Catholic Schools Research Articles

Serving their communities? The under-admission of children with disabilities and ‘special educational needs’ to ‘faith’ primary schools in England

ABSTRACT Around 28 per cent of state primary school children attend ‘faith’ establishments in England, the majority in Catholic or Church of England schools. Research suggests ‘faith’ schools tend to educate proportionally fewer children from low-income families (proxied by eligibility for Free School Meals [FSM]). This paper examines whether they also under-admit children ‘disadvantaged’ according to another key dimension: having special educational needs and/or disability (SEND). Descriptive statistics and modelling use the National Pupil Database census and span 2010–2020. Across years, ‘faith’ primary schools are less likely to include children with SEND, and less likely to admit children with SEND to the first (Reception) year. Accounting for area-level factors, indications of under-admission to Catholic schools become more pronounced. Some disproportionality for Church of England schools is explained by confounders – but even after attenuation, they remain less likely to serve children with SEND than non-‘faith’ schools. Together, FSM and SEND predict a substantively meaningful lowered likelihood of children attending ‘faith’ schools, so these schools, at the national level, seem to have become hubs of relative ‘advantage’. Findings therefore demand interrogation of whose interests these institutions serve, and of their part within the current English system.

Religious education in Catholic schools in Ireland and South Korea: complex layers of diversity, policy and teacher agency

ABSTRACT This paper explores and compares the experiences and perspectives of primary teachers regarding the teaching of religion in Catholic schools in Ireland and South Korea. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten teachers from each country. The findings highlight the contrasting perspectives of teachers from the two countries regarding the importance of and approach to religious education as a response to the challenges posed by pluralism. Teachers from Ireland predominantly exhibit a proactive approach, valuing diverse viewpoints and making efforts to engage in interreligious dialogue. Conversely, many teachers from South Korea demonstrate a deep appreciation for their own belief in God and prioritise the faith development of children. The comparative study highlights the importance of understanding teachers’ experiences and the ways in which they navigate the intersection of religious diversity, national policies, Catholic ethos, and their own personal faith perspectives. Our findings demonstrate the central role of teachers’ beliefs and future-oriented agency in the construction and implementation of religious education which does not always follow prescribed confessional or secular-neutral approaches.

Characterizing Organizational Sustainability in Catholic Schools: A Cross-National Study Applying Text Mining

Previous studies have suggested the importance of sustainability in all organizations; however, their application to schools as an organization is limited. This study aims to characterize sustainability in primary and secondary catholic schools. The theoretical framework is based on the theories of resources, capabilities and stakeholders because they relate most directly to organizational sustainability. The method consists of three interrelated parts. First, a bibliometric analysis with four clusters was obtained in the first model of understanding (1.0). The second stage consisted of a content analysis, which elicited meanings by screening2,710 records and deepening 200 research studies with the model (2.0). Then, in the third stage, an exploratory analysis was carried out through interviews with a group of Latin American education experts who manage almost 300,000 students in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, and Chile; the data were analyzed using the text mining technique with discourse analysis. The results validated five categories: Management, Campus Operation, Well-being, Education for Sustainable Development, and Associativity. This study concluded that associativity in these Catholic organizations is fundamental to guaranteeing their sustainability over time and that the wellbeing category implies social and political transformation processes. Therefore, it is proposed for future research to measure these categories and systematize them as a model of sustainability management in the school as a whole and as a strategy for managing sustainability processes in the whole school.

Scaling up a school-based intervention to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in children: protocol for the TransformUs hybrid effectiveness–implementation trial

IntroductionEfficacious programmes require implementation at scale to maximise their public health impact. TransformUs is an efficacious behavioural and environmental intervention for increasing primary (elementary) school children’s (5–12 years) physical activity...

Mindfulness as praeparatio evangelica in the Irish Catholic Primary School

Mindfulness has exploded in popularity across several elements of Irish society, including Catholic primary schools. This growth of the practice is set against the backdrop of a secularized and detraditionalized Irish society. This changed context for religious belief, as explored by Michael Paul Gallagher, Charles Taylor and Lieven Boeve, has challenged the Irish Church’s mission of evangelization. The challenges faced by Irish Catholic schools, as ecclesial entities, in living out this evangelizing mission highlight the growing necessity for pre-evangelization. These issues include a breakdown in the home, school and parish partnership model for faith formation and development, and a contemporary ‘educational emergency.’ This article examines the contribution of mindfulness as praeparatio evangelica in Catholic schools, focusing on it as a contemplative practice and as a means of enflaming sacramental imagination.

Private Schools and Student Achievement

Abstract We investigate the effects of private schools on reading and numeracy scores using rich population data. Conditional on lagged test scores and narrowly defined neighborhood indicators, Catholic and non-Christian faith private schools on average raise test scores by 0.18 standard deviation or more relative to the average public school, while non-Catholic Christian private schools have negligible effects. The effects of secular private “prep” schools are similar to those of Catholic schools, but selection bias is a greater concern in this case. We use school-specific estimates of effectiveness to investigate private school choice decisions and the determinants of private school effectiveness.

A case study of primary students’ perspectives of engagement in interreligious learning and teaching: a community of learners

ABSTRACT This case study explores the perceptions of students regarding their engagement in interreligious learning and teaching in one Australian Catholic Primary School. The study probes the learners’ understandings of what interreligious learning and teaching looks like in their context and how it might relate to their understandings of their evolving religious identity. The students were interviewed in groups and qualitative content analysis was used to uncover themes that emerged from the data. The key themes, Religious Education learning, diversity, voice and agency, and identity were brought to the fore. These themes are discussed in light of the school’s Enhancing Catholic School Identity (ECSI) data and the school’s approach to Religious Education. Utilising the multicultural/multifaith reality in this school context enabled the learners to engage with a plurality of religious and non-religious worldviews. Employing a pedagogical model operationalised in other learning areas, learners in Religion can engage respectfully in dialogue, critique perspectives and come to new or nuanced understandings. The study revealed learners were empowered to bridge the gaps between them through a felt sense of belonging to their school community and the enhancement of their understandings of the Catholic tradition through knowledge of, and dialogue with, other traditions.

What Is the Extent of the Church's Influence on Behavior Change among Adolescent Students in Catholic Secondary Schools of Murang'a East Sub-County in the Presence of Social Media?

What Is the Extent of the Church's Influence on Behavior Change among Adolescent Students in Catholic Secondary Schools of Murang'a East Sub-County in the Presence of Social Media?

Reproducing whiteness? A critical race analysis of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ process for drafting the framework for secondary religious education

This article draws on critical race theory and social reproduction theory to analyze the process resulting in the curriculum framework for secondary, Catholic, religious education in the US. This document, promulgated by Church leaders, has impacted millions of US Catholic high school students. Recent calls for racial justice, within and outside of the Catholic Church, invite inquiry into whether this framework is impacting all students equally. This article explores two key questions: Whose knowledge mattered in the creation of the Framework? Was the Framework constructed so as to support the creation of a culturally-sustaining religion curriculum for all students? This analysis demonstrates why the Framework may be problematic for Students of Color and suggests Catholic leaders and educators must learn more from critical race scholars and education researchers if they are to enhance the quality of this and future pedagogical resources for religious instruction. Recommendations are made for addressing the issues raised.

Jack Nelson: Fighting for Racial Justice in Louisiana

Abstract: Jack Nelson was a white Catholic lawyer involved in the struggle for African American civil rights in New Orleans. Drawing upon his faith's teachings, he advocated for racial justice in the courtroom and his community. As an officer of Save Our Schools, he fought to keep public schools open, and as a candidate for the Orleans Parish school board, he opposed those resisting integration. He defended young civil rights activists in a landmark Supreme Court case, and he filed the lawsuit that forced Tulane University to admit its first Black students. He facilitated the integration of New Orleans' Catholic schools. His civil rights advocacy brought social ostracism, hurt his legal practice, and doomed his efforts to win political office. Despite these setbacks, Nelson remained faithful to the principles of his religion and his profession. His victories are not widely known today because his desire to remain a solo practitioner precluded his involvement in cases lawyers argued for major civil rights organizations.

PRINCIPALS’ USE OF ARBITRATION CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY AND ITS IMPACT ON TEACHERS’ EFFECTIVENESS IN CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE KUMBA MUNICIPALITY MEME DIVISION SOUTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON

This study focused on principals’ arbitration management strategies and its impact on teachers’ effectiveness in Catholic secondary schools in the Kumba municipality, Meme Division, Southwest Region. The lone objective was to investigate the impact of Principals’ arbitration conflict Management strategies on Teachers’ effectiveness in Catholic Secondary Schools in the Kumba municipality. This paper used of John W. Burton conflict resolution theory (1980). The research design chosen for this study was the qualitative case study research design. The sample technique for the research was the purposive sampling technique and the sample size was 9 participants (3 principals and 6 teachers). Two research instruments were used in collecting data for this study: principals’ and teachers’ interview guides). The instruments validity and reliability were ensured through supervisor’s content scrutiny and ensuring transparency and auditing of the research activities as well as peer debriefing. Findings of the study showed that principals use of Arbitration conflict management strategy had an impact on teachers’ effectiveness. Based on this finding the researcher recommended that the Catholic education secretariate should provide capacity building workshop for principals on conflict management. Also, the government in partnership with Catholic hierarchy should encourage the provision of capacity building workshops for teachers on teamwork and collaboration in the teaching environment.

Child and youth mental health and wellbeing before and after returning to in-person learning in secondary schools in the context of COVID-19.

As children reintegrate with in-person classroom learning after COVID-19, health and education institutions should remain mindful of students' mental health. There is a paucity of data on changes in students' mental health before, during and after their return to in-person classroom learning. We collected and analyzed data on self-reported wellbeing, general mental health, perceived stress, and help-seeking attitudes from grade 7-12 students in a Catholic school division in Canada (n = 258 at baseline; n = 132 at follow-up). Outcomes were compared according to demographic differences such as gender, grade level, experience accessing mental health services, and presence of support staff between baseline and follow-up. Effects of time points and each demographic variable on each outcome and on the prediction of students' mental health were also analyzed. No significant differences were apparent for outcomes between baseline and follow-up. However, specific subgroups: junior high students, male students, students who had not accessed mental health services, and students who had access to support-staff had better outcomes than their counterparts. From baseline to follow-up, male students reported mental health decline [Mean = 11.79, SD = 6.14; Mean = 16.29, SD = 7.47, F(1, 333) = 8.36, p < 0.01]; students who had not accessed mental health services demonstrated greater stress [Mean = 20.89, SD = 4.09; Mean = 22.28, SD = 2.24, F(1, 352) = 6.20, p < 0.05]; students who did not specify a binary gender reported improved general mental health [Mean = 19.87, SD = 5.89; Mean = 13.00, SD = 7.40, F(1, 333) = 8.70, p < 0.01], and students who did not have access to support-staff improved help-seeking attitudes [Mean = 22.32, SD = 4.62; Mean = 24.76, SD = 4.81; F(1, 346) = 5.80, p < 0.05]. At each time point, students indicated parents, guardians, and close friends as their most-preferred help-seeking sources. High stress predicted lower wellbeing at baseline, but higher wellbeing at follow-up. Students presented stable mental health. Subgroups with decreased mental health may benefit from extra mental health support through building capacity among teachers and health care professionals to support students following public health emergencies.

Organizational Culture Among Religious Founded Schools in Enhancing Teachers’ Performance: A Case Study of Bishop Willigers Secondary School in Bugweri District, Eastern Uganda

The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of organizational culture on teachers’ performance in Bishop Willigers Secondary School in Bugweri District, Eastern Uganda. The study objectives were to; “determine the type of organizational structure in enhancing performance, to examine the contribution of organizational culture on teachers’ performance and to explore other factors that influence teachers’ performance other than organizational culture”. The study employed a qualitative paradigm where interview guide and focus group discussion guide as data collection instruments and the results “were analyzed thematically and presented adversatively adversatively”. The study employed Organizational Culture Theory of Edgar H Schein (1992) to examine the contribution of organizational culture on the performance of teachers. Study findings revealed that, “there was a strong relationship between organizational structure and teachers’ performance, and also revealed that other than organizational culture, other factors such as teacher motivation, parental involvement in the student’s learning, qualification of the teachers, influence teacher’s performance”. The study concludes that: The school has a positive organizational culture which is traditionally structured with a top-down communication system. In a school setting, organizational culture determines how things are done, employees’ work ethic, values, beliefs and attitudes and their commitment towards work. The organizational structure of the school was in line with the Catholic School leadership structure. Therefore, it’s recommended that all schools develop a well-organized, defined and standard organizational structure, develop a strong organizational culture, should hire competent qualified staff, and motivated teachers. Also, parents should encourage and get involved in their children’s education to be able to improve teachers’ performance in schools.

A Narrative Approach to Discerning Some Key Issues for Catholic Education in a More Synodal Church

Synodality is described as a mentality that esteems three actions: encountering, listening. and discerning. This mentality is applied to a discourse on Catholic education premised on three illustrative narratives. Narratives are used as a suitable instrument to gain deep insights into the lived experience of teachers working in Catholic schools. Several concurrent themes are identified as emerging issues for a more synodal church. These include challenges in providing enough teachers to animate the religious identity of schools. This is linked to profound changes in patterns of religious affiliation that have been evident for several decades. Considering this, acknowledgement needs to be made that the lived experience of teachers entering Catholic education today is distinctive and different from previous generations. In light of this, a number of points of discernment are made. These include the need for ongoing, nuanced teacher recruitment and formation, as well as a reconceptualization of religious education (RE) to take into account changing cultural dynamics and providing more practical support for teachers, especially RE teachers.

Exploring Primary School Staff Responses to Student Reports of Bullying in Australia: A Qualitative Study

AbstractBullying behaviour often increases in late childhood and peaks in early adolescence. While interventions to address bullying behaviour typically encourage students to report bullying incidents to school staff, students are often reluctant to report incidents for fear it will worsen their situation or because they lack confidence in a staff members’ ability to intervene effectively. This study explores school staff responses to student reports of bullying behaviour. School staff were recruited from Catholic and Independent schools in Perth, Western Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with school staff (n = 19) working with students in grades four to six (approximately 8–12 years). A thematic analysis of the data was undertaken with the assistance of qualitative data analysis software NVivo. Staff reported a variety of responses to student reports of bullying incidents. Responses involved bullying targets, bullying perpetrators and the school community. School and individual factors found to influence staff responses included life experiences, adequate time to deal with bullying and the influence of colleagues. Suggested strategies to improve staff responses were clear school policies and procedures, scheduled times to deal with student reports, databases to record bullying incidents and professional development for school staff.

Level of Self-Objectification among Adolescent Girls from Co-educational Schools and All-Girls Schools: A Comparative Study.

Indian females have been objectified since time immemorial. The ancient Indian texts and architecture have numerous instances of sexual objectification of females. In the present time, self-objectification in girls is evident from the increasing popularity of apps like Photoshop, the rise in the makeup industry, plastic and cosmetic surgeries, and so on. This is especially relevant for females across the globe and leads to huge negative effects on women's identities. The aim of the present study is to assess and compare the levels of body surveillance (self-objectification), body shaming, and control beliefs in adolescent girls from co-educational schools and all-girls schools. Four hundred adolescent girls from Convent schools in different cities in Uttar Pradesh were included in the study using purposive (homogeneous) sampling based on the inclusion criteria. The Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (OBCS) was used to assess body surveillance (self-objectification), body shaming, and control beliefs. The results of the study revealed that the level of body surveillance (self-objectification) was significantly high among Indian adolescent girls. It was found that all-girls schools had a higher level of body surveillance (self-objectification), body shaming, and control beliefs as compared to adolescent girls from co-educational schools. It can be concluded that the phenomenon of self-objectification has numerous implications for the physical and mental well-being of girls, particularly during their formative years. Healthy behaviors and positive thoughts are the best ways to respect and honor one's body. The research suggests the need for meditation, awareness workshops, and school-level counseling for adolescent girls, especially in all-girls schools.

Short-term effects of the "I Spy Feelings" program on emotion regulation in 5- to 6-year-old children.

Mental health difficulties in early childhood can have a debilitating and ongoing impact throughout an individual's life; emotion regulation can serve as a protective factor. Therefore, evidence-based prevention programs that teach children effective skills and strategies for emotion regulation are needed. As part of the Aussie Optimism pilot study evaluating the "I Spy Feelings" program, this study aims to assess the short-term effects of the program on emotion regulation in pre-primary aged children after 2 months via a longitudinal cluster randomized controlled trial. Participants included parents (N = 73) of 5- to 6-year-old children attending four different Catholic primary schools. Children from two of the schools were allocated to the intervention group where they participated in the program (N = 33), while children from the other two schools were allocated to the control group where they did not (N = 40). At each time point, all parents completed abridged Children's Emotional Management Scales measuring how well parents believe their child is able to cope with anger, sadness and worry. A significant intervention effect 2 months after intervention was found for the outcome of anger coping such that parents whose children were in the intervention group reported significantly greater improvement in their children's ability to cope with anger compared to parents whose children were in the control group. No significant effect was found for the outcome of sadness, and results for the worry subscale were inconclusive due to unacceptable internal consistency. The present study provides insight into the benefit of programs designed to enhance the emotion regulation skills of very young children. Further follow-up is needed to assess whether the "I Spy Feelings" program has lasting effects.

The Effects of School Counseling on the General Self-efficacy among Senior High School Students

This study sought to determine the effects of counseling on self-efficacy among senior high school students of a private Catholic secondary school in the City of Santiago, Philippines. It employed a quantitative, cross-sectional research design using the General Self-Efficacy Scale (Sherer, 1982) to gather data from two hundred fifteen (215) respondents. The results of the study showed that the majority of respondents were female, and had one to two counseling sessions attended in the Guidance and Counseling Center of the study site. The respondents’ level of self-efficacy was found to be “high” or 3.02. The t-test findings showed sex differences, where males have significantly higher level of self-efficacy than females after attending counseling sessions. Further, students who attended 1-2 sessions and 3 and above did not show any significant differences in their self-efficacy. The study recommends that the Guidance and Counseling Center shall explore these findings to enhance the provision of counseling services and evaluate the effects of counseling on their clientele.

Attracting talented and committed students to the teaching profession. Student perspectives on teaching as a career

Attracting talented students to the teaching profession is crucial if schools are to be at the forefront of preparing future generations for effective participation in a complex society. This research identified the perspectives of Year 12 (final-year) students on teaching as a career, and the factors influencing these perspectives. The data set involved 470 students from five Catholic secondary schools in Western Australia. Results indicated that Year 12 student perspectives were multifaceted and influenced through student experiences, beliefs, personality, and expectations. A conceptual design was proposed to explain the domains of influence on student perspectives of teaching as a career.

SCHOOL PRINCIPALS’ CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AS A DETERMINANT OF TEACHERS’ JOB EFFECTIVENESS IN CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN THE WOURI DIVISION, LITTORAL REGION OF CAMEROON

This study, examined school principals’ conflict management strategies as a determinant of teachers’ job effectiveness in Catholic Secondary Schools in the Wouri Division, Littoral Region of Cameroon. It adopted the exploratory sequential mixed method research design/ approach. The targeted population of the study comprised the 744 teachers and 13 school principals in 13 Catholic secondary schools in the Wouri Division. Eight (08) principals were purposefully sampled andthree hundred (300) teachers were randomly sampled from eight (08) Catholic Secondary Schools. An interview guide and questionnaires were the tolls adopted for the study administered to school principals and teachers/principals .The overall reliability analysis of the tolls was 0.757. Generally, when the Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient value is above 0.5 especially in a context where the test items to some extent are directly related to one another as it was the case in the context of this study, the instrument is considered to be valid and reliable for analysis. Findings showed, in aggregate, that most school principals used preferred strategies in managing conflicts that affect teachers’ job effectiveness in Catholic secondary schools such as confrontation (52.1%), awareness raising (47.9%), recollection/moral instructions/mass (41.7%) and dialogue (35.4%). On the part of teachers’ the most common strategy that principals use in managing conflicts that affect teachers’ job effectiveness in Catholic secondary schools is the organization of recollections/masses with a proportion of 41.3%, followed by confrontation at 40.1%, awareness raising 38,0% and dialogue 32.9%. Statistically, findings revealed that there is a significant effect of school principals’ conflict management strategies on teachers’ job effectiveness (calculated r-value=0.339**, P-value =0.000, &lt; 0.05). Based on the findings, it was recommended among other things that conflict management should be introduced in the citizenship syllables for secondary and higher learning institutions to educate learners about the adverse effect of conflicts and how conflicts can be positively managed.