith should inform the practical matters of teaching and how these intersect with broader debates outside the classroom, including the COVID-19 pandemic, gun control, the sanctity of life, and climate change. The Catholic Teacher: Teaching for Social Justice with Faith, Hope, and Love is a book that underscores the dialectical interweaving of faith and action in the effort to foster a more just, loving, and right world.

This book enriches appreciation of the many ways that Christian faith is communicated. It casts light on the sensitivities, skills, and qualities necessary for the effective communication of faith, where justice is done both to the "seed" to be sown and to the "soil" being cultivated.