A PROBLEMATIC MANDATE The education of the whole person is a mandate that is common in the context of Catholic secondary schools, with importance placed on the spiritual and moral dimensions of education Problems exist in the practical implementation of the mandate for a number of reasons:  The method by which teachers attempt to facilitate spiritual and moral development is often unsuitable; such development cannot happen ‘on cue’, nor can it be expressed and measured using formal learning outcomes  Teachers fail to see the relevance of spiritual development in their KLA; the delivery of the outcomes is not in line with each teacher’s vision for their classroom  Student engagement in authentic personal learning requires the highest degree of choice and freedom; such conditions are difficult to provide within the context of the classroom or school.

 Finding meaning and a sense of self is vital to young people; Students need support and guidance in their search  Contemporary society is fuelled by individualism and is consumeristic by nature  Pluralism, pace of life and the media have affected the way in which communities serve as frames of reference for beliefs  The development of discerning individuals is crucial in the current sociocultural environment where meaning is removed from altruism, commitment and sacrifice INDIVIDUALISM vs. ALTRUISM

LEARNING TO BE DISCERNING  In the current sociocultural situation, there is an endless supply of dangerous influences. Schools have a responsibility to provide guidance to students around the identification and formation of meaning and also the skills required for the evaluation of meaning  The most critical part of education is enhancing the capacity to think critically. Critical thinking and evaluative skills need to be developed in students so that they can become discerning individuals and so that they can enter the world having reflected upon and developed the value system with which they would like to evaluate the plethora of meanings presented to them  In order for the school to fulfill its role, teachers require clarification of how to guide spiritual and moral development without compromising the integrity of their subject matter

WISDOM TO ELICIT WISDOM Teachers need sufficient professional wisdom and a good understanding of the constructs of spirituality and morality in order to facilitate the development of their students inside and outside of the classroom. For this reason a focus on the spiritual development of teachers is crucial. Sunley (1990) and Palmer (1990) analyse the role of educators in the development of the spiritual dimension of their students. They provide that:  Teachers are the gatekeepers of spirituality and must develop themselves in such a way  Reflection and time for their own spiritual development is essential for teachers Doherty (undated ) emphasises the idea of balance, noting that health, holiness and wholeness all come from the same root meaning.

A CHALLENGE FOR TEACHERS The value of discernment is a prominent theme of Crawford and Rossiter (2006). In order for teachers to foster the development of discerning individuals, they must maintain good judgment themselves. Au (2006) describes discernment as both a posture and a process. Rupp (1995) explains the importance of actions that align with the Gospel values.  Discernment involves ‘fostering a contemplative attitude that helps us to spot the presence of God in the concrete events and experiences of everyday life.  Just as students might easily be misguided by the materialistic and temporary nature of contemporary society, teachers can also become misguided. Similar to developing their own spirituality, teachers need to ensure that they are continually aligning their own actions with the strong sense of right judgment that they seek to elicit in their students.

‘Hopes’ for better ‘Outcomes’ A change in the outcomes based method of structuring and assessing teaching and learning is crucial. Outcomes for spiritual and moral development are not as neat and measurable as they are for regular subjects. Rather than being expressed as outcomes, Crawford and Rossiter (2006) suggest that they be referred to as hopes. The ‘hopes’ would guide the work of teachers, rather than acting as a checklist for the classwork and achievement of students

INHERENT – NOT INJECTED The gap between the concept of holistic education and the practice can in part be attributed to a lack of teacher training and development, leading to a perceived ‘values overkill’ or the perception that expectations were unrealistic or unachievable in the classroom. The skills for making spiritual and moral development inherent in teaching need to be developed in teachers. Through such development, education may become inherently holistic and enriched, with a necessary whole school approach. The issues that need discussion are already there under the surface and simply need uncovering

 Above all it is vital that the spiritual and moral development of students and their search for meaning and identity is facilitated in an open, inquiring, student centered learning process otherwise it will be irrelevant  The personal growth of students is private and cannot be measured or be confined to the classroom  A monumental challenge exists - for educators to facilitate such growth in a culture where students typically disregard any lessons that they cannot directly relate to their assessments or future employability.

References Au, W. (2006). Discerning heart. In Discerning heart: Exploring the Christian path. (pp.19-45). New Jersey: Paulist Press. Crawford, M. & Rossiter, G. (2006). Reasons for Living: Education and Young People's Search for Meaning, Identity and Spirituality. In M. Crawford & G. Rossiter. Reasons for Living: Education and Young People's Search for Meaning, Identity and Spirituality: A Handbook (3-20). Camberwell, Vic.: ACER Press. Doherty, T. (undated) How to live a healthy Gospel life. Inform, 15. Palmer, P. (1990). "The woodcarver": A model for right action. In The active life,(pp ). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Rupp, J. (1995). Rediscovering God in the midst of our work. In R.Wicks (Ed.).Handbook of spirituality for ministers (pp ). New York: Paulist Press. Sunley, R. (2009). Relating to the Spiritual in the Classroom. In M. de Souza, L. Francis, J. O’Higgins-Norman & D. Scott (Eds.), International Handbook of Education for Spirituality, Care and Wellbeing (Vol. 3, pp ): Springer Netherlands.