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What are Catholic Schools Becoming Today?
Where's the Genuine 'Catholicness' Going?
Why is There so much Emphasis on the Commercial and Business side of Catholic Education? Are Governmental Finances Seen as Priority ONE?
The Financial needs of Catholic schools in Australia have always been negotiated positively and fruitfully for all in Catholic schools' educational bodies? What has Changed for our Leaders Today?
No Schools were advantaged, whether state, Catholic, or Independent.
Why the sudden need over recent years for Catholic schools to encourage many of the older teachers to leave teaching? Yes, everyone's under various forms of pressure, some forms of which have been 'invented' over the past few years, but, please, remember which teachers got this massive, extraordinarily successful, Catholic institution to where it is now, and still do! There are several teachers who I trained with in the early days at McAuley Teachers College in Brisbane and who are brilliant, have been forced out, in a way that certainly seems to be indiscriminate.
Teachers today are required to do so much more than ever was expected or anticipated, just to be granted various forms of financial assistance for those students with special needs. The format this takes seems to be well beyond that which is needed. Instead of senior leadership in Catholic education within the archdiocese of Brisbane, it gets 'thrown' to the classroom teachers. Many of them have great difficulties sorting out the process and making it be what has been requested. Muck this part up and a caution against your permanent job may occur. Remain 'unsuccessful' in the standard of the senior archdiocesan leadership and you may lose your job. This seems to happen to some younger teachers also, but not to the level and quantity of experienced teachers.
I retired from teaching at the same time these changes were coming in. I was so fortunate not to have been caught up in this very poorly implemented policy. However, I have spoken to several teachers who started with me, and who have either been through the above process and won or lost, or who have 'thrown in the towel' simply because the process is unfair and an injustice to genuine high-quality teachers, who have been taken to the brink as the easiest way to end their employment.
It severely hurts me to say, that from all the information passed to me throughout the past few years, Catholic education seems to be taking the incorrect path.
Would Jesus have said to today's teachers, to concentrate on often poor financial policies and those implementing those policies from on high within the system, or to involve others not in the classroom. I would have thought that teachers need to TEACH much more than anything else. Catholic schoolteachers also NEED to TEACH from a Catholic justice and faith point of view. So do their overseers. There must be No injustice. There must be No limiting of faith experiences of teachers and students within each class, etc.
In closing, may I also challenge the hierarchy within the Catholic Education senior leaders. Even though these people hate the following questions, why would they if they were being honest, inspiring, and aiming for the best in each student and teacher:
1. How long since you have been a full-time teacher in a Catholic school?
2. How many years did you teach in Catholic schools?
3. Do you believe that time spent on the above circumstances' themes about teaching in Catholic institutions, is absolutely necessary?
4. If you were teaching today in a Catholic school, how would you progress with all the extra add-on expectations and policies from your leadership groups outside the classrooms?
5. Do you honestly believe that if any teacher cannot relate and appreciate your financial and curriculum expectations, they should receive a warning to improve, or to be given their 'ticket of leave' out of the Catholic system? What else could honestly be done with and for these teachers?
6. Do you see that BCE, and/or other dioceses, are becoming more corporate and commercial, in deference to what Catholic schools must be? Faith-filled, ethical, honest, authentically informative Catholic, True to God's Truth, etc.
1. 42 years teaching in Catholic schools from years 1-12.
2. Leadership as a principal in two primary/elementary schools in two country schools, at Tara and Goondiwindi, in southern Queensland.
3. Leadership as an assistant principal RE and PC in a Catholic secondary school for 12 years. Gold Coast.
4. Senior school coordinator in years 11 and 12 for 10 years, Gold Coast.
5. Teaching Study of Religion to years 11 and 12 for 30 years, Brisbane and Gold Coast.
6. Deanery and Parish pastoral councils as president or secretary, Brisbane south to Gold Coast. Surfers Paradise. Oxenford/Coomera.
7. Primary school P and F president twice.
Bryan Foster author.
© Copyright 2024 to Bryan Foster, Karen Foster, Great Developments Publishers.
Bryan Foster, author, has recently completed his 10-book series, titled: 'God Today' Series. See the titles below. Written from 2016 to 2024.
2007-2024 BY BRYAN FOSTER - AUTHOR & PUBLISHER and Karen Foster, Directors. Copyright 2007-2024 of all TEXTBOOKS, PHOTOBOOKS, VIDEOS, IMAGES, ARTICLES PUBLISHED BY GREAT DEVELOPMENTS PUBLISHERS.
Bryan Foster and Karen Foster
Directors,
Great Developments Publishers
0402168911
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The 10-book Series titled, ‘God Today’ Series, contains the following titles. Books are available all good internet bookstores, along with various shopfront bookshops, worldwide –
Book 1. 1GOD.world: One GOD for All, (2016)
Book 2. Mt Warning GOD's Revelation: Photobook Companion to '1GOD.world', (2017)
Book 3. Where's GOD? Revelations Today, (2018)
Book 4. Where's GOD? Revelations Today Photobook Companion: GOD Signs (2nd ed) (2018). Images so genuinely UNIQUE and God-Given!
Book 5. Jesus and Mahomad are GOD (2020)
Book 6. Love is the Meaning of Life: GOD'S Love (1st ed) (2021)
Book 7. Wisdom: GOD’s Hints and Tips (2021)
Book 8. (8A and B). Love is the Meaning of Life (1st ed) (2022) Book 8. Love is the Meaning of Life (for Secular People) (1st ed) (Book 8 is an edited version of the 2nd ed. i.e., Book 6, 2021, and includes an introduction to God’s Love for the non-believer and those with doubts. It includes an introduction to God’s Love for the non-believer and those with doubts.
Book 9. Before Heaven: Hints Tips Stories (2023)
Book 10. Before Heaven: Hints Tips Stories (2nd ed) (2023)